Tag Archives: GM

GM Says No To More Taxpayer Funding. Withdraws Federal Loan Application for Advanced Technology Vehicles

Posted on 27 January 2011 by Ken Zino

General Motors today announced it is withdrawing its $14.4 billion application for direct loans from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that it submitted in October of 2009 after it had emerged from bankruptcy. Continue reading →

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General Motors Declares Quarterly Dividend on Preferred Stock

Posted on 26 January 2011 by Ken Zino

General Motors Company (NYSE: GM, TSX: GMM) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.647 per share on its Series B mandatory convertible junior preferred stock. Continue reading →

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GM Invests in Envia Systems’ Battery Cathode Material

Posted on 26 January 2011 by Ken Zino

General Motors Ventures LLC has invested $7 million in Envia Systems get access to what is said to be an advanced lithium-ion cathode technology that delivers a battery with higher cell energy density and lower cost. Continue reading →

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GM to Add Back 750 Jobs at Flint Assembly for Pickup Trucks

Posted on 24 January 2011 by Ken Zino

General Motors today announced plans to start a third shift at Flint Assembly, adding back 750 jobs in the plant that makes Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra heavy-duty pickups.
Continue reading →

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General Motors Appoints Mary Barra, a GM Human Resources Executive, to Head Global Product Development

Posted on 20 January 2011 by Ken Zino

General Motors today named Mary Barra, 49, senior vice president, Global Product Development, to lead the design, engineering, program management and quality of vehicles for GM’s 11 brands around the world.

Barra comes to the high visibility position once occupied by formidable car guys, including Tom Stephens and Bob Lutz from her position as vice president, Global Human Resources. Prior to this appointment, Barra had been vice president, Global Human Resources since 2009. Both Lutz and Stephens carried the title of vice chairman, so Barra’s job has been downgraded in the latest GM reorganization. Continue reading →

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Akerson Reorganizing GM Again! Product Development Split. Vice Chairman Stephens Moved to Chief Technology Officer

Posted on 19 January 2011 by Ken Zino

The new CTO position was said to be a “major element of Akerson’s goal to make the company more customer driven and technology focused.”

However, the previous GM technology position occupied by Larry Burns was in practicality more of academic exercise that produce reams of press releases extolling the virtues of fuel cells and other advanced technologies that had no immediate production prospects, and did not connect GM to customers or advance sales as the company sped toward bankruptcy. Continue reading →

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GM Donates First LSX454R Crate Engine to Charity

Posted on 18 January 2011 by Ken Zino

GM Performance Parts (GMPP) will auction the first production LSX454R crate engine at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale event this Friday, with the proceeds going to the American Heart Association. Over the years, GM and the GM Foundation have contributed more than $1 … Continue reading →

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EU Auto Sales Slump Continues in 2010 for Third Straight Year

Posted on 17 January 2011 by Ken Zino

The European passenger car market shrank for the third straight year in 2010, with registrations declining by 5.5%, from 2009, according to the latest data just released from ACEA, the automakers’ trade group in the EU. Continue reading →

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GM Gives Stock to Its Deeply Underfunded Pension Plan

Posted on 14 January 2011 by Ken Zino

General Motors Company (NYSE: GM) today confirmed it has completed a contribution of 60.6 million shares of GM common stock to its U.S. hourly and salaried pension plans, valued at roughly $2 billion. Continue reading →

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General Motors Licenses Argonne Developed Battery Technology. Taxpayers Are Also Subsidizing the Koreans!

Posted on 6 January 2011 by Ken Zino

General Motors and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory said today they have reached a worldwide licensing agreement to use a battery technology that lasts longer and can accept higher charging voltages. The U.S. Government also announced that … Continue reading →

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U.S. Sales to Jump to 13 Million in 2011, GM Predicts

Posted on 4 January 2011 by Ken Zino

GM predicts that the total U.S. vehicle market in 2011 will be in the 13-13.5 million range, including medium and heavy duty trucks, up from a projected 11.8 million in 2010. Don Johnson, vice president of U.S. sales operations provided … Continue reading →

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BP Oil Spill Spawns Chevrolet Volt Plastic Parts

Posted on 20 December 2010 by Ken Zino

General Motors announced this morning that it has a process to convert the boom material used to soak up spewing oil in the Gulf of Mexico from the BP Oil spill disaster into plastic parts for its Chevrolet vehicles. The ongoing project is expected to create enough parts to supply the first year of production of the Chevrolet Volt hybrid vehicle that has just gone on sale. Continue reading →

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Redesigned Models Offer Automakers the Best Chance to Increase Buyer Consideration

Posted on 14 December 2010 by Ken Zino

A redesigned new model is an automaker’s best opportunity to change the perceptions of the past, according to a new study released today that analyzes the reasons auto buyers fail to consider – or avoid – particular models when shopping for a new vehicle. Continue reading →

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World Car – 2011 Buick Regal

Posted on 10 December 2010 by Ken Zino

Buick Regal sales since a late summer U.S. introduction – 9,000 to date- and 2,000 sales in November are a start, but honestly more time is needed to see if the sedan is an enduring success at the GM division that U.S. Treasury Department officials wanted to kill during GM’s forced and well earned bankruptcy. Continue reading →

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Driving the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe

Posted on 26 November 2010 by Ken Zino

It’s surprising when the president of an auto company appears at a race track to drive a car he actually worked on as an engineer. It’s embarrassing, though, when he’s as fast, well frankly faster, than any hot shoe out there. Continue reading →

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