« June 2007 | Main | August 2007 »

July 31, 2007

VIDEO: Solar Panel Energy

Take a look at this video to see how GM utilizes solar panel technology. -Alicia Dorset, blog editor

Posted by Editor at 5:03 PM
Comments (1) | TrackBack | Permalink

July 27, 2007

E85 Days of Summer Tour Kicks Off

By Donna McLallen
GM Assistant Regional Manager, PR/Communications

In a city built on the petroleum industry, promoting an alternative fuel source is lightly regarded to say the least, but that challenge didn’t stop our GM team from educating Houstonians on the benefits of E85 ethanol one consumer at a time.

This week, GM and Chevy kicked off its E85 Days of Summer campaign in Houston, a seven-city tour to promote the use of E85 ethanol and help dispel misconceptions surrounding the fuel.  A media forum and Chevy-dealer meeting on July 24 was followed by two more days of promotional activities, including an 85-cents-per-gallon E85 ethanol fuel giveaway at a local Kroger station and consumer events during two Houston Astros games.

Our efforts were eye-opening, and also showed how much work still needs to be done to bring E85 into the public consciousness.

Some observations from the first week of activities:

It was great to confirm that the FlexFuel option weighed heavily on several buyers’ decisions when it came time to purchase their vehicle, regardless of pump proximity.  Several FlexFuel vehicle owners at the Kroger fuel pump promotion said they drive FlexFuel SUVs because of the available cargo space and/or the ability to transport large families.  By driving a vehicle that uses renewable fuel, they felt they were doing their part to help the environment and the nation.  They fuel up with E85 whenever possible and see only positives in the renewable fuel.  The message was clear from our small sample of Houston consumers – make E85 more available and convenient.

However, even in these days of high fuel costs, our drastically-slashed pump prices and our message – that ethanol is a clean, domestic, renewable and cost-effective alternative to gasoline – was a hard sale.  We generated a modest amount of media interest from several radio stations and print publications such as the Houston Chronicle and Houston Business Journal, but it will take much work for E85 ethanol advocates to combat some of the widespread perceptions and misconceptions about the fuel.

Luckily for GM, we have partners that share our mission when it comes to E85 and are helping us along the way. In Texas, those partners are organizations, such as Clean Fuels USA, the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council and Texas Corn Producers, as well as retailers, such as Kroger.

The video is a pretty good snapshot of what all E85 ethanol advocates face every day throughout the country as we move forward to San Antonio and Austin next week…

Posted by Editor at 12:15 PM
Comments (6) | TrackBack | Permalink

The Volt Goes To Washington

By Mary Lide
GM CIC Intern

I think the Volt did more by visiting the streets of DC in a week than a year of testifying on the Hill could ever do. That’s just my take though, not GM’s!

It went everywhere, saw everything, and all it had to do was look cool. Its story tells itself. We, on the other hand, had some work to do.

I went with the Volt for an evening out at Georgetown Harbor, a concert at Wolf Trap, a visit with commuters at Union Station, and a stop with legislators on Capitol Hill. My job was to talk to people and share some of the amazing facts about the technology. What surprised me is that it wasn’t a sell. Most people came to me, wanted to know more and were just positively curious. Each event had a different audience. We had a young crowd enjoying one of the nicest nights of the summer in Georgetown. We had Baby Boomers out for a great concert at Wolf Trap. We had people going to their offices as they exited the Metro. We had tourists next to members of Congress. The one thing they all had in common was that the response was overwhelmingly positive.

A lot of people wanted to know, “Why is it here?” There were looks of incredulity, as if something this futuristic could never be in our city. Most were excited to learn that GM is committed to making the technology viable for car buyers in a few years.

Even though I don’t know a lot about cars, I found myself quite enamored with the Volt. It’s good looking, environmentally friendly, and affordable. On the last point, people had a hard time believing that the vehicle will be priced to fit into the Chevy line-up – that is, affordable to most car buyers.

Who wouldn’t fall in love? A lot of fellow Washingtonians shared my sentiment. “I’d buy one right now” was a phrase I heard a lot. Many people walked right past me as I extended some literature to them, only to glance back and do a double take at the car. Then they would meekly ask for a brochure. I loved that! The Volt spoke for itself.

I also heard cries of “This is a Chevy?” ringing throughout the crowds, as hundreds upon hundreds of people reached for the cellphone to send pictures to their friends. Luxurious and Chevrolet might not be synonymous to a lot of people, but I think their minds will change after seeing the Volt. Its design and overall look got the most raves, even more than its environmentally-friendly assets. To a good portion of the crowd, being green came as an afterthought. It’s just an added plus. That’s what GM is trying to do, make being green affordable, but also highly coveted because of its beautiful design.

The Volt definitely made its mark on DC. I’m sure people went home and looked it up on the web, interested to find out more. I’m also sure that they told two friends, who then told two friends, who then told two friends…until the city was buzzing with conversations about the Volt. It was certainly popular wherever it went. It’s like GM’s iPhone on wheels.

To check out photos from this event, make sure to check out Flickr.

Posted by Editor at 11:54 AM
Comments (3) | TrackBack | Permalink

July 25, 2007

Photo of the Day: Racing

Retro Nitro Nostagia Funnycar. Check it out in largest size.

Today's photo comes from the albums of Auto Exposure Canada.

Be sure to look at all of Auto Exposure Canada'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 10:47 AM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

July 24, 2007

VIDEO: Bob Boniface and the Volt

Take a look at this video from the Car Buyer's Notebook featuring Bob Boniface, Director of GM's Advanced Design Studio, and the latest on the Volt. -Alicia Dorset, blog editor

Posted by Editor at 12:31 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

From the Archive: 1970

By Alicia Dorset
Blog editor

This week's find from the GM Media Archive is a photo of a 1970 Pontiac Grand Prix.

Posted by Editor at 12:28 PM
Comments (1) | TrackBack | Permalink

Photo of the Day: Corvette

Today's photo comes from the albums of nahasopetalon.

Be sure to look at all of nahasopetalon'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 12:22 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

July 23, 2007

Photo of the Day: 1969 Cadillac

It is a 1969 Cadillac Hardtop Sedan Deville w/472 4v carb and 84,000 original miles.

Today's photo comes from the albums of sweendog1969.

Be sure to look at all of sweendog1969'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 12:21 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

July 20, 2007

Where To See the Volt in Washington

The Chevy Volt will be stationed in Washington for the next several days. Here's where you can see it:

July 21 5-10 p.m.	Wolf Trap	1645 Trap Rd., Vienna, VA, 22182
July 22 Noon-3 p.m.	Outside RFK Stadium, front entrance	2400 E. Capitol St., SE, Washington, DC, 20003
July 23 5:45 a.m.-8:30 p.m.	Outside Union Station	50 Massachusetts Ave., NE, Washington, DC 20002
July 24 7-10:30 a.m.	Capitol Hill, east front	Washington, DC

For the rest of us outside of the Washington area, we'll be posting photos on Flickr soon.

-- Christopher Barger, Director, Global Communications Technology

Posted by Editor at 2:10 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

July 19, 2007

Chevy Volt Hits D.C. Streets

By John Towriss
GM Consultant

5:00 a.m.: I’m standing at 14 th and F streets in the nation’s capital, exactly 2 blocks from the White House and about 10 blocks from the Capitol, where the nation’s dependence on foreign oil has been hotly debated this year. If only Congress knew what I knew was about to drop on the streets of D.C. As soon as the heavy door opened on the big orange delivery truck and you could see the shapely tail end and the distinctive volt logo, people began to gather.

In a few minutes, the Chevy Volt plug-in electric car – the car that truly represents a path forward on energy and a leap forward in automotive technology - is driving down the same street that Presidents and Prime Ministers, Senators and Statesmen, and Diplomats and Dignitaries use every day. The Volt is parked in front of the National Press Club, where later in the morning a panel on alternative energy will take place. How appropriate. One of GM’s top engineers on the Volt, Tony Posawatz, will participate but what is evident even in the first minutes of rush hour is that the Volt, which was a show stopper in Detroit, is a traffic stopper in D.C.

The first car that comes by, a Ford pick-up, slows down, the driver rolls down the window and yells to me, ”Hey, you … what kind of car is that?”

“The Chevy Volt Plug-in Electric Car,” I respond.

“Can I get one of those somewhere?” he asks.

“Not yet…but someday….”

He smiles and drives off.

Next is the security guard from the Marriott next door. She just bought a new sports car but is smitten by the Volt. “I should have bought one of these," she says. I tell her it’s a concept so no one can buy it yet. Still she is immediately attracted to the cool rims. She asks, “Can I at least get the rims?”

Before long, traffic is in full swing and since the Volt is sitting on the street in a cordoned-off area, we make sure the view from the street is unobstructed. Car after car slows down, many drivers opening the window and gawking. So many do so that we instruct the people handing out literature on the Volt to position one person on the sidewalk by the street but also to hand literature into car windows.

The people that stop by make up all kinds with all kinds of questions. All are taken by the Volt’s allure, and several “atta-boy” that it is American technology that is at the forefront in the plug-in electric car development. One lady tells me she works for the agency that sets regulations for those with disabilities and wonders how those that are blind will hear the whisper-quiet electric Volt as it approaches on the street. It’s a great question and the kind you’ll only find in D.C.

For me, however, the cool part was the context. I’ve seen the Volt at auto shows where it is in pristine settings with snazzy light, rotating on a turntable and every smudge wiped clean. But sitting here in Washington parked on the street like any other car, with dirty city buses whizzing by blowing exhaust on it, horns honking and the air heavy with humidity, the Volt is somehow different, transformed.

It still has a supermodel’s ability to draw attention from everyone who walks by, but suddenly there is context to understand it. Its size and shape make more sense. A Honda Accord drives by, for example, and you can see it is about the same size. It’s more real somehow and it suddenly it hit me….this is the future….but here it is now sitting on a street corner.

That future is closer than we all think, and I got a brief glimpse of it this morning. Call it my little jolt from the Volt….

Posted by Editor at 3:49 PM
Comments (23) | TrackBack | Permalink

July 18, 2007

Greening Our Buildings

Take a look at this video showing GM's dedication (such as the efforts being made at Lansing Delta Township) to making sure its facilities are working toward a healthier environment. -Alicia Dorset, blog editor

Posted by Editor at 5:02 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

Photo of the Day: Chevy Truck

Today's photo comes from the albums of THEjdawg.

Be sure to look at all of THEjdawg'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 11:30 AM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

July 17, 2007

From the Archive: 1988

By Alicia Dorset
Blog editor

This week's find from the GM Media Archive is a photo of the 1988 Aerotech Concept.

Posted by Editor at 2:10 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

Photo of the Day: GM's Parade of Progress

Today's photo comes from the albums of BSKIT.

Be sure to look at all of BSKIT'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 2:04 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

July 9, 2007

Stay Tuned

By Christopher Barger
Director, GM Global Communications Technology

Hi everyone,

You may notice a little bit less content here on the GM blogs, especially here on FYI, this week. That's because we've entered "summer shutdown" — a two-week period where our plants are shut down and most of our employees are off enjoying the summer holiday season with their families. We had a decent bullpen of posts from people ready to go for this week (stuff they'd written recently and that we can post in order), but for the past week and this week there will be a lot fewer GM people around — so it's obviously harder to get new posts if fewer people are here to write them!

We do have some posts lined up and some folks are still around, so the blog won't go completely dark. But if you notice less activity on our sites between now and mid-July, don't think we're losing interest or forgot about you; we're just enjoying summer. Which I hope all of you do, too.

For our U.S. friends, I hope you enjoyed the 4th of July; for everyone else, enjoy the nice weather and we'll catch up soon!

Posted by Editor at 8:45 AM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

July 6, 2007

Video of the Week: Saturn SC2

This week's video comes from redzintimidator1.

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 2:52 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

Photo of the Day: GM Hummer

40ft Limo Hummer

Today's photo comes from the albums of Roel Santiago GUAM.

Be sure to look at all of Roel Santiago GUAM'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 12:01 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

Back to the Future: Part 2

By Peter Gilbert
Guest Blogger

Editor's Note: Here is the second installment in Peter's two-part series.

After some much-needed sleep, I was now beginning my second day to not only to make it to Trollhattan by evening, but to experience driving on Sweden's National Day, with all ephemeral beauty of the blue and yellow flags.

The terrain was making the driving more interesting and enjoyable. I was now doing more engine braking, and hill climbing. Having hit all those deer during my years behind the wheel, I saw the “beware of the moose” signs! This was one Saab experience that had I no interest in. All though, it would have been amusing to see a sign with a Saab on it, warning the moose that I was coming down the highway!

I was now on Highway 44, a two-lane road with hills and curves. The transmission was very easy and smooth, as was the clutch. The power was always available (this was the 2.0t engine, with less power than the proposed 2.3T engine with could be available next year in the States). With all that extra power, I can hardly wait to test-drive that model.

This car is so practical that I bought some groceries and placed a bag of frozen vegetables by the battery. When I stopped at a wayside a while later, my hot lunch was ready!

After 40 years of driving Saabs, I overlooked the factory where all my many cars had been created. That was a very proud moment. I even felt proud seeing the little Cadillacs on the lot, awaiting their new owners.

Because all the hotels were booked up in advance of the Saab Festival, I was on my way to my hotel in Uddevalla, west of Trollhattan. This meant I was going to have a most pleasant daily commute in a great car with no traffic. Not only was the ride of the BioPower much smoother than my Aero, the roads were as good as I have experienced in my globe trekking. I am no longer buying the excuse that we have potholes in Wisconsin due to the weather, as we have the same climate.

With all this driving, I glanced at the fuel gauge, which was becoming illuminated. I was about to have some new Saab firsts: one was personally buying E-85 with an American credit card for the first time. The E8-5 was not available with cash, and credit cards have to have pin numbers. As luck would have it I received permission the previous week for my pin to be valid in Sweden. However, I was limited to 55 liters, because of the new U.S. limits on some cards. Being a new car, the fuel consumption figures are always less (with a new engine anyway).

As the evening before the convention loomed, I went to explore the craggy coastline of western Sweden. The roads were very narrow and hilly. They say you can judge a car from the country it came from. Well, this is why Saabs are what they are. The braking, acceleration and cornering… I was really having fun, while viewing beautiful scenery (carefully).

Thursday morning I was on my first visit to the factory. It was so exciting seeing the production line, even though most of the production was on a maintenance schedule that week. One interesting fact was that the locally produced Leer seats are brought, just in time for installation, just as Leer seats which are also manufactured in Janesville, Wisc., are brought over to the Chevy Tahoe plant.

Kjell Ac Bergstrom gave one of the most interesting seminars at the convention. He explained how the BioPower engine worked, and about the special characteristics of E-85. He explained why there was no smell when I re-fuelled, because of the lower evaporation point of the ethanol. I had my epiphany at this session, because I was not only experiencing the car that Kjell was talking about, but with the generous government subsidy, I was only paying about U.S. $4.09 per gallon, which was only 12 cents more than in Chicago, the week before for premium! For Europe, this was a steal. I was averaging 25 miles per gallon, which was truly remarkable for the power and price for fuel.

For obvious reasons this journal could be much longer, but the whole experience was a real eye-opener. The Swedes I met were so friendly, and I even found the language fun to learn in the short week I was there.

How do we market the BioPower in the U.S.? It’s not the engineering, as this engine is a world-beater, but it’s how we overcome the perceived negative backlash to ethanol. I would love to see the BioPower premiered at the world-class Milwaukee Art Museum, as this car is an absolute work of art.

Posted by Editor at 11:52 AM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

July 5, 2007

Back to the Future: Part 1

By Peter Gilbert
Guest Blogger

Editor's note: You might remember Peter from previous entries on FYI. We've been following Peter as he celebrates his million-mile Saab — here's the latest update. Make sure to check back tomorrow for Part 2.

Forty years ago, I disembarked from the all-day voyage from Hull, England, to the impressively clean port of Gothenburg, Sweden. That was the last time I had visited Sweden, and I was so impressed with how advanced the country had become. I arrived by ship with my 1966 Saab 96 2-stroke, which to me seemed so ahead in automotive design at the time.

Now, I was retuning by air, wondering what advancements were awaiting for me this time. I breezed through customs and onto the shuttle bus to take me to Avis at Arlanda Airport.

I cannot thank Avis enough, for not only arranging to have a 2007 9-5 Combi available to me, but for ordering a “Titan Grey” car for me. This was to make my Swedish experience as close to bringing my own car with me!

What I was not expecting was this brand-new Saab 9-5, the BioPower 2.0t. Until now I could only read about this car. As I looked down at the odometer, there were only 9 kilometers displayed, and the impending sense of adventure, made me anxious to commence my upcoming week of adventure.

I got down to business in the cockpit, noticing the differences with my own vehicle. The main differences were the angled tip to the driver’s side mirror, no miles on the clock to give me reference and no talk radio!

The first thing to make me chuckle was that this was going to be the third brand-new Saab engine that I would be breaking in during the last several months! This was not too difficult, as the respect for lower speed limits and not using the cruise control made this a breeze.

Unlike my own Combi, the rental was a 5-speed, just like my Viggen. However, this BioPower was full of power and torque. This first tank full of E-85 was certainly making me stand up and take notice. As I drove toward Linkoping (home of the Saab Aircraft Division), I could not help but notice how many Combis were on the road. I found out later that the 9-5 Combi BioPower is now the best selling car in Sweden.

I was on my way to the Swedish Air Force Museum, for a private tour, and to fulfill my other passion, airplanes. One of my goals was to see if one of the last Viggen fighters could be sent to a museum in the U.S. One of the enjoyable features of Linkoping, was seeing Saab aircraft being displayed on pedestals at each exit on the Motorvag (freeway).

Another surprise awaited me as I went to my room in The Good Evening Hotel, in the heart of Linkoping. Not only were the corridor walls decorated with murals of Saab planes, but the walls of my room were displaying framed photographs of Saab aircraft!

Posted by Editor at 10:43 AM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

Photo of the Day: 1959 Cadillac Eldorados

Today's photo comes from the albums of geraldloidl.

Be sure to look at all of geraldloidl'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 10:39 AM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

July 4, 2007

Happy Holidays

1965 Oldsmobile F85 Cutlass

Happy holidays from GM Blogs. -Alicia Dorset, blog editor

Posted by Editor at 8:33 AM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

July 3, 2007

Extreme Challenge Course

By Nick Richards
HUMMER Communications

Recently, more than 40 automotive journalists from across the country have traveled to Durango, Colo., to experience the capabilities of the new 2008 HUMMER H2 and H3 Alpha. In addition to experiencing the new premium, chiseled interior of the H2 and the H3 Alpha's V8 power through the hills of southern Colorado, the journalists had a chance to put the HUMMERs through the paces on a difficult off-road trail called Rock Garden, outside of Aztec, N.M.

Check out these two videos to see the HUMMERs in action. After that, take a look at a special photo set over on Flickr.

Posted by Editor at 11:45 AM
Comments (1) | TrackBack | Permalink

From the Archive: 1960

By Alicia Dorset
Blog editor

This week's find from the GM Media Archive is a photo of a 1960 Pontiac Vista.

Posted by Editor at 10:18 AM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

July 2, 2007

On the Safety Tour

By Alan Adler
Manager, Product Safety Communications

Typically, a Texas rainstorm that dumps three or four inches of rain in a single morning would be bad news for an outdoor event like the GM Continuous Safety Tour. But aside from dumping water from the top of the canopy over our displays and huddling toward the center of the canopy to stay dry ourselves, this was a great development.

Out in Parking Lot No. 8 of the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, the sheets of rain made the ride-and-drive demonstrations just that much better. Typically, we use a few bags of sand around the traffic cones to create the slippery conditions that make the StabiliTrak electronic stability control kick in on the GMC Acadia. But water is a lot better for showing the technology that most experts say is second only to safety belts for life-saving effectiveness. On the other side of the parking lot, two Cadillac CTS models equipped with a dedicated radio frequency that allow them to wirelessly communicate with each other went through their paces, the automatic braking feature all the more dramatic on the rain-slick surface.

A lot of people are surprised to learn of GM’s long history with crash-test dummies. The centerpiece under the canopy consists of five dummies, including one dating to 1946 nicknamed Sierra Sam, whose condition suggests his age. He’s been out of circulation since the early ‘50s, not surprising since his job was to test parachutes by being tossed out of airplanes high above the New Mexico desert. The dummies through time display shows how today’s highly instrumented anthropomorphic test devices – that’s the formal name for crash-test dummies – are designed to take the hits for us in a vehicle crash. They illustrate that every crash actually consists of two crashes – whatever the vehicle hits and whatever you hit inside the vehicle.

Another thing we're demonstrating at this year's event is a new feature from OnStar called Automatic Advanced Crash Notification. Most people know that OnStar can place an emergency phone call when an air bag deploys. But the new system ends certain crash data to the OnStar advisor – even when no air bag goes off – that allows the advisor to get specific information to first responders more quickly.

Our vehicles automatically do a few other things after a crash – such as turning on perimeter lighting, unlocking at least one door on each side of the vehicle and shutting off the blower motor to the heater or air conditioner, which can help keep an a post-crash fire from reaching the side of the vehicle.

Our Safety Tour, now in its second year, has become a showcase for GM’s unique safety positioning – protection before, during and after a crash. Of course, everyone’s preference is to avoid a crash, and, not surprisingly, crash-avoidance technologies like StabiliTrak and Vehicle to Vehicle Communication are the big hits with invited guests and news media alike.

Even in the rain.

Posted by Editor at 5:09 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

July Flickr Calendar

By Alicia Dorset
Blog editor

Make sure to check out our Flickr albums for this month's photo calendar.

Posted by Editor at 4:21 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

Photo of the Day: 1969 Cadillac Fleetwood LWB

Meilenwerk Düsseldorf, 28.06.2007

Today's photo comes from the albums of Ozan™.

Be sure to look at all of Ozan™'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 12:13 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink