GM to Launch New CNG Bi-Fuel Pickup Truck in Late 2012

General Motors will soon increase its commercial offerings of CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) models with the addition of a new bi-fuel pickup truck that is scheduled for launch early in the fourth quarter of 2012. Read more »

GM Debuts Automotive Industry's First Front Center Air Bag

Someone once said that in the future, the inner works of our vehicles after a crash will look like a balloon party – sans the bright colors. And true enough, after the front, side, roof, knee, rear curtain and seat-belt airbags, automakers have now discovered another area of the car that can be fitted with an inflatable bag for our protection: the center.

Following Toyota's presentation of the first production rear-seat center airbag on the Japanese domestic market Crown Majesta in 2009, General Motors is introducing the automotive industry's first front center air bag, designed to protect the driver and front passenger in far-side impact crashes.

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GM Idles Pickup Production Once Again to Reduce Inventory

General Motors announced that it will temporarily halt production at its Fort Wayne plant in Indiana for the week starting November 7, in order to reduce its inventory of pickup trucks models.

This is not the first time that GM has stopped production at the plant where the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra are manufactured. Even though pickup sales in the US have increased from January until August by 9% to 1.1 million units, compared to the same period last year, GM seems to have badly misjudged demand for its models, resulting in an inventory of 122-days.

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Polk Says 2011 Non-Dedicated Hybrid Model Sales Down 1.5% Versus 2010

With the notable exceptions of the Chevy Volt, Toyota Prius and Honda Insight, most of the hybrids on sale today are merely spin-offs of existing ICE models with gas / electric powertrains fitted; take the hybridized Chevy Tahoe, Toyota Camry and Honda Civic for instance.

According to automotive statistics website Polk online, in the first seven months of 2011, sales of non-dedicated hybrid models dipped 1.5% compared to last year. Analyst Tom Libby blames the sales slump on the lack of distinct styling; hybrid buyers want their cars to stand out from the crowd.

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GM to Manufacturer New Mid-Size Pickup in Missouri, and Two New Mid-Size Models at Former Saturn Plant

[Chevrolet Colorado Concept from 2011 Bangkok Motor Show pictured above]

General Motors has revealed plans to build a new mid-size pickup truck at its Missouri plant as well as to reopen a former Saturn assembly plant in Tennessee for the production of two new mid-size models.

A GM representative declined to provide further information, saying that the company will not comment on its future products, however, the most likely candidates for the pickup truck model are the successors to the Chevrolet Colorado or the GMC Canyon.

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Chevy Small Block V8 “Not Dead”, According TO GM Design System Engineer

Since its introduction in 1955, Chevrolet’s Small Block V-8 has carved itself a niche that could otherwise never be filled. Affordable, lightweight and offering great performance for its size, the Small Block is to the automotive world what the Apple iPad is to tech-heads.

Now, with ever-hardening CAFE regulations and overinflated fuel prices, one would think the Small Block’s time had finally come. Not so, according to Mark Damico, GM’s small-block design system engineer.

Though there’s been no official confirmation from GM itself, Mr. Damico swears that the fifth generation Chevy Small Block is currently under development. In fact, Mr. Damico claims that as much as US$890 million is being spent on its development.

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Guess Who’s Back Again? Bob Lutz Returns to GM as Advisor

No matter the age, a petrol head like Bob Lutz can't stay away too long from the car industry. In fact, even though GM's former vice president and product czar had retired in the May 2010, the 79-year-old has been providing advice to the firm's executives without pay ever since.

Now, GM decided to formally hire Lutz as an advisor to provide counsel to the senior leadership team of the company.

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