General Motors Company, often known as simply
GM, is a
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
based automaker with headquarters in
DetroitDetroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Wayne County. Detroit is a major port city on the Detroit River, in the Midwest region of the United States. Located north of Windsor, Ontario, Detroit is the only major U.S. city that looks south to Canada. It was founded...
,
MichiganMichigan is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. It was named after Lake Michigan, whose name is a French adaptation of the Ojibwe term mishigama, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. GM was the world's 18th largest corporate entity and third largest automaker as ranked by 2008 revenues on the
Fortune Global 500The Fortune Global 500 is a ranking of the top 500 corporations worldwide as measured by revenue. The list is compiled and published annually by Fortune magazine....
. Ranked by global unit sales for 2008, it was the world's second largest automaker. GM manufactures cars and trucks in 34 countries, recently employed 244,500 people around the world, and sells and services vehicles in some 140 countries.
On July 10, 2009 GM emerged from a
Chapter 11Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
bankruptcy reorganization and is now majority owned by the
United States TreasuryThe Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
and Canadian governments.
While no GM shares are currently available to the public, the company plans an
initial public stock offering (IPO)An initial public stock offering referred to simply as an "offering" or "flotation," is when a company issues common stock or shares to the public for the first time...
in 2010.
GM plans to focus its business on its four core US brands —
ChevroletChevrolet is a brand of automobile produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant in 1911, Chevrolet was acquired by General Motors in 1917...
,
CadillacCadillac is a luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors Company. Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mainly in North America....
,
BuickBuick is a marque of automobile sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, Qatar, Kuwait, and Israel by General Motors Company...
, and GMC, although in Europe
OpelAdam Opel GmbH, commonly known as Opel, is a German automaker. The company was founded on 21 January 1863, began making automobiles in 1899, and was acquired by General Motors in 1929...
/
VauxhallVauxhall Motors is a British automobile company owned by Magna International and General Motors. Most current Vauxhall models are right-hand drive derivatives of Magna's Opel brand; however, production of left hand vehicles also takes place for export to other parts of Europe and certain marginal...
vehicles will remain in development and continue to be 35 percent owned by GM.
Recent news
On July 10, 2009, a new entity, NGMCO Inc. purchased the ongoing operations and trademarks from GM.
The purchasing company in turn changed its name from NGMCO Inc. to General Motors Company, marking the emergence of a new operation from the "pre-packaged" Chapter 11 reorganization.
Under the reorganization process, termed a 363 sale (for Section 363 which is located in Title 11, Chapter 3, Subchapter IV of the
United States CodeThe United States Code is a compilation and codification of the general and permanent federal law of the United States. It contains 50 titles and is published every six years by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the US House of Representatives.- Codification process :The official text of...
, a part of the Bankruptcy Code), the purchaser of the assets of a company in bankruptcy proceedings is able to obtain approval for the purchase from the court prior to the submission of a re-organization plan, free of liens and other claims. It’s used in most Chapter 11 cases that involve a sale of property or other assets. This process is typical of large organizations with complex branding and intellectual property rights issues upon exiting bankruptcy. The new company plans to issue an
initial public offeringAn initial public stock offering referred to simply as an "offering" or "flotation," is when a company issues common stock or shares to the public for the first time...
(IPO) of stock in 2010.
GM's remaining pre-petition creditors' claims are paid from the remaining assets of Motors Liquidation Company, the new name of the former General Motors Corporation, although the directors of that company believe its debts far outweigh its assets. This means that while the former GM's bondholders may recover a small portion of their investment, former GM shareholders (now shareholders of Motors Liquidation Company) will likely not receive anything.
On July 10, 2009, GM announced plans to trim its U.S. workforce by 20,000 employees as part of its reorganization by the end of 2009 due to economic conditions.
History
General Motors was founded on September 16, 1908, in
FlintFlint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, 66 miles northwest of Detroit. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 124,943, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the Flint/Tri-Cities...
,
MichiganMichigan is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. It was named after Lake Michigan, whose name is a French adaptation of the Ojibwe term mishigama, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, as a
holding companyA holding company is a company that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself, rather its only purpose is owning shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow the...
for
BuickBuick is a marque of automobile sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, Qatar, Kuwait, and Israel by General Motors Company...
, then controlled by
William C. DurantWilliam Crapo "Billy" Durant was a leading pioneer of the United States automobile industry, the founder of General Motors and Chevrolet who created the system of multi-brand holding companies with different lines of cars....
. It acquired
OldsmobileOldsmobile was a brand of automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
later that year. In 1909, Durant brought in
CadillacCadillac is a luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors Company. Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mainly in North America....
,
ElmoreElmore Manufacturing Company was a manufacturer of veteran and brass era automobiles, headquartered at 504 Amanda Street, Clyde, Ohio, from 1893 until 1912. The company took its name from its original place of manufacture, the nearby village of Elmore. Founded by James and Burton Becker, Elmore...
, Oakland and several others. Also in 1909, General Motors acquired the Reliance Motor Truck Company of
OwossoOwosso is a city in Shiawassee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 15,713 at the 2000 census. The city is located on the eastern side of Owosso Township, but is politically independent...
,
MichiganMichigan is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. It was named after Lake Michigan, whose name is a French adaptation of the Ojibwe term mishigama, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, and the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company of
PontiacPontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 66,337. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
,
MichiganMichigan is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. It was named after Lake Michigan, whose name is a French adaptation of the Ojibwe term mishigama, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, the predecessors of GMC Truck. Durant lost control of GM in 1910 to a bankers' trust, because of the large amount of debt taken on in its acquisitions coupled with a collapse in new vehicle sales. A few years later, Durant started the
ChevroletChevrolet is a brand of automobile produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant in 1911, Chevrolet was acquired by General Motors in 1917...
Motor car company and through this he secretly purchased a controlling interest in GM. Durant took back control of the company after one of the most dramatic
proxy warsA proxy fight or proxy battle is an event that may occur when a corporation's stockholders develop opposition to some aspect of the corporate governance, often focusing on directorial and management positions. Corporate activists may attempt to persuade shareholders to use their proxy votes A proxy...
in American business history. Durant then reorganized General Motors Company into General Motors Corporation. Shortly after, he again lost control, this time for good, after the new vehicle market collapsed.
Alfred P. SloanAlfred Pritchard Sloan, Jr. was a long-time president and chairman of General Motors.-Biography:Sloan was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He studied electrical engineering and graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1895...
was picked to take charge of the
corporationA corporation is a legal entity separate from the shareholders and employees. In British tradition it is the term designating a body corporate, where it can be either a corporation sole or a corporation aggregate...
and led it to its post war global dominance. This unprecedented growth of GM would last into the early 1980s when it employed 349,000 workers and operated 150 assembly plants.
GM previously led in global sales for 77 consecutive years (1931 to 2007), longer than any other automaker.
The New General Motors
A comparison (estimates) of the new and the old.
| Old GM (1908 - 2009) | | New GM (2009 - ) |
|---|
| Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Daewoo, GMC, Holden, Hummer, Oldsmobile, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall |
Brands |
Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet,
Daewoo (44%), GMC, Holden,
Opel (35%), Vauxhall (35%) |
| 5,900 |
US Dealerships |
3,600 |
| Common shareholders, bondholders and secured creditors |
Ownership |
The United States TreasuryThe Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
, the Crown in Right of Canada, Old GM bondholders, and UAW union |
| 47 |
US Plants |
34 |
| $176 billion |
Debt |
$48 billion |
| 91,000 |
US employees |
68,500 |
Company overview
In 2009, General Motors employs approximately 244,500 people around the world. General Motors' global headquarters is the
Renaissance CenterThe Renaissance Center is a group of seven interconnected skyscrapers in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Located on the International Riverfront, the Renaissance Center complex is owned by General Motors as its world headquarters...
located in
DetroitDetroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Wayne County. Detroit is a major port city on the Detroit River, in the Midwest region of the United States. Located north of Windsor, Ontario, Detroit is the only major U.S. city that looks south to Canada. It was founded...
,
MichiganMichigan is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. It was named after Lake Michigan, whose name is a French adaptation of the Ojibwe term mishigama, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, United States. In 2008, GM sold 8.35 million cars and trucks globally. GM is the majority shareholder in
GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co.GM Daewoo Auto & Technology was first established as National Motor in 1937 in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, South Korea...
of South Korea and has collaborations with
Shanghai Automotive Industry CorporationThe Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation is a Chinese automobile manufacturer which ranks the third among the "Big Five" Chinese automakers .SAIC partnered with General Motors to form Shanghai GM,...
of China,
AvtoVAZAvtoVAZ is a Russian automobile manufacturer, also known as VAZ, Volzhsky Avtomobilny Zavod , and better known to the world as Lada, was set up in the late 1960s in collaboration with Fiat...
of Russia, and most recently, UzAvtosanoa of Uzbekistan. GM has had collaborations with various automakers including
FiatFiat S.p.A., an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial and industrial group based in Turin in the Piedmont region. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli. Fiat has also...
(see
GM/Fiat Premium platformThe Premium platform is Opel's and Fiat's high-end automobile platform. The architecture debuted with the Alfa Romeo Brera. Even after the dissolution of the GM/Fiat partnership, both companies retain the rights to continue developing Premium-derived models, though no GM versions are known.The...
) and some with
Ford Motor CompanyThe Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury brands, Ford also owns Volvo Cars of Sweden, and a small stake...
. GM retains various stakes in different automakers.
GM received loans from European governments in 2009, and has reduced its ownership stake in European operations as part of its reorganization." As of July 10, 2009, the new GM has over $40B in cash, with the company's reorganized liability total of $48.8 B which includes $24.4 B to be paid to the Voluntary Employee Benefits Association (VEBA) trust, $9 B to the U.S. and Canadian governments, and $15 B in liabilities to suppliers and other bills. GM is slated to pay $10 B to the VEBA trust in December 2009, with the remainder being paid in increments from 2012-19. GM isn't required to make contributions to its pension fund until 2013, but it may elect to if needed, since the company contribued $15.2 B to its pension fund in 2003. Stock market conditions cause the fund value to fluctuate. In February 2009, GM's combined pension fund had about $85 B in assets, $56B in assets for hourly pensions and $29B in assets for salaried pensions.
The
domain nameA domain name is an identification label that defines a realm of administrative autonomy, authority, or control in the Internet, based on the Domain Name System ....
gm.com attracted at least 7 million visitors annually by 2008.
GM worldwide vehicle sales by country 2008
(thousands) |
| Ranking |
Country |
Vehicle
sales |
Market
share (%) |
|
Ranking |
Country |
Vehicle
sales |
Market
share (%) |
| 1 |
|
2,981 |
22.1% |
|
9 |
|
133 |
13.1% |
| 2 |
|
1,095 |
12.0% |
|
10 |
|
117 |
9.7% |
| 3 |
|
549 |
19.5% |
|
11 |
|
114 |
4.4% |
| 4 |
|
384 |
15.4% |
|
12 |
|
107 |
7.8% |
| 5 |
|
359 |
21.4% |
|
13 |
|
95 |
15.5% |
| 6 |
|
338 |
11.1% |
|
14 |
|
91 |
33.3% |
| 7 |
|
300 |
8.8% |
|
15 |
|
80 |
36.3% |
| 8 |
|
212 |
19.8% |
|
16 |
|
66 |
3.3% |
| Top 4 markets/regions by vehicle sales in 2008 (thousands) |
| 1 |
North AmericaNorth America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific...
|
3,552 |
21.9% |
|
3 |
European UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 Member States, located primarily in Europe. Committed to regional integration, the EU was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community...
|
905 |
12,3% |
| 2 |
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
|
1,095 |
12.0% |
|
4 |
South AmericaSouth America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere...
|
815 |
20.8% |
Management
- Edward Whitacre, Jr.
Edward E. "Ed" Whitacre, Jr. is a former chairman of the board and chief executive officer of AT&T Inc. He served as national president of the Boy Scouts of America from 1998-2000. He also became the new chairman of General Motors Company upon its emergence from bankruptcy on July 10, 2009.-Life...
- Chairman of the Board of the Directors
- Fritz Henderson
Frederick A. "Fritz" Henderson is President and Chief Executive Officer of General Motors. Prior to his appointment as CEO on March 31, 2009, Henderson was the Vice President of General Motors and has been with the company since 1984....
- Chief Executive Officer
- Ray Young
Ray G. Young MBA is the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of General Motors. He has been at GM since the 1980s by moving up the ranks throughout his career there having been the head of GM Brasil, CFO of General Motors North America among others...
- Chief Financial Officer (announced resignation)
- Robert "Bob" Lutz
Robert A. "Bob" Lutz is the Vice Chairman of Global Product Development at General Motors Company...
- Vice Chairman
- Tom Stephens
Thomas Gregory Stephens is an Australian politician. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Parliament of Western Australia since 1982, serving in the Legislative Council from 1982 to 2004, and in the Legislative Assembly since 2005...
- Vice Chairman
- Edward "Ed" Welburn - Global Vice President of General Motors Design, current and only the sixth head designer.
On July 23, GM announced its new Board of Directors: Daniel F. Akerson,
David BondermanDavid Bonderman is a founding partner of TPG Capital and its Asian affiliate, Newbridge Capital...
, Robert D. Krebs, Patricia F. Russo along with current members
Ed WhitacreEdward E. "Ed" Whitacre, Jr. is a former chairman of the board and chief executive officer of AT&T Inc. He served as national president of the Boy Scouts of America from 1998-2000. He also became the new chairman of General Motors Company upon its emergence from bankruptcy on July 10, 2009.-Life...
(GM Chairman) and
Fritz HendersonFrederick A. "Fritz" Henderson is President and Chief Executive Officer of General Motors. Prior to his appointment as CEO on March 31, 2009, Henderson was the Vice President of General Motors and has been with the company since 1984....
(GM CEO). Non-GM Extuctive will be paid $200,000.
Philanthropy
Since 1996, General Motors has been the exclusive source of funding for
Safe Kids USASafe Kids USA is the United States' arm of the global network of Safe Kids Worldwide organizations, based in Washington DC. Safe Kids USA has over 300 chapters and coalitions in all 50 states, Washington, D.C...
's "Safe Kids Buckle Up" program, a national initiative to ensure child automobile safety through education and inspection. Through 2002, the Pace Awards program led by GM, EDS, and SUN Microsystems, gave over $1.2 billion of in-kind contributions which includes computers to over 18 universities to support engineering education. In 2009, the GM led group has helped the Pace Awards program worldwide. General Motors is a leading contributor to charity. In 2004, GM gave $51,200,000 in cash contributions and $17,200,000 in-kind donations to charitable causes.
U.S. sales figures
| Calendar Year |
Total U.S. sales |
Chg/yr. |
| 1998 |
4,603,991 |
|
| 1999 |
5,017,150 |
+9.0% |
| 2000 |
4,953,163 |
-1.3% |
| 2001 |
4,904,015 |
-1.0% |
| 2002 |
4,858,705 |
−0.9% |
| 2003 |
4,756,403 |
−2.1% |
| 2004 |
4,707,416 |
−1.0% |
| 2005 |
4,517,730 |
−4.0% |
| 2006 |
4,124,645 |
−8.7% |
| 2007 |
3,866,620 |
−6.3% |
| 2008 |
2,980,688 |
−22.9% |
Structure
General Motors is structured into the following operating groups:
| Group |
Number of Employees
September 2008 |
| GMAP (GM Asia-Pacific) |
35,000 |
| GM LAAM (GM Latin America, Africa and the Middle East) |
36,000 |
| GMNA (GM North America) |
123,000 |
| GMAC (GM Acceptance Corporation – finance and insurance services) |
|
| SPO (Service, Parts and Operations) |
|
| Other operations |
2,000 |
| Total number of employees |
252,000 |
21st century
In the late 1990s, the U.S. economy was on the rise and GM and Ford gained market share producing enormous profits primarily from the sale of light trucks and sport-utility vehicles.
Following the September 11 attacks, a severe stock market decline caused a pension and benefit fund underfunding crisis.
GM began its
Keep America Rolling campaign, which boosted sales, and other auto makers were forced to follow suit. The U.S. automakers saw sales increase to leverage costs as gross margins deteriorated.
In 2004, GM redirected resources from the development of new sedans to an accelerated refurbishment of their light trucks and
SUVsA sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. Usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle, some SUVs include the towing...
for introduction as 2007 models in early 2006. Shortly after this decision, fuel prices increased by over 50% and this in turn affected both the trade-in value of used vehicles and the perceived desirability of new offerings in these market segments. The current marketing plan is to tout these revised vehicles extensively as offering the best fuel economy
in their class (of vehicle). GM claims its hybrid trucks will have gas-mileage improvements of 25%.
In the middle of 2005, GM announced that its corporate chrome emblem "
Mark of ExcellenceThe Mark of Excellence is the original name of the logo of the General Motors Corporation. First introduced in 1966, the logo originally included the phrase "Mark of Excellence" at the bottom, and as a decal, it was installed on the door jambs of General Motors' vehicles...
" will begin appearing on all recently introduced and all-new 2006 model vehicles produced and sold in North America; however in 2009 the "New GM" reversed this, saying that emphasis on its four core brands would dictate downplaying the GM name. In 2005, GM promoted sales through an employee discount to all buyers. Marketed as the lowest possible price, GM cleared an inventory buildup of 2005 models to make way for its 2006 lineup.
Core brand focus
GM will focus primarily on its four core brands — Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC — while selling, discontinuing, or scaling back its other brands. In October 2009, GM sold its
HummerHummer is a brand of off-road vehicles by Sichuan Tengzhong, earlier owned by General Motors. The original Hummer H1 was based on the military High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle...
brand of premium off-road vehicles to the Chinese
Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery CompanySichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company Ltd is based in Chengdu, China. Sichuan Tengzhong is a privately owned company known for making a wide range of road equipment, such as bridge piers, highway construction and maintenance machinery...
while a 20 percent share is hold by Suolang Douji, a private investor from Hongkong who holds a big share of Tengzhong. The deal still has to be approved by the U.S. and Chinese regulatory agencies. The Hummer H2 led the 2009 list of "meanest vehicles for the environment," which is part of the annual "Green Book" produced by the
American Council for an Energy-Efficient EconomyThe American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, or ACEEE, is a nonprofit, 501 organization. Founded in 1980, ACEEE's mission is to advance energy efficiency as a fast, cheap, and effective means of meeting energy challenges...
. The White House characterized the GM restructuring as a shift toward a new leaner, greener GM, which will aim to break even with annual sales much lower than previously stated. President Obama declared that the restructuring "will mark the end of an old GM, and the beginning of a new GM; a new GM that can produce the high-quality, safe, and fuel-efficient cars of tomorrow; that can lead America towards an energy independent future; and that is once more a symbol of America's success."
SUV sales
In 2008, rapidly rising gas prices resulted in a 30% drop-off of sales of SUVs. These had been GM's most profitable product, often returning profits of $10,000 to $15,000 per vehicle. Sales of SUVs had been decreasing since 2004, and in May 2008, a $2 billion investment program for a new SUV platform, the CXX program, was canceled. During the first 6 months of 2008, GM lost $18.8 billion; by late October, its stock had dropped 76%, and it was considering a merger with Chrysler. In only 12 months (October 2007-2008), GM sales in the US dropped 45 percent. GM's concentration on SUVs as a profit center dated from the 1990s.
On Tuesday, December 23, 2008, the
JanesvilleJanesville is a city in southern Wisconsin, United States. It is the county seat of Rock County and the principal municipality of the Janesville, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 59,498.-History:...
,
WisconsinWisconsin is one of the fifty U.S. states. Located in the north-central United States, Wisconsin is considered part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the...
plant, which produced the
Chevrolet TahoeThe Chevrolet Tahoe are full-size SUV from General Motors. Chevrolet and GMC sold two different-sized SUVs under their Blazer/Jimmy model names through the early 1990s. This situation changed when GMC rebadged the full-size Jimmy as the Yukon in 1992...
, the
SuburbanThe Chevrolet Suburban is a large sport utility vehicle from Chevrolet. It is the longest-lived continuous automobile nameplate still in production, dating from 1935. For most of its recent history, the Suburban has been a station wagon-bodied version of the Chevrolet pickup truck, including the...
, and the
GMC YukonThe GMC Yukon refers to the basic platform used in both long and short versions of the truck chassis. Its main articles are here:*Chevrolet Tahoe *Chevrolet Suburban formerly GMC Suburban...
, and the
MoraineMoraine is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,897 at the 2000 census. The city is part of the The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Montgomery county. Moraine, as part of the Dayton area, is situated within the Miami Valley region of Ohio, just...
,
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state of the United States. The thirty-fourth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the seventh-most populous with nearly 11.5 million residents...
plant which produced the
Chevrolet BlazerThe Chevrolet K5 Blazer and GMC 1500 Jimmy names were used on two different early SUV models.The names "Blazer" and "Jimmy" were also used on other smaller model SUVs produced by General Motors, and used for current SUV's in Brazil....
and the
GMC EnvoyThe GMC Envoy is an SUV from the GMC marque of General Motors. It was introduced as a luxury version of the Jimmy for the 1998 model year, the same year the Jimmy was restyled...
, closed permanently. This left General Motors with only one factory (in
ArlingtonArlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area. According to a U.S Census Bureau release, as of 2007 Arlington had an estimated population of 371,038...
,
TexasTexas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...
) producing its largest SUVs.
Small car sales
"As part of General Motors Company (GM)'s restructuring, it plans to revive one of its idled U.S. factories for the production of a small car (the factories under consideration included one in or near the Pontiac and Orion Township areas of Michigan, one in Wisconsin, and one in Tennessee; the factory in Michigan was ultimately selected to be revived, but only 1,200 out of a former 3,400 jobs will be left). The new small car will add to a group of small and fuel-efficient vehicles that the company is planning to roll out in the near future. The retooled plant will be capable of building 160,000 cars annually, including both small and compact vehicles. As part of its restructuring, GM will sell its iconic
HummerHummer is a brand of off-road vehicles by Sichuan Tengzhong, earlier owned by General Motors. The original Hummer H1 was based on the military High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle...
brand."
In China
The
BuickBuick is a marque of automobile sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, Qatar, Kuwait, and Israel by General Motors Company...
brand is especially strong, the last emperor of China owned a Buick and led by the Buick Excelle subcompact.
CadillacCadillac is a luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors Company. Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mainly in North America....
initiated sales in China in 2004, starting with imports from the United States. GM pushed the marketing of the
ChevroletChevrolet is a brand of automobile produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant in 1911, Chevrolet was acquired by General Motors in 1917...
brand in China in 2005 as well, moving the former Buick Sail to that marque. The company manufactures most of its China-market vehicles locally, through its
Shanghai GMEstablished on June 12, 1997, Shanghai General Motors , one of the largest Sino-US auto companies, is a 50-50 joint venture partnership between SAIC Motor and General Motors with a total investment of USD2.663 billion and a registered capital of USD1.083 billion.With the vision of Domestically...
joint venture. Shanghai GM, a joint venture between the Chinese company SAIC and General Motors, was created on March 25, 1997. The Shanghai GM plant was opened December 15, 1998, when the first Chinese-built Buick came off the assembly line. The
SAIC-GM-Wuling AutomobileSAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile is a joint venture between General Motors and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation of China and Wuling Automobile Co., Ltd...
joint-venture is also successful selling trucks and vans under the
WulingSAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile is a joint venture between General Motors and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation of China and Wuling Automobile Co., Ltd...
marque (34% belongs to GM).
GM plans to create a research facility in Shanghai for $250m to develop hybrid cars and
alternative fuel vehicleAn alternative fuel vehicle is a vehicle that runs on a fuel other than "traditional" petroleum fuels ; any method of powering an engine that does not involve solely petroleum...
s.
Canada
In March 2005, the Canadian
Crown-in-CouncilThe Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...
provided
C$The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. It is divided into 100 cents...
200 million in incentives to General Motors for its Ontario plants to expand production and provide jobs, according to
Jim HarrisJames R. M. "Jim" Harris is a Canadian author, environmentalist, and politician. He was leader of the Green Party of Canada from 2003 to 2006, when he was succeeded by Elizabeth May.-Early life and Green activism:...
. Similar incentives were promised to non-North American auto companies like Toyota; Ontario Premier
Dalton McGuintyDalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer and politician and, since October 23, 2003, premier of the Canadian province of Ontario...
said the money pledged for the project by the
provincial Crown of OntarioBy the arrangements of the Canadian federation, the Canadian monarchy operates in Ontario as the core of the province's Westminster-style parliamentary democracy;
and is thus the foundation of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the province's...
and by Ottawa was well-spent.
Labor relations
On September 24, 2007 General Motors workers represented by the
United Auto WorkersThe International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers , is a labor union which represents workers in the United States and Puerto Rico...
union went on the first nationwide strike against GM since 1970. The ripple effect of the strike reached into Canada the following day as two car assembly plants and a transmission facility were forced to close. Overnight a tentative agreement was reached, however, and UAW officials declared the end of the strike in a news conference at 4 a.m. on September 26. By the following day, all GM workers in both countries were back to work.
A new labor contract was ratified by UAW members exactly one week after the tentative agreement was reached, passing by a majority 62% vote. In the contract are several product and employment guarantees stretching well into the next decade. One of GM's key future products, the Chevy Volt, was promised to the GM Poletown/Detroit-Hamtramck plant in 2010. Also included is a VEBA (Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association) which will transfer retiree health care obligations to the UAW by 2010. This eliminates more than $50 billion from GM's healthcare tab. It will be funded by $30 billion in cash and $1.4 billion in GM stock paid to the UAW over the next four years of the contract. It also eliminates 70% of the labor cost gap with GM's Japanese rivals.
A strike at American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc. will result in lost production of an additional 230,000 vehicles in the second quarter, with an estimated $1.8 billion impact on earnings before tax, and a total strike cost of $2.81 billion.
Together with the
United Auto WorkersThe International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers , is a labor union which represents workers in the United States and Puerto Rico...
, GM created a joint venture dedicated to the quality of life needs of employees in 1985. The UAW-GM Center for human resources in
DetroitDetroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Wayne County. Detroit is a major port city on the Detroit River, in the Midwest region of the United States. Located north of Windsor, Ontario, Detroit is the only major U.S. city that looks south to Canada. It was founded...
is dedicated to providing GM salaried employees and GM UAW members programs and services related to medical care, diversity issues, education, training and
tuitionTuition means "instruction" or "teaching." In American English, the term "tuition" is often used to refer to a fee charged for educational instruction; especially at a formal institution of learning or by a private tutor usually in the form of one-to-one tuition...
assistance, as well as programs related to work and family concerns, in addition to the traditional union-employer health and safety partnership.
2008 Canadian Auto Workers bargaining
In an unusual move, GM Canada and the
Canadian Auto WorkersThe Canadian Auto Workers is one of Canada's largest and highest profile trade unions. While rooted in Ontario's large auto plants of Windsor, Brampton, Oakville, St...
(CAW) union ratified a new collective bargaining contract in May 2008, four months before the expiration of the existing contract. As part of the agreement, among other production commitments, GM pledged to maintain production at the Oshawa, Ontario pickup truck plant. Less than three weeks later, GM announced that rising gasoline prices and falling truck sales made it necessary to close certain truck and SUV plants, including the
Oshawa pickup plantOshawa Truck Assembly was a General Motors Canada truck factory in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada that opened in 1965 and closed in 2009. The plant is part of the larger GM Autoplex, which includes Oshawa Car Assembly and a now-closed battery plant...
. In response, CAW members staged a 12-day blockade of the GM Canada headquarters. After further discussions with the CAW, GM agreed to compensate workers at the truck plant, as well as making product commitments for the
Oshawa car assembly plantOshawa Car Assembly is a major manufacturing facility in the city of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada building various automobiles for General Motors Canada. The factory is one of the largest auto plants in the world and has won a number of awards...
.
Labor costs
GM announced elimination of lifetime health benefits for about 100,000 of its white collar retirees at the end of 2008.
Auto racing
General Motors has an extensive history in numerous forms of racing. In particular, the
Chevrolet CorvetteThe Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car manufactured in six generations by General Motors since 1953. The first Corvette was designed by Harley Earl and named by Myron Scott after the fast ship of the same name. Originally built in Flint, Michigan and St. Louis, Missouri, it is currently built at a...
has long been popular and successful in international road racing. GM also is a supplier of racing components, such as engines, transmissions, and electronics equipments.
GM's
Oldsmobile AuroraThe Oldsmobile Aurora was a fullsize luxury sports sedan / executive car made by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors and launched in 1995. The Aurora rode on the same Cadillac-derived G platform as the 2-door Buick Riviera....
engine platform was successful in the
Indy Racing LeagueThe Indy Racing League, better known as IRL, is an American based open-wheel racing series sanctioning body.The League sanctions two series, the premier IndyCar Series , whose centerpiece is the Indianapolis 500, and Firestone Indy Lights, the official developmental series of the Indy...
(IRL) throughout the 1990s, winning many races in the small
V-8A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
class. GM has also done much work in the
development of electronics for GM auto racingIn 1986, the GM Motorsports group asked Delco Electronics Corporation , a subsidiary of GM Hughes Electronics if an electronic engine management system could be developed for the Chevy Indy V8 engines used in the CART open-wheel race series...
. An unmodified Aurora V-8 in the Aerotech, captured 47 world records, including the record for speed endurance in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. Recently, the
Cadillac V-SeriesThe Cadillac V-Series is the name of high performance vehicles tuned by the General Motors Performance Division for the Cadillac division of General Motors. Models in the V-Series include the CTS-V, the STS-V and the Cadillac XLR-V...
has entered motorsports racing. GM has also used many cars in the American racing series
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947-48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
. Currently the
Chevrolet ImpalaThe Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. One of America's most successful nameplates, the early Impala became the best-selling automobile when full-sized cars dominated sales, though the name was eventually revived in 2000 for a full-size...
is the only entry in the series but in the past the
Pontiac Grand PrixThe Pontiac Grand Prix is an automobile that was produced by the Pontiac division of General Motors. First introduced as part of Pontiac's full-size model offering for the 1962 model year, the Grand Prix name was also applied to cars in the personal luxury car market segment and the mid-size...
,
Buick RegalThe Buick Regal is a mid-size car introduced by General Motors in 1973. North American production ended in 2004, but the model continued in China...
,
Oldsmobile CutlassThe Oldsmobile Cutlass was a line of automobiles made by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. The Cutlass began as a unibody compact car, but saw its greatest success as a body-on-frame intermediate car....
,
Chevrolet LuminaThe Chevrolet Lumina sedan , coupe and minivan were first introduced in 1989 for the 1990 model year as a new range of vehicles from the Chevrolet brand of General Motors to replace both the Chevrolet Celebrity sedan, and the Monte Carlo coupe. The Lumina was an answer from General Motors to the...
,
Chevrolet MalibuThe Chevrolet Malibu is a mid-size car produced in the United States by General Motors. It is marketed in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Middle East.-First generation 1964–1967 :...
, and the
Chevrolet Monte CarloThe Chevrolet Monte Carlo was an American-made automobile. Originally introduced by Chevrolet for the 1969 model year , it has gone through six generations as of 2007...
were also used.
In touring cars (mainly in Europe),
VauxhallVauxhall Motors is a British automobile company owned by Magna International and General Motors. Most current Vauxhall models are right-hand drive derivatives of Magna's Opel brand; however, production of left hand vehicles also takes place for export to other parts of Europe and certain marginal...
is a key player and former champion in the
British Touring Car ChampionshipThe British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
(BTCC) series and competes with a Vauxhall Vectra in Super 2000 spec, although have announced plans to withdraw at the end of 2009.
OpelAdam Opel GmbH, commonly known as Opel, is a German automaker. The company was founded on 21 January 1863, began making automobiles in 1899, and was acquired by General Motors in 1929...
used to participate in the
DTMThe Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft was a touring car racing series held from 1984 to 1996. Originally based in Germany, it held additional rounds elsewhere in Europe and later worldwide....
series and also in the 1980s in the World Rally Championship and other Rally Series with Group B Spec Opel Manta's before this category of Rallying was banned.
ChevroletChevrolet is a brand of automobile produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant in 1911, Chevrolet was acquired by General Motors in 1917...
competes with a
Chevrolet CruzeThe Chevrolet Cruze is a General Motors automobile produced since 2001, spanning two generations and two unrelated vehicles. The first generation, a subcompact crossover SUV, was manufactured by Suzuki in Japan under joint venture with GM. This venture project derived from the 2000–2006 generation...
in the FIA
World Touring Car ChampionshipThe World Touring Car Championship is an international Touring Car championship organised by the FIA.The first WTCC, which was open to Group A Touring Cars, was held in 1987 concurrent to the long-running European Touring Car Championship...
(WTCC).
Tempus SportTempus Sport are a former British motor sport team based in Milton Keynes. The team was set up in 2008, with a view to first start racing in 2009. The team is owned by Julian Tanser...
and RML also compete with privately run Lacettis in the BTCC.
In Australia, there is the prestigious
V8 SupercarV8 Supercars is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile regulations...
Championship which is battled out by the two main rivals of
HoldenGM Holden Ltd is an Australian automaker based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery business, but later moved into the automotive field, becoming a subsidiary of General Motors in 1931. Holden has taken charge of vehicle operations for GM in Australasia and,...
and
FordThe Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury brands, Ford also owns Volvo Cars of Sweden, and a small stake...
. The current
HoldenGM Holden Ltd is an Australian automaker based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery business, but later moved into the automotive field, becoming a subsidiary of General Motors in 1931. Holden has taken charge of vehicle operations for GM in Australasia and,...
Racing Team cars are based on the
Holden CommodoreThe Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured by the Holden division of General Motors in Australia, and, formerly, in New Zealand. In the mid-1970s, Holden established proposals to replace the long-serving Kingswood nameplate with a smaller, Opel-based model. Opel continued to provide the...
and run a 5.0-litre V8-cylinder engine producing . These cars have a top speed of and run 0-100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. The
Holden Racing TeamHolden Racing Team ' is the most successful V8 Supercar racing team that began following the establishment in 1988 of the joint venture between the TWR Group and Holden, in forming Holden Special Vehicles...
is Australia's most successful team in Australian Touring Car History. In 2007, the Drivers championship was won by the very closely linked HSV Dealer Team.
Alternative propulsion initiatives
The company has long worked on
alternative-technology vehiclesAn alternative fuel vehicle is a vehicle that runs on a fuel other than "traditional" petroleum fuels ; any method of powering an engine that does not involve solely petroleum...
, and has recently led the industry with ethanol burning
flexible-fuel vehicleA flexible-fuel vehicle or dual-fuel vehicle is an alternative fuel vehicle with a internal combustion engine designed to run on more than one fuel, usually gasoline blended with either ethanol or methanol fuel, and both fuels are stored in the same common tank...
s that can run on either
E85E85 is an alcohol fuel mixture that typically contains a mixture of up to 85% denatured fuel ethanol and gasoline or other hydrocarbon by volume...
(ethanol) or
gasolineGasoline or petrol is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture, primarily used as fuel in internal combustion engines...
. The company was the first to use
turbochargerA turbocharger, or turbo, is a gas compressor that is used for forced-induction of an internal combustion engine. A form of supercharger, the purpose of a turbocharger is to increase the density of air entering the engine to create more power...
s and was an early proponent of
V6 engineA V6 engine is a V engine with six cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of three cylinders, usually set at either a right angle or an acute angle to each other, with all six pistons driving a common crankshaft...
s in the 1960s, but quickly lost interest as the
muscle carMuscle car is a term used to refer to a variety of high performance automobiles. At its most widely accepted the term refers to American 2-door rear wheel drive mid-size cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s equipped with large, powerful V8s and sold at an affordable price for street use and drag...
race took hold. They demonstrated
gas turbineA gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a flow of combustion gas. It has an upstream compressor coupled to a downstream turbine, and a combustion chamber in-between. Energy is added to the gas stream in the combustor, where air is mixed with...
vehicles powered by
keroseneKerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
, an area of interest throughout the industry, but abandoned the alternative engine configuration in view of the
1973 oil crisisThe 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo" in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war; it lasted until March 1974...
. In the 1970s and 1980s, GM pushed the benefits of
diesel engineA diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber during the final stage of compression...
s and cylinder deactivation technologies with disastrous results due to poor durability in the
OldsmobileOldsmobile was a brand of automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
diesels and drivability issues in the
CadillacCadillac is a luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors Company. Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mainly in North America....
V8-6-4 variable cylinder engines. In 1987, GM, in conjunction with
AeroVironmentAeroVironment Inc is a technology company in Monrovia, California and Simi Valley, California that is primarily involved in energy systems, electric vehicle systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles . Paul B. MacCready, Jr., a famous designer of human powered aircraft, founded the company in 1971...
, built the
SunraycerThe Sunraycer was a solar powered race car designed to compete in the world's first race featuring solar-powered cars. This race is now called the World Solar Challenge. The Sunraycer, a joint collaboration between General Motors, AeroVironment, and Hughes Aircraft, won the first race in 1987 by...
, which won the inaugural
World Solar ChallengeThe World Solar Challenge is a solar-powered car race which covers 3021 km through the Australian Outback, from Darwin to Adelaide....
and was a showcase of advanced technology. Much of the technology from Sunraycer found its way into the Impact prototype electric vehicle (also built by Aerovironment) and was the predecessor to the
EV1The General Motors EV1 was an electric car produced and leased by the General Motors Corporation from 1996 to 1999. It was the first mass-produced and purpose-designed electric vehicle of the modern era from a major automaker, and the first GM car designed to be an electric vehicle from the outset...
.
GM supported a compromise version of the
CAFEA café , also spelled cafe, is an informal restaurant offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches. This differs from a coffee house, which is a limited-menu establishment which focuses on coffee sales. Depending on the jurisdiction, a café may be licensed to serve alcohol. The term...
standard increase from to , the first such increase in over 20 years.
Hybrid electric initiative
In May 2004, GM delivered the world's first full sized hybrid pickups, the 1/2-ton Silverado/Sierra. These hybrids did not use electrical energy for propulsion, like GM's later designs. In 2005, the
Opel AstraThe Opel Astra is a small family car designed and manufactured by Opel, the European subsidiary of General Motors.It is branded as an Opel in continental Europe, the Republic of Ireland, the Middle East, North Africa, Russia, South Africa, India and Taiwan, as Vauxhall Astra in the United Kingdom,...
dieselA diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber during the final stage of compression...
HybridA hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle. The term most commonly refers to hybrid electric vehicles , which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors.-Power:...
concept vehicle was introduced. The 2006 Saturn Vue Green Line was the first hybrid passenger vehicle from GM and is also a
mildMild hybrids are essentially conventional fossil-fuel vehicles with oversized starter motors, allowing the engine to be turned off whenever the car is coasting, braking, or stopped, yet restart quickly. It includes regenerative brake and electric support drive, but mild hybrids do not have an...
design. GM has hinted at new hybrid technologies to be employed that will be optimized for higher speeds in
freewayA freeway is a type of road designed for safer high-speed operation of motor vehicles through the elimination of at-grade intersections. This is accomplished by preventing access to and from adjacent properties and eliminating all cross traffic through the use of grade separations and...
driving.
GM currently offers two types of hybrid systems. The first type, used in the Saturn Vue, Saturn Aura, and Chevrolet Malibu, is what GM calls the BAS Hybrid system a type of mild hybrid which was canceled in 2009. The second hybrid drive system, co-developed with Daimler AG and
BMW, is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company. Founded in 1916, it is known for its performance and luxury vehicles. It owns and produces the MINI brand, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.-Company history:...
, is called a "Two-Mode Hybrid." The two-mode is used by the Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon and will later be used on the Saturn Vue (cancelled), Cadillac Escalade, GM 1/2-ton pickups and possibly other vehicles.
GM's current hybrid electric models:
- 2009 Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid
The Saturn Vue is a compact crossover SUV from General Motors' Saturn marque, and is Saturn's best-selling model. It was the first vehicle to use the GM Theta platform. The Vue is the oldest model in the Saturn lineup since the demise of the L-Series in 2005. A second generation Vue was launched in...
- 2009 Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid
The Saturn Aura is a mid-size car produced under the Saturn brand of American automaker General Motors. It debuted as a concept car at the North American International Auto Show in January 2005. The production model of the Aura was shown at the 2006 New York Auto Show in April, with production...
- 2009 GMC Yukon Hybrid
The GMC Yukon refers to the basic platform used in both long and short versions of the truck chassis. Its main articles are here:*Chevrolet Tahoe *Chevrolet Suburban formerly GMC Suburban...
- 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid
The Chevrolet Malibu is a mid-size car produced in the United States by General Motors. It is marketed in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Middle East.-First generation 1964–1967 :...
- 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
The Chevrolet Tahoe are full-size SUV from General Motors. Chevrolet and GMC sold two different-sized SUVs under their Blazer/Jimmy model names through the early 1990s. This situation changed when GMC rebadged the full-size Jimmy as the Yukon in 1992...
- 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid
- 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid
- 2009 GMC Sierra Hybrid
The Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...
GM has recently introduced the concept cars
Chevrolet VoltThe Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle to be produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors and expected to be launched in November 2010 as a 2011 model. Its price is estimated to be near $40,000, which would give a net price of about $32,500 after the $7,500 Federal tax credit...
and
Opel FlextremeThe Opel Flextreme is a diesel plug-in hybrid concept car created by General Motors. It can travel on its lithium-ion battery before a small diesel engine starts charging the battery . The Flextreme uses the same platform and technology as the Chevrolet Volt...
, which are electric vehicles with back-up generators, powered by gasoline, E85, or fuel cells. According to GM, a production Chevrolet Volt will be available by late 2010 as a 2011 model.
The GM Magic Bus is a hybrid powered bus.
GM sold 843 hybrids of all types during the first quarter of 2008, according to the industry newspaper
Automotive News. Compare that with Ford, which sold 5,225 hybrids during that time. CSM Worldwide, expects GM to seriously increase its hybrid output, turning the automaker into a serious contender within the next few years. He expects it to produce 40,000 to 50,000 hybrids this year, more than doubling last year's production.
All-electric vehicles
GM was the first company (in the modern era) to release an all-electric automobile. In 1990, GM debuted the revolutionary "Impact" concept car at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It was the first car with zero-emissions marketed in the US in over three decades. The Impact was eventually produced as the EV1 for the 1996 model year. It was available through dealers located in only a few regions (e.g., California, Arizona, Georgia). Vehicles were leased, rather than sold, to individuals. In 2003 GM decided to cease production of the vehicles.
General Motors has announced that it is building a prototype two-seat electric vehicle with Segway. An early prototype of the Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility vehicle—dubbed
Project P.U.M.A.The Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility is an experimental electrically powered road vehicle created by General Motors and Segway...
-- will be shown off in New York a day ahead of the press previews for the 2009
New York International Auto ShowThe New York International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in late March or early April. It is usually held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center...
.
Plug-in hybrids
On September 16, 2008, as part of its 100th anniversary celebration, GM unveiled the "production" version of the
Chevrolet VoltThe Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle to be produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors and expected to be launched in November 2010 as a 2011 model. Its price is estimated to be near $40,000, which would give a net price of about $32,500 after the $7,500 Federal tax credit...
at the GM headquarters in Detroit.
Battery packs for electric vehicles
GM will build battery packs with LG Chem in Michigan. GM also plans to build an automotive battery laboratory in
MichiganMichigan is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. It was named after Lake Michigan, whose name is a French adaptation of the Ojibwe term mishigama, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. GM will take full responsibility for all the battery management systems and power electronics. The company will build a new factory in Michigan, but a specific site has yet to be announced, in part because negotiations are ongoing with state and local authorities on the usual financial incentives and approvals. LG Chem's US subsidiary, Compact Power of Troy, Michigan, has been building the prototype packs for the development vehicles and will continue to provide integration support and act as a liaison for the program.
Hydrogen initiative
GM has prided its research and prototype development of
hydrogen powered vehiclesA hydrogen vehicle is a vehicle that uses hydrogen as its onboard fuel for motive power. The term may refer to a personal transportation vehicle, such as an automobile, or any other vehicle that uses hydrogen in a similar fashion, such as an aircraft...
, to be produced in early 2010, using a support infrastructure still in a prototype state. The economic feasibility of the technically challenging hydrogen car, and the low-cost production of hydrogen to fuel it, has also been discussed by other automobile manufacturers such as Ford and
ChryslerChrysler Group, LLC is an American automobile manufacturer headquartered in the Detroit suburb of Auburn Hills, Michigan. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925. From 1998 to 2007, Chrysler and its subsidiaries were part of the German based DaimlerChrysler AG...
.
In June 2007, Larry Burns, vice president of research and development, said he's not yet willing to say exactly when hydrogen vehicles will be mass produced, but he said it should happen before 2020, the year many experts have predicted. He said "I sure would be disappointed if we weren't there" before 2020.
North American market
GM produces several
flexible-fuel vehicleA flexible-fuel vehicle or dual-fuel vehicle is an alternative fuel vehicle with a internal combustion engine designed to run on more than one fuel, usually gasoline blended with either ethanol or methanol fuel, and both fuels are stored in the same common tank...
s that can operate on
E85E85 is an alcohol fuel mixture that typically contains a mixture of up to 85% denatured fuel ethanol and gasoline or other hydrocarbon by volume...
ethanol fuelEthanol fuel is ethanol , the same type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. It can be used as a fuel, mainly as a biofuel alternative to gasoline, and is widely used by flex-fuel light vehicles in Brazil, and as an oxygenate to gasoline in the United States. Together, both countries were...
or gasoline, or any blend of both. Since 2006 GM started featuring a bright yellow gas cap to remind drivers of the E85 capabilities, and also using badging with the text "Flexfuel/E85 Ethanol" to clearly mark the car as an E85 FFV.
GM is the North American leader in E85 flex fuel vehicles, with over 3 million FlexFuel vehicles on the road in the U.S. As of 2009, GM offers 18 ethanol-enabled FlexFuel cars and trucks in the US, and produce more than one million new FlexFuel vehicles. GM's goal is to have half of their annual vehicle production be E85 or
biodieselBiodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids with an alcohol....
capable by 2012.
Despite the significant amount of flex fuel vehicles sold in the US and Canada, the percentage of users actually using ethanol has been very low as many owners are not aware they owned an E85 flex or not enough E85 fueling stations are available nearby, except for the Corn Belt states, where there is a great concentration of E85 stations, as most corn ethanol is produced there. A 2005 survey found that 68% of American flex-fuel car owners were not aware they owned an E85 flex. Several critics have argued that GM and the other American automakers have been producing E85 flex models motivated by a loophole in the
CAFEA café , also spelled cafe, is an informal restaurant offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches. This differs from a coffee house, which is a limited-menu establishment which focuses on coffee sales. Depending on the jurisdiction, a café may be licensed to serve alcohol. The term...
(Corporate Average Fuel Economy) requirements, that allows for a fuel economy credit for every flex-fuel vehicle sold, whether or not in practice these vehicles are fueled with E85. This loophole might have allowed the car industry to meet the CAFE targets in fuel economy just by spending between USD 100 to USD 200 that it cost to turn a conventional vehicle into a flex-fuel, without investing in new technology to improve fuel economy, and saving them the potential fines for not achieving that standard in a given model year.
Brazilian market
GM's largest overseas subsidiary is
General Motors do BrasilGeneral Motors do Brasil is the largest subsidiary of the Corporation in South America and second largest operation outside the United States. On January 26, 2005 completed 80 years of activities in the country...
, which started producing
flexible-fuel vehicleA flexible-fuel vehicle or dual-fuel vehicle is an alternative fuel vehicle with a internal combustion engine designed to run on more than one fuel, usually gasoline blended with either ethanol or methanol fuel, and both fuels are stored in the same common tank...
s since its inception in the Brazilian market in 2003. Like other Brazilian flex-fuel vehicles, GM's flex fuel cars and light-duty trucks are optimized to run on any mix of E20-E25 gasoline and up to 100% hydrous ethanol fuel (E100). GM launched its first flex fuel in June 2003, the Chevrolet Corsa 1.8 FlexPower, just two months after the first flex car was launched by another Brazilian carmaker.
GM do Brasil also introduced the MultiPower engine in August 2004, which was capable of using
natural gas (CNG)Compressed Natural Gas is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline , diesel, or propane fuel. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill .CNG is made by compressing...
, ethanol and gasoline (E20-E25 blend) as fuel, and it was used in the
multifuelMultifuel, sometimes spelled multi-fuel, is a term applied to any type of engine, boiler, or heater or other fuel-burning device which is designed to burn multiple types of fuels in its operation...
Chevrolet Astra 2.0 model 2005, aimed at the local taxi cab market. The Brazilian GM Powertrain unit also developed the EconoFlex technology, used for the first time in the Chevrolet Prisma 1.4, which allows the flex fuel engine to maximize fuel economy and power.
Due to the success and rapid consumer acceptance of the flex versions, GM sold 192,613 flex vehicles and 135,636 gasoline-powered automobiles in 2005, jumping to 501,681 flex-fuel vehicles, while only 949 cars and 6,834 light trucks powered by gasoline were sold in 2007, and reaching new car sales of 535.454 flex fuels in 2008, representing 97 percent of all cars and light duty trucks sold in that year.
Politics
In the 2008 election cycle, General Motors contributed $802,414, with 52% of that amount going to the Democrats and 48% to the Republicans.
GM's Saturn division put up a display at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show congratulating Barack Obama on his election as the first African-American president of the United States.
Environmental issues
In the middle of 1999, the
Environmental Protection AgencyThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged to regulate chemicals and protect human health by safeguarding the natural environment: air, water, and land...
(EPA) removed of contaminated sediments and soil from the General Motors site in
MassenaMassena is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The town is on the northern border of the county. The population was 13,121 at the 2000 census. The town of Massena contains a village also called Massena...
, New York for disposal at a licensed facility in
UtahUtah is a western state of the United States. It was the 45th state admitted to the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80 percent of Utah's 2,736,424 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering around Salt Lake City. In contrast, vast expanses of the state are nearly uninhabited, making...
. The amount contained of contaminated
sedimentSediment is any particulate matter that can be transported by fluid flow, and which eventually is deposited.Sediments are most often transported by water transported by wind and glaciers...
s dredged from the St. Lawrence River. The sediments had been stored on the site since 1995. There was also of contaminated
sludgeSludge is a generic term for solids separated from suspension in a liquid. This 'soupy' material usually contains significant quantities of 'interstitial' water . Commonly sludge refers to the residual, semi-solid material left from industrial wastewater, or sewage treatment processes...
from the active
wastewaterWastewater is any water that has been adversely affected in quality by anthropogenic influence. It comprises liquid waste discharged by domestic residences, commercial properties, industry, and/or agriculture and can encompass a wide range of potential contaminants and concentrations...
treatment plant on the General Motors property. The Political Economy Research Institute ranks GM 18th among corporations emitting airborne pollutants in the United States. The ranking is based on the emission quantity (8 million pounds in 2005) and toxicity.
In September 2006, the state of
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
filed suit against General Motors,
ChryslerChrysler Group, LLC is an American automobile manufacturer headquartered in the Detroit suburb of Auburn Hills, Michigan. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925. From 1998 to 2007, Chrysler and its subsidiaries were part of the German based DaimlerChrysler AG...
, Nissan, Toyota,
Hondais a Japanese multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles. Honda is the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume. Honda surpassed Nissan in 2001 to become...
, and Ford. The companies were accused of producing cars that emitted over 289 million metric tons of
carbonCarbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds...
per year in the United States, accounting for nearly 20% of carbon
emissionsExhaust gas or flue gas is emitted as a result of the combustion of fuels such as natural gas, gasoline/petrol, diesel fuel, fuel oil or coal...
in the United States and 30% of carbon emissions in California.
This lawsuit was dismissed by a judge in September 2007.
The
Union of Concerned ScientistsThe Union of Concerned Scientists is a nonprofit science advocacy group based in the United States. The UCS membership includes many private citizens in addition to professional scientists...
ranked General Motors as sixth among the top eight manufacturers in terms of environmental impact. Most cars the company offers achieve or better, while GM also sells vehicles under .
Current brands (as of 2009)
| Marque A marque is a brand name, especially in the automobile industry. For example, Chevrolet and Buick are marques of their maker, General Motors . A company may have many marques: GM has used more than a dozen in the North American market alone.-Differentiation:There are huge economies of scale in...
| Years used | Markets |
|---|
USA BuickBuick is a marque of automobile sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, Qatar, Kuwait, and Israel by General Motors Company...
|
1908–present |
North America, China, Israel, Taiwan |
USA CadillacCadillac is a luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors Company. Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mainly in North America....
|
1909–present |
Global, except South America, India, SE Asia, Australia |
| USA GMC |
1912–present |
North America, Middle East |
USA ChevroletChevrolet is a brand of automobile produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant in 1911, Chevrolet was acquired by General Motors in 1917...
|
1917–present |
Global, except Australia |
USA PontiacPontiac is a brand of automobiles first produced in 1926, and sold in the United States, Canada, and Mexico by General Motors . Pontiac has been marketed as an "athletic" brand, specializing in mainstream performance vehicles....
|
1926–2010 |
North America |
| AUS Holden GM Holden Ltd is an Australian automaker based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery business, but later moved into the automotive field, becoming a subsidiary of General Motors in 1931. Holden has taken charge of vehicle operations for GM in Australasia and,...
|
1948–present |
Australia, New Zealand |
| USA Saturn |
1985–2010 |
North America |
KOR DaewooGM Daewoo Auto & Technology was first established as National Motor in 1937 in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, South Korea...
|
2002–present |
South Korea |
| PRC Wuling SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile is a joint venture between General Motors and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation of China and Wuling Automobile Co., Ltd...
|
2002–present |
China |
Defunct brands
AcadianAcadian was a make of automobile produced by General Motors of Canada from 1962 to 1971. The Acadian was introduced so that Canadian Pontiac-Buick dealers would have a compact model to sell, since the Pontiac Tempest was unavailable in Canada...
(1962–1971) AsünaAsüna was a captive import automobile brand created in 1992 for the Canadian market by General Motors as a counterpart to Geo. It was one of two successors to the Passport brand, which had a similar intent....
(1993) BeaumontBeaumont was a make of mid-size automobiles produced by General Motors of Canada from 1966 to 1969.-History: The Beaumont grew out of the 1964-65 Acadian Beaumont model, which was based on the contemporary Chevrolet Chevelle. These Beaumonts featured the Chevrolet Chevelle body with minor...
(1966–1969) Bedford VehiclesBedford was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930 and constructing commercial vehicles.-History:...
(1929–1987) ElmoreElmore Manufacturing Company was a manufacturer of veteran and brass era automobiles, headquartered at 504 Amanda Street, Clyde, Ohio, from 1893 until 1912. The company took its name from its original place of manufacture, the nearby village of Elmore. Founded by James and Burton Becker, Elmore...
(1909–1912) EnvoyThe Vauxhall Victor is a small/medium model of automobile produced by Vauxhall Motors, the British subsidiary of General Motors from 1957 to 1976. The Victor was introduced to replace the outgoing Wyvern model. It was later renamed as the VX Series and continued until 1978, when it was replaced by...
(1960–1970) General Motors Diesel DivisionGeneral Motors Diesel Division was a unit of General Motors and was a manufacturer of locomotives, transit buses and military products.The locomotive unit was acquired by private investors, the transit bus divisions were purchased by TMC in the U.S. and MCI in Canada, and the GM Defense unit was...
(1938–1987) GeoGeo was a brand of small cars and SUVs marketed by General Motors as a subdivision of their Chevrolet division, introduced in 1989. Their original slogan was "Get to know Geo." Originally formed by GM to compete with the growing small import market of the late 1980s, the line continued through the...
(1989–1997) LaSalle (1927–1940) MarquetteThe Marquette was an automobile manufactured by General Motors' Buick Division for model year 1930. Along with Pontiac, Viking and LaSalle, the Marquette was conceived to span a price gap in General Motors' market segmentation plan. Marquette was placed below Buick, but above Viking which was to be...
(1930) McLaughlinThe McLaughlin automobile company began life as the McLaughlin Carriage Company, a blacksmith's shop in the village of Enniskillen, located 20 km north east of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The company began making horse-drawn carriages in the mid 19th Century, moving to Oshawa, Ontario in 1876...
(1918–1942) |
Oakland (1909–1931) Oldsmobile Oldsmobile was a brand of automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
(1908–2004) Passport (1988–1991) Ranger (1968–1976) Rapid Truck (1909–1912) Reliance Truck (1909–1912) Samson Tractor- History :It was founded in Stockton, California in 1900 as the Samson Iron Works and, after becoming known for building farm tractors, was renamed to the Samson Tractor Company in 1916 and renamed again to the Samson Sieve-Grip Tractor Company in 1917....
(1917–1922) Scripps-BoothScripps-Booth was a United States automobile company based in Detroit, Michigan which produced motor vehicles from 1913 through 1923.The company was founded by artist and engineer James Booth , who also built the Bi-Autogo...
(1917–1923) StatesmanStatesman was an automotive marque created by General Motors Holden , the Australian subsidiary of General Motors in 1971. Statesman vehicles were sold through Holden's dealerships, and were initially based on the mainstream Holden HQ models, but offered more luxury and considerably extended length...
(1971–1984) Viking (1929–1931) Yellow CoachThe Yellow Coach Manufacturing Co. was founded in 1923 as a subsidiary of the Yellow Cab Company by John D. Hertz and was an early player in bus manufacturing in the United States.G.J...
(1925–1943) |
Sold brands
FrigidaireFrigidaire is a brand of consumer and commercial appliances.Frigidaire consumer products include: Frigidaire Professional Collection, Frigidaire Gallery Collection, Frigidaire Gallery Premier Collection, Frigidaire Affinity Laundry & Frigidaire....
(1919–1979), sold to Ohio-based White Consolidated Industries
HummerHummer is a brand of off-road vehicles by Sichuan Tengzhong, earlier owned by General Motors. The original Hummer H1 was based on the military High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle...
(1992–2009), sold to Chinese heavy duty equipment maker
Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery CompanySichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company Ltd is based in Chengdu, China. Sichuan Tengzhong is a privately owned company known for making a wide range of road equipment, such as bridge piers, highway construction and maintenance machinery...
LotusLotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at Hethel, Norfolk, England. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and high handling characteristics....
(1986–1993), sold to Luxembourgish A.C.B.N. Holdings S.A.
Brands in the process of being sold
OpelAdam Opel GmbH, commonly known as Opel, is a German automaker. The company was founded on 21 January 1863, began making automobiles in 1899, and was acquired by General Motors in 1929...
(1929–2009) and GBR
VauxhallVauxhall Motors is a British automobile company owned by Magna International and General Motors. Most current Vauxhall models are right-hand drive derivatives of Magna's Opel brand; however, production of left hand vehicles also takes place for export to other parts of Europe and certain marginal...
(1925–2009), selling 55% majority stake to
Magna InternationalMagna International Inc. is a Canadian company based in Aurora, Ontario. It is Canada's largest automobile parts manufacturer, and one of the country's largest companies. It owns the successful Magna Steyr automobile production company of Austria....
, while retaining 35% stake
SaabSaab Automobile AB, better known as Saab, is a Swedish car manufacturer currently owned by General Motors, pending sale to the Koenigsegg Group. It is the exclusive automobile royal warrant holder as appointed by H.M., the King of Sweden...
(1989–2009), selling to Swedish Koenigsegg Group, in which sports car maker
Koenigsegg AutomotiveKoenigsegg Automotive AB is a Swedish manufacturer of high-performance sports cars based in Ängelholm, and an announced buyer of Saab Automobile from General Motors.-Company:...
is a major shareholder
Former affiliates
FiatFiat S.p.A., an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial and industrial group based in Turin in the Piedmont region. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli. Fiat has also...
(2000–2005), GM owned 20% at one time with
put optionA put option is a financial contract between two parties, the seller and the buyer of the option. The buyer acquires a short position with the right, but not the obligation, to sell the underlying instrument at an agreed-upon price...
Fuji Heavy Industries, or FHI, is a Japanese company which traces its origins to the Nakajima Aircraft Company , which was the leader in aircraft manufacture for the Japanese military during WWII...
, manufacturer of
Subaruis the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries Group .Subaru is internationally known for their use of boxer engines in most of their vehicles. The company decided to use all wheel drive in most international markets as standard equipment in...
(1999–2006), GM owned 20% at one time
Isuzu, is a Japanese car, commercial vehicle and heavy truck manufacturing company, headquartered in Tokyo. In 2005, Isuzu became the world's largest manufacturer of medium to heavy duty trucks. It has assembly and manufacturing plants in the Japanese city of Fujisawa, as well as in the prefectures...
(1971–2006), GM owned 49% at one time
Suzukiis a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
(1981–2008), GM owned over 20% at one time
Spin-offs
- GM Defense
GM Defense was the military products division of General Motors founded in 1950. It was acquired by General Dynamics in 2003 and now part of the General Dynamics Land Systems division.-Products:Products produced by GM Defense include:...
1950–2003 was once part of General Motors Diesel DivisionGeneral Motors Diesel Division was a unit of General Motors and was a manufacturer of locomotives, transit buses and military products.The locomotive unit was acquired by private investors, the transit bus divisions were purchased by TMC in the U.S. and MCI in Canada, and the GM Defense unit was...
and as General Dynamics Land Systems division of General DynamicsGeneral Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. The company has changed markedly in the post-Cold War era of defense consolidation. The company has four main business segments:...
- Electro Motive Division of General Motors was also once part of General Motors Diesel Division
General Motors Diesel Division was a unit of General Motors and was a manufacturer of locomotives, transit buses and military products.The locomotive unit was acquired by private investors, the transit bus divisions were purchased by TMC in the U.S. and MCI in Canada, and the GM Defense unit was...
and now known as Electro-Motive Diesel
- Detroit Diesel
Detroit Diesel Corporation , is a diesel engine producer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, USA. There are today two individual divisions that share this name: the off-highway division which is owned by Tognum, which EQT IV formed along with MTU Friedrichshafen, and the on-highway division which...
sold to Penske Corporation; broken up and portion sold to the former Daimler-Chrysler AG (now Daimler AG); now part of Daimler AG
- Transit division was sold to Motor Coach Industries
Motor Coach Industries International Inc. is a Schaumburg, Illinois-based bus manufacturer founded in 1932 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.-History:...
and Transportation Manufacturing CorporationTransportation Manufacturing Corporation was a bus manufacturer based in Roswell, New Mexico.The company was formed in 1974 by Greyhound Bus Lines to manufacture Motor Coach Industries vehicles...
- RTS and Classic bus rights owned by MCI And TMC were sold off to Nova Bus
Nova Bus is a bus manufacturing company based in Saint-Eustache, Quebec, Canada. The company is now owned by Volvo Buses.- History :The factory was originally a General Motors' plant for building city transit buses intended for the Canadian market...
; now produced by Millennium Transit ServicesMillennium Transit Services LLC is a bus manufacturer formed in 2003 to take over the former NovaBUS manufacturing plant in Roswell, New Mexico...
- Diesel Division of General Motors of Canada Limited spun off and later acquired by General Motors Canada
General Motors of Canada Limited is the name of General Motors' Canadian division. Its national headquarters office, Canadian Regional Engineering Centre, and main manufacturing plants are located in Oshawa, Ontario. GM Canada is 100% owned by GM.As of Apr...
as Diesel Division of General Motors of Canada Limited
- EDS – Electronic Data Systems
HP Enterprise Services, is a global business and technology services company, previously known as Electronic Data Systems , headquartered in Plano, Texas that defined the outsourcing business when it was established in 1962 by Ross Perot...
- Hughes Electronics (Now The DirecTV Group(Liberty Media))
- 1999 GM spun off its parts making operations as Delphi
Subsidiaries
- AC Delco
- Adam Opel GmbH
Adam Opel GmbH, commonly known as Opel, is a German automaker. The company was founded on 21 January 1863, began making automobiles in 1899, and was acquired by General Motors in 1929...
(Majority share of Vauxhall and Opel to be sold to Magna InternationalMagna International Inc. is a Canadian company based in Aurora, Ontario. It is Canada's largest automobile parts manufacturer, and one of the country's largest companies. It owns the successful Magna Steyr automobile production company of Austria....
consortium or RHJ InternationalRHJ International is a holding company based in Belgium. The company was a spin-off from Ripplewood Holdings.It has investments in a number of companies, including Asahi Tec Corporation, Honsel International Technologies, Niles Co. Ltd, and Columbia Music Entertainment, etc...
)
- Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors is a British automobile company owned by Magna International and General Motors. Most current Vauxhall models are right-hand drive derivatives of Magna's Opel brand; however, production of left hand vehicles also takes place for export to other parts of Europe and certain marginal...
(Majority share of Vauxhall and Opel to be sold to Magna International consortium or RHJ International)
- GMAC (less than 10%)
- General Motors Canada
General Motors of Canada Limited is the name of General Motors' Canadian division. Its national headquarters office, Canadian Regional Engineering Centre, and main manufacturing plants are located in Oshawa, Ontario. GM Canada is 100% owned by GM.As of Apr...
- General Motors do Brasil
General Motors do Brasil is the largest subsidiary of the Corporation in South America and second largest operation outside the United States. On January 26, 2005 completed 80 years of activities in the country...
- General Motors India
General Motors India Private Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Motors Company that is engaged in the automobile business in India. The registered office of GM India is in Halol, near Vadodara, Gujarat...
- Global Hybrid Cooperation
Global Hybrid Cooperation is a set of hybrid vehicle technologies jointly developed by General Motors, Daimler, and Chrysler LLC, with BMW joining in 2005...
- General Motors South Africa
Delta Motor Corporation was a South African car manufacturer, which was created through a management buy-out after General Motors divested from South Africa in 1986. It assembled Opel, Isuzu and Suzuki models for sale in South Africa and for export to other right hand drive markets in the region...
- GM-AvtoVAZ
GM-AvtoVAZ is a joint venture between General Motors and AvtoVAZ set up in 1999. It produces the Chevrolet Niva, based on the Lada Niva, and the Chevrolet Viva, based on the 1998 Opel Astra notchback....
- GM Daewoo
GM Daewoo Auto & Technology was first established as National Motor in 1937 in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, South Korea...
(50.9%)
- General Motors Europe
- GM Holden Ltd
GM Holden Ltd is an Australian automaker based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery business, but later moved into the automotive field, becoming a subsidiary of General Motors in 1931. Holden has taken charge of vehicle operations for GM in Australasia and,...
- GM Performance Division
GM Performance Division is a division within General Motors that is responsible for developing performance vehicles for the various brands of GM. Its creations include the SS vehicles from Chevrolet, the V-series from Cadillac, the GXP series from Pontiac, and the Red Line series from Saturn...
- GM Powertrain Europe
- OnStar
OnStar Corporation is a subsidiary of General Motors that provides subscription-based communications, in-vehicle security, hands free calling, turn-by-turn navigation, and remote diagnostics systems throughout the United States and Canada. OnStar services are only available currently on vehicles...
- Shanghai GM
Established on June 12, 1997, Shanghai General Motors , one of the largest Sino-US auto companies, is a 50-50 joint venture partnership between SAIC Motor and General Motors with a total investment of USD2.663 billion and a registered capital of USD1.083 billion.With the vision of Domestically...
(50%)
- SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile
SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile is a joint venture between General Motors and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation of China and Wuling Automobile Co., Ltd...
Joint venture in China.
People
- Irving Jacob Reuter
Irving Jacob Reuter was an automotive leader in the early 1900s. In 1925 he was named general manager and president of Oldsmobile after rising through the ranks at Remy Electric and then General Motors after the two companies merged in 1918....
- Pierre S. du Pont
Pierre Samuel du Pont was president of the E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company from 1915 to 1919, and served on its Board of Directors until 1940...
- Alfred P. Sloan
Alfred Pritchard Sloan, Jr. was a long-time president and chairman of General Motors.-Biography:Sloan was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He studied electrical engineering and graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1895...
- William C. Durant
William Crapo "Billy" Durant was a leading pioneer of the United States automobile industry, the founder of General Motors and Chevrolet who created the system of multi-brand holding companies with different lines of cars....
- Robert Lutz
Robert A. "Bob" Lutz is the Vice Chairman of Global Product Development at General Motors Company...
- Wayne Cherry
Wayne K Cherry is a noted American-born car designer is responsible for the conversion of Opel-style lines into the British Vauxhall or American counterparts for General Motors...
- John DeLorean
- Ray G. Young
Ray G. Young MBA is the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of General Motors. He has been at GM since the 1980s by moving up the ranks throughout his career there having been the head of GM Brasil, CFO of General Motors North America among others...
- Harley Earl
Harley J. Earl was an automotive stylist and engineer and industrial designer. He is most famous for his time at General Motors from 1927 until 1959, where he was the first Vice President of Design...
Books and films
- Final Offer
Final Offer is a Canadian film documenting the 1984 contract negotiations between the United Auto Workers Union and GM. Ultimately, it provided a historical record of the birth of the Canadian Auto Workers Union as Bob White, then head of the Canadian sector of the UAW, led his membership out of...
– A documentary film that shows the 1984 GM contract negotiations, that would result in the union split of the Canadian arm of the UAW.
- Roger & Me
Roger & Me is a 1989 American documentary film directed by independent filmmaker/author Michael Moore. With sarcasm and irony, Moore illustrates the negative economic impact of the late General Motors CEO Roger Smith's summary action of closing several auto plants in Flint, Michigan, costing 30,000...
– the first movie by filmmaker Michael MooreMichael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author and liberal political commentator. He is the director and producer of Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11, Sicko, and Capitalism: A Love Story four of the top six highest-grossing documentaries of all time...
. The film criticizes General Motors for closing down its factories in Moore's hometown of Flint, Michigan, despite record profits. After Flint residents lose their many jobs at GM, Moore claims the town descends into economic chaos.
- Who Killed the Electric Car?
Who Killed the Electric Car? is a 2006 documentary film that explores the creation, limited commercialization, and subsequent destruction of the battery electric vehicle in the United States, specifically the General Motors EV1 of the 1990s...
– A documentary film charting GM's launch, then alleged self-sabotage of the electric car EV1.
- General Motors is mentioned several times in Wheels
Wheels is a novel by Arthur Hailey, concerning the automobile industry and the day-to-day pressures involved in its operation.The plot lines follow many of the topical issues of the day, including race relations, corporate politics, and business ethics...
a novel by Arthur HaileyArthur Hailey was a British/Canadian novelist.- Biography :Born in Luton, Bedfordshire, England, Hailey served in the Royal Air Force from the start of World War II in 1939 until 1947, when he went to live in Canada...
Industry associations
- United States Council for Automotive Research
United States Council for Automotive Research LLC is an umbrella organization for collaborative research that comprises Chrysler LLC, Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation. Its goal is to further strengthen the technology base of the U.S...
- Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is a trade group of automobile manufacturers which operate in the United States. Their mission is to "represent the common interests of its members and provide a forum to enable them to advance public policies that meet consumer and societal needs for clean,...
Categories
Further reading
Articles
Books
- Barabba, Vincent P. Surviving Transformation: Lessons from GM's Surprising Turnaround (2004)
- Chandler, Alfred D., Jr., ed. Giant Enterprise: Ford, General Motors, and the Automobile Industry 1964.
- Cray, Ed. Chrome Colossus: General Motors and Its Times. 1980.
- Farber, David. Sloan Rules: Alfred P. Sloan and the Triumph of General Motors U of Chicago Press 2002
- Gustin, Lawrence R. Billy Durant: Creator of General Motors, 1973.
- Halberstam, David. The Reckoning (1986) detailed reporting on the crises of 1973 – mid 1980s
- Keller, Maryann. Rude Awakening: The Rise, Fall, and Struggle for Recovery of General Motors, 1989.
- Leslie, Stuart W. Boss Kettering: Wizard of General Motors Columbia University Press, 1983.
- Maxton, Graeme P. and John Wormald, Time for a Model Change: Re-engineering the Global Automotive Industry (2004)
- Maynard, Micheline. The End of Detroit: How the Big Three Lost Their Grip on the American Car Market (2003)
- Pelfrey, William. Billy, Alfred, and General Motors: The Story of Two Unique Men, a Legendary Company, and a Remarkable Time in American History (2006)
- Rae, John B. The American Automobile: A Brief History. University of Chicago Press, 1965.
- Sloan, Alfred P., Jr. My Years with General Motors, 1963.
- Weisberger, Bernard A. The Dream Maker: William C. Durant, Founder of General Motors, 1979
External links