|
|---|
Showing posts with label GM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GM. Show all posts
Monday, October 3, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Cadillac ELR - Luxury touring coupe gets extended-range electric vehicle technology
Electric Concept Car Comes to Life as Cadillac ELR
DETROIT - The innovative Cadillac Converj Concept, a dramatic luxury coupe with extended-range electric vehicle technology, is moving forward as a production car that will be called the Cadillac ELR.
Development of the ELR is just underway, so details on performance, price and timing will be announced later.
The Cadillac ELR will feature an electric propulsion system made up of a T-shaped lithium ion battery, an electric drive unit, and a four-cylinder engine-generator. It uses electricity as its primary source to drive the car without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions. When the battery's energy is low, the ELR seamlessly switches to extended-range mode to enable driving for hundreds of additional miles.
"The concept generated instant enthusiasm," said Don Butler, vice president-Cadillac Marketing. "Like other milestone Cadillac models of the past, the ELR will offer something not otherwise present - the combination of electric propulsion with striking design and the fun of luxury coupe driving."
Cadillac selected the name ELR to indicate the car's electric propulsion technology, in keeping with the brand's 3-letter international model naming convention.
The Converj Concept sparked the idea of combining the desirability of a grand touring coupe with electrification, said Ed Welburn, GM vice president, Global Design.
"There's no mistaking it for anything but a Cadillac, an aggressive, forward-leaning profile and proportion showcases a uniquely shaped, modern vision of a personal luxury 2+2," Welburn said.
Cadillac will reveal another new concept car on Thursday, Aug. 18, at a special event prior to the annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Cadillac also recently announced it will add two new vehicles to its product lineup in 2012, the XTS large luxury sedan and an all-new luxury compact sedan codenamed ATS.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Cadillac Converj Finally getting Greened
Sometimes, like Lazarus, dead cars rise again.
We've learned from an inside source at General Motors, a person close to the project, that the electric Cadillac Converj luxury coupe is now back in the GM product plan.
The Converj was recently approved for production by GM product executives. It will likely launch in 2013 as a 2014 model, though it may end up with a Cadillac-style three-letter model name.
The production version will feature, says our source, "a Generation 1.5 Voltec" powertrain.
That would be an updated version of the extended-range electric powertrain from the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, possibly with better acceleration to suit the Cadillac image--but not the fully revised second-generation version that will go into production in 2015.
Smash hit in 2009
The Converj was recently approved for production by GM product executives. It will likely launch in 2013 as a 2014 model, though it may end up with a Cadillac-style three-letter model name.
The production version will feature, says our source, "a Generation 1.5 Voltec" powertrain.
That would be an updated version of the extended-range electric powertrain from the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, possibly with better acceleration to suit the Cadillac image--but not the fully revised second-generation version that will go into production in 2015.
Smash hit in 2009
The Converj concept car was first unveiled in January 2009 at the Detroit Auto Show. The sleek sports coupe received rave reviews, and during 2009, General Motors [NYSE:GM] approved it for production, with then-product chief Bob Lutz saying in January 2010 it had been cleared by management.
Two months later, it was killed, with Cadillac spokesman David Caldwell saying the Converj program had not reached "a point [at] which development would be occurring in earnest in any case."
Two reasons were given for ending the program almost 18 months ago: First, GM could not make a profit at the low volumes the Converj had been planned for.
Now, with the Volt essentially sold out and GM trying to boost production as fast as possible, perhaps Converj volumes can go higher, meaning each car may cost less.
Second, product planners were concerned that the greater weight and additional luxury features of a Cadillac would cut its electric range and performance--reducing its appeal, much as the Lexus HS 250h has sold in lower numbers than expected for Toyota's luxury arm.
"All about profit"
Two months later, it was killed, with Cadillac spokesman David Caldwell saying the Converj program had not reached "a point [at] which development would be occurring in earnest in any case."
Two reasons were given for ending the program almost 18 months ago: First, GM could not make a profit at the low volumes the Converj had been planned for.
Now, with the Volt essentially sold out and GM trying to boost production as fast as possible, perhaps Converj volumes can go higher, meaning each car may cost less.
Second, product planners were concerned that the greater weight and additional luxury features of a Cadillac would cut its electric range and performance--reducing its appeal, much as the Lexus HS 250h has sold in lower numbers than expected for Toyota's luxury arm.
"All about profit"
Apparently, both concerns have been resolved. One reason for resuscitating the Converj, says our source, is that CEO Dan Akerson is "all about profit." The 2012 Volt lists at $39,990, and tops out (before dealer markup) at less than $50,000.
If some Voltec cars could be sold not for $45,000 but, say, $60,000, that might enable GM to make money on its first generation of Voltec cars. Or, perhaps more realistically, to lose less money on the technology--until a less-costly second generation can be rolled out.
And if Cadillac truly hopes to compete with the likes of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi, it needs to have one or more plug-in offerings.
All those makes have multiple plug-ins planned, from the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Plug-In Hybrid and Audi e-tron electric supercar down to the A-Class E-Cell and tiny Audi Urban Concept two-seater.
If some Voltec cars could be sold not for $45,000 but, say, $60,000, that might enable GM to make money on its first generation of Voltec cars. Or, perhaps more realistically, to lose less money on the technology--until a less-costly second generation can be rolled out.
And if Cadillac truly hopes to compete with the likes of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi, it needs to have one or more plug-in offerings.
All those makes have multiple plug-ins planned, from the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Plug-In Hybrid and Audi e-tron electric supercar down to the A-Class E-Cell and tiny Audi Urban Concept two-seater.
Escalade Hybrid: hardly a halo car
But despite a plug-in hybrid concept for the XTS full-size sedan that will go on sale next spring as a 2013 model, and persistent rumors of an SRX plug-in hybrid crossover, neither of those products has been given the green light for production.
The SRX plug-in hybrid was killed in May due to inadequate range from its battery pack, which had been designed for a different and lighter vehicle. So Cadillac's sole electrified vehicle remains the 2011 Escalade Hybrid full-size sport-utility vehicle--hardly a halo car to get early adopters into their dealers, as the Volt has done for Chevy.
The Converj is not the only example of turbulence in GM's product plans over the last three years. But now that a deal has been reached to raise corporate average fuel-economy standards to 54.5 mpg by 2025, insiders hope that the GM product plan will settle down.
To reach those goals, plug-in cars will clearly become a larger portion of GM's portfolio over time.
www.greencarreports.com
The SRX plug-in hybrid was killed in May due to inadequate range from its battery pack, which had been designed for a different and lighter vehicle. So Cadillac's sole electrified vehicle remains the 2011 Escalade Hybrid full-size sport-utility vehicle--hardly a halo car to get early adopters into their dealers, as the Volt has done for Chevy.
The Converj is not the only example of turbulence in GM's product plans over the last three years. But now that a deal has been reached to raise corporate average fuel-economy standards to 54.5 mpg by 2025, insiders hope that the GM product plan will settle down.
To reach those goals, plug-in cars will clearly become a larger portion of GM's portfolio over time.
www.greencarreports.com
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Friday, August 5, 2011
Camaro: The Special Editions
"The Camaro story has no ending. It's just beginning." Do you own a special edition Camaro? See all the special editions from the first generation through the fifth
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Cadillac ATS Teaser
GM Poised to Thrive with New Cars, Tech, Reuss Says
Cadillac, Buick expanded line-ups expected to bring new customers to brands
- $117 million investment in Oshawa, Ont., plant to launch Cadillac XTS in 2012
- Cadillac compact luxury sports sedan codenamed ATS launching in summer 2012
- Buick Regal eAssist 'light electrification' option priced at $2,000
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – General Motors North America President Mark Reuss announced today the launch of two new luxury cars for Cadillac in 2012 and the pricing for a fuel-saving feature on the Buick Regal as he outlined parts of a plan to help GM attract more customers.
Cadillac next year will launch the XTS large luxury sedan and a compact luxury sports sedan codenamed ATS, models that will bracket the CTS Sedan, Coupe and Wagon family, Reuss said at the Center for Automotive Research's Management Briefing Seminars.
GM is investing $117 million to make the XTS at its Oshawa Assembly Plant in Ontario where 400 jobs will be created or retained.
In addition to the two new Cadillacs, Reuss said the eAssist feature on the 2012 Buick Regal will be a $2,000 option. The light electrification technology delivers an estimated 25-percent improvement in fuel economy, giving Regal eAssist an EPA fuel economy rating of 36 mpg highway/25 mpg city.
"GM has moved beyond a stage of simply surviving and is now clearly focused on thriving with a line-up that's stronger in more segments than it has ever been," Reuss said. "Whether it's the new fuel-efficient Buick eAssist system or Cadillac's entry-level luxury car, we're giving customers compelling new options for their next automobile."
Some of those potential customers are "millennials," a target of Chevrolet to reach the next generation of buyers though a partnership with MTV.
Regal eAssist, which goes on sale this fall, captures energy created during braking to charge a 115V lithium-ion battery that powers a 11-kW (15 horsepower) motor-generator, augmenting a 2.4L Ecotec four-cylinder engine.
The eAssist system also allows the engine to shut down fuel delivery in certain deceleration conditions, saving additional fuel. It has underbody aerodynamics and special tires to further improve fuel economy. Based on $4-per-gallon gasoline, the eAssist option on the Regal should pay for itself in about 3½ years.
The Cadillac XTS, which will be launched in spring of 2012, is based on the XTS Platinum Concept unveiled at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It will offer an advanced front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive system.
The Cadillac codenamed ATS, which will be launched in the summer of 2012, will give the brand a rear-wheel drive luxury sports car to compete head-to-head with the BMW 3-Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4 in the luxury market's largest segment. GM today released its first sketch of the car.
GM previously announced a $190 million investment to build the compact luxury sports sedan at its Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant in Michigan that will result in 600 new or retained jobs. Lansing Grand River already makes the mid-size CTS family of cars honored by Car and Driver, AUTOMOBILE Magazine, Motor Authority, Edmunds Inside Line and Popular Mechanics.
"The Cadillac Renaissance that started with the CTS is still going strong," Reuss said. "The XTS continues Cadillac's heritage as the leader in large luxury cars while the car we've codenamed ATS starts a new chapter for Cadillac in the luxury market's C-segment. We're confident it will attract luxury car buyers who previously would not have considered Cadillac."
Monday, August 1, 2011
C7 Spied
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Top Five Cars in GM History | Chevy Centennial
Introducing the Camaro ZL1
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
