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October 31, 2006

From the Archives: 1941

By Alicia Dorset
Blog editor

Here's a peek inside the GM Archives with a new feature you'll start to see here regularly on FYI: "From the Archives." To help us celebrate Halloween, we've found our Photo of the Day depicting the fall season.

This photo is from 1941 and shows a family enjoying their Chevrolet Special Deluxe Sport Sedan and some jack-o-lanterns.

Make sure to check back for more from the archives. Happy Halloween.

Posted by Editor at 10:26 AM
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October 30, 2006

Monday, Oct. 30

Today's photo of a 1954 Buick and drive-up tray comes from the albums of R. B. Boyer.

Be sure to look at all of R. B. Boyer's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 1:26 PM
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Students Begin "Livin' Large"

By Ed Peper
Chevrolet General Manager

Today marked the start of the Aveo Livin’ Large Campus Challenge. Beginning at 11 a.m. EST, two students at each of the participating universities began living in a 2007 Chevy Aveo sedan and will do so until Friday, Nov. 3, at midnight. The participating schools are Boston University, University of Florida, Howard University, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, University of Southern California and Texas Christian University.

The students will only be able to leave the car to attend class and for occasional “bio-breaks.” The rest of the time they have to be in the car or touching it.

The new Aveo sedan is perfect for this contest since it’s roomy and offers a lot of surprising features that are uncommon in this segment, like a premium sound system with an auxiliary music input jack, six-disc CD changer, steering-wheel audio controls, power sunroof, tilting headrests, and driver-seat height and lumbar adjustments.

Each team’s goal is to attract as much in-person and online attention as possible and rack up the most votes during the week. The students will stage various creative, entertaining and philanthropic activities from the Aveo to draw traffic to the car and the Aveo Livin’ Large web site.

Webcams mounted inside and outside each car will stream video to the web site, where readers can see what the contestants are up to, read their blogs and vote for their favorite team (i.e., whoever they think is living the largest!). Viewers can vote online or can text their vote. (See the web site for more details.)

Whichever team accumulates the most votes by this Friday will be named the winner of three new 2007 Chevy Aveo sedans — one for each team member and one for their university.

I’m looking forward to some great competition and a fun week. Be sure to check the site regularly and check out the action!

Posted by Editor at 12:10 PM
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October 27, 2006

Things to Do in D.C.: The Saturn Greenhouse

By Nellie Lide
GM Consultant

As a GM consultant, you are privy to a lot of cool things. This weekend our firm is traveling to Detroit for our annual meeting and getting a sweet tour of the design center. But I wish it were another weekend, because Saturn has some events planned around the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., (I live in Rockville, Md., a suburb) that I would definitely go to. And it’s my favorite price: free.

Saturn (my favorite GM brand, but don't tell anyone) has built three “living” greenhouses: at Union Station, The Ronald Reagan Building and the Marine Corps Marathon Expo. At each location, Saturn highlights “green” or environmentally friendly habits we could all get into. They also have live music performances, a relaxation station, projects for kids, and great guest speakers like Sam Grawe, executive editor of Dwell magazine, who will present “Sustainability and Architectural Design.”

Of course there is a Saturn product there, too – the new 2007 Saturn Hybrid Vue Green Line. It’s the car I covet.

Saturn’s web site calls these events “consumer immersion experience.” I think it’s a fun way to spend an afternoon.

See the full schedule of events here. And make sure to check out more of the greenhouse over at Flickr.

Posted by Editor at 11:03 AM
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Friday, Oct. 27

Today's video of a 1974 Coupe DeVille comes from eldoguy66.

If you'd like to see your YouTube clip featured as our Video of the Week, tag it "gmfyi" on YouTube and we'll find it.

Posted by Editor at 10:52 AM
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Friday, Oct. 27

Today's photo of an orange Suburban comes from the albums of gustopher.

Be sure to look at all of gustopher's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 10:41 AM
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October 26, 2006

Thursday, Oct. 26

This is on my wall at home ... I feel that we are and will forget what General Motors is doing and has done for the free world and how they helped to keep America free . If it was not for their industrial might during world war II things would have been very different

Today's photo comes from the albums of pjpeery.

Be sure to look at all of pjpeery's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 3:02 PM
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October 25, 2006

OnStar and Buick

By Maria Rohrer
Marketing Director, Buick

GM is always making getting to your destination safer and easier. Now, Buick is the first GM division to make OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation standard on all 2007 models.

Turn-by-Turn Navigation uses voice directions to take drivers where they want to go — no maps, no printouts, no need to stop for directions. It’s easy to use, and also makes the ride safer, because it allows drivers to stay focused on driving, with their eyes on the road instead of on a map.

Buick has launched a new commercial called “Maze” for the Lucerne CXL that features Turn-by-Turn Navigation.

To learn more, take a look at this virtual video demonstration of the OnStar technology, hosted by Samantha Brown of the Travel Channel.

Posted by Editor at 2:52 PM
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Wednesday, Oct. 25

He comes from over yon hill with enchanting grace, so I get in the back and watch the countryside.

Today's photo of an Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser comes from the albums of airport sleeper.

Be sure to look at all of airport sleeper's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 9:41 AM
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October 24, 2006

Tuesday, Oct. 24

Today's photo comes from the albums of Esther17.

Be sure to look at all of Esther17's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 12:15 PM
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Tiger Fever in Detroit

By Deb Ochs
Senior Editor, GM Media Bureau

Sure, it’s late October…There’s a chill in the air... The snowbirds are heading south…but anyone living here in the Detroit area is well aware that summer lingers on in the form of our beloved baseball team…our Detroit Tigers, who have us in a fevered frenzy as we await a World Series Championship title.

It certainly was evident last Friday during a Tigers Rally here at GM’s headquarters inside the Renaissance Center. I think everyone who didn’t have an important meeting to attend that day was wearing one form of Tiger apparel or another. The Wintergarden was awash with blue and orange! I’m glad I wore my jersey, because now I not only have the autograph of the Tiger’s mascot “Paws”…but also those of Milt Wilcox, Mickey Lolich and Willie Horton! How about that?!

(Oh, and nice tie-in Chevy, with the complimentary hot dogs and apple pie!)

I was out of town during the flurry of excitement created by the Super Bowl in Detroit last February, but I have to believe that this was even better. I mean, the Tigers are OUR team, and if you grew up or now live in the Motor City, it’s tough NOT to be a Tigers fan!

I don’t know if I’m just more aware of it, but whether I’m standing in line at Starbucks or riding the elevator up to my floor, the talk is all Tiger talk! It’s amazing…it’s contagious!

Keep it going, Tigers! If you can wrap it up in St. Louis, wonderful! But I’m hoping it goes to Game 6 because I’ll be in the stands here in Detroit. I remember watching them take the series away from the Cardinals in 1968 when I was 8 years old. Now it’s my 8-year-old daughter’s turn to see them do it again.

Posted by Editor at 11:36 AM
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October 23, 2006

Monday, Oct. 23

My 260,000+ mile Chevy Beretta.

Today's photo comes from the albums of corykrug.

Be sure to look at all of corykrug's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 12:08 PM
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We Roll Over So You Don’t Have To

By Paul Simpson, Engineering Group Manager
Vehicle Safety & Crashworthiness Lab

What do you do when you want to reduce the likelihood that drivers of your vehicles will experience a life-threatening rollover accident? You build a $10 million dollar rollover facility, and do the rollovers yourself, giving you the data you need to build stronger, safer cars and trucks.

We’ve already talked on this blog about the importance of the crash test dummy to automotive safety, and new wireless test dummies that transmit real-time crash data will be a part of the action. But there’s more we can do to protect drivers in the event of a crash. In a rollover accident, the weight of the vehicle is transferred to the roof with extreme force, creating the potential to crush a vehicle cabin under the strain. And while rollover accidents only account for about 3 percent of all motor vehicle accidents, they account for nearly 25 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities.

As you can see, rollover testing is critical. When the facility begins its first of hundreds of annual tests in December of this year, we will put the vehicles through their paces. Four out of the five test modes to be conducted at the lab represent 80–85 percent of the vehicle rollover events that occur in the field. The test types are described as follows:

• Curb or Soil Trip: The vehicle slides sideways and is suddenly stopped following contact with a raised object (i.e., a curb) or the vehicle encounters loose soil and the wheels dig into the soil.
• Ditch Fall Over: The vehicle is travels on a steep side slope, which causes the vehicle to roll over.
• Corkscrew or Flip Over: One side of the vehicle encounters a ramp-like object such as a guardrail taper or ditch back slope.
• The Dolly Rollover: The vehicle is positioned (laterally) on an inclined dolly. The dolly travels at 30mph and is then brought to a sudden stop that causes vehicle to launch off of the dolly sideways and roll over a number of times.

The rollover test facility will help to support GM’s plan to introduce systems designed to reduce rollover injuries to all non-commercial vehicles by 2012. This facility will be the first rollover facility owned by an automotive company within North America and certainly the first for all of GM.

It’s just one more way we’re working to keep our vehicles safe and our customers safer.

Posted by Editor at 11:56 AM
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October 20, 2006

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

By Alicia Dorset
Blog Editor

Bill Betts, Manager for GM Web Services, snapped a few pictures of the Detroit Tigers Pep Rally this afternoon at the Renaissance Center Wintergarden as baseball fans get ready for Game 1 of the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday.

To see more photos from the pep rally, take a look at our Flickr albums. Go Tigers!

Posted by Editor at 5:05 PM
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Friday, Oct. 20

Today's video previewing a short film about a 1965 El Camino comes from jonmosquito.

If you'd like to see your YouTube clip featured as our Video of the Week, tag it "gmfyi" on YouTube and we'll find it.

Posted by Editor at 3:37 PM
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The Crash Test Dummy — One Smart Invention

By Jack Jensen, Engineering Group Manager
Vehicle Safety & Crashworthiness Lab

In today’s science-assisted world, we take a lot of things for granted. Our food is instant, our music is digital, our mail is electronic and our phones are wireless. Much of the technology we have become accustomed to was little more than science fiction only a few decades ago. And amid all the advanced gadgetry we use day in and day out is another kind of technology most of us never see or touch or experience in any tangible way. Technology that is so advanced it’s virtually transparent. I’m talking about the devices that help ensure all of the products we do interact with are safe.

I’m willing to bet that most people have never laid hands on a crash test dummy. They’ve never felt the weight, articulated the limbs, or watched the data come in from the wide array of sensors that tell us exactly what happens to a human body during a crash — without a human body having to endure it. And they’ve probably never given a thought to what is behind the airbag indicator light. They can trust that they are safe because a crash test dummy sat in a car just like theirs, wearing a safety belt just like the one they are wearing, and endured a variety of crashes — front, side and rear — over and over and over again. The truth is, drivers shouldn’t have to think about it. Because it’s up to those of us who test your car to give you the peace of mind that it’s safe, that it will get you where you need to go, and that it will protect you should the unthinkable happen.

If you’re curious about those bundles of metal, rubber, and foam that go through punishing crashes so we don’t have to, I’d love to share some history. In the early days, engineers only had human volunteers or cadavers donated to science to test automotive safety.

Clearly, it was necessary to develop crash test dummies.

The early automotive test dummies evolved from dummies developed for military use; to test parachutes and ejection seats. However, these first dummies were primitive, varied in size, and lacked a meaningful standard to test against. GM engineers knew they needed to develop a life-like automotive dummy that was consistent in construction and representative in proportion to a live human.

In 1971, GM engineers took the best aspects of the then-available dummies and combined them to create the Hybrid I. It was a long way from the current generation of test dummies, but Hybrid I was a big step toward standardizing crash test dummies for accurate testing results. In conjunction with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), GM shared this important development with the industry, including competitors. In the arena of safety, the value of such a development was too important to keep under wraps. In 1972, an upgraded Hybrid II dummy was introduced. These first two dummies were milestones in safety testing, but they still lacked the lifelike response needed to test the more complicated data that would bring vehicle safety to the next level.

Finally, in 1976, GM unveiled the third generation dummy, developed under the leadership of Dr. Harold J. ("Bud") Mertz. The Hybrid III dummy was the most lifelike yet, able to measure much more precisely the sort of injuries a real person might sustain in a crash. GM not only released the Hybrid III drawings and technology to competitors and the government, but Dr. Mertz personally worked with the SAE and the International Organization for Standards (ISO) to make the Hybrid III the gold standard of crash test dummies. For decades, the Hybrid III has been recognized by governments around the world as the primary frontal impact restraint crash test.

The Motor Vehicle fatality rate has dropped about 90 percent since 1922, even with millions more vehicles on the road today. That’s largely due to the ongoing pursuit of higher levels of safety through engineering. Any of us who have ever had the harrowing experience of walking away from an automobile accident likely have a dummy to thank.

Posted by Editor at 3:09 PM
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Friday, Oct. 20

Today's photo comes from the albums of Dan Shouse.

Be sure to look at all of Dan Shouse's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 10:24 AM
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October 19, 2006

More Than 30

By Beth Lowery
GM Vice President, Energy and Environment

According to the just-released 2007 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Fuel Economy Guide, GM leads the industry with more vehicles that achieve 30 mpg on the highway than any other manufacturer — further proof of our commitment to helping drivers save money and use less fuel. This list covers a wide range of GM brands and models, giving fuel-economy conscious consumers many choices.

Here is a brand-by-brand breakdown of the 23 GM models:

• Chevrolet: Aveo 5, Aveo, Cobalt, Malibu, Malibu Maxx, Monte Carlo, Impala, and HHR
  
• Pontiac: G5, G6, Solstice, Grand Prix, and Vibe
  
• Saturn: VUE Hybrid, ION, SKY and AURA
  
• Saab: 9-3 Sport Sedan, 9-3 Convertible, 9-3 SportCombi, 9-5 Sport Sedan and 9-5 SportCombi
  
• Buick: LaCrosse

To read about how GM engineered these fuel savings, take a look at this clip. And to find the lowest prices on fuel in your neighborhood, always check out GasBuddy.

Posted by Editor at 11:37 AM
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Thursday, Oct. 19

Today's photo of a surfin' safari Saab comes from the albums of darylfurr.

Be sure to look at all of darylfurr's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 11:22 AM
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October 18, 2006

Chevy Keeps Challenging Students

By Kelly O’Neill
National Advertising Manager, Chevrolet

Editor's Note: Back in September we posted about the Chevy Super Bowl College Ad Challenge with a call for submissions. The contest will give students the opportunity to compete to have their TV commercial (focusing on either the Aveo, Cobalt, HHR or Equinox) produced and broadcast during Super Bowl XLI on Feb. 4, 2007.

Registrations are over and we’ve got the final count. More than 820 student teams have registered from over 230 schools in 46 states and the District of Columbia. (Where were you, North and South Dakota?) The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee alone has 140 teams registered! They’re followed by American University in Washington, D.C., with 34 teams, and in third is the University of Florida down in Gainesville with 28 teams.

We are thrilled. Submissions are pouring in and we are getting ready for the deluge of ideas. There’s no doubt that it will be incredibly hard to judge these entries.

We also want our student competitors to know that we welcome any additional materials they want to send with their commercial ideas. Here are some examples of what we’ve received: a DVD from Team 522 (Charles, Jerry and Colby) at the Art Institute of Portland and a Leave Behind from Team 614 (Julie, Spencer and Dennis) at Columbus College of Art & Design. Though not required, we’d love to see any video mockups of your commercials. Or any photos, journals, recordings…we want to see your creative process. For more information visit the Chevy Super Bowl College Ad Challenge blog.

Posted by Editor at 3:27 PM
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Wednesday, Oct. 18

Somewhere in the middle of the desert, Nevada

Today's photo comes from the albums of esteban.

Be sure to look at all of esteban's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 11:18 AM
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October 17, 2006

GM Has a Lot to Celebrate

By Orlando Padilla
Director, GM Corporate & Government Relations

GM’s efforts to promote diversity are being recognized with several prestigious awards from the Hispanic business community.

The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the largest advocate for the more than 2 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States, named GM the recipient of its 2006 Chairman's Award. The organization praised GM's long-standing support of minority-owned suppliers and strong minority dealer development program. This honor came on the heels of GM's Corporate Hispanic Business Advocate of the Year recognition from the Texas Association of Mexican-American Chambers of Commerce earlier this summer.

Also, the National Hispanic Employee Association presented GM with its 2006 Corporate Leadership Award, recognizing the company's Hispanic employee contributions, specifically those of the Hispanic Initiative Team. This team is part of GM's Affinity Group network, and provides a place for networking and mentorship, fostering GM's relationships with the Hispanic community.

Additionally, GM has also been named the Corporation of the Year by MANA, a National Latina Organization. The group selected GM for its unwavering support of the Latina community and its support of women's initiatives.

These awards point to out that the Hispanic community is an integral part of our business and that our ever-strengthening relationship with the members of that community is recognized and appreciated.

And for my role with GM, I am honored to receive the 2006 Latin Spirit Award from the editors of Latin Business magazine. This award is given annually to a Latino professional with a stellar record of achievement for his or her business leadership, contributions to the community, and advocacy of workforce diversity. The award was presented at the publication's third annual Latin Business Spirit Awards Gala on Oct. 12 in Los Angeles.

What’s exciting to me is that it’s not just the company and employees’ contributions that are being recognized. The evidence of GM’s turnaround is everywhere. For example, GM’s outstanding designs and vehicles are getting rave reviews in publications like Sobre Ruedas, a leading automotive magazine targeting the Hispanic market. During a media day at the South Florida International Auto Show the publication recognized the Chevy Tahoe as the Best Full-Size SUV, but also as the Vehicle of the Year. In addition, Chevy Silverado was selected Best Full Size Pick-Up and the Pontiac G6 Coupe was chosen Best Sports Coupe. Also, OnStar, the reliable service that helps hundreds of thousands of customers every day, was recognized with the Automotive Safety Award.

GM is a dedicated supporter of the Hispanic community and its valuable contributions to the country. We are proud and honored by these recognitions. We will continue our commitment to implementing programs and support events that foster a long-term relationship with the Hispanic community.

GM Tiene Mucho que Celebrar Durante el Mes de la Herencia Hispana

Los esfuerzos de General Motors para promover la diversidad están siendo reconocidos con diversos premios por la comunidad empresarial hispana.

La Cámara de Comercio Hispana de los Estados Unidos, la mayor defensora de los más de dos millones de negocios hispanos en los Estados Unidos, galardonó a GM con el "Premio del Presidente 2006". La organización elogió el apoyo de GM durante tantos años a los suplidores hispanos y a su sólido programa de desarrollo de concesionarios minoritarios. Este honor llega tras el reconocimiento de GM como "Defensor Corporativo de los Negocios Hispanos del Año”, otorgado por la Asociación Nacional de Cámaras de Comercio México-Americanas de Texas este verano.

Además, la Asociacion Nacional de Empleados Hispanos otorgó a GM su "Premio de Liderato Corporativo 2006", reconociendo las contribuciones de los empleados hispanos de la compañía, específicamente las del Equipo de Iniciativa Hispana. Este equipo es parte de la red de Grupos de Afinidad de GM y provee un lugar para hacer relaciones y convertirse en mentores, fomentando las relaciones entre GM y la comunidad hispana.

También, GM ha sido nombrada "Corporación del Año" por MANA, una organización nacional latina. El grupo seleccionó a GM por su constante apoyo a la comunidad de mujeres latinas y su apoyo a las iniciativas de las mujeres.

Estos premios muestran que la comunidad hispana es parte integral de nuestros negocios y que nuestra relación con los miembros de esta comunidad es cada vez más fuerte, reconocida y apreciada.

Y por mi rol en GM, me siento honrado al recibir el "Premio al Espíritu Latino 2006" por los editores de la revista Latin Business. Este premio es concedido anualmente a un profesional latino con un destacado historial de logros, por su liderato empresarial, sus contribuciones a la comunidad y su defensa de la diversidad en el lugar de empleo. La presentación del premio se realizó en la tercera gala anual de “Premios al Espíritu Latino Empresarial” el 12 de octubre en Los Ángeles.

Lo que me entusiasma es que no sólo las contribuciones de la compañía y de los empleados están siendo reconocidos. La evidencia del cambio de dirección de GM está en todas partes. Por ejemplo, los sobresalientes diseños y vehículos de GM están obteniendo excelentes críticas en publicaciones como Sobre Ruedas, uno de las principales revistas automotrices dirigidas al mercado hispano. Durante un día con los medios de comunicación en la Exposición Internacional de Autos del Sur de la Florida, la publicación reconoció a la Chevy Tahoe como la mejor SUV de su tamaño, además de Vehículo del Año. Además, la Chevy Silverado fue seleccionada como la “Mejor Camioneta” en su clase y el Pontiac G6 Coupe fue escogido como el “Mejor Coupe Deportivo”. Por último, OnStar, el confiable servicio que ayuda a miles de consumidores cada día, fue reconocido con el “Premio de Seguridad Automotriz.”

General Motors apoya dedicadamente a la comunidad hispana y sus valiosas contribuciones a este país. Estamos orgullosos y honrados por estos reconocimientos. Continuaremos nuestro compromiso con implementar programas y apoyar eventos que fomenten una buena relación a largo plazo con la comunidad hispana.

Posted by Editor at 3:08 PM
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Tuesday, Oct. 17

Today's photo comes from the albums of katerw.

Be sure to look at all of katerw's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 8:00 AM
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October 16, 2006

Monday, Oct. 16

Fans celebrate to chants of Magglio -Owee-ohhh! After game 4 of the ALCS.

Today's photo of excited Detroit Tigers fans underneath the General Motors Fountain at Comerica Park comes from the albums of B0nes. The fountain goes off whenever a run is scored.

Be sure to look at all of B0nes' photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 2:03 PM
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Bringing My New Suburban Home

By Jeff Jones
Guest blogger

Editor’s note: Jeff Jones owns his own company in Ann Arbor, Mich., called Amazing Audio. Jeff and his company work on various GM events around the country supplying audio/visual services. He sent us his story about picking up his new 2007 Suburban to share with FYI.

I just picked up my 2007 Suburban. I drove it home and sat in it for two hours, which is a really funny thing for me to do. It’s truly so superior to my 2004, it’s unreal. My 2004 was much better than my 2002 which was way better than my 2000, so this is my fourth Suburban in a row. It’s really superb, and just beautiful inside.

To get my new truck ready, I set up my OnStar, listened to XM radio, did all my settings, and enjoyed the heated seat while it snowed like mad; I basically figured out all the stuff. I used the backup camera, too.

I’m not the only one in love with my new Suburban. My kids just absolutely love this car: we actually got it in and watched a DVD! Funny story- I picked them up over at the corner bus stop the other day. We live on a court, so it isn’t necessary to pick them up, but I just had to… We drove around the neighborhood, and I showed them all the safety features, like the camera system for backing up. I showed them all the channels on XM. They know about OnStar, and which buttons to push in emergencies. My family had OnStar on our 2004, so it gives me piece of mind and saves me money on my insurance.

When we got back to our driveway, my 5-year-old daughter said, “Dad, this is so cool. We could sleep in here, we have TV and heated seats, and that special cover in the back (the luggage pull cover) for when we go to sleep.” I laughed; it really is an amazing transformation from 2004 to 2007. Now the kids want to try to install the Xbox in the Suburban permanently...yikes!

I have known for years that my Suburbans have been dual fuel, which I really appreciate. I actually read parts of my manuals, even before the “Live Green, Go Yellow” campaigns. There’s one Sunoco in Ann Arbor that has E85 and has been selling it at a loss to get it going. We’ve been filling up there since they got the E85 pump to help support them. The first day it was more than $3 a gallon, as was most gas at the time this summer, but now they keep it at or near the price of regular gaslone.

I’m looking forward to where our new Suburban will take us. My 13-year-old son came home after running cross country and said, “Now you can take us to Racine, Wisc., for the Foot Locker Regional Race the day after Thanksgiving.”

I feel a road trip coming on in our new car...

Posted by Editor at 1:54 PM
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October 13, 2006

Friday, Oct. 13

From a newspaper ad in Dodge City, Kansas

Today's photo comes from the albums of IwateBuddy.

Be sure to look at all of IwateBuddy's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 4:36 PM
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New Avalanche Comes Right On Time

Editor's note: As a result of Kevin Harvick’s recent race win at the Chevy Rock & Roll 400, Chris Heikkuri of Holly, Mich., became the lucky recipient of an all-new 2007 Chevy Avalanche as part of the No. 29 Goodwrench Expertise Challenge.

Chris, who attended the race at Richmond International Raceway on Sept. 9 and saw the No. 29 GM Goodwrench Chevy Monte Carlo SS take the checkered flag in person, accepted the keys to the new Avalanche at Al Serra Chevrolet in Grand Blanc, Mich., on Sept. 29.

Here’s what Chris had to say about winning the truck.

The timing on this seemed to work out pretty well. I currently drive a 98 Chevy W/T that has seen better days. As a mortgage banker who spends 12 hours a day behind a desk for my main job all I really need is a vehicle to get me to and from work. However, our family owns a tent rental/ party rental business that I work for in the summertime.

Having a vehicle that can haul a trailer with ease, and that looks good while doing it, will definitely be a benefit to the business. We also have a cabin up north that I like to go up to every once in a while, and in the winter it is always a little tricky with a 2-wheel drive truck, and even less fun riding 3 wide on a bench seat the whole way there. Knowing that the all of us can ride up in comfort in a 4-wheel drive vehicle makes the Michigan winter look a little less intimidating, and will make the rides a little more enjoyable. Also, I have a boat that I like to take around to the lakes in the area, and once again, having a truck that tows well is something I am looking very forward to.

I’m pretty excited about this truck. It seems like mine is starting to have small problems popping up, and as I said before I work quite a bit. That leaves little time for tinkering around and keeping it on the road. The peace of mind knowing that I will have a little more free time on the weekends because I don’t have to work on my truck is nice. And plus... what a truck! GM really did a great job with the redesign of the Chevy Avalanche this year. I can’t wait to pull in the office and park next to the Benz’s and Cadillac’s, and know that my ride looks even better than theirs!

To read more about GM and the NASCAR Chase series, check out the FastLane blog.

Posted by Editor at 2:43 PM
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Friday, Oct. 13

Today's video comes from spuzzlightyear.

If you'd like to see your YouTube clip featured as our Video of the Week, tag it "gmfyi" on YouTube and we'll find it.

Posted by Editor at 2:26 PM
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October 12, 2006

The Face of GM

By Angela Johnson
Global Business Manager, Manufacturing Engineering General Assembly

“So, if my girlfriend and I go shopping on a nice day and we have the top down, where do we put our bags? If we go shoe shopping, I put my bags of shoes in the car, and she puts her bags of shoes in the car, just where do you think we’re going to find room left over for my girlfriend to sit?”

The inquirer is a vivacious lady from L.A. who writes car reviews for women. She’s asking me questions that have never, and I do mean never, before crossed my mind. And I am a serious shoe-aholic. It’s a perfect summer day in August and we’re standing in the parking lot of the Indianapolis Zoo.

Specifically, we’re standing in the middle of the design tent of GM’s cross-country traveling Then & Now tour, having a deliciously different kind of car discussion. She’s with the National Association of Black Journalists visiting the grass roots exhibition that showcases GM’s heritage and its future, telling the story of GM through design, fuel economy, innovation, and quality in its vehicles past and present. I am, on any regular day, an engineer attuned to car discussions that revolve around things like weather-strip application or brake testing. On this day, however, I’m representing the “face of GM” and that meant, right then, standing next to the sleek new G6 Hardtop Convertible lightheartedly discussing the practicality of limited trunk space for a modern fashionista.

It was an odd concept at first: “Be the face of GM”. Such was the simple instruction provided when I arrived with unsure expectations to the event the day before. “You are here to put a face on GM.” It took a while to sink in. It was intended for me and my three colleagues from marketing, communications and product development to walk from tent to tent with the guests — who varied from local politicians to organized groups to individuals who happened by