Nik J Miles

Posts Tagged ‘GM’

Four years ago, Ford Motor Company was the first to introduce a new system to add gasoline to a vehicle without removing a cap, and now that system has spread to most of the Ford lineup.

Now General Motors is announcing the introduction of a better capless fueling system on the new Cadillac XTS luxury sedan. 

“This new system has advantages for both the car and the driver,” said John Hamilton, Cadillac fuel fill systems design engineer. “It helps keep hands free of dirt and fuel, paint free of scratches caused by a swinging cap, and the engine running smoothly.” Read the rest of this entry »

A survey of vehicle owners indicated that four out of 10 car owners didn’t like corrosion on their brake discs.  So, a group of General Motors’ brake experts set out to fix that problem by changing the chemical makeup of the components using a process that could double the life of rotors and save consumers hundreds of dollars.

More than 80 percent of U.S. vehicles are exposed to one or more environmental corrosion creators, such as acid rain, intense sunlight, snow and ice, and road salt. GM brake rotor technical expert Jim Webster and his team were confident that slowing the oxidation brought on by the environment was a problem material science could solve. Read the rest of this entry »

General Motor is adding a new center airbag designed to help protect the driver and front seat passenger in far-side impact crashes.  Engineered to deploy between the front seats of the vehicle, the front center air bag is mounted in the right side of the driver’s seat and positions itself between the front row seats near the center of the vehicle.  The tethered, tubular air bag is designed to provide restraint during passenger-side crashes when the driver is the only front occupant, and also acts as an energy-absorbing cushion between driver and front passenger in both driver- and passenger-side crashes.  The air bag also is expected to provide extra protection in a rollover situation, too.  Read the rest of this entry »

Chairman Hu Maoyuan and General Motors Co. (GM) Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson sign cooperation agreement

General Motors and Chinese automaker, SAIC Motor Corp. Ltd., have signed a new agreement expanding and reinforcing a previous pledge of cooperation signed in November 2010.  The new agreement establishes Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) to jointly develop key components and vehicle platforms in China.  Under the agreement, teams of SAIC, GM and PATAC engineers will design and engineer new electric vehicle components, as well as vehicle structures and architectures.

Vehicles resulting from the partnership will be sold in China under Shanghai GM and SAIC brands. SAIC and GM will use the architecture to build electric vehicles around the globe for their own purposes. Product details and timing will be announced at a later date.   Read the rest of this entry »

The company we know for making high-quality consumer appliances like flat screen televisions and refrigerators, LG, is going in partnership with General Motors to develop electric vehicles.  The GM-LG relationship began when LG started to supply the cells for the battery pack of the Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera.  It expanded in 2010 with work on a demonstration fleet of Chevrolet Cruze electric vehicles.

General Motors and LG Group plan to jointly design and engineer future electric vehicles using each other’s expertise.  The agreement will help GM expand the number and types of electric vehicles it makes and sells by using LG’s proven expertise in batteries and other systems.  For LG, the arrangement represents a widening of its portfolio as an automotive solution provider. Read the rest of this entry »

If you think having to recycle all your old remote control batteries is a pain, can you imagine what will happen in a few years when batteries from Chevy Volts have to be replaced?

General Motors is already working on that situation and has signed a definitive agreement with ABB Group to identify joint research and development projects that would reuse Chevrolet Volt battery systems, which will have up to 70 percent of life remaining after their automotive use is exhausted. Read the rest of this entry »

Already rated at 37 mpg for highway driving, the Chevrolet Cruze Eco is one of the more fuel-efficient non-hybrid vehicles sold in the United States.   If a recent report by the Associated Press is confirmed, that number could grow significantly with the addition of a diesel engine option, which could challenge hybrid numbers by achieving nearly 50 mpg.

General Motors and other U.S. automakers have been slow to embrace the diesel option, even though top European makers have been offering an increasing number of diesel models with great success in the U.S.  GM already sells a diesel Cruze in Europe and Australia, but the engine would have to be re-engineered to meet U.S. emission standards, a process that could take up to two years. Read the rest of this entry »

With the high price of auto insurance, General Motors is offering drivers in Oregon and Washington, who take delivery of a new 2010, 2011 or 2012 Chevrolet, Buick, GMC or Cadillac car, truck or crossover between today and September 6 a one-year insurance policy from MetLife Auto & Home at no additional cost.

GM is making the offer to determine consumer appeal. It is available only to Oregon and Washington residents with valid driver’s licenses who title their vehicle in those states. The vehicle owner can seek to renew the insurance at the end of one year or go elsewhere for coverage.

The program not only gives the shopper a good financial incentive, it streamlines the car-buying experience and add value by addressing affordability – one of the bigger challenges facing many vehicle buyers today. Read the rest of this entry »

The one man who has probably had more impact and insight into the American auto industry is Bob Lutz.  A legend in his own time, the 47-year veteran of the auto industry,has a  resume that includes stints with BMW, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors..

Car Guys vs Bean Counters –“ The Battle for the Soul of the American Business” is Lutz telling it like it is, just as he did throughout his career and especially during his last nine years at General Motors. Read the rest of this entry »

Includes Four Years of Maintenance

Cadillac is now offering a new Shield warranty program to offer owners a higher level of service.   The Cadillac Shield is designed to heighten the brand’s focus on customer service by tying together the wide-ranging benefits and technologies Cadillac provides its owners.

Cadillac Shield includes Cadillac’s class-leading warranty coverage and recently launched maintenance program as well as courtesy transportation if warranty repairs are needed. It also includes 24-hour roadside assistance for the first five years or 100,000 miles. Read the rest of this entry »