GM’s global product development efforts will converge in one city as the new 2008 Cadillac STS; two Buick performance models and a refreshed Buick LaCrosse sedan; more powerful versions of the HUMMER H2 and H3; and a first-ever Saab E100 bioethanol concept come to the New York International Auto Show, April 6-15 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center .


The introductions continue GM’s ongoing product blitz that began the auto show season last November in Los Angeles . Here’s a preview of what GM will show in New York :


Cadillac – The 2008 Cadillac STS features refreshed signature styling inside and out; a new, standard 298-horsepower (222kW) direct-injection V-6 engine; and new performance and safety technologies. They include StabiliTrak with enhanced variable effort steering, as well as a new lane departure warning system and side blind zone alerts. Coming to Cadillac dealers this summer, the 2008 STS extends Cadillac’s heritage of combining luxury, performance and technology.


Buick – Two new performance-enhancing versions of the 2008 LaCrosse and Lucerne sedans evoke a time-honored badge – the Super – that will make fast friends with those who demand a premium performer with elevated design to match. The LaCrosse Super gets a 300-horsepower (224 kW) 5.3L small-block V-8 with Active Fuel Management and, for the first time, Buick’s iconic portholes. The Lucerne Super adds a more powerful version of the legendary 4.6L Northstar V-6, for 292 horsepower (218 kW), as well as specific Super design cues.


The Super badge debuted in the 1940 model year and symbolized Buick luxury, power and performance for 18 years. With the 2008 La Crosse and Lucerne Supers, Buick is taking a great name from its heritage to designate the most premium cars it has ever offered.


>In addition, all 2008 LaCrosse models get a new front end inspired by the acclaimed Velite concept car, as well as an enhanced list of standard equipment.


HUMMER – A more powerful, yet more fuel-efficient 2008 HUMMER H2 also features a redesigned interior that complements the vehicle’s legendary ruggedness with refinement. New standard safety features include roof rail curtain air bags.


The HUMMER H3 Alpha also debuts; it is the second member of the brand’s Alpha performance series. With a 295-horsepower (220 kW) V-8 engine and HUMMER’s trademark off-road capability, the H3 Alpha is top dog – on the trails or the turnpike.


Saab – Fresh from its world debut at the Geneva Auto Show, the Saab BioPower 100 Concept showcases the first production-based turbo engine to be optimized for pure, eco-friendly bioethanol (E100) fuel. Demonstrating GM’s leadership in biofuels and bioethanol technology, the 300-horsepower concept features unprecedented performance to match its greatly reduced CO 2 footprint. The production Saab 9-5 BioPower already is Europe ’s top-selling bioethanol (E85)-powered car.


GM Fleet and Commercial Operations – GM will help celebrate the 100 th birthday of the taxi cab in New York City by placing into the city’s taxi service the only vans approved to transport individuals with mobility-related disabilities or spinal cord injuries. The Chevrolet Uplander TC (Taxi Cab) features a lowered floor instead of a raised roof, providing easier passenger entry and exit as well as enhanced vehicle stability.


GM also will feature several concepts and production vehicles in New York that already have created buzz during the auto show season. They include the second-generation 2008 Cadillac CTS; the 2008 Saturn Vue and 2008 Saturn Astra; the Chevrolet Camaro convertible and Chevrolet Volt concepts, as well as the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu; and the 2008 Pontiac G8, and 2008 Pontiac G6 GXP and Torrent GXP models.


General Motors Corp. (NYSE:GM), the world’s largest automaker, has been the global industry sales leader for 76 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 280,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit , GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. In 2006, nearly 9.1 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. GM’s OnStar subsidiary is the leader in vehicle safety, security and information services.