Vice President Joe Biden is expected to visit a closed General Motors plant in Wilmington, Delaware, on Tuesday, where he is expected to announce that same plant’s reopening. According to reports, Biden will also announce that the plant will focus on constructing plug-in hybrid electric cars instead of traditional vehicles.
Fisker Automotive Inc, a California-based venture capitalist firm, has decided to purchase the former GM assembly plant and renovate it so that it is capable of mass-producing hybrid vehicles. The information comes from a source that is reportedly close to the reasons surrounding Biden’s visit to the Wilmington plant.
Fisker’s chief executive …read more

In a new development that spells bad news for Cadillac’s current advertiser but signals a great opportunity for others, General Motors Co. has decided to change the advertising firm it uses for its Cadillac division. While Cadillac’s current advertiser will not be in the pool from which GM will choose, the automaker has initiated a review process that will allow it to find an ideal ad agency.
According to CEO Fritz Henderson, the change comes from GM’s confidence that it can do better as far as advertising of its popular Cadillac brand goes. GM will be holding agency reviews, which involves …read more

As part of General Motors Co.’s restructuring plans following its brief stint in bankruptcy, the automaker promised to shed several of its brands to become a leaner, more focused company. This commitment has led to the sale of the Hummer brand to China’s Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co. for $150 million.
The acquisition may not go completely smoothly for Tengzhong, as the Chinese government has expressed a certain amount of resentment over the deal that would place the gas-guzzling vehicles in Chinese hands. However, Tengzhong’s chairman is expected to announce the deal with GM from Detroit next week.
The deal will allow …read more

Delphi, the automotive parts maker that was spun off from General Motors, has finally emerged from its stay in bankruptcy after a protracted four-year stint with bankruptcy protection as the company got its financials back in order. According to the company, the final push to get Delphi out of bankruptcy involved the sale of assets to lenders and to General Motors, its parent company.
The new company, post-bankruptcy, will be called Delphi Holdings, and its newfound stability comes as a great relief to General Motors. GM has spent plenty of money to make sure that Delphi’s reorganization went through smoothly, placing …read more

General Motors Co. has decided to wind down the operations of its Saturn brand, GM’s answer to Japanese automakers that was started 24 years ago. While GM had originally intended to sell Saturn to Penske Automotive Group, the latter pulled out of negotiations with GM and has forced GM to make this decision.
Penske, which operated 310 auto retailers, backed out of the deal because it was concerned that it would not have access to new vehicles in 2011 when GM was expected to stop supplying them. Its inability to sell the Saturn brand has forced GM to adapt its post-bankruptcy …read more

It seems like the prospect of electric cars that are widely available to the average consumer has been, and forever will be, just a technological fantasy. However, many automakers are starting to believe that electric cars will soon get into the hands of auto dealers, a move that would give birth to an auto fleet running on a much cleaner source of energy.
 
The upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show has drawn plenty of attention for promising an impressive lineup of electric vehicles from a variety of automakers. French automaker Renault plans to unveil an array of electric vehicles, including a fully electric …read more

Recently, General Motors made a splash by announcing the company plans to offer 60-day money back guarantees on their GM vehicles. While the money back guarantee has been a marketing tool for thousands of years, it hasn’t often been seen in the auto industry.
While money back guarantees can provide many positives, there are also some negatives that should be considered. Before creating a marketing campaign that revolves around a money back guarantee, consider these pros and cons:
PRO – Increased Confidence
When customers see that a company is willing to put their money where their mouth is, that really helps to improve …read more

With the “Cash for Clunkers” program no longer in existence, automakers need new gimmicks to attract customers. General Motors has announced that they will be offering a very tempting offer — a 60-day money back guarantee.
According to GM, customers can purchase a new Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC or Buick vehicle. If they aren’t satisfied, they will be able to give the vehicle back and get a complete refund. GM is hoping that this will make more customers consider purchasing a General Motors vehicle.
Said Bob Lutz of GM: “We think if consumers give us a fair chance and look at the facts …read more

General Motors China, a subsidiary of General Motors, has partnered with FAW Group to launch a venture that will produce vans and light-duty trucks for the Chinese market. The nearly $300 million venture will result in a capacity of more than 200,000 by the final months of 2010.
While General Motors China and FAW Group will use existing automobile factories, there will also be a new assembly plant built to aid in this venture. In the future, some of the vehicles may be exported to other places in the world but for right now the idea is to satisfy China’s growing …read more

Germany is putting pressure on General Motors to figure out what they are doing with Opel as soon as possible. Opel, a German automaker headquartered in the city of Russelsheim, was acquired by General Motors in 1929.
After going through bankruptcy, General Motors has promised to narrow its focus. In doing so, they have decided to sell Opel. The two leading bidders are Magna International Inc., a Canadian company, and RHJ International SA, a Belgium company.
While the government in Germany has gone on record to say that they hope that Magna International Inc. ends up getting Opel, General Motors is hesitant …read more