GM FYI Blog

By Mary Beth Stanek
Director, Environment Energy and Safety Policy

Just back from Brazil where the price difference between a liter of alcohol and a liter of gasoline (containing 20% ethanol) was approximately 44% less for alcohol in Sao Paulo. For those of you interested in energy diversity in the U.S. I believe we can look to Brazil to see what the future may hold for us here and in other regions of the world. It will take a coordinated effort between business, government and consumers to increase E85 availability throughout the U.S. and we can make it happen but continuing to pursue a broad range of alternative fuels and policies that support energy diversity.

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Recently, GM took the style event on the road to Dubai, U.A.E., where Middle Eastern superstars such as Yousra, Milad Yousef, and Tamer Hagras strutted their stuff down the cat walk with cars like the Saab Aero X, Camaro and the Holen EFIJY. GM’s Group Vice President, and the Latin America, Africa and Middle East President, Maureen Kempston Darkes, talks to us about the event and the launch of the first hybrid vehicle in the oil-rich Middle East. -Natalie Johnson, Manager, GM Social Media Communications

By Alicia Dorset
Blog editor

Keeping up with Phil Racicot’s requests, this week’s find from the GM Media Archive is a photo of a 1998 Buick Wildcat Concept Car.

And remember, keep those requests coming!

By Tom Wickham
GM Communications

Andy Warhol once said “In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.” His comment was directed at the fleeting attention people and the media pay to an object, person or event.

As a former reporter and current public relations professional, I’ve done my share of writing and pitching stories, hoping they will have an impact that outlasts Warhol’s skeptical view. And frankly, in the world of manufacturing, where I ply my trade, most people just aren’t interested in how a car is built.

So, when I received a call in March from a producer in California, wanting to visit our Bowling Green, Ky., plant to see the Corvette being built, I chalked it up to another request for an interview and visuals that would serve as the backdrop for a show about the Corvette.

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The 2009 Pontiac Vibes were recently revealed in Detroit. Take a look at each model and let us know what you think. -Alicia Dorset, blog editor

The Vibe GT

The Base Vibe

Vibe AWD

By Alicia Dorset
Blog editor

Phil Racicot asked to see a 1978 Buick LeSabre Sport Coupe Turbo. Well, Phil, here it is! Enjoy the photo, and make sure to check out the GM Media Archive.

By Christopher Barger,
Director, GM Global Communications Technology

Had someone told me, when I was in high school or college, that my job would someday involve being the only guy at a weekend gathering of more than 75 women, I would not have guessed back then that I would be working for a car company. And yet that’s where I found myself last weekend, representing GM at the 2007 Manic Mommies Escape Weekend. (I also think that if someone had told me back then that this would be my job, my 17-year-old self would have wanted to high-five the 39-year-old version of me.)

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By Ray Chess
VLE, GM Commercial Trucks and Vans

After hearing yet another news report about a fatal 15-passenger van rollover crash, I felt compelled to write this post. GM has always been committed to safety. In my role as Vehicle Line Executive for GM’s Commercial Trucks and Vans, I feel personally responsible for helping us live up to that commitment.

A majority of fatalities in 15-passenger rollover crashes are the result of individuals failing to be properly buckled up. Proper belt use has been identified by just about everyone as a primary way to reduce injuries in a crash. GM’s 12- and 15-passenger vans, the 2008 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana, provide a three-point safety belt in every seating position. The LATCH system eases the installation of child safety seats at different positions throughout the van.

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