Straightline

One hundred forty people have returned a vehicle as part of GM's 60-day guarantee program. The program, which is part of the automaker's "May the Best Car Win" campaign, started in September and runs until November 30. So far, 653 customers have opted for the guarantee instead of a $500 cash rebate.

But forget about bringing your car back, no questions asked. General Motors wants to know why don't you like it. And to that end, some customers will evidently be getting a call from top GM engineers, including Mark Ruess, vice president of global engineering. Ruess told reporters he intends to call an unhappy Malibu customer and a (former) Silverado owner who was dissatisfied with the truck's interior room and fit and finish.

Auto Observer: GM Engineers Call Customers Who Returned Cars

Categories: Auto Industry,Automaker Feedback,Chevrolet,General Motors

This is going to blow your mind: The 2011 Buick Regal will be offered with a manual transmission. Seriously. Really. We're not joking.

What's next? A pole-dancing nun? A sane Courtney Love? Ham-and-cheese-flavored ice cream? Here's how we know that the Regal, reborn as a quasi sports sedan and basically a rebaged version of the Opel Insignia, will come in a three-pedal version: We drove it. Look for a full story to come.

But, suffice to say, we hopped in the Regal-ized Opel at a GM event this morning in Michigan, rolled down the window and called Jim Federico, the man behind the Insignia/Regal, over and said something to the effect of "This is a manual. What the hell?" To which Federico responded that the 2.0-liter turbo version of the Regal (which will arrive a few months after the car debuts in the U.S. in the second quarter of 2010) will eventually be offered with the 6-speed manual we were about to drive.

While in no way consistent with what Buick has been for at least a couple of decades (a former Buick PR person once told us that we would begin loving Buicks when we became elderly), the inclusion of the manual indicates GM's intent to young-up Buick using performance.

It's probably no coincidence that GM also had in attendance the Opel Insignia OPC model that is powered by a 325 hp version of the 2.8-liter turbocharged V6 also used in the Cadillac SRX turbo and the Saab Turbo X. This lends credence to the recently floated and Bob Lutz-attributed rumor of a GS performance version of the Regal going on sale in the U.S. in the near future. No word whether any future GS would carry this turbo motor.

Now back to your regularly scheduled car world.

Categories: Buick,General Motors,Opel,Sedans

The Detroit News' David Shephardson picked up some interesting quotes from Nissan-Renault Chairman Carlos Ghosn today.

In a panel organized by the Council on Foreign Relations, Ghosn was asked about the partnership the Nissan-Renault alliance sought to form with General Motors back in 2006 (talks were called off in October of that year). GM would have been far better off had this gone through, he said.

"Without any doubt. We knew fundamentally that this would work, but only if it was a collaborative effort."

It's important to keep in mind, he said, that GM and Nissan (and other automakers) are already unofficially link by common suppliers. "When General Motors was in danger, everybody was scared. We were scared. Because some of our suppliers are big suppliers of General Motors. If they go down, we would not have been able to assemble any single car in the United States."

Ghosn said he takes no joy in seeing the state of GM in 2009. "When you see the disaster and the waste of energy and skills and talent, nobody can be happy."

He further argued that consolidation is inevitable in the automotive industry, because there are too many players vying for a slice of a shrinking market.

Detroit News -- Ghosn: General Motors should have joined team in 2006

Categories: Auto Industry,General Motors,Nissan

History has shown time and time again that bandwagons roll into town as soon as a cool car hits the streets. New cars offer new opportunities for the aftermarket and judging by the full frontal assault of bad taste at SEMA, the bandwagon for the 2010 Camaro is chock full.

SLP, however, are no strangers to smallblocks. Back in the day, aka 1991, Pontiac started selling the Firehawk, a stonkin'-fast hotrodded Firebird Formula offered as an option right at the dealer. It was SLP that did all the heavy lifting in creating the Firehawk, and the result was just about the coolest -- and most powerful -- thing this side of the 911 Turbo of its day.

These guys are veterans, and they've since turned their know-how to the 2010 Camaro you see here. It's the SLP ZL575 Camaro. We drove it, tested it and brought it to MD Automotive's Dynojet chassis dyno. You know, in the name of science.

Hit the jump.

Continue reading Dyno Test: 2010 SLP ZL575 Chevy Camaro.

Categories: Chevrolet,Coupes,General Motors,Tuners and Modifications

Updated

A study authored by Thomas Hopkins, an economics professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and published by the National Taxpayers Union, claims that taxpayers kick in $12,200 for every GM vehicle sold in the U.S. And for every Chrysler vehicle sold here, the bill comes to a claimed $7,600.

Hopkins didn't use any terribly complicated math to come up with these figures. Rather, he's taking the bailout totals thus far ($50+ billion for GM, $13+ billion for Chrysler and $12+ billion for GMAC, which finances both of them) and dividing them by actual and projected sales for both companies for all of 2009 and 2010. Easy-peasy.

But possibly oversimplified. The study doesn't include either company's sales outside the U.S. Or the many and complicated financial obligations each automaker has. Nor does Hopkins have any apparent interest in the economic fallout that would have come from a total collapse of either GM or Chrysler... no one really knows how dark that reality might have been. But this is beyond the scope of what Hopkins is trying to accomplish, which seems to be to shed light on the true cost of propping up the weak, instead of bolstering the strong (er, the less weak). 

Snippet: "Auto producers whose products American consumers find most appealing have been notably missing from the roster of bailout recipients. Our subsidies instead have gone to the poor performers, firms whose past management decisions proved faulty. As a result the bailout has created moral hazard problems, inadvertently handicapping the progress of stronger, non-subsidized producers. The problems extend beyond just the auto industry, as favored status for one financial company and its bank necessarily complicates prospects for non-subsidized rivals."

So the money's gone. The loans have been made. We own 61 percent of GM. All we can do now is hope the markets are in a buying mood at the initial public offering (IPO) for GM shares. That could come as soon as the fourth quarter of 2010, Ron Bloom, chair of the government's automotive task force told Reuters today.

NTU: The Auto Bailout -- A Taxpayer Quagmire

Reuters -- Exclusive: U.S. wants to fast-track GM IPO

Categories: Auto Industry,Chrysler,General Motors

Curious whether the new 2010 Honda Accord has an optional neck massager? How about the tow rating on the Ford F-150? And what about those European cars, they're always adding some new totally nonessential technological "feature."

Now there's an easy way to find out. Our 2010 Buyer's Guide lists every model change from every manufacturer. From colors to options to full redesigns, it's all there.

2010 Buyer's Guide 

Categories: Acura,Aston Martin,Audi,BMW,Bentley,Bugatti,Buick,Cadillac,Chevrolet,Chrysler,Dodge,Ferrari,Fiat,Ford,GMC,General Motors,HUMMER,Honda,Hyundai,Infiniti,Jaguar,Jeep,Kia,Lamborghini,Land Rover,Lexus,Lincoln,Lotus,MINI,Maserati,Maybach,Mazda,Mercedes-Benz,Mercury,Mitsubishi,Nissan,Pontiac,Porsche,Rolls-Royce,SMART,Saab,Saturn,Scion,Subaru,Suzuki,Tesla Motors,Toyota,Volkswagen,Volvo

Much to GM's liking, the Camaro SS continues to outsell the lesser-engined LS and LT models. This was expected in the early days as enthusiasts tend to buy the most powerful models right out of the gate, but even months into its launch, the Camaro SS is still the top-selling model. Edmunds.com data analysts estimate that over 60% of Camaros sold so far have been SS models.

During a recent discussion with Bob Lutz, he told Inside Line that Chevrolet purposely low-balled the V6 models to boost sales and GM's CAFE number. It hasn't quite worked out that way, but Lutz did mention one side benefit. "The V6 is expensive to build, so the two models cost almost the same to produce."

Translation: We're making more money on the SS models, so for now, we'll take it.

Categories: Auto Industry,Chevrolet,Coupes,General Motors

That's the argument Bill Visnic makes on AutoObserver. He notes that although GM's financial results have improved, much of the good news is still rooted in overseas success.

GM's position in North America is still a work in progress and it's going to take more than just Cash for Clunkers to dig its way out.

AutoObserver: For GM, It's North America - or Bust

Categories: General Motors,Trends

Yes, that 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, the car that's already on sale in Europe and Asia. Thankfully, Chevrolet notes that the U.S. version "has undergone refinement for America."

What does that mean? GM doesn't say, probably a softer suspension and quieter tires or something. Big cupholders and a book holder on the steering maybe too.

Chevrolet does claim, once again, that the Cruze will get up to 40 miles per gallon. Not bad. And it will have a bigger interior than the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. A good thing.

Oh, and the 2011 Chevrolet Volt will be there too. Again. 

We'll take a closer look at both cars at the 2009 L.A. Auto Show on Dec. 2nd.

Categories: Chevrolet,Future Vehicles,General Motors,LA Auto Show,Sedans

Among the many highlights of GM's financial results yesterday was the declaration by CEO Fritz Henderson that GM would begin to pay back its government loan next month. Sounds great huh? Five years early and everything!

There's only one problem. GM isn't paying back its loans with money it generated through selling cars, it's merely giving back the money we gave them in the first place. Still not a bad thing, but not quite the "were back in business" moment it looked like on paper.

For a better explanation of how this worked, check out this interview with David Shepardson of the Detroit News that ran on The News Hour last night.

The News Hour: GM to Repay Government Loans Early, Cites Profit Progress
  

Categories: Auto Industry,General Motors

General Motors announced its first financial numbers since emerging from bankruptcy. And what do you, it lost money. No surprised there, it's not going to be a quick turnaround no matter how much cash the government forks over.

Still, there was some good news in today's numbers. CEO Fritz Henderson says the company should be in a position to start paying back its government loans starting next month. He expects that GM will be able to repay the entire loan much earlier than the 2015 deadline. GM also noted strong sales of its latest models and much lower operating costs than before.

AutoObsever: GM Will Make First Government Payments in December

Categories: Auto Industry,General Motors

After an online reveal earlier this week, the 2011 Buick Regal made its way to the Palladium theater in Hollywood for a slightly more glamorous stage debut. The drinks were flowing, the lighting was dark and all the big guns from GM were there to show off the new sedan.

With new marketing chief Bob Lutz, recently appointed sales chief Susan Docherty and VP of design Ed Welburn all on hand, it was clear that GM has plenty riding on this new Buick sedan. The rest of the room was filled with current Buick and GMC buyers and more than a few GM dealers, they're easy to spot.

So what's it look like in person? Not bad. There are no port holes which is good. Trust us, given the average age in the room no one would have known what they were anyway. The wheels look a tad big for the rest of the car, but otherwise there aren't many awkward angles on the Regal.

At this point, the big "if" is whether the Regal can get by with four-cylinder power only. Acura has abandoned that strategy with its TSX sedan and few other luxury cars rely solely on four-cylinder no matter how powerful they are. We'll see soon enough as the 2011 Buick Regal goes on sale in the second quarter of next year.

Categories: Buick,Future Vehicles,General Motors,LA Auto Show,Luxury Cars,Sedans

The Detroit News is reporting that Cadillac's extended-range electric car concept, the Converj, is now a lock for production.

The Converj was widely assumed to be in the product plan shortly after its unveiling at the 2009 Detroit auto show, based on quotes from Bob Lutz indicating that a higher-priced vehicle using the Chevrolet Volt technology made a lot of sense. This was, however, before the entire GM world came collapsing in on itself.

According to an unidentified News source, Cadillac included the two-door Converj in its presentation to the GM board on November 2.

With the Volt and Volt-clone Opel Ampera still about a year off, one could rightfully assume that the Cadillac version wouldn't be on the market until late in 2011, at the earliest.  

The Detroit News

Categories: Cadillac,General Motors

Sitting in the middle of the GM booth at SEMA is Robby Gordon's Hummer H3 Dakar racer. This tube-frame, carbon-fiber-bodied beast uses a LS7 V8 and sequential gearbox to drive the rear wheels. And it looks utterly bad ass.

Gordon's third place finish in this year's event means he's a real contender for the 2010 edition which starts on January 1.

More photos after the jump.

Continue reading Robby Gordon's Hummer H3 Dakar Racecar.

Categories: General Motors,HUMMER,SEMA Show

The deal to sell Opel is officially off. General Motors announced today it will keep its German subsidiary.

Back in September GM announced it would sell a 55-percent stake in Opel/Vauxhall to the consortium of the Canadian parts supplier Magna and the Russian bank Sberbank (representing the Russian automaker GAZ). Opel employees would have gotten a 10-percent stake and GM would have held onto 35 percent.

But the deal was delayed when the European Union expressed concern that it violated EU law: The German government had promised $6.6 billion in aid to Opel, but only if GM sold its subsidiary to Magna/Sberbank (which were thought to be most amenable to preserving German union jobs). This essentially made other bidders, among them RHJ International, the Belgian affiliate of private equity firm Ripplewood Holdings, less attractive. European press reports indicate that Germany subsequently relented and said it would provide the same aid package to other bidders.

It's not yet clear exactly what role this issue played in today's decision, thought Reuters reports that GM's board met immediately after the EU pressed GM officials to confirm that the company still would have chosen Magna/Sberbank had it known that Germany would have provided aid to any of the bidding companies.

Of course, there's nothing about this matter in GM's press release, in which Fritz Henderson states, "While strained, the business environment in Europe has improved. At the same time, GM's overall financial health and stability have improved significantly over the past few months, giving us confidence that the European business can be successfully restructured."

The release also indicates that GM estimates restructuring costs for Opel at 3 billion euros ($4.4 billion) --"significantly lower than all bids submitted as part of the investor solicitation."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in Washington, DC, this week, so it will be interesting to see if she weighs in on this announcement. The sale of Opel was a hot-button issue during her recent reelection campaign.

Reuters

Categories: Auto Industry,General Motors,Opel