Auto news and reviews from Car Buyer's Notebook.com: GMC Archives

August 12, 2008

GM Offers More Fuel-efficient Pickup Trucks, SUVs

DETROIT -- General Motors Corp. is releasing new, more fuel-efficient versions of its full-size pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles later this fall. The XFE -- or extra fuel economy -- versions of the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks and Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon SUVs will get one mile per gallon more in both city and highway fuel economy than non-XFE versions.

The boost will give them a total of 15 miles per gallon in the city and 21 on the highway. The XFE pickups and SUVs will be available in the fourth quarter of this year.

August 6, 2008

GM Certified Used Vehicles to List Entire Inventory Onine

DETROIT - GM Certified Used Vehicles, the industry's top-selling manufacturer-certified used vehicle brand*, announced it has reached an agreement to list the entire national inventory of GM Certified Used Vehicles and Saturn Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles on EveryCarListed.com, a new consumer automotive listings site.

The EveryCarListed.com relationship provides shoppers a new online resource that makes it easy for them to research and find GM Certified Used Vehicles.

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August 2, 2008

GM Reports July Sales Down 26.7%

DETROIT - GM today announced July sales results, highlighted by continued strong performance in small and midsize cars and crossovers. GM dealers in the United States delivered 235,184 vehicles in July, down 26.7 percent.

Weak industry conditions caused by a challenging U.S. economic environment, higher fuel prices and inventory shortages in critical segments such as compact cars contributed to the overall sales decline for the month.

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July 25, 2008

GM to Broaden Employee Discounts

DETROIT -- General Motors Corp., hoping to boost demand amid a drastic downturn in the U.S. auto industry, will offer employee discounts to nonemployees on a limited basis.

GM Sales Chief Mark LaNeve rolled out the plan in an email to employees late Thursday. Employees can give one employee discount away between now and the end of July, a GM spokeswoman said.

"All active GM employees in the U.S. have the opportunity to provide one employee discount to anyone you know who is considering the purchase of a new vehicle," Mr. LaNeve said in the email.

GM's New Interactive Site Goes "Undercover" to Educate Consumers

DETROIT - What would happen if you turned more than 20 undercover film and surveillance professionals with eight cameras loose to show the potential drawbacks of buying a used vehicle that is not manufacturer certified?

That's what GM's Certified Used Vehicles team did and the results were not at all surprising.

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OnStar Opens "Crisis Assist" Emergency Services to Those Affected by Dolly

DETROIT - OnStar reminds its subscribers in Southeast Texas that a simple push of the OnStar button in GM vehicles will put them in contact with specially-trained Crisis Advisors.

OnStar's Crisis Assist capabilities include specially trained Crisis Advisors, who will help with:

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July 22, 2008

Buick, Pontiac, GMC Channel Working

General Motors Corp. says its strategy of grouping its Buick, Pontiac and GMC brands into one distribution channel, which began in 2002, is working. The 1,600 dealers currently aligned with the B-P-G channel account for approximately 80 percent of the sales from the trio of GM nameplates.

"This is a great channel, with three strong differentiating brands and a strong dealer body," says Susan Docherty, named GM's North America vice president-BPG channel, three months ago. "The B-P-G channel has some good momentum, and we plan to build on that." Getting the dealers aligned into one channel has been one of GM's top priorities for the last three or four years. "And we are continuing to work to align dealers along the B-P-G channel, because this makes good business sense," she says.

July 18, 2008

General Motors Forging Ahead

By Bob Lutz, GM Vice Chairman

As you've no doubt heard me say before, we've made a lot of progress in the past few years at General Motors. And we've delivered on what we said we would do. We've tackled the legacy costs. We've improved our quality. We went from having, at least in North America, some mediocre products to having acclaimed products that are selling extremely well, especially on the passenger car side. In June, for example, in a slow market, our retail car sales were up 8 percent.

We continue to reinvigorate our product portfolio. We're pursuing advanced propulsion technologies that will greatly reduce dependence on petroleum. And, we're reacting to the swiftly changing market conditions here in the U.S.

Continue reading "General Motors Forging Ahead"

July 12, 2008

GM now selling fuel economy

General Motors Corp. will shift its 2008 advertising for Buick, GMC and Pontiac to promote their fuel-economy edge over competitors after the three brands' U.S. sales fell 25 percent last month.

New commercials single out Toyota Motor Corp.'s Tundra pickup and 4Runner sport utility vehicle and other models as having lower efficiency than GM models.

"The market is flooded with fuel-economy messages, and we needed to tell our story," Frakes said. The "pump less and drive more" commercials emphasize the range and fuel economy of the models, she said.

July 7, 2008

GM Weighs More Layoffs, Sale of Brands

DETROIT -- Bruised by a deep sales slump and a half-century-low in its stock price, General Motors Corp. is preparing to cut thousands more white-collar jobs and is considering whether it should sell or shutter more of its brands, people familiar with the matter said.

Both moves are part of a broader re-evaluation of GM's strategy and of its ability to meet an internal projection of returning to profitability in 2010, these people said. The job cuts are likely to be approved when GM's board of directors meets in early August, these people said.

The company has already decided to put its Hummer division up for sale. Discussions among top executives about the number of brands have intensified in recent weeks, and signal a potential major shift in thinking by the company -- especially by Chief Executive Rick Wagoner. As top executives review future cars and trucks earmarked for various brands, "nothing is off the table," several people said. All but Cadillac and Chevrolet, which GM considers core to its business, are undergoing close scrutiny, other people said.

July 2, 2008

GM Extends Zero Percent Financing Deals

DETROIT -- General Motors notified its dealers this morning that it will be extending its 0 percent financing sale through Monday, July 7.

The sale conditions remain the same -- 0 percent financing for 72 months on most GM vehicles. The so-called 72-hour sale ran from June 24 through June 30.

July 1, 2008

GM Reports June Sales Down 18.5%

DETROIT - GM today announced June sales results, highlighted by an 8 percent rise in retail car sales and continued strong performance in crossovers.

Despite the significant decline of industry market volume and the limited availability of some of GM's most popular models, GM dealers in the United States delivered 265,937 vehicles in June, down 8 percent (18.5 percent unadjusted). Truck sales declined 6 percent.

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GM Offers Low APR on Certified Used Vehicles

DETROIT - GM Certified Used Vehicles, the industry's top-selling manufacturer-certified used vehicle brand*, today announced a nationwide GMAC rate incentive program on select GM Certified Used Vehicles, including Chevrolet Impala and Malibu models.

The new rate incentive offer, effective July 1, 2008, through September 30, 2008, provides well-qualified GM Certified Used Vehicles buyers with 2.9% APR financing for terms up to 48 months, or 3.9% APR financing for terms up to 60 months from GMAC Financial Services on 2003-2008 models of Chevrolet Impala and Malibu** vehicles purchased from participating GM Certified Used Vehicles dealers.

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June 30, 2008

GMnext Takes Music Fans Backstage At Rothbury Festival

DETROIT - The adventure continues as GMnext Plug In marks the halfway point of its global tour of music festivals, with Tenacious D's Kyle Gass interviewing bands backstage at the Rothbury Festival, July 3 - 6.

Following his recent appearances at the Rock on the Range Festival in Columbus , Ohio, Southside Festival in Germany and Pinkpop in the Netherlands, Kyle will once again be the face of GMnext Plug In at Rothbury.

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Ford Waits as GM, Toyota Take Lead on Plug-In Hybrids

Ford Motor Co., under pressure to trim its reliance on trucks, said it's taking a measured approach on plug-in hybrid vehicles by letting rivals assume the risk of marketing the new technology.

"If customers aren't buying them, we're not making them," Ted Miller, Ford's senior manager of energy storage, said in an interview [last week]. "If there's going to be a true plug-in hybrid market, we're going to be there. It's just that that's a huge commitment to actually go to production."

That tack may force the world's third-largest automaker to play catch-up if plug-ins such as General Motors Corp.'s Chevrolet Volt concept can be built in high volume. The chief hurdle is a rechargeable battery for extended electric-only use. GM and Toyota Motor Corp., the biggest automakers, are racing to introduce a vehicle able to recharge from household electrical sockets in 2010. Ford has a test fleet of 20 plug-in sport-utility vehicles, without a target date for selling them.

June 15, 2008

New Appointments Build GM Brand Channel Alignment

DETROIT - General Motors announced personnel moves today in support of its four retail channels: Chevrolet; Premium (Cadillac, Hummer, Saab); Buick-Pontiac-GMC; and Saturn. The moves streamline the organization by combining or eliminating job functions. This will help the brands better deliver world-class products to customers, and build value for GM and its dealers.

The following appointments are effective July 1st; however these individuals will begin to transition into their new roles immediately.

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June 14, 2008

GM Rolls Out Military Discount

DETROIT - General Motors today announced an online vehicle discount program for active and reserve military members that can save military families thousands of dollars when purchasing a new car or truck from Chevrolet, Saturn, Pontiac, Buick, Saab, Cadillac, GMC or HUMMER.

"The GM Military Discount Program" is an online web site that enables active and reserve members of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, National Guard and Coast Guard to get a new vehicle discount. Under the program, military members can receive as much as a $1,500 discount off the MSRP of a new Buick Enclave crossover; $2,200 off a new Chevrolet Impala sedan; or as much as $4,200 off a new GMC Sierra pickup truck.

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June 12, 2008

GM Certified Used Vehicles Live on eBay Motors

DETROIT - GM Certified Used Vehicles, the industry's top-selling manufacturer-certified used vehicle brand, announced today that its 60,000-plus-vehicle inventory from 3,900-plus U.S. dealers is now listed on eBay Motors (www.ebaymotors.com), the Internet's largest marketplace for buying and selling all things automotive.

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June 4, 2008

Top Selling Crossovers in the United States for May 2008

With total SUV sales down 19.5% in May, not even the crossover segment was able to escape unscathed -- the smaller ute/station wagon category was also down 5%, as consumers decided they didn't even want mini-SUVs over more fuel efficient cars.

Besides the usual suspects a couple vehicles did well in consumers' quest for smaller wagons, including the Dodge Journey, Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester. Also of note is that GM placed both the GMC Acadia and Saturn Vue in the top 15, which is good news for that new platform, and for the parent company that suffered a big blow for the month.

After the jump, the top 15 best selling crossovers for May 2008:

Continue reading "Top Selling Crossovers in the United States for May 2008"

June 3, 2008

GM will build the Chevy Volt Electric Car

GM has approved funding to build the Chevy Volt electric vehicle, and confirms that it will come equipped with still experimental lithium-ion batteries. GM expects the Volt to be in showrooms by the end of 2010.

GM Increases Small Car Production, Closes Four Truck Plants

General Motors has announced they are increasing small car production in Michigan and Ohio, at plants that make the Chevy Malibu and Pontiac G6 and the Chevy Cobalt and Pontiac G5, to keep up with increased consumer demand of small and mid-size cars.

GM also said they will shut down four truck plants, in Canada, Ohio, Wisconsin and Mexico.

One plant will stop making the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra in 2009, while another that makes the Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy and Saab 9-7x, will end production at the end of the 2010 model run, or sooner, if demand dictates. A Wisconsin plant will cease production of medium-duty trucks by the end of 2009, and of the Tahoe, Suburban and Yukon in 2010, or sooner, if market demand dictates. Chevrolet Kodiak medium-duty truck production will also end in Toluca, Mexico, by the end of this year.

GM expects these actions will save more than $1 billion by 2010 and plans to have to work with unions to handle even more layoffs, due to "long-term changes in consumer demand for trucks and SUVs."

GM Reports May Sales Down 28%

DETROIT - GM dealers in the United States delivered 272,363 vehicles in May.

The sales increase in fuel efficient cars and crossover vehicles could not make up for soft truck demand and a decline in fleet deliveries impacted by the American Axle strike.

Approximately 15-18,000 sales were lost in May, or will be retimed, due to various work stoppages including the American Axle strike. Compared with a strong May 2007, total sales were down 30 percent (28 percent unadjusted). Truck sales declined 39 percent.

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May 30, 2008

GM to give locksmiths access to key info

GM is implementing a nationwide process for registered locksmiths to obtain information to make replacement keys and obtain immobilizer PIN information for GM vehicles.

Effective May 30, 2008, using a process established in December 2007 to comply with California law, any licensed (where licensing is required) and bonded locksmiths in the U.S. who have complied with the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF) Secure Data Release Model verification process will be able to access key code and immobilizer (when applicable) information when the verified registered owner / lessee of a vehicle requests the locksmith to produce a key to enter, start, and operate the vehicle.

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May 29, 2008

Cadillac Tops 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards

TUSTIN, Calif. -- A study released today by noted automotive consulting firm AutoPacific, Inc. summarizes the results of its 2008 model year vehicle satisfaction research. AutoPacific's Vehicle Satisfaction Award (VSA) is an industry benchmark for objectively measuring how satisfied an owner is with their new passenger car or light truck.

In a year that promises to be the toughest in a decade, owner-based awards like AutoPacific's Vehicle Satisfaction Award will help customers make their purchase decisions.

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May 23, 2008

OnStar Receives Honors at Telematics Update Awards

Detroit – OnStar by GM captured the “Best Embedded Telematics Navigation Product Award” at the 2008 Detroit Telematics Awards event.

Awards are judged by independent industry experts and are open to all companies in the automotive and mobile telematics eco-system that develop and provide compelling products, services, and content.

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May 22, 2008

GMC Offers Free Valet Parking in Acadia Promo

DETROIT -- Through the end of May, GMC is showering the driving public with compliments and complimentary services. More than 50,000 drivers across the country will be treated to free valet parking as they pull into their favorite shopping centers.

During the same period, thousands of coffee drinkers nationwide will get their caffeine fixes free. And with playful compliments like "Your hair looks really, really good today." and "Looks like someone woke up on the skinny side of the bed" placed on millions of valet parking tickets and coffee cup sleeves, their egos will get a stroke or two at the same time.

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May 20, 2008

GM's Jamie Hresko touts quality gains

by Jamie Hresko, GM Vice President, Quality

So, I’m watching the NFL draft a few weeks ago and it hits me. It occurred to me that there is a complete incongruity (thank you word-a-day calendar) between hope and reality.

Don’t get me wrong, hope is very important. Hope, however, is not active. It doesn’t drive results. Do you think any of the draftees just sat on the bench hoping to play … hoping to be spotted … hoping to be picked? Of course not. They worked hard. They had a plan. They actively pursued their goal of playing football well.

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May 12, 2008

2008 Fuel Economy Guide Available for Download

The EPA has issued a comprehensive PDF guide to fuel economy of all 2008 vehicles, which you can download by right-clicking here.

In today's gas market, buyers are more sensitive than ever about buying cars that get good mileage, and more important, they want the government ratings to be as accurate as possible -- nobody wants to buy a vehicle that gets 10% worse mileage in the real world than the sticker rating.

To address this situation, the EPA has started using an updated test to assign more accurate MPG ratings to new vehicles, and you can learn about that by watching the video in this post.

May 9, 2008

Tenacious D Goes Backstage for GM at Music Fests

DETROIT -- GMnext is going backstage at some of the world's biggest rock festivals this summer - providing music fans exclusive access through a series of video, photo and blog updates.

GMnext Plug In is a celebration of the 100+ year relationship between cars and music. From AM to FM, 8-track to cassette, compact disc to mp3, music is almost always a part of the driving experience.

Continue reading "Tenacious D Goes Backstage for GM at Music Fests"

May 5, 2008

GMC Rebates for May 2008

GMC is offering up to a $2,000 rebate on the Sierra 1500 pickup, $2,000 on the Envoy SUV and $500 on the new Acadia SUV. Low-interest rate financing is also available. Program ends 5/21/08.

If you would like to research current auto rebates for all make and models for sale in the United States, check out CurrentAutoRebates.com, a fabulous service that allows you to check up on all rebate programs through a handy PDF report. The service is free and available now!

GM Rebates for May 2008

General Motors is offering a wide variety of rebate programs that cover Chevy, Cadillac, Buick, GMC, Hummer, Pontiac Saab and Saturn brands. Amounts range from $2,000 on the Chevy Silverado pickup to $3,000 on the Hummer H3 and $1,000 on the Pontiac Solstice. Low interest rate financing is available across all brand and model lines.

May 4, 2008

Top ten best selling crossovers for April 2008

Overall, pickups and SUV sales were down 17.4% in April and are down 13.5% for the year to date. The one bright spot is the crossover and small wagon category, which was down 0.4% for the month but has edge up 1.9% for the year.

In general, crossover utility vehicles are built on car platforms, while traditional SUVs are built on truck frames. CUVs are smaller, lighter and get better gas mileage than big SUVs -- one way to think of them is that they are really modern station wagons, but shorter and with a higher profile.

This months list of the top ten selling crossovers features three vehicles from General Motors, and two each from Ford and Toyota. Also of note, the new Nissan Rogue made the list at number ten.

The top ten best selling crossovers for April 2008:

Continue reading "Top ten best selling crossovers for April 2008"

May 2, 2008

GM Reports April Sales Down 16%

DETROIT - GM dealers in the United States delivered 260,922 vehicles in April. Retail car and crossover sales were up more than 9 percent.

A sharp sales increase in fuel efficient cars and crossovers could not make up for soft truck demand and a sharp decline in fleet deliveries impacted by the American Axle strike. On a non-adjusted basis, retail sales were down 11.5 percent and total sales for the month were down 16 percent.

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April 28, 2008

GM to Reduce Full-Size Truck Production

DETROIT – GM announced today that it is eliminating one shift of production at its full-size pickup truck assembly plants in Pontiac, Mich.; Flint, Mich.; and Oshawa, Ontario; and its full-size SUV assembly plant in Janesville, Wis. The decisions were made to bring production capacity more in line with market demand.

Under this plan, approximately 88,000 units of full-size pickup and 50,000 units of full-size SUV production will be removed from GM’s North American production capacity for the remainder of the 2008 calendar year.

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April 24, 2008

GM Invites Atlanta Auto Show Attendees to Test Drive Vehicles

Consumers attending the AJC International Auto Show Thursday -Sunday, April 24 - 27 will have a unique opportunity to truly 'experience' the GM display by getting behind the wheel and test driving many of General Motors' hottest new vehicles, including the newly redesigned 2008 Chevy Malibu, fuel efficient GMC Yukon Hybrid and all-new Pontiac G8.

Other vehicles available for test drives that illustrate the breadth of General Motors' 2008 product portfolio include: Buick Enclave, Buick Lucerne CXS, Cadillac CTS, Cadillac SRX, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac DTS.

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April 23, 2008

GM Announces First Quarter Global Sales of More Than 2.25 Million

DETROIT - General Motors sold 2.25 million cars and trucks around the world in the first quarter of 2008, according to preliminary sales figures released today, with a record 64 percent of all sales occurring outside the United States.

GM global first quarter sales were down less than one percent. Robust first quarter sales in GM's Latin America, Africa and Middle East (GMLAAM) and Asia Pacific (GMAP) regions, and improved sales in the GM Europe (GME) region helped offset a 10 percent decline in GM North America (GMNA). Sales outside GMNA were up 8 percent compared with last year.

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GM statement on proposed 2011-2015 Fuel Economy Targets

"GM intends to meet the tough, new national CAFE standards of 35 mpg for cars and trucks combined by 2020, a dramatic increase of 40 percent."

NHTSA’s proposed rule lays out the first set of standards toward this target. GM will work with NHTSA throughout its rulemaking process on the yearly targets and the sensible mechanisms needed to meet this challenge.”

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April 16, 2008

GM nabs Nissan's McNabb, reorganizes retail roster

DETROIT – General Motors announced today that its U.S. marketing and field operations will be more strongly aligned into four retail channels: Chevrolet; Premium (Cadillac, Hummer, Saab); Buick-Pontiac-GMC; and Saturn. Each channel will be focused on continuing to deliver world-class products for their customer and build value for GM and their respective dealers.

GM announced the appointment of four new leadership positions to direct activities within this organization, effective June 1:

Continue reading "GM nabs Nissan's McNabb, reorganizes retail roster"

April 15, 2008

GM Reward Programs Expanded to Saturn Vehicles

DETROIT - Consumers who want to use their GM Card or GM Flexible Earnings Card toward the purchase of an eligible, new GM vehicle now have the option to purchase or lease a new Saturn under expanded program guidelines.

The GM Card and the GM Flexible Earnings Card allows Cardmembers to earn toward an eligible new GM vehicle with every credit card purchase. Effective April 15, 2008 Saturn vehicles will be added to the expanded program.

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April 2, 2008

April GMC Rebates Available at CurrentAutoRebates.com

GMC is offering up to a $2,000 rebate on the Sierra 1500 pickup, $2,000 on the Envoy SUV and $500 on the new Acadia SUV. Low-interest rate financing is also available. Program ends 4/30/08.

April GM Rebates Available at CurrentAutoRebates.com

General Motors is offering a wide variety of rebate programs that cover Chevy, Cadillac, Buick, GMC, Hummer, Pontiac, Saab and Saturn brands.

Amounts range from $2,000 on the Chevy Silverado pickup to $3,000 on the Hummer H3 and 5.9% financing on the Buick Enclave SUV. Low interest rate financing is available across all brand and model lines. Programs end April 30, 2008.

GM launches new navigation service through OnStar

Dallas -- OnStar today announced the introduction of two new navigational services to complement and enhance its existing Turn-by-Turn service, the most widely available navigation system on the market. These features solidify GM's leadership in navigation with more vehicles on the road with embedded navigation systems and more options than any other automaker.

The first new service is OnStar Destination Download, which enables OnStar subscribers with screen-based navigation systems to quickly input their destination while on the go via the simple press of a button.

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XM NavTraffic Expands to 2009 GM Vehicles

DALLAS -- XM, the nation's leading provider of satellite radio, today announced at the 2008 Dallas Auto Show the continued expansion of its award-winning real-time XM NavTraffic service into 22 GM vehicles in the 2009 model year.

XM NavTraffic is already the traffic information standard on the highly- praised Cadillac CTS model. XM NavTraffic will expand across the GM vehicle lineup to provide real-time traffic intelligence to 22 navigation-equipped GM vehicles in the 2009 model year.

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April 1, 2008

GM Offers Low Interest on Certfied Used Vehicles

DETROIT – GM Certified Used Vehicles, the industry’s top-selling manufacturer-certified used vehicle brand*, today announced a nationwide GMAC rate incentive program on select GM Certified Used Vehicles, including Chevrolet Cobalt, HHR, Tahoe, Suburban and Silverado; Pontiac G6; and GMC Sierra, Yukon and Yukon XL models.

The new rate incentive offer, effective April 1, 2008, through June 30, 2008, provides well-qualified GM Certified Used Vehicles buyers with 2.9% APR financing for terms up to 48 months or 3.9% APR financing for terms up to 60 months from GMAC Financial Services on select 2003-2008 models.

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GM Reports March Sales Down 13%

DETROIT – GM dealers in the United States delivered 282,732 vehicles in March, a decrease of 13 percent when compared with the same month a year ago.

For the first three months of 2008, GM total sales of 805,720 vehicles were down 11 percent compared with a year ago. Retail share appears to have remained stable throughout the month and the quarter.

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March 31, 2008

Video: AT GM, Quality Comes First

Quality Comes First: Getting The Message Across

General Motors is working to aggressively market the increased quality of the latest line of vehicles.

March 10, 2008

General Motors Honors Top Dealers with Jack Smith Award

New York, NY - General Motors held its annual GM Dealer Of The Year award ceremony in New York City today to present the Jack Smith Leadership Award to its top 115 dealers.

Honorees were chosen from more than 6,700 GM dealers across the U.S., and exemplify the company's dedication to exceptional sales performance and superior customer service.

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March 9, 2008

March GMC Rebates Available at CurrentAutoRebates.com

GMC is offering up to a $2,000 rebate on the Sierra 1500 pickup, $3,000 on the Envoy SUV and $500 on the new Acadia SUV. Low-interest rate financing is also available. Program ends 3/31/08.

March GM Rebates Available at CurrentAutoRebates.com

General Motors is offering a wide variety of rebate programs that cover Chevy, Cadillac, Buick, GMC, Hummer, Pontiac Saab and Saturn brands. Amounts range from $2,000 on the Chevy Silverado pickup to $2,000 on the Hummer H3 and $3,500 on the Saab 9-3. Low interest rate financing is available across all brand and model lines. Programs end 3/31/08.

March 6, 2008

GM's Next-Generation Hybrid

By Tom Stephens, Group Vice President GM Powertrain

As Rick Wagoner announced this morning at the Geneva auto show, we have a strong new addition to our portfolio of hybrid technologies. The next-generation GM Hybrid system is an affordable hybrid option that will be nearly three times more powerful than the one currently found on the Saturn Vue Green Line, the Saturn Aura Green Line and the Chevy Malibu Hybrid.

We’ll introduce the system in North America in 2010, where you may eventually see it in more than 100,000 of our vehicles annually. The new system is based on a lighter but more powerful lithium-ion battery than the nickel metal hydride one we use today.

Continue reading "GM's Next-Generation Hybrid"

March 5, 2008

Tax Credits for Hybrid Cars

The deadline for filing taxes is right around the corner, and if you purchased a hybrid vehicle in 2007, the following list can tell you what type of tax credit you can expect to receive on your 2007 return.

Thanks to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, certain hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles can earn credits of up to $4,000. To be eligible for the Energy Policy Act of 2005, vehicles have to fall into one of four categories: fuel cell, advance lean burn technology, hybrid or alternative fuel. Currently, the only mass-market cars that qualify are hybrids and one alternative-fuel car, the Honda Civic GX.

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March 3, 2008

GM Sales Down 13% in February

DETROIT - GM dealers in the United States delivered 270,423 vehicles in February, a decrease of 13 percent compared with an unusually strong February last year.

"Our new launch vehicles, including the award-winning Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac CTS, had a sensational month, as did the Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Aura, and the Pontiac G6," said Mark LaNeve, vice president, GM North America Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing.

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March 1, 2008

GM brings performance, style to NY Auto Show

NEW YORK -- General Motors’ global design talents come together as GM showcases several award-winning concept vehicles at the 2008 New York International Auto Show.

Headlining the event will be Pontiac with three world premiere vehicle introductions. Saab will also unveil an environmentally friendly compact sports luxury concept vehicle to North America.

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February 26, 2008

GM Introduces New Chassis for Bus and Ambulance Applications

DETROIT – General Motors’ Fleet and Commercial Operations announced the all-new, 2009 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana 4500 commercial cutaway van.

Flexibility and durability are hallmarks of the 4500 chassis, as it was engineered to support the needs of three primary applications: school buses, shuttle buses and ambulances.

Continue reading "GM Introduces New Chassis for Bus and Ambulance Applications"

February 21, 2008

GM Offers LA Drivers E85 Ethanol for 85 Cents a Gallon

BRENTWOOD, Calif. – The rising price of gasoline is hard to avoid in Los Angeles, but owners of the more than 46,000 FlexFuel vehicles capable of running on E85 ethanol are about to get a break this Tuesday – paying only 85.9 cents a gallon for the cleaner, alternative fuel.

On February 26th from noon to 2:00 p.m., Conserv Fuel at 11699 San Vicente Blvd. in Brentwood will offer E85 ethanol for 85 cents a gallon.

And General Motors is paying the bill.

Continue reading "GM Offers LA Drivers E85 Ethanol for 85 Cents a Gallon"

February 14, 2008

GM Premieres First Ever Fuel Cell, Hybrid SUV Fleet at the Oscars

LOS ANGELES – The red-carpet arrivals at the 80th Annual Academy Awards on Feb. 24, will be transformed with advanced technology vehicles from GMC and Chevrolet.

This fuel-friendly fleet – larger than any other assembled for a major awards show before – will enable Hollywood’s hottest talent to enjoy stylish and environmentally friendly rides in one of more than 75 vehicles, including the GMC Yukon Hybrid, the zero-gas and zero-emissions Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell and the FlexFuel E85 ethanol-compatible GMC Yukon.

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February 13, 2008

Best Selling Crossovers in the U.S. -- January 2008

The crossover segment is one of the few bright spots in the new vehicle sales reports, with January 2008 sales up 15.1%. As we've pointed out, much of that increase comes at the expense of minivan sales, which were down 18.3% last month.

While crossovers appear to be just small SUVs, they differ from the traditional ute by being built on unibody frames, just like cars, as opposed to being like trucks, which are body on frame construction. In other words crossovers are either tall cars or reconfigured station wagons. But most people call them SUVs. Because they look like one.

Bottom line, consumers are buying more of them because they get better gas mileage, typically handle more like cars, thus being easier to drive than big SUVs. Though we think it's more of a generational shift -- the SUV had its day and is giving way to a new trend.

The best selling crossovers for January 2008 are as follows:

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Best Selling Pickups in the U.S. -- January 2008

Pickup truck sales were off 5% in January 2008, with 126,490 units sold, versus 133,159 sold last January.

The Ford F-150 is still number one, but the Chevy Silverado is gaining ground, all the while the Toyota Tundra is chewing up the segment by selling nearly double the numbers of vehicles compared to last year.

The best selling pickups in the U.S. for January 2008 are as follows:

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GM's Lutz: January Results Demonstrate We Are on the Rise

By Bob Lutz, GM Vice Chairman

You’ve already heard about our financial results for 2007. Yes, we posted a sizable loss, but it was not a surprise. As Rick Wagoner noted this morning, almost all of that loss was attributed to a special charge in the third quarter.

Right now, though, I want to share some little-noticed facts about our January sales.

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February 11, 2008

BMW 3 Series Tops January Lease Index

MIAMI -- LeaseTrader, the company that helps consumers with car lease transfers, announces its monthly Index for December, with the BMW 3 Series topping the list of America's most preferred leased vehicles for the third straight month.

The BMW 3 Series offers excellent luxury and space while delivering a quiet and comfortable driving experience. The car is among BMW's best all-time selling models because of its combination of power, agility, luxury and high performance.

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The Future of Fuel-Efficient Trucks On Display in Chicago

By Jim Bunnell, GMC general manager

This week at the Chicago Auto Show, GMC unveiled two vehicles that point to a more fuel-efficient future for trucks: The 2009 Sierra Hybrid and the Denali XT concept vehicle.

The Sierra Hybrid represents the first look at a new production model that goes on sale later this year, while the Denali XT – also a hybrid – supposes a new, more efficient direction in truck design. Both are indicative of GMC and General Motors’ commitment to improving fuel economy and reducing the reliance on petroleum.

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February 8, 2008

GM to Sell Used Vehicles on eBay Motors

DETROIT – GM Certified Used Vehicles, the industry’s top-selling manufacturer-certified used vehicle brand, announced it has reached an agreement to collaborate in a variety of areas with eBay Motors, the Internet's largest marketplace for buying and selling all things automotive, to support the 3,900-plus GM Certified Used Vehicles dealers in the U.S.

As a first step, GM Certified Used Vehicles commits to list their entire national inventory on eBay Motors at no cost to dealers.

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General Motors Launches Wiki-Style History Project

DETROIT - While many companies publish histories to commemorate special milestones, GM is putting a 21st Century, open-source twist on the way its history is told in cyberspace.

Beginning today, GM is inviting people worldwide to contribute to the Generations of GM Wiki on GMnext.com and share their personal, first-person experiences from the company's first 100 years - everything from a story about a summer job in an assembly plant to pictures of a first car to favorite experiences with GM products.

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February 7, 2008

GMC Denali XT: The World's First Hybrid Sport Utility Truck

CHICAGO – GMC unveiled the Denali XT concept at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show. It offers a 50-percent increase in combined fuel economy over comparable small pickup trucks when running on gasoline, and it incorporates a new, muscular form in a performance-styled, hybrid sport-utility truck (SUT).

The Denali XT has a unibody architecture and rear-wheel drive, enabling its distinctive design and efficient performance. It builds on the equity of the Denali line and its reputation for advanced engineering and refinement, including the first combination of GM’s two-mode hybrid system with an E85 ethanol-capable engine.

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GMC Sierra Hybrid Pickup Gets 25% Better MPG

CHICAGO – GMC announced the 2009 GMC Sierra Hybrid, a powerful full-size pickup that achieves 40-percent greater city fuel economy and a 25-percent improvement in overall fuel economy while delivering the capability expected of a full-size truck – including a 6,100-pound (2,767 kg) towing capacity.

Partnering General Motors’ patented two-mode hybrid system and a powerful 6.0L gas V-8, the Sierra Hybrid delivers highly efficient performance, including all-electric driving up to 30 mph (48 km/h). That allows fuel savings to be realized even when the truck is fully loaded or towing a trailer.

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February 3, 2008

Was that a GMC Yukon Hybrid Super Bowl Ad?

This ad opens to a Japanese ink drawing/cartoon of Sisyphus rolling a rock uphille with a voiceover about not quitting, then segues to a revolving shot of the GMC Yukon hybrid -- I think, and I just saw the ad 2 minutes ago.

In other words, forgettable.

February 2, 2008

Current Auto Rebates Has All the Updated Rebates!

With auto sales down 4.3% in January 2008, many automakers are increasing the rebate and incentive offers they have on the hoods of their vehicles.

Yet keeping track of all the rebate programs can be difficult work, which is why we began publishing Current Auto Rebates, the Internet's first document that lists every rebate program for every vehicle for same in the United States.

This 13-page PDF makes it easy for you to look up rebates on any model you're interested in, and even allows you to contact your local dealer who will give you a free price quote on the ride of your choice.

Since rebate programs can change several times per month, you may want to sign up for free updates to the publication -- when we update the document you'll get an email from us letting you know a refreshed version is available for you to download.

And if someone you know is currently shopping for a new vehicle, you may want to download a copy and email it to them -- they'll thank you for doing so!

January 30, 2008

The Great Rebate War of 2008: Pickups Fire the First Shot

Even though auto execs are swearing that 2008 won't be a year of big rebates, the economic forecast suggests reality may force their hand before the summer selling season.

In just the first month, we are already seeing significant rebates being offered; regular readers already know about our new publication, Current Auto Rebates that lists all rebates for every make and model.

After sales results for January are posted, we will probably see even more money being placed on the hood, but for now, consider the amounts that pickup makers are already floating -- the lowest is GMC with $2,000 for the Sierra, then Toyota with $2,500 for the Tundra. Ford and Chevy are pretty moderate, but mah god Nissan and Dodge are giving away five and six grand respectively.

In our view, there is going to be a great rebate war in 2008, and as you can see from the list below, pickups have already established a beachhead.

January Rebates for Pickup Trucks:
-- Ford F-150: $2,500 or low APR
-- Chevy Silverado: $3,250 or $1,750 and low APR
-- Dodge Ram: $6,000 or $2,500 and low APR
-- Toyota Tundra: $2,000 or low APR
-- Nissan Titan: $5,000 or low APR
-- GMC Sierra: $2,000 or low APR

GM to Showcase Vintage Vehicles at Syracuse Auto Show

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Visitors to the 100th Syracuse Auto Expo, which opens to the public Feb. 6, will get a special treat: a rare glimpse of five vintage General Motors vehicles - the earliest a 1908 Buick - in a display that celebrates the 100th anniversary of GM as well as the Expo.

The vehicle display comes to Syracuse's OnCenter and War Memorial from GM's Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, Mich., and was organized by Syracuse-area GM dealers. In addition to Buick, vintage vehicles representing GMC, Pontiac, Chevrolet and Cadillac will be together in the facility's ballroom, and each have a unique story behind them.

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GM Expands Multicultural Marketing Agency Roster

DETROIT -- General Motors Corp. is further broadening its multicultural marketing efforts and today announced that it will add Sanders\Wingo Advertising, Inc., to its list of advertising agencies to provide African American, urban and youth marketing support for Chevrolet, and Carol H. Williams Advertising to provide African American, urban and youth marketing support for Cadillac, HUMMER, Saab, Saturn and the GM Corporate brand, effective at the end of the first quarter of 2008.

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With Home Prices Dropping, Car Prices Are Sure to Follow

It's accepted wisdom now that overall auto sales will drop in 2008. This is seen as a function of the housing bust, during which as much as 20% of new car purchases were funded by residential real estate profit, home equity cashouts and the general euphoria in real estate related industries.

Now that home prices are dropping -- and will continue to do so until they fall in line with median income -- we believe the average new vehicle transaction price will drop as well. If houses can fall 10%-30% in value, why not cars?

In November we ran a story from Comerica Bank stating the average transaction price of a new vehicle was $29,024. Our projection is this number will fall below $25,000, perhaps in 2009 if not this year, for several reasons:

1. Less money to spend. The option of taking cash out of a home to finance a new purchase is gone. The psychology of spending "free money" to buy a luxe ride will give way to folks actually having to make the payment out of their own pocket. And with many people paying even more for housing due to adjustable rates, they will choose cheaper rides.

2. Gas prices. While $3 a gallon gas isn't as draconian as five bucks, it will have an effect over time. People are already choosing more efficient crossovers and smaller SUVs over the big buses, and V8s are going out of favor. Look for more people to choose V6s in cars and for four-cylinders to pick up in popularity.

3. Negative equity. A greater percentage of folks are upside down in their cars, and have been rolling their balances into new loan agreements. To catch up, their new purchases will have to be cheaper and it's going to take years to eat away at the balance.

4. New frugality. In a tough economy, the value of money becomes more dear. People will start thinking twice about how much money they spend. They will choose cheaper cars, perhaps with more options, but the luxe-marques are in for a rough ride.

5. New wage structures. The Detroit car companies have made big headlines with their new labor deals, that allow them to replace higher paid union workers with new hires at a lower wage scale. The higher wages translated into higher sticker prices; the lower wages will allow for slimmer price hikes and even reductions.

6. Battle for fewer consumers. Don't let the tough talk fool you. As fewer cars are sold throughout 2008, the rebate war will kick into full swing -- and spiffs will help bring down the average transaction price.

This last reason is why we launched Current Auto Rebates, a site that publishes all the rebates for every model in a single PDF file, to make bargain hunting that much easier.

Phoenix Home to Modernized Buick Pontiac GMC Dealership

GILBERT, Ariz. – GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner and award-winning dealer Henry Brown today celebrated the grand opening of Henry Brown Buick-Pontiac-GMC -- the first BPG dealership in the Southwest to feature GM’s all-new exterior and interior design.

Wagoner and Brown spoke to a crowd of approximately 200 guests in the dealership at 1550 E. Drivers Way. Wagoner congratulated Brown on his new dealership and for being the largest BPG dealer in the Western Region.

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January 29, 2008

GM Forms Engineering Group for Hybrids, Electric Vehicles and Batteries

WARREN, Mich. - In another step aimed at bringing the electrification of vehicles into the mainstream development process more quickly, General Motors has formed a new engineering organization especially dedicated to implementing hybrid and extended- range electric vehicles (E-REV) and advanced battery technology.

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January 26, 2008

2008 Hummer H2 Rebates Available at Current Auto Rebates.com

The 2008 Hummer H2 has a $1,000 rebate or 5.9% financing; program ends 3/3/08. The 2008 Hummer H2 base price -- $55,510.

Click here to get your free 2008 Hummer H2 price quote!

To stay up-to-date on 2008 Hummer rebates, check out Current Auto Rebates, the web's #1 source for car, truck and SUV rebates and incentives.

Current Auto Rebates is the only publication of its kind: a 13-page PDF file that lists all the current rebates, from every vehicle manufacturer. What you don't know about current auto rebates could cost you thousands of dollars -- get your free report today!