By Dave Darovitz
Chevrolet Volt Communications

Hit the Hollywood search lights! Alert the paparazzi! Beginning this Friday, Nov. 27, the Chevrolet Volt rolls into Tinseltown for a few spins around the city of angels and a whirlwind tour of activities leading up to the 2009 L.A. Auto Show. The Volt will be popping up all over town, mingling with the stars and generally showing off to consumers and media alike. The Volt will even visit a local middle school for what could possibly be the world’s largest show-and-tell.

Starting Friday, it should come as no surprise to hear about the Volt mingling with local celebrities or maybe even having a power lunch at The Ivy; and it simply wouldn’t be a visit to L.A. without stopping by the places where hundreds of car aficionados congregate weekly to kick tires and talk cars – Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank on Friday night and “Cars & Coffee” in Irvine on Saturday morning.

The Volt will also be giving holiday shoppers something to wish for next season when it hits the Century City Mall off Santa Monica Boulevard early on Black Friday and camps out through the weekend.

Monday kicks-off a series of live video webcasts, which will be available on ChevroletVoltage.com as well as the Chevrolet and Chevrolet Volt Facebook pages.

The first is a live assembly from Harvard-Westlake Middle School at 9:40 a.m. PST for more than 800 students and staff about the basics of electricity, including why it’s important and how this common energy source can be used to transform the way we drive. Middle school teachers and students from across the country are invited to participate in the live video webcast and can register here. There’s even a Weekly Reader student handout thrown in for good measure.

Later that evening, we’ll host our second live video webcast starting at 6:30 p.m. PST – a panel discussion on how cities can get “plugged-in” with some of the leading industry, government and policy officials and influencers. You’ll also have an opportunity to submit your questions live during the Q&A.

We wrap-up our live webcasts on Tuesday, Dec. 1 at the trendy J Restaurant & Lounge in downtown L.A. where Chevrolet Vice President Brent Dewar will announce the winner of the contest to name the greenish-silver color of the Volt and then promptly take that winner outside for their very own test drive while you ride shotgun remotely.

After showcasing the Volt and upcoming Chevy Cruze to media, bloggers and influencers at the J Lounge on Tuesday, it’s on to LAIAS press days beginning Wednesday with the Chevrolet press conference at 9:35 a.m. PST and a press conference with Los Angeles mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa on Thursday morning at 9:00 a.m. PST.

Stay tuned to Twitter (@Chevrolet, @ChevyVoltage, @philcolley and @lesleyhettinger), Facebook (Chevrolet and Chevrolet Volt) and ChevroletVoltage.com for all the latest updates on where we are and what we’re doing – and feel free to come on out and join us whenever you can.

We’ve also created a page on Posterous that will be updated in near real-time with stories, photos, videos, tweets and Facebook updates from all the Chevrolet activities in Los Angeles starting on Nov. 27. If you’re out in L.A. and spot the Chevrolet team around town, email us at chevroletinla (at) gmail (dot) com to get your comments, photos and videos included on the page.

And speaking of being included, we hope to see as many of you as possible during our stops throughout the weekend and next week. It just wouldn’t be the same without you.

By Andrew Farah
Chevrolet Volt Vehicle Chief Engineer

Every kid is taught that crossing a street safely begins with “Stop. Look. Listen.” I’m currently going through this teaching with my two children, ages 4 and 6. Safely crossing a street is a milestone for every child and parent – and something most of us take for granted.

But, what if one of the two senses involved – hearing – was removed? And what if you already lacked the other – sight? Without the familiar sound of traffic, the simple task of crossing a street would be daunting, if not impossible. This is precisely why Chevrolet, GM, and the National Federation of the Blind are cooperating to identify a safe level of sound to alert the blind and other pedestrians to the presence of low-speed, silent-running electric and hybrid vehicles.

Vehicle sound is not noise; it’s an audio cue and information – for everyone. Whether we’re aware of it or not, we constantly rely on our sense of hearing as we go about our daily lives.

The blind must listen for traffic to determine when it is safe to enter an intersection, to safely navigate a parking lot, or to determine whether a driveway is clear. Now, think about the hundreds of thousands of people that head to the streets daily on foot or on a bicycle as a form of transportation, to play, or to exercise. They also rely on their hearing to know when automobiles are present.

A recent report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) demonstrated that the silent operation of low-speed hybrid vehicles is an issue for all pedestrians, not just the blind. In certain situations, electric or hybrid vehicles are twice as likely to be involved in collisions with pedestrians.

Our background in the area of pedestrian alerts dates to our work on the EV1 (a vehicle I’m proud to say I worked on). We are listening to the people who will interact with these vehicles in everyday life. A few weeks ago, several NFB members recently experienced a demonstration of the pedestrian warning alert on a pre-production Chevy Volt at our Milford Proving Grounds. They evaluated the alert from the front, sides, and rear of the car.

We will continue working with the NFB and other groups to gather the critical feedback we need to help create an industry standard so that the sound emitted from EVs is recognizable as the sound of an automobile and detectable by everyone.

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Podcasts, Etc., Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Infiniti, Lexus, Nissan

Episode #154 of the Autoblog Podcast is here for your tryptophan-addled pleasure. Chris, Sam, and Dan kick it, starting with the BMW 5 Series, then move on to such appetite supressants as the Lexus GX, Acura ZDX and its pricing, and Infiniti's re-style of the massive QX56 rig. Before we become an emetic, we move on to the pretty new Infiniti M, the ongoing anticipation for a US-bound Chevrolet Spark, and Hyundai's new 2.4 liter direct-injection 4 cylinder for the next Sonata. We hit some questions, and wrap it up in time for pie.

If you're looking to bulk up on podcast excellence over the Thanksgiving holiday, check out our colleagues at Joystiq and Engadget. Let us know what you think by dropping us an email at Podcast at Autoblog dot com, reviewing the show in iTunes, filling out our survey, or even leaving us a voicemail on our Google Voice line 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763). Thanks for listening, we'll see you next week!

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #154

Autoblog Podcast #154 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Sedan, China, Buick, Cadillac, GM, Misc. Auto Shows, Luxury

General Motors' China's sales are up 60 percent year-on-year, and The General wants to keep the momentum going at its Chinese outpost. Automotive News China reports that the Guangzhou Auto Show will play host to the unveiling of the market-specific Cadillac SLS and Buick Excelle XT, the latter described as a four-door "coupé-like sedan."

The Excelle XT will take a place between the Excelle and the new Regal. The Cadillac gets 3.0-liter and 3.6-liter engines with GM's SIDI technology that also grace Australia's new Holden Commodores. The luxury sedan, a lengthened version of our STS with a superior interior, will also be China's introduction to OnStar.


[Source: Automotive News China - Sub. Req.]

REPORT: New Chinese-market Cadillac SLS and Buick Excelle XT to debut in Guangzhou originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Car Buying, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GM, Earnings/Financials

Realizing that one of its keys to survival is retaining existing owners, General Motors is proactively enticing nearly one million customers - those loyal to now-closed dealerships - with significant financial incentives. According to Automotive News, GM started sending 950,000 letters out last week to customers of stores which have shut down or lost a brand franchise. Included in the correspondence are $1,000 to $2,000 discounts towards purchasing vehicles from one of GM's four surviving U.S. brands (the incentive amount is based on the customer's "likelihood to purchase a GM vehicle and the relative distance to the next closest dealer," according to a letter GM sent to dealers outlining the program).

General Motors has about 5,860 dealerships right now. A total of 1,839 have agreed to shut down by October of 2010, helping the company downsize to between 3,600 and 4,000 retailers over the long term. While this incentive is scheduled to end January 4, a second wave of incentives (including one targeting Saturn customers) is expected to begin early next year. In addition, GM has also issued a service offer which runs through May that includes free vehicle inspections and tire rotations to displaced customers.

The retention programs - obviously meant to move customers between stores - have dealer advocate groups up in arms. Some dealers are still actively trying to get their franchises off the "kill list," and GM has said recently that some may in fact be welcomed back into the fold. As such, Automotive News quotes Tamara Darvish, a leader of the Committee to Restore Dealer Rights as saying "This is an inappropriate time to take such an aggressive measure... If in fact dealer rights are to be restored, why would GM go in and move all those customers?"

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd | Image: Mark Ralston/Getty]

REPORT: GM offering special discounts to rejected franchise customers, move angers dealer group originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: SUV, Truck, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GM, GMC

The GMT900 platform is by far the highest volume chassis General Motors has here in the States, as it underpins the Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe, Avalanche and Suburban, the Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV, and the GMC Sierra, Yukon and Yukon XL. We never had any doubt that GM would continue to build body-on-frame trucks in the future, but with demand for SUVs shrinking quickly, some thought the body-on-frame SUV would soon be a thing of the past. Maybe not.

Our friends over at Pickuptrucks.com are reporting that the next generation of the GMT platform will be produced by Magna International's Cosma in Canada and Mexico - and that new platform will underpin the next-generation of GM SUVs along with the GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado. Pickuptrucks quotes Magna spokesperson Scott Worden as confirming that the next generation of GM's large SUVs will come with the body-on-frame architecture. This sort of chassis tends to add weight versus a unibody platform, but it also adds capability for towing and payload at lower cost.

We're not really all the surprised that GM will continue to build BOF SUVs, especially when considering that the General sold a combined 200,000 copies of the Suburban, Yukon, Tahoe and Escalade last month alone. And last we checked, these are still relatively expensive vehicles that bring in quite a bit of desperately needed profit. And if customers are interested in a family hauler with better interior packaging and fuel economy, we're sure GM dealers will be happy to get them into a Buick Enclave, Chevy Traverse or GMC Acadia.



[Source: Pickuptrucks]

REPORT: GM's next-gen SUVs to be body-on-frame (otherwise they'd be crossovers) originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

Back in April, we told you about the new partnership between Chris Fesler's custom car shop and Jon Moss, the former director of General Motors' specialty vehicles division. At that time, we only had renderings of the proposed Fesler-Moss Camaro, but these fresh photos of a pair of completed cars is evidence that the duo has been hard at work since then.

The Fesler-Moss Camaro is currently available in two flavors. First up is the Competition Package, which commands a $50,000 price tag in addition to a donor car, and it mainly focuses on a variety of carbon fiber or billet body components, but it also features performance upgrades like a supercharger and six-piston brakes. For customers who want the ultimate Fesler-Moss Camaro, they can opt for the Limited Edition Package. This adds even more carbon fiber items, color-matched leather seating surfaces, a custom sound system, and best of all, swaps out the LS3 for a supercharged LS9 V8. Just sixty will be built at a daunting price tag of $150,000. Follow the jump for a full list of upgrades for each package.



[Source: Fesler-Moss via SeriousWheels.com]

Continue reading Fesler-Moss shows off new line of tuned 2010 Camaros

Fesler-Moss shows off new line of tuned 2010 Camaros originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, China, Buick, Chevrolet

Soon Buick will have an entire lineup of competitive vehicles with the Enclave, all-new LaCrosse and soon-to-arrive-from-Europe Regal. Since the latter model is basically a direct port of the Opel Insignia, its success may help General Motors decide whether or not to snag a fourth model from another overseas market. The likely candidate is this car, the next-gen Buick Excelle that is currently sold only in China.

Recently snapped by spy photographers while undergoing testing with very little camouflage, the next-gen Excelle will adopt GM's Delta II small car platform that also underpins the new Chevy Cruze and Opel Astra. It's more closely related to later, however, as previous generations have been not much more than rebadged Astras. Just because Buick could sell the Excelle in the U.S., however, doesn't mean it should. Would the market really accept a Buick this small, especially when the Cruze is on sale across the street? Time will tell but you can let GM know what you think now in the comments.



[Photos: KGP Photography]

Spy Shots: Next-gen Buick Excelle for China snapped originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Buick, GM, First Drive, Luxury

There's an odd bit of historical deja vu at work here. Back in the late '60s and early '70s, General Motors wanted to shift a few sporty-ish four-cylinder models from its Opel division into America, so they turned to their Buick dealers. This didn't work out exactly as planned - merchandising these odd European ducks in an outlet best known for sober doctor's cars meant that the GT, Manta and Kadett never managed to make much of a dent in North America's automotive landscape. This time out, with the Opel Insignia-derived 2011 Buick Regal, GM knows it needs massively better results.

While attending an early drive event for the new Regal last week, we reminded vice-chairman Bob Lutz about the last time his company attempted to sell Opels in Buick showrooms. He laughed his trademark raspy laugh, and reminded us that Car and Driver so loathed the 1968 Kadett that their review featured it photographed in a junkyard. With characteristic candor, Lutz tells us, "It actually wasn't a very good car." Of course, Maximum Bob knows full well that GM can't afford another lost in space Kadett. Does the Regal have what it takes to mollify these "sins of the father" and put Buick on the right track? Click through to the jump to find out.



Photos copyright (C)2009 Chris Paukert / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Buick Regal prototype looks to be a good sport

First Drive: 2011 Buick Regal prototype looks to be a good sport originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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