May 7, 2008

The Chevy Tahoe Two-Mode Hybrid Goes to the Zoo

Here's a cool video featuring Jack Smith, GM Alternative Fuel Vehicles, talking about the 2008 Chevy Tahoe Two-Mode Hybrid at the Green Living Conference at the Phoeniz Zoo. The car was also on display at the zoo entrance where park visitors could look at it. As the video shows, the Tahoe made quite an impression. - Will Stewart, blog editor

Posted by Editor at 11:33 AM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

May 1, 2008

More about GM Engineers and FIRST Robotics

Last week, we featured a blog post St. Catherines, Ontario and local GM involvement in a world-class competitive robotics challenge. This week - another FIRST post, this time from Milford, Michigan, where Engineer Adam Freeman works with the 'Heroes of Tomorrow.' - Rick Crooks, GM Social Media

The Heroes of Tomorrow (HOT) team is composed of GM employees from the Milford Proving Grounds and also teachers and students from the Huron Valley School district.

I started working with the HOT team, in 2005. The goal when I started was to assist a co-worker of mine, Jim Meyer, with design and engineering of the robot. In the four seasons that I have participated in this program, I have held multiple positions. I consider myself as a utility player for the team, ready to jump into and help wherever it is needed. My main positions on the team are Assistant Chief Engineer during the six week design and build period and Head of Scouting and Strategy during the competition season.

There are many exciting experiences associated with the FIRST robotics program. All of them pale in comparison to inspiring the students in science and engineering. Watching as students emerge from quiet freshman to senior leaders on of the team, knowing they will be going on to future endeavors confident from what they have learned in this program is the most rewarding.

The HOT Team (#67) just completed its 12th year in the FIRST program, finishing as World Championship Finalists in the Atlanta Georgia Dome.

In 2005 the team won FIRST 's most prestigious award, the Championship Chairman's Award. By winning this award we were inducted into the FIRST Hall of Fame and serve as role models to other teams. Overall the team has won 9 regional competitions, 1 regional Chairman's Award, 3 Championship divisions, multiple design awards, and were the 2005 World Championship Winner.

Posted by Editor at 2:05 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

April 30, 2008

May Flickr Calendar

Will Stewart
Blog Editor

Enjoy April's Flickr calendar. Download the large size over at Flickr.

Posted by Editor at 3:53 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

April 24, 2008

Bossy Gets Another Saturn

As she winds down her 35-day road trip around the U.S., blogger Bossy just got another new Saturn to take her from town to town as she meets with fellow bloggers. Check out her post today to see her new, red Astra, which replaces the blue Aura she’s been driving since last week in San Francisco. It’s clear that Bossy loves her Saturns. Saturn is providing Bossy with cars from its fleet during her adventure. – Will Stewart, blog editor

Posted by Editor at 1:50 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

April 16, 2008

VIDEO: Chevrolet's Drive-in Fitting Room

A fun video from GM Europe takes a lighthearted look at an old question: how do I look in my car? And wouldn't it be nice to know this before you drive off the showroom lot? Maybe this is an idea whose time has come ... - Will Stewart, blog editor

Posted by Editor at 3:15 PM
Comments (1) | TrackBack | Permalink

April 8, 2008

Bossy's Poetic Saturn Tribute

As you know, Bossy is on a 35-day road trip around the United States to visit her friends from the blogosphere. She's been traveling in a series of Saturn vehicles and she's had some great things to say about each one on her blog.

But her post today offers a Seussical ode to all of the Saturns she's driven on her trip. Pretty clever. - Will Stewart, blog editor.

Posted by Editor at 4:22 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

April 3, 2008

VIDEO: Cobalt SS take on Buttonwillow Raceway

Phil Colley
GM Performance Division Communications

Since August 2005, I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of the finest performance engineers in the world at the GM Performance Division (GMPD). So, I write this with a hint of sadness because the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS media drive was officially my last hurrah with the group before changing assignments to Biofuels.

For those who don’t know, Performance Division is an engineering organization of auto enthusiasts within GM responsible for developing all Chevrolet SS models. They did such a great job sorting out the suspensions and integrating the added power into the previous generation Cobalt SS Supercharged and TrailBlazer SS, Chevy decided it was time for the group to help return the SS moniker to its lofty status…permanently.

Resident GMPD racing guru John Heinricy likes to say, “If you lift for a second, that’s where you’ll finish.” Well, based on media reviews so far, the new Cobalt SS isn’t finishing second to any competitor in the under $30k sport compact class. And with the ability to keep the pedal to the metal while shifting the 5-speed manual transmission, why would you lift?

Edmunds Inside Line calls the new Cobalt SS “the best front-drive car Chevrolet has ever built.” Motive Magazine says it’s “the best small car Chevrolet has ever built.” And Popular Mechanics touts it as “GM’s best sport compact ever.”

High praise from some notable media outlets for sure, but you may be wondering what will I experience being in the driver’s seat?

We gave you a taste of what the vehicle could do at the Nürburgring last October on YouTube, and now we have some more footage for you from our first media drive event in Bakersfield, Calif. last month.

Below is a video from John Heinricy’s personal video camera of him giving a couple hot laps at Buttonwillow Raceway to one of our media guests. Enjoy.

Posted by Editor at 3:22 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

April 2, 2008

Bossy Gets a New Saturn

Bossy traded in her trusty Saturn Vue yesterday for a brand new Saturn Outlook. Although she claims to hate change and was sorry to say goodbye to her Vue, she seems very pleased with the Outlook, according to her latest post.

Bossy is a popular humor blogger, who is on a 35-day tour around the United States. Saturn is providing Bossy with cars from its fleet during her adventure. - Will Stewart, blog editor

Posted by Editor at 9:39 AM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

April 1, 2008

Bossy Loves Her Saturn Vue

The popular blogger, Bossy, is on the road for a 35-day tour around the country. She’s visiting her fans and taking in the sights -- and blogging about it all, of course, in her own humorous way. Better yet, Saturn is providing Bossy with a series of its vehicles for her trip. Check out yesterday's post, in which she writes glowingly about her Saturn Vue. We’ll keep checking in with Bossy as she gets new Saturn vehicles and continues her excellent adventure. – Will Stewart, blog editor

Posted by Editor at 11:45 AM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

March 31, 2008

April Flickr Calendar

Will Stewart
Blog Editor

Enjoy April's Flickr calendar. Download the large size over at Flickr.

Posted by Editor at 2:36 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

March 27, 2008

Saab Introduces Pure Bio Eco Clothing Collection

By Roger McCormack
Saab Automobile USA Marketing Director

At Saab, we wear our commitment to performance and responsibility on our sleeve.

And now everyone else can, too, thanks to a new partnership between Saab and the Swedish design firm, Reflective Circle.

Last week at the New York Auto Show, we unveiled our new Pure Bio Eco Clothing Collection line during a pre-party celebrating the North American debut of the 9-X BioHybrid Concept.

Like the concept vehicle, the Pure BioPower Eco Clothing Collection clothing line combines progressive looks and responsible performance meant to appeal to the brand’s youthful, cutting-edge image.

“Many of our customers tell us they want to make a positive impact on the environment not only with the cars they drive, but also with the products they buy and use,” said Knut Simonsson, Saab Automobile AB Global Brand & Sales Operations executive director.

The new collection will be available to the public in late May. It uses environmentally friendly manufacturing techniques and materials, including organic cotton and buttons made from Coroso nuts, which come from from rain forest palm trees, to produce clothes that are fashionable yet responsible.

Saab Automobile USA is also donating $40,000 to the Earth Pledge FutureFashion Initiative to develop a program for developing organic methods and materials in the fashion industry.

Posted by Editor at 4:11 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

March 26, 2008

VIDEO: 50 Cent at the NY Auto Show

More video from the New York Auto Show. In this clip, rapper 50 Cent discusses his relationship with Pontiac.

-- Will Stewart, blog editor

Posted by Editor at 12:13 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

March 25, 2008

VIDEO: Pontiac at the NY Auto Show

Check out this video from last week's press days at the New York Auto Show. Bob Lutz and rapper 50 Cent introduce some new additions to the Pontiac lineup. -Alicia Dorset, blog editor

Posted by Editor at 6:49 PM
Comments (1) | TrackBack | Permalink

March 18, 2008

VIDEO: Lloyd and Mark Reuss Discuss Buick's Past and Future

Check out this cool video featuring two generations former Buick executives, father and son Lloyd and Mark Reuss, discussing their family's history with the brand and their thoughts on its future. Will Stewart, blog editor

Posted by Editor at 11:16 AM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

March 10, 2008

GMBlogs and Twitter

By Alicia Dorset
Blog Editor

You might have noticed something different on the right side of FYI about two months ago - a purple box with short notes and URLs. What the?! That’s our Twitter feed, and we’re excited to use it as another way to communicate with our readers.

Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself … some of you might not know what Twitter is!

The short-and-sweet answer: microblogging. The longer, more descriptive answer I’ll take right from Twitter’s own web site:

“Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?”

We first started using Twitter for the North American International Auto Show back in January as a way to keep our bloggers informed of what was happening with the show and our followers updated on the latest news. Whether it was the Cadillac CTS-V rolling out on stage for its debut or the Chevy Malibu winning North American Car of the Year, Twitter allowed us to get the news out and get it out quickly.

While we’ll still be using our Twitter feed for upcoming auto shows, we’ll also be using it to alert followers to new posts both here on FYI and over on FastLane. If you’re on Twitter, make sure to follow us; we’re @gmblogs. If you’re not on Twitter, you can still see what we’re up to, either by checking the update box in the sidebar or checking out our “Tweet” page.

But the whole reason why we’re using Twitter is to keep our fans informed; what would you like to see us send updates on? Let us know. Until then, back to the Twittering!

Posted by Editor at 1:52 PM
Comments (2) | TrackBack | Permalink

February 29, 2008

March Flickr Calendar

Will Stewart
Blog Editor

Enjoy March's Flickr calendar. Download the large size over at Flickr.

Posted by Editor at 8:30 AM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

February 21, 2008

Escalade Hybrids on Oprah

Kelly Wysocki
Product Communications Manager, GM Full-size Trucks

Six lucky women received makeovers on the “The Oprah Winfrey Show" yesterday and Cadillac helped to make this event happen. You may be asking yourself, how is this so? Well, let me tell you. An Oprah Show producer contacted GM following the Escalade Hybrid appearance at the Super Bowl and indicated they were looking to use the trucks in an episode with the makeover winners. We thought this might be a fun opportunity to make the activity even more special while at the same time show the vehicle off to the public.

So, three 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrids vehicles were driven to surprise the winners in a makeover with stylist Lloyd Boston (he gives fashion advice on various networks, NBC's Today Show, Oprah Show, The View, etc.). We drove in a convoy to all the women's homes to surprise them, and boy were they were surprised, lots of screaming going on when we arrived. I enjoyed every minute of this experience, helping to put a smile on their faces as well as making them feel special. And they call this work? Watch us surprise them and tell us your thoughts.

Posted by Editor at 9:22 AM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

February 13, 2008

February Flickr Calendar

Will Stewart
Blog Editor

Enjoy February's Flickr calendar. Download the large size over at Flickr.

Posted by Editor at 4:07 PM
Comments (1) | TrackBack | Permalink

January 13, 2008

New Photos from NAIAS on Flickr

Chevy General Manager Ed Peper with the 2008 North American Car of the Year, the Chevy Malibu, on Jan. 13.

We've put up lots of photos on Flickr, with more to come, from the North American International Auto Show and the kickoff GM Style event.

-- Laurie Mayers, GM blogs

Posted by Editor at 2:56 PM
Comments (4) | TrackBack | Permalink

January 11, 2008

Getting Ready for NAIAS

As we get ready here in Detroit for the North American International Auto Show, make sure to check back to FYI for videos from GM's Style Event, featuring musicians Mary J. Blige and Kid Rock, and band Maroon 5. You'll be able to be embed the clip on your own blog, but make sure to check out GM's Media Online site for instructions and restrictions. -Alicia Dorset, blog editor

Posted by Editor at 5:42 PM
Comments (1) | TrackBack | Permalink

GM @ CES

A Report from the Consumer Electronics Show

GM Chairman Rick Wagoner and Consumer Electronics Association President and CEO Gary Shapiro

By Christopher Barger
Director, GM Global Communications Technology

This past week, GM was part of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Our CEO and Chairman Rick Wagoner gave a keynote on Tuesday — the first time an automaker’s chairman ever keynoted at the conference. We announced a new E-Flex concept car that we hope to make reality in the near future, the Cadillac Provoq. And we showed off the self-driving “Boss” Chevy Equinox that won the DARPA challenge.

I was lucky enough to attend CES and host a handful of electronics and automotive bloggers to see GM’s vehicles and meet with some of our executives. I got to see the immediate reactions of tech bloggers like the guys at SlashGear and DailyTech as they rode in the Boss and got to experience riding in a driverless car for the first time. One of the guys got out of the Boss and proclaimed it to be the biggest rush he’d had since jumping out of an airplane!

I also got to experience it myself — and let me tell you, it’s a surreal experience being in that passenger seat and looking over to realize that no one is driving the car you’re in. It’s kind of exhilarating and disconcerting at the same time — but how cool! It was one of the more interesting things I’ve done since coming to GM.

CES itself was particularly interesting — it seems to get bigger and more incredible every year. One of the things I particularly noticed while walking the show floor was a predominant theme of convergence, or the end of the definition of “place.” There doesn’t seem to be much definition anymore between, say, “home” or “office” — services or capabilities are increasingly available wherever you are. Mobility was everywhere — the idea that you can use products or services without being tied anywhere. So much of what I saw was designed for seamless flexibility — use your iPod (for example) in the car, at work, connected to your home network.

For us in the automotive industry, that’s going to mean continuing to incorporate electronics products and devices into vehicles, building technology into our products that allow you to blur those lines of place… consumers appear to increasingly want the same access to information and entertainment and connectivity in their vehicles that they get when online. If you were at the show, you could be forgiven for starting to think of the car almost as much as a personal entertainment center as “merely” a method of transportation or a statement or reflection of personality.

The other thing I noticed was that even though the show was divided into three halls — audio/video, auto technology, and IT/wireless — many of the same products were available or on display in all three halls. There’s just no simple way anymore to divide them up neatly, because really so much technology now bleeds into multiple categories. (We’re back to that theme of convergence again.)

All in all, it was a great week and a very interesting show to be a part of. It was great to see how receptive everyone was to hearing from General Motors, and to get feedback from CES attendees on the work we’re doing. Now it’s on to the North American International Auto Show this week in Detroit – hope to see you there!

If you'd like to see some more photos from CES, make sure to check out our Flickr set.

Posted by Editor at 2:05 PM
Comments (2) | TrackBack | Permalink

December 31, 2007

January Flickr Calendar

By Alicia Dorset
Blog editor

Enjoy January's Flickr calendar. Download the large size over at Flickr.

Posted by Editor at 12:45 PM
Comments (3) | TrackBack | Permalink

December 20, 2007

VIDEO: The Volt on Tour

Last week, the Chevy Volt was at the Hollywood Goes Green event in Hollywood, Calif. Take a look at these videos to see some of the reactions the Volt received. -Alicia Dorset, blog editor

Larry Hagman and the Volt

Ed Begley Jr. and the Volt

And then at a recent stop at the Google campus...

Energy Costs

Posted by Editor at 4:02 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

VIDEO: Chevy College Marketing Challenge

By Molly Peck
Chevrolet Divisional Advertising Manager

For the second year in a row, Chevrolet wanted to connect with its youth audience by hosting a College Challenge. The goal: to gain a better understanding of how to market Chevy’s fuel saving technologies to 18- to 30-year-old buyers. We wanted to expand what we know and find new and innovative ways to educate consumers about Chevy’s environmentally-friendly vehicles, and as a result, have them join us in our effort to reduce the nation’s dependency on petroleum. Students from across the country submitted their creative ideas to Chevy for consideration this fall.

The 2007 Challenge invited students, through their college or university classrooms, to design an integrated communications campaign that would reach out to consumers and educate them about Chevrolet fuel technologies. We asked students to start with a review of the target market, usually referred to as Gen Y, and many teams conducted their own consumer research. We encouraged teams to include a range of media elements in their campaigns - some could be traditional and some could be specific to the Gen Y consumer.

After careful review of all the marketing campaigns, in late November I worked with my colleagues from Chevrolet and our agencies to narrow the pool down to five finalist teams. It was hard work, and we want to thank all of the students for sharing their ideas with us.

On Dec.12, the five finalist teams - talented men and women from Fairfield University, King’s College, Drexel University, the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, and the University of West Florida - flew to Detroit as part of an all-expense paid trip to present their case studies to senior Chevrolet management and agency representatives. All of the ideas were really interesting and it was great to see the students’ enthusiasm for our vehicles and advanced technologies. Following the presentations the next day, we asked our panel of judges to assess the elements and ideas in the integrated plans.

The judges chose the University of North Carolina at Greensboro as the winning team. They did an excellent job researching the target market and developed a thoughtful campaign based on their research.

The team of students from UNCG will be eligible for internship opportunities with Chevrolet or one of our agency partners and the university will be given a $2,500 donation from us.

Inside Chevy, we value innovation and new thinking, and the college challenge reflects that. Everyone here is really excited about our environmentally friendly cars, trucks, SUVs and crossovers, especially the new Malibu Hybrid and Tahoe Hybrid SUV. The competition this year gave us a great opportunity to listen to students who are from Gen Y tell us why they are environmentally conscious consumers, and talk with them about the best ways to reach their age group.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all of the students who submitted their plans, and my personal congratulations to the five finalist teams that made it all the way to Detroit. It has been a great pleasure to work with all of you, and we at Chevrolet truly appreciate all the time and effort you put into to bringing your Fuel Solutions campaign ideas to life.

Check out this video to see what the students' trip was like in Detroit.

Posted by Editor at 2:51 PM
Comments (2) | TrackBack | Permalink

December 12, 2007

The Volt Tour in San Francisco

The Volt is making its way up the California coast and will debut in the Bay area tomorrow. Trust us when we say that pictures can't do this car justice, so if you're in the San Francisco area, we highly recommend you get out there and see it for yourself. If you do head out, make sure to post a comment with your impressions back here on FYI, since we'd would love to hear what you think. And if you have any photos you'd like us to see and you're on Flickr, make sure to tag them "gmfyi" and we'll find them.

Check out the full schedule below (but please keep in mind that these times and venues are subject to change). -Alicia Dorset, blog editor

Thursday, Dec. 13 - Justin Herman Plaza
1 Market St., Embarcadero Plaza
7 a.m.–9:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 14 - Fisherman's Wharf
Pier 47
9 a.m.–9 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 15 - Macy's Union Square
251 Geary St.
9 a.m.–11 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 16 - Pier 39
Beach St. & The Embarcadero
8 a.m.–7 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 18 - Stanford Mall
680 Stanford Shopping Center
9 a.m.–9 p.m.

Posted by Editor at 2:41 PM
Comments (3) | TrackBack | Permalink

December 6, 2007

Jonas Brothers Visit Ren Cen

Yesterday, Chevy hosted band Jonas Brothers at the Renaissance Center for a quick concert as they stopped in Detroit as part of their tour with Disney's Hannah Montana. The performers are fans of Chevy's green vehicles, and recently had a chance to drive the Equinox Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle.

If you're a fan of the band or the vehicles, make sure to download these wallpapers for your computer (best viewed at 1600x1200 pixels). -Alicia Dorset, blog editor

Jonas Brothers and the Equinox

1600x1200 pixels | 1000x750 pixels

Ren Cen Performance

1600x1200 pixels | 1000x750 pixels

Jonas Brothers and the Tahoe Hybrid

1600X1200 pixels | 1000x750 pixels

Posted by Editor at 1:39 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

December 5, 2007

The Volt in L.A.

By Alicia Dorset
Blog editor

The Chevy Volt concept car is heading to Hollywood . If you're in the L.A. area, this is your chance to get a firsthand look at the car that’s been turning heads across the country. The trip to the L.A. area marks the third stop on the four-city Volt Tour, which will wrap up in San Francisco next week.

Here’s a clip of Bob Boniface, Design Director of GM’s E-Flex studios, talking about the importance of the Volt during a stop in Miami:

Check out the L.A. schedule below (but please keep in mind that these times and venues are subject to change!).

LA Volt Schedule:

• Thursday, 12/6 - Mann's Chinese Theater, 9 a.m. – 11 p.m.
• Friday, 12/7 - Third Street Promenade, 9 a.m. – 10 p.m.
• Saturday, 12/8 - Hermosa Beach, 10 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, 12/9 - Del Amo Mall, 10 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
• Monday, 12/10 - Topanga Mall, 9 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Check back next week for details on the San Francisco stop.

Posted by Editor at 4:19 PM
Comments (3) | TrackBack | Permalink

November 27, 2007

VIDEO: GMME Style in Dubai

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

Posted by Editor at 1:58 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

November 26, 2007

Our Ultimate Factory

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.

I was wrong. The producer, Julie Nelson of Michael Hoff Productions, insisted this would be a story about how we build the Corvette, namely the Z06. Finally, Warhol’s vision would come true for the men and women of GM and the UAW, but instead of 15 minutes, it would be an hour. (Watch the premiere of “Ultimate Factories: Corvette” at 10 p.m. EST, Thursday on the National Geographic Channel.)

"Thrilled" was one way to describe how I felt about the opportunity for GM Manufacturing to be showcased on a network that epitomizes how to cover nature, society and, it seems, manufacturing. Ultimate Factories premiered a year ago, featuring other American icons like Harley-Davidson. The series was successful so National Geographic ordered a second season to be shot and insisted on the Corvette anchoring the season premiere.

Our task, for much of April, was helping Julie and the production team get what they needed for the show. Typical shots of cars being made would not cut it, they told me. They wanted a behind-the-scenes take on the people who build the car. Together, with my colleagues at Chevrolet, GM’s Performance Build Center in Wixom, Mich., the GM Proving Grounds in Milford, Mich., and, of course, Bowling Green Assembly, we helped develop a shoot schedule that would give people a never-before-seen look at the making of America’s sports car.

This was no small feat, as 50,000 people tour Bowling Green each year to watch Corvettes being made. When they leave, the visitors have an excellent understanding of how the car is built. But no visitors get to install wheels on a Z06, anchor seats or fix a blemish in the paint shop. Heck, the same holds true for hand-assembling the LS7 engine that powers the Z06 or taking the finished product for a spin on the tracks at the Proving Grounds.

All this was possible, though, because the production team approached the job, knowing that safety and quality were our mandates. Having that understanding as a starting point allowed them to work closely with the men and women who live and breathe Corvette. In fact, the show’s host, Kevin Moore, so assimilated himself into the workforce, I wondered if he planned to give up his job at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to work for us. He was having that much fun.

Our employees picked up on that, as well, training Kevin in different aspects of the vehicle assembly process, educating him about safety protocols and quality standards.

Oh, there was fun, as well, especially when we had to don the blue paint shop suits and hats, prompting plenty of Smurf jokes from the crew. And then there was a day at the Proving Grounds when Kevin got behind the wheel of a Z06. The production team’s legal advisor wanted Kevin going a reasonable speed. 100 mph is a reasonable speed for a Z06, isn’t it?

In the end, the experience was incredible for all involved. No one takes the Corvette’s fame for granted; that’s why each generation of car is faster and better than the one before. Now, people will get to see how the car is built. And if anyone is deserving of some of that fame Warhol talked about decades ago, it’s our employees who build the engines, transmissions and cars. Ultimate Factories is their moment to shine.

To learn more about the show, check out National Geographic.

Posted by Editor at 3:57 PM
Comments (4) | TrackBack | Permalink

November 20, 2007

VIDEO: Get to Know the 2009 Pontiac Vibes

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

Posted by Editor at 12:01 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

November 15, 2007

Manic Mommies Escape Weekend

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.)

Erin and Kristin are the Manic Mommies, hosts of the very successful podcast about the many challenges of being a working mom and “trying to do it all,” as they put it. They have a great show, and they had a fantastic idea a couple of months back: invite their listeners to join them for a weekend in Newport, R.I., for an “Escape” weekend, one that would include both fun and learning opportunities, and a chance for moms to have a day or two to focus on themselves for a little while.

When we at General Motors heard about this idea, we were very intrigued. Kristin and Erin didn’t know just how it would work out either, but we thought the idea of an online community of real, everyday women gathering in real life with only a podcast as their common link was something we wanted to get involved with. Obviously, if we’re going to be involved in online communities and social media, we need to learn everything we can about how they interact and bond and work. It felt like a great opportunity, so we decided to sponsor the weekend and provide vehicles to serve as shuttles and to make available for ride-and-drives for the moms. We had 11 GM vehicles available: four Chevy Malibus (including a hybrid), two Saturn VUEs, two Saab 9-3s (one sedan and one combi-sport), and one each of the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Saturn Outlook.

And sure, there was also a more self-interested element to our involvement: it was an opportunity for us to have 75 potential consumers drive our vehicles and let them make up their own minds about them. We believe that anyone who thinks they would never buy a domestic car would rethink that position if they actually got into one of today’s GM vehicles and drove them. We thought that providing such an opportunity in a relaxed, casual, fun setting – one on the moms’ turf and terms, not ours – was a good thing to try.

The weekend was unbelievable. When I walked in to the opening night reception, I felt like I’d stumbled into someone’s high school reunion. The camaraderie and kinship this community obviously has developed – without ever having met in person or knowing who the others even were – was and is remarkable. It says something to me about the power and depth of online communities – a lesson I know we’re recognizing at GM, and one I think the corporate world would do well to heed. And while being the only man in the room for the entire gathering made me the natural target of much good natured ribbing and banter, I can say unequivocally that I was made a welcome member of the group.

And so was GM! I lost track of how many times some of the moms came up to me and talked about how thrilled they were that GM was there, recognizing moms as both a market force deserving of attention and as a group worthy of our support. And I have to tell you, the cars made quite an impression. I heard at least a dozen people say something to the effect that they never would have considered a (fill in the blank for what they were driving), but after having been in one they were definitely going to put that vehicle at the top of their list.

And that’s what the whole thing was all about: supporting a great podcast, supporting moms who absolutely deserved a weekend away, and helping to change perceptions of our vehicles. I’d rate the whole thing a fantastic success; Erin and Kristin should be very proud of their community. I know we were proud to be there with them. It was great for us to begin building relationships with the Manic Mommies community, and to learn from the questions we were asked by the moms in attendance.

So Erin and Kristin… where’s the 2008 Manic Mommies Escape Weekend?

Posted by Editor at 4:48 PM
Comments (2) | TrackBack | Permalink

November 8, 2007

Find-A-Fuel, Find-A-Site

By Alicia Dorset
Blog editor

It’s not every day that one of GM’s own web sites is an official site of the day.

Adobe selected GM.com/education today as an official “Adobe Site of the Day,” featuring the Find-A-Fuel game.

If you haven’t seen the game before, it’s pretty fun. Find-A-Fuel is an education game that teaches students about alternative propulsion systems such as hydrogen-powered fuel cells, E85 and hybrid technology, as well as the environmental impact of a variety of GM vehicles, including the Chevy FlexFuel Avalanche, Chevy Corvette, Chevy Fuel Cell Sequel and Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid.

How was GM’s education site picked?

Adobe recognizes web sites based on their use of strong visual designs, superior functionalities, and innovative uses of Adobe products.

Make sure to try your fuel knowledge over at Adobe's showcase or on GM’s education site and let us know what you think!

Posted by Editor at 4:33 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

November 6, 2007

VIDEO: Chevy Cobalt SS

John Heinricy recently took a spin in the 2008 Turbocharged Chevrolet Cobalt SS. Listen in as he talks about how the car handled in the rain at Nürburgring. -Adam Denison, Coordinator, GM Social Media Communications

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Posted by Editor at 12:37 PM
Comments (1) | TrackBack | Permalink

November 1, 2007

VIDEO: Hot Wheels Designers Challenge

By Amaury Diaz-serrano
Industrial Designer, Rear-Wheel Studio Exterior Group

I've been at SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) this week in Las Vegas, NV, but not for the reason you might expect. I am one of the winners of the Mattel Hot Wheels Designers Challenge. Mattel invited car designers from all the major automakers to design a Hot Wheels vehicle to represent his or her brand in honor of Mattel's 40 th anniversary. For me, it was a thrill of a lifetime.

You see, I'm a HUGE Hot Wheels fan. I've collected more than 3,000 of them. They influenced my decision when I was a child in Puerto Rico to become a car designer in the first place. So to have the chance to design a car that represents GM in an all-new Hot Wheels collection coming out in 2008 was a chance I couldn't pass up.

Mattel just unveiled the winning models here at SEMA and my model, "The Chevroletor," was all I hoped it would be. A lot of people have asked me what's the difference between working on a real car design, like the upcoming Camaro, and a Hot Wheels vehicle. For me, it's the same -— making the car look "cool" is the key to every design.

Take a look at this video to see my design for yourself. And to see more designs, head over to Flickr.

Posted by Editor at 2:11 PM
Comments (1) | TrackBack | Permalink

VIDEO: Outside the Pontiac G8

Here's the final video from our Pontiac G8 series. -Adam Denison, Coordinator, Social Media Communications

Posted by Editor at 1:13 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

October 31, 2007

VIDEO: Inside the Pontiac G8

Continuing our video series on the Pontiac G8, here's a clip on the car's interior. Adam Denison, Coordinator, Social Media Communications

Posted by Editor at 11:19 AM
Comments (1) | TrackBack | Permalink

October 30, 2007

VIDEO: Get to Know the Pontiac G8

I recently was given the opportunity to do some filming of the new Pontiac G8. I was able to catch a team of engineers as they drove into Detroit after a four-day test drive from Denver. Keep checking back to FYI for videos of the G8 and interviews with some of the engineers all this week. -Adam Denison, Coordinator, Social Media Communications

Posted by Editor at 7:34 PM
Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink

October 29, 2007

DARPA: Making Robots Meaningful

By Larry Burns
Vice President, Research & Development and Strategic Planning

When I was growing up, a lot of young people, including me, were fascinated with Isaac Asimov’s robot books and the idea that robots could become a part of everyday life.

As time has gone by, the field of robotics has been developing largely unnoticed. While many of us have been focused on other major events in our lives – college, marriage, family