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Updates from May, 2012

  • CD players could become the next victim of the struggle to shed pounds from cars in the name of fuel efficiency.

    In an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Ford designer Michael Arbaugh said he was “looking forward to the day” when designers ditch CD players on dashboards forever.

    The reason is simple — CD players weigh 2.2 kilograms, even more when you factor in the CDs carried — and that’s valuable weight which has a direct impact on the fuel efficiency of modern cars.

    Related

    A year ago, that may not have mattered so much, but in a world where high gas prices have become the norm and the environmental agenda is more prominent than ever, automakers are getting into the details to shed the pounds. They’re also aware that CDs are becoming a device of the past.

    “I think anybody under 30 is probably using all MP3 devices. They don’t buy CDs,” Arbaugh said.

    That consideration is likely to accelerate automakers’ moves to remove physical media players from their cars, meaning we could witness the death of the CD drive far faster than we saw the death of the tape player.

    Last year, Ford dropped multi-disk CD players from its European Ford Focus line, noting that 95% of the model’s buyers chose versions with MP3 device connection and 90% chose a Bluetooth wireless connection.

    The Chevrolet Sonic RS also ditched an optical drive in favour of MyLink, which allows access to MP3 players and the streaming of music from sites such as Pandora.

    Earlier this year, research company Stratacom predicted that about 331,000 cars will be sold without CD players in the United States this year,  jumping to 12.1-million by 2018.


    1:00 pm on May 16, 2012
     

  • DETROIT — Auto suppliers’ relations with Toyota and Honda have soured to the worst level in 11 years, but U.S. automakers have won more trust, a survey showed.

    The two largest Japanese automakers managed to retain the top two slots, respectively, in an annual survey of suppliers about their rapport with automakers that make cars and trucks in North America.

    But their scores fell to the lowest point since the study introduced its “working relations” index in 2002. General Motors and Chrysler continued to occupy the bottom two slots, but they achieved their highest marks yet.

    Related

    The narrowing gap suggests that the six major automakers in the United States are “converging toward mediocrity,” said John Henke, president of Planning Perspectives Inc., which conducted the survey released on Monday.

    Salespeople from 439 major suppliers were polled in late March and early April. There were 564 respondents.

    About 70% of the parts in a car are provided by suppliers, which make everything from seats to screws to sensors. Having good relationships with the supply base can help automakers build better vehicles more efficiently.

    Ford and Nissan held their spots at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.

    From 2004 to 2008, Toyota and Honda earned high marks from suppliers because of their willingness to work with companies to lower costs. During that period, the three U.S. automakers adopted a more combative approach, which cost them in the rankings.

    But during the recession, Toyota and Honda offered buyouts for employees, leaving them with a less-experienced workforce, Henke said. The supply crunch triggered by the tsunami in Japan last year exacerbated the problem.

    “The buyers, the folks who have the day-to-day responsibilities, just aren’t doing the right thing,” he said. “We’ve had suppliers tell us in a couple cases that they don’t know the Toyota Way. That’s creating some problems for them.”

    At the same time, Chrysler and GM have adopted a more collaborative approach. The gap between top-rated Toyota and Chrysler, which was ranked last, shrank to 48 points in 2012 from 106 points in 2011.

    Automakers with scores above 350 are considered to have a “good” or “very good” relationships with the supply base — much like an “A” grade. A mark below 250 signals “poor” or “very poor” relations. Between those two points is “adequate.”

    Suppliers are more willing to offer discounts and invest in new technology for their favoured customers. They give fewer concessions to automakers that are intractable and unfair negotiators or make last-minute engineering changes that can hurt a supplier’s bottom line.

    For the fourth straight year, not one of the six automakers in the survey showcased a good relationship with the supply sector. It is possible for Toyota and Honda to recover their lost ground within four years, Henke said.

    It can be difficult to restore trust with suppliers, but not impossible. Ford, which ranked last in 2007, jumped to the third spot in 2010 at a time when the entire company was restructuring. It has been in the No. 3 spot ever since.

    GM and Chrysler, the two U.S. automakers that took federal bailouts three years ago, have languished at the bottom of the list since 2008, but have both made strides.

    Under former purchasing chief Dan Knott, Chrysler made the biggest improvement of any other automaker on the list in the last three years. In 2010, 71% of suppliers described their relations with Chrysler as poor. By 2012, that shrank to 46%, on par with Ford.

    Henke projected that GM and Chrysler could continue to improve their rankings over the next three to four years, but only if the Detroit automakers do not slip back into their old ways as some suppliers have noted.

    “A couple of them said, ‘We helped them out when things were bad; they seem to have forgotten that,’” Henke said.

    © Thomson Reuters 2012


    11:06 am on May 14, 2012
     

  • Seven automakers, including General Motors and Ford, have agreed to adopt a fast-charging system that can charge electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in as little as 15 minutes.

    The group’s goal is to make charging an electric car as simple as filling a gas tank. Chrysler is the latest automaker to join the consortium, which also includes members from Volkswagen and its luxury Audi brand, Daimler, Porsche and BMW.

    The ability to quickly charge cars like GM’s Chevrolet Volt and Ford’s Focus Electric is crucial to making them more popular among consumers, said Mike Tinskey, associate director of vehicle electrification for Ford, the No. 2 U.S. automaker.

    Related

    The charging method championed by Ford and others in the group will be showcased at a electric vehicle conference in Los Angeles this week.

    But the approach supported by Ford and others is not compatible with the technology already used by Japanese automakers. Nissan’s Leaf electric car uses the “CHAdeMO” system to quickly charge, for example.

    The lack of consensus has slowed the construction of fast charging stations in the U.S. market and illustrates some of the struggles facing the burgeoning electric car industry.

    Ford says its system will be used in its vehicles beyond 2020, Tinskey said. ACEA, a trade group of European automakers, will use the charging system for all new vehicle types in Europe beginning in 2017.

    “We think this is a very long-term solution,” Tinskey said.

    Charging stations equipped with fast charging capability are projected to be available later this year. These stations can cost anywhere from $24,840 to $89,415 depending on how much power is available in a particular area, Tinskey said.


    8:00 am on May 8, 2012
     

  • DETROIT • General Motors is pulling the plug on its Chevrolet Avalanche pickup.

    The Avalanche, a “lifestyle” pickup that won buyers and polarized the traditionalists with its unique design and numerous features, celebrates its final year of production with the 2013 Black Diamond model.

    “More than 580,000 Avalanches have been sold since its introduction in 2001, and Avalanche has won major awards and recognitions throughout its run,” says Mark Clawson, Avalanche marketing manager. “So it is only fitting that Avalanche retires on a high note.”

    Related

    That said, Clawson admits that Avalanche sales “have tapered off in recent years.”

    The Avalanche “was one of the earliest forays into re-inventing the traditional pickup truck, says Michelle Krebs, senior analyst with Edmunds.com. “It was a vehicle that maintained the traditional truck image and capability but was more versatile for the person buying it for personal use more than work — a lifestyle truck more than a work truck. Other variations on the theme from competitors followed the Avalanche’s debut.”

    When introduced for the 2002 model year, Avalanche offered unique styling and innovative features such as a midgate that extended the bed into the cab. Storage compartments alongside the cargo box provided ample and lockable storage with pluggable drains that could be filled with ice and used as coolers. It also offered comfortable accommodations for five people.

    Recognizing the appeal of the Avalanche, Chevrolet and other truck makers began developing light-duty crew cab pickups. By 2011, crew cabs accounted for more than 65% of light-duty pickup sales in the United States, and helped transform the pickup from a workhorse into a multi-purpose family vehicle.

    The Avalanche was named 2002 Motor Trend Truck of the Year upon its introduction, and 2007 Truck of the Year by the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada.

    In Canada, Black Diamond Avalanches will feature body-coloured bed surrounds, unique badging and additional features on LS and LT models. For 2013, a rear camera, rear park assist, power-adjustable pedals, fog lamps and remote start will be added as standard equipment on LS models, while LT models have added a standard rear camera.


    1:00 pm on April 17, 2012
     

  • STOCKHOLM • Bankrupt Swedish automaker Saab has assets of only 3.6-billion kronor ($531-million), covering just over a third of its debt of 13-billion kronor, bankruptcy administrators said Tuesday.

    Tuesday’s report came as the deadline to place bids for Saab, which filed for bankruptcy in December, expired.

    Saab’s bankruptcy estate concerns three Saab companies — Saab Automobile, Saab Tools and Saab Powertrain.

    Related

    Most of the creditors in Saab Tools can expect to be paid, due to certain preferential regulations, while those in the two other companies will have a harder time getting their money, the administrators say.

    Those who stand to lose the most include Saab’s 3,600 employees, the Swedish tax authorities and various suppliers, who are among those due a total of seven-billion kronor.

    Sweden’s National Debt Office, which has a credit line of 2.2-billion kronor with Saab, will get its money back, the report says.

    The administrators have consistently refused to disclose any information about possible bids placed for Saab Automobile, although Chinese automaker Youngman is known to be interested in buying the Swedish brand. Swedish media have reported that Youngman placed a preliminary bid in late January or early February of about two-billion kronor ($298-million).

    Youngman has long been interested in Saab and tried to snap it up before it declared bankruptcy, but those efforts were thwarted by the Saab’s former owner, General Motors, which balked at transferring the necessary technology licences.

    Reports have also surfaced that Indian commercial utility vehicles manufacturer Mahindra and Mahindra has placed a bid as well.

    Saab was already on the brink of bankruptcy when GM sold it in early 2010 to Dutch company Swedish Automobile  — at the time called Spyker — for $400-million.


    1:00 pm on April 10, 2012
     

  • You gotta love capitalism. Yesterday’s terrorist haven is today’s burgeoning market. In a recent report in Automotive News, none other than Iraq is the new darling of major automobile manufacturers. The automotive tome noted that Volkswagen, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are all pushing to expand their presence in the formerly (and, skeptics might say still) war-torn Middle Eastern country.

    Related

    Iraq’s automobile market is currently less than 100,000 units annually, but, thanks to rising incomes, rapid economic growth and so-called safer streets (hey, only “1,500 Iraqi civilians were killed by bombs, sniper and roadside ambushes last year,” according to Automotive News, down from a peak of 34,500 in 2006), so Automotive News is reporting that some major players are forecasting growth of as much as 30%. General Motors already sells 32,000 cars there a year, making it the company’s second largest market in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia. That’s a mere pittance compared with the 9.025 million vehicles The General sold last year, but the company had targeted the Middle East for expansion. Sectarian violence, improvised explosive devices and state-fuelled religious intolerance be damned, we can sell them some cars, so let’s build us some dealerships.

    Of course, any additional successful market is desperately needed if the auto industry’s recent revival is to continue unabated. China is, by most estimations, slowing its recently explosive growth. Ditto India. And just when you thought we could go back to ignoring the Europeans (thanks to the collective sigh we all breathed when Greece’s bond devaluation deal was finally signed) comes news that the entire EU auto market is about to come tumbling down, dragging all of us with it.

    Bloomberg News is reporting that General Motors sees “clearly deteriorating” sales exacerbating the same kind of production overcapacity that crippled the American auto industry before its bankruptcies/restructuring/debt reduction of 2009 to 2011. According to Dan Amman, GM’s chief financial officer, worsening vehicle pricing — transaction prices are said to have dropped more than $200 in just the last three months — indicate greatly reduced demand. GM, Bloomberg reports, lost $747-million in Europe last year and $15.6-billion since 1999. The $420-million tie-up with PSA/Peugeot-Citroën reported in this column two weeks ago is the company’s most recent attempt to address its overcapacity issues.

    And, unlike the most recent downturn, automakers are not counting on government “scrappage” incentives to artificially boost sales. Despite the recent improvement in Greece’s debt relief, the European economy continues to sour, weighed down by massive debt, debilitating unemployment and chronic over-regulation of the industry. Throw in the fact that, by some estimations, the Europeans may have as much as 20% too much automobile production capacity for current market demands and you have the same recipe for disaster that plagued the U.S. automakers through the last two decades.

    The difference is that our domestic auto industry has already swallowed its Buckley’s — you know, “It tastes awful. But it works” — General Motors declaring bankruptcy (as did Chrysler), shucking income-dragging brands (as did Ford), laying off workers (as did both Chrysler and Ford) and shuttering plants (ditto Chrysler and Ford). Save for the seemingly never-ending death spiral of Saab (and its demise was sparked by GM), Europeans did not react to — or, as those nasty vulture capitalists might say, did not take advantage of — the Great Recession with any dramatic restructuring. Indeed, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne recently called for European Union intervention in reducing the industry’s overcapacity, though Volkswagen, the only major European automaker to make a profit last year, rejects such calls for government intervention.
    The result, as anyone who’s ever tried to peel off a Band-Aid slowly knows, would appear to be a simple delay of the inevitable pain. Hence why Opel is crawling into bed with PSA/Peugeot-Citroën and Fiat is willing to sleep with, well, just about anybody. Volkswagen is said to be fuelling the troublesome price declines by using its heft — and profits from its successful luxury brands — to buy market share. No wonder Marchionne has been so preoccupied with expanding his Fiat/Chrysler/Who-wants-to-love-me-now conglomerate.

    Of course, all this may be the same tempest in a teapot that the Greek debt crisis turned out to be (says he, crossing all his fingers and toes in the hopes that he jumped back into the stock market at the right time). The Economist, in its latest issue — Crikey, Ginger! Can It Be … The Recovery?!! — is predicting a steady, if subdued, recovery (albeit with the same aforementioned crossing of hearts and hoping to die) that would seem to make any weakness in the European auto market of minimal consequence.

    Of course, General Motors guaranteed it was not declaring Chapter 11 and Rob Ford promised Torontonians a subway.


    8:00 am on March 29, 2012
     

  • By Veronique Dupont

    NEW YORK • Natural gas, whose price is at record lows thanks to a shale drilling boom, is gaining traction as an alternative energy in the United States, with automakers jumping on the bandwagon.

    The use of natural gas instead of oil-based gasoline to drive the country’s cars and trucks “is definitely starting to take off,” says Mark Hanson, an analyst at investment research firm Morningstar. “The economics seem to work,” he says, noting it was “just a question of what pace” the necessary infrastructure will take to develop.

    Gas is in focus as a potential engine fuel because “it is tremendously good fuel,” says David Cole, the chairman emeritus of the Center for Automotive Research in the U.S.

    Related

    Unlike gasoline, whose rising prices are causing pain at the pump for consumers, natural gas is cheap in the United States as supplies bulge from production in the country’s vast shale gas formations. In addition, natural gas burns while emitting less carbon dioxide than gasoline.

    Thus, it is considered a “green” fuel even though in its raw state, the methane it emits is more destructive to the Earth’s ozone layer than CO2, and the artificial fracturing of gas shales, known as “fracking,” has drawn fire from environmentalists.

    There are several forms of natural gas used to power vehicles. Compressed natural gas (CNG) is pressurized gas stored in a similar way to a vehicle’s gasoline tank. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is produced by chilling natural gas to about minus -162 C. It can be used as engine fuel for heavy ground or maritime vehicles. In Europe, the fuel of choice for automobiles is liquefied petroleum gas, typically a mixture of butane and propane made from refined crude oil or natural gas.

    In the U.S., the Big Three are pumping out vehicles based on alternative fuels. Ford has the largest array of alternative-energy vehicles: eight powered by natural gas. Fiat-controlled Chrysler, in early March unveilled a pickup truck than can use liquefied natural gas, which will go on sale in June.

    Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of Fiat and Chrysler, views natural gas as having greater potential than electricity to power vehicles.

    General Motors produces two vans that use compressed natural gas, the Chevy Express and the GMC Savana, and will begin production by the end of the year on two pickup trucks running on CNG. GM already has sold 1,200 of the vans to U.S. telecommunications firm AT&T.

    The automaker is working on a number of different alternative fuels and particularly on electric vehicles.
    But Dan Flores, a GM spokesman, says: “We think compressed natural gas offers a lot of potential. The technology is promising.”

    It is particularly appealing to businesses, especially service providers such as telecoms, package deliverers such as UPS, or to local governments, which operate trash removal or emergency vehicle fleets.

    CNG vehicles operate at relatively short distances from a refueling hub. The economies of scale for a large business or public body can potentially justify the cost of an investment in the specialized refuelling equipment.

    For individual consumers, the refuelling infrastructure is limited. And compressed or liquefied gas is expensive and requires substantial storage capacity, restricting the vehicles’ range.

    Hanson says that there are only about 400 CNG stations in the U.S.

    In Europe, natural gas also is sparking interest amid rising gasoline prices, but so far it remains only a small portion of the market.


    1:13 pm on March 28, 2012
     

  • After disappearing for a number of years, the Regal nameplate returned to a car that was based on the European Opel Insignia. The good news here was that, unlike so many Transatlantic transplants (think Cadillac Catera), the changes to the North American derivative were so small they were not worth mentioning — all and any similarities to the mobile armchair of yesteryear had been completely eradicated. That for a company that was once the past master of badge engineering proved to be very refreshing!

    The different thinking is not only evident in the Regal’s exterior style, it also flows through to the interior design. Here, the cabin has been laid out in a surprisingly logical fashion (GM’s interior design has always looked to me as though it was cobbled together by a bunch of different people, each having a different objective) and it is kitted out with very nice materials and the right equipment. In this case, it’s soft-touch plastics and leather seating — the heated buckets feature 12-way power adjustment seating, including four-way lumbar. These seats bring the right sort of support and are about as far removed from yesterday’s overly stuffed pews as it is possible to get.

    The CXL Turbo tested featured a good navigation system with a 40-gigabyte hard drive, 10 gig of which is reserved for music storage, a harman/kardon sound system and a power sunroof — all of which are optional, by the way. The one item that was conspicuous by its absence was a backup camera. It is not offered, which is a glaring oversight given that cars half the price offer this handy feature, and, in many instances, it’s standard fare.

    Slide rearward and things are just as rosy. The rear seat is up to snuff and more than capable of accommodating two adults in surprising comfort; three is a squeeze. Behind that, there’s an accommodatingly large 14.2-cubic-foot trunk. It features a proper handle on the deck lid (something that is, sadly, becoming a rarity), the hockey stick-style hinges have been boxed in so they don’t crush anything placed beneath them and there are 60/40-split/folding rear seatbacks. It all speaks to the sensible packaging philosophy that’s evident throughout the Regal.

    Related

    The base car arrives with GM’s 2.4-litre Ecotec engine. This direct-injected four produces 182 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque at 4,900 rpm. The up-level CXL Turbo earns a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder that adds a great deal of spice to the drive. It pushes 220 hp and, more importantly, it twists out 258 lb-ft of torque at a low 2,000 rpm. The difference it makes is dramatic. Obviously, the new-found urgency brings a much more rewarding drive, but it is the fact there is virtually no turbocharger lag time that really makes the CXL Turbo feel alive — it hops off the line with alacrity, maintains its boosted thrust through the mid-range and on to serious speed.

    Part of the reason the Regal feels alive, turbocharger aside, is the six-speed manumatic transmission. The first four gears are such that the engine stays in the heart of the powerband as the Regal is accelerated to speed. Once cruising, fifth and sixth gears look after fuel economy and keep the engine’s noise at a discreet level. The gearbox has a manual mode; the fact it must be selected to be used renders it redundant.

    And so to the Regal CXL Turbo’s forte — the manner in which it straightens a twisty road. Body roll is minimal, understeer is a long way out and the feedback afforded by the steering is poised and predictable. These traits, which run through the entire range of Regal models, are accentuated by the Turbo’s larger P235/50R18 tires and the lateral grip they afford. It all serves to give the driver a truer sense of what’s happening where rubber meets road. Now that’s diametrically opposed to the vagueness that once defined a Buick. Remarkably, it accomplishes all of this while delivering a comfortable highway ride.

    For those who want the Regal to feel even crisper, there’s the sport package. It not only ups the tires to P245/40R19, it also brings GM’s continuously variable damping system with the Interactive Drive Control. The combination sharpens things enormously and is worthy of consideration.

    It used to be that if one wanted a mobile armchair one bought a Buick. The Regal, especially in CXL Turbo guise, really is only a Buick by name. It handles as well as anything in its class, the turbocharger breathes the right sort of performance into the drive and the cabin is both comfortable and well appointed. So, what’s the hitch? Sadly, it is the pricing structure — the Regal CXL Turbo’s delightful work ethic comes at a cost.

    Where one can purchase a nicely appointed Regal CXL for a tad more than $30,000, the Turbo commands a loftier $36,975 plus options. I say loftier because the Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima, both of which bring 274 turbocharged horsepower and much of the same equipment, command around $34,000. Buick will argue that the Korean duo do not compete with the Regal CXL Turbo.

    I beg to differ.


    8:00 am on March 23, 2012
     

  • GENEVA — Just as the assembly lines making them prepared for a five-week shutdown due to slack demand, General Motors Co‘s Chevrolet Volt and Ampera plug-in electric hybrid cars were named “European Car of the Year” at the Geneva Motor Show.

    “It validates the product story here,” said GM vice-chairman Steve Girsky.

    REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/Files

    The Chevrolet Volt's win "shows this company knows how to put a good car on the road," GM Vice Chairman Steve Girsky said.

    He pointed out that Opel won the European Car of the Year award in 2009 with the Opel Insignia sedan.

    “It shows commitment to product. This did not just get invented post-bankruptcy. This is pre-bankruptcy and it shows this company knows how to put a good car on the road.”

    Related

    Mr. Girsky, who along with Opel chief executive Karl Stracke wore a Car of the Year pin on the lapel of his suit, was referring to the 2009 bankruptcy sponsored by the U.S. government.

    Mr. Stracke said it was the fourth time that Opel had won Europe’s top annual car award.

    GM is working to fix Opel, which lost US$747-million in 2011. Mr. Girsky did not say on Tuesday how much money GM expects to lose in Europe this year.

    Last week, GM announced that it would halt Volt production from March 19 to April 23 and lay off 1,300 workers at the Detroit plant that makes the twin sedans Volt and Ampera.

    GM missed its 2011 U.S. sales target for the Volt and at the end of February had an inventory of 3,600 vehicles, a number that would be higher if it included cars in transit.

    Mr. Girsky said the Ampera and Volt may sell better in Europe than in the United States.

    “There’s a case to be made that it will do better in Europe than in the U.S. because fuel costs are so much higher and I think the governments are very committed to infrastructure here. We’ll see.”

    The Volt was named North American car of the year in 2011, and both U.S. and global “Green Car of the Year” that year, too.


    12:59 pm on March 6, 2012
     

  • Cadillac Urban Luxury Concept
    Cadillac’s Urban Luxury Concept is a design study exploring “a new type of vehicle that offers a luxury experience in a diminutive size,” says GM. Comparable in size to popular city cars found in Paris, Shanghai and London, the Urban Luxury Concept demonstrates a departure from conventional vehicle design. It seats four, with easy access to all seats available via two scissor-type doors that extend outward and rotate forward when opened. GM says the design fosters a roomy passenger area, which is trimmed in high-end materials and features next-generation interactive technology. Touchpad screens and projected readouts take the place of most traditional gauges and serve as the audio and climate system controls — a design feature that helps open up the interior for greater passenger space.

    Related

    2013 Cadillac XTS
    Making its Canadian premiere, the all-new, built-in-Oshawa 2013 XTS is the newest addition to the Cadillac luxury sedan lineup, arriving in showrooms in the spring as the most technologically advanced production car in the brand’s history.

    Larger than the CTS, GM says the new XTS delivers the space, elegance and dramatic presence that are Cadillac signatures, but with entirely new and technically advanced methods tuned for a new generation of luxury customers. It also marks the debut of CUE, a comprehensive in-vehicle experience that merges intuitive design with auto industry-first controls and commands for information and media control, according to GM. Some other standard features of the car include advanced Haldex all-wheel drive with electronically controlled limited-slip differential, Magnetic Ride Control, rear air suspension, HiPer Strut front suspension and Brembo brakes. The XTS is powered by a direct-injected 3.6-litre V6.

    Inside, there are folding rear-seat headrests that enhance rear visibility, a Safety Alert Seat that vibrates to alert the driver and an intervening braking system that lessens or avoids potential collisions.

    2013 Cadillac ATS
    The 2013 ATS also makes its Canadian debut. Cadillac’s all-new compact luxury sport sedan is intended to challenge the world’s best premium cars, says GM. Developed on a new, lightweight vehicle architecture, Cadillac’s entry into what it calls the world’s most significant luxury car segment goes on sale this summer.

    The rear-wheel-drive ATS brings Cadillac’s blend of technologically driven performance, elegance and design to a new audience of spirited drivers, the automaker says. Its driving experience is enhanced with CUE, a comprehensive, in-vehicle user experience that merges intuitive design with industry-first controls and commands for information and media data, says GM.

    There’s a broad lineup of available engines, including two four-cylinders and a V6 for North America.

    Handout

    With room for five and up to 48.4 cubic feet of storage space with the rear seat folded, the Encore offers substantial cargo capacity along with the confident, higher driving position, all-wheel-drive capability and contemporary styling of a crossover.

    2013 Buick Encore
    The 2013 Encore joins an expanding family of Buick vehicles that has recently seen the additions of the Verano compact luxury sedan, the Regal GS sport sedan and fuel- efficient eAssist “light electrification” technology on both the LaCrosse and Regal.

    With room for five and up to 48.4 cubic feet of storage space with the rear seat folded, the Encore offers substantial cargo capacity along with the confident, higher driving position, all-wheel-drive capability and contemporary styling of a crossover.

    Additional features include 10 standard air bags and an Ecotec 1.4L turbo four-cylinder/six-speed automatic powertrain, along with standard and available technologies such as Buick’s voice-activated IntelliLink — which uses Bluetooth or a USB to connect the driver’s smartphone to a high-resolution, full-colour seven-inch LCD display radio. QuietTuning is standard on the Encore, which also features Buick’s first use of active noise cancellation technology.

    2012 Buick Verano
    The new 2012 Verano compact luxury sedan, the brand’s third new model in the past two years and first in the compact luxury segment, features a standard Ecotec 2.4L and six-speed automatic powertrain combination that delivers 180 hp and 171 lb-ft of torque, along with competitive performance and a fuel consumption rating of 6.2 litres per 100 kilometres on the highway. A 2.0L turbo engine will be offered in the future.

    The sedan’s sporty profile blends Buick’s signature cues — including a black chrome waterfall grille, blue translucent projector beam headlamps, portholes and chrome accents. Inside, premium seat comfort and support has been redefined for a compact sedan and matched with upscale, soft-touch materials and premium leather.

    The Verano’s quietness is supported by acoustical laminated glass, triple door seals, refined chassis dynamics and specially manufactured 17-inch standard forged alloy multi-spoke wheels, which minimize road noise. Convenience and safety features include 10 standard air bags, a next-generation radio, touchscreen navigation and advanced connectivity technologies powered by OnStar.

    Handout

    A sporty four-passenger, five-door hatch updated for Canadian consumers, the Spark is designed to excite first-time buyers and city dwellers with its bold styling and colours, affordability, the safety of 10 standard air bags, fuel efficiency and manoeuvrability.

    2013 Chevrolet Spark
    Just as the Cruze helped strengthen Chevrolet’s position in the small-car segment, the brand says the Spark is designed to challenge preconceived notions of how an affordable mini-car can look, feel and drive.

    A sporty four-passenger, five-door hatch updated for Canadian consumers, the Spark is designed to excite first-time buyers and city dwellers with its bold styling and colours, affordability, the safety of 10 standard air bags, fuel efficiency and manoeuvrability.

    Though compact, the Spark offers more passenger and cargo room than other mini-cars such as the Fiat 500, Smart fortwo and Scion iQ, according to GM. Equipped with a 1.2L four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission, the Spark will offer competitive fuel efficiency.

    The Spark also offers a seven-inch colour touchscreen radio capable of displaying smartphone-based navigation, media and contacts for hands-free calling. The Spark will also offer Chevrolet’s MyLink infotainment system, which features the personalized connectivity of Stitcher Internet radio, when it goes on sale in mid-2012.

    2013 Chevrolet Malibu
    The new 2013 Malibu, Chevrolet’s first global mid-sized sedan, is designed to provide customers with expressive design, advanced technologies, ride performance and fuel-efficient powertrains. It has been engineered, says GM, to be best in class and on par with more expensive sports sedans.

    Product highlights include a new fuel-efficient 2.5L four-cylinder engine and next- generation six-speed automatic trnasmission. Improved aerodynamics — close to those of the Volt extended-range electric car — enhance fuel efficiency, reduce wind noise and include active electronic shutters on select models.

    New safety features and technologies include 10 air bags, lane departure warning/forward collision warning and a rear-view camera system.

    2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Coupe
    The highest-performing Camaro and the most technically advanced car ever developed in its class, according to GM, the 2012 ZL1 Coupe accelerates from zero to 96 kilometres an hour in 3.9 seconds and can reach a top speed of 297 km/h. Starting at $58,000, including Performance Traction Management and Magnetic Ride suspension, the ZL1 delivers supercar levels of performance and technology for the price of a sports car.

    The heart of the ZL1 is a 580-hp supercharged 6.2L V8. And more than just power, the ZL1 features technologically advanced and highly developed chassis and suspension systems that help it deliver balanced, track-ready handling and braking power to complement its high engine output.

    Handout

    After enduring more than three decades of road and auto show duties, the 50th Anniversary Corvette Stingray Concept had more than earned its trip to the restoration shop.

    Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Concept
    After enduring more than three decades of road and auto show duties, the 50th Anniversary Corvette Stingray Concept had more than earned its trip to the restoration shop. GM Design Staff personnel stripped the car down to its basic elements and refurbished all the component parts to restore this heirloom to its original function and beauty. The steel-tube space frame was in sound condition and needed little more than stripping and a fresh coat of black paint. Chassis bushings, bearings, dampers and brake components were reconstructed using period-correct hardware when possible. The aged wiring harness was remade using new materials faithful to the original design.

    Certain components — such as the silver leather bucket seats — were restored without loss of the patina acquired during years of use. Hand-made brass trim plates and escutcheon badges were re-chromed. The original Halibrand magnesium wheels were carefully polished to the proper lustre. Much of the internal panelling was hand-formed sheet aluminum, which has been straightened and rid of battle scars acquired on the race track.

    Numerous engines have resided under the Stingray Racer’s hood. The current powerhouse is a 5.7L small- block V8 equipped with an all-mechanical fuel injection system from the 1960s. Hours of effort were devoted to repairing cracks in the original fibreglass body panels and replacing balsawood reinforcements that had deteriorated. Constructing an all new body would probably have been easier, but GM Design personnel took the longer road to preserve original components and craftsmanship where possible.

    Handout

    The GMC Sierra All Terrain HD concept is an exploration of heavy-duty truck capability combined with greater off-road versatility.

    GMC Sierra All Terrain HD Concept
    Seen for the first time in Canada, the GMC Sierra All Terrain HD concept is an exploration of heavy-duty truck capability combined with greater off-road versatility. It is highlighted by a bold exterior design, enhanced all-terrain suspension and premium details — all designed to enable greater access to off-road destinations.

    A 2011 Sierra HD underpins the All Terrain HD concept, with a modified, production-based four-wheel-drive chassis and the Duramax diesel/Allison 1000 six-speed powertrain. The enhanced suspension and unique body dimensions, including increased ground clearance and wider track, as well as greater approach/departure angles, deliver off-road capability while maintaining heavy-duty levels of payload and trailering capacity.

    The All Terrain HD features a unique 5-foot-8 Crew Cab/short box body configuration that supports a wheels-at-the-corners proportion. Shorter in overall length than production Sierra HD models, the concept’s dimensions contribute to greater approach/departure angles.


    3:00 pm on February 15, 2012
     

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