Instead of reinventing the wheel, General Motors decided to reinvent the automobile. It teamed up with Segway to create a two-wheeled, two-seat urban people mover. Called the P.U.M.A. (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility), it carries many of the design ideas that we once thought were pipe dreams coming out of design schools.
The PUMA is part of a vision of a vehicle network that is able to recognize outside objects, including other moving vehicles, so that they can all interact and avoid each other. The compact vehicle integrates a lithium-ion battery, digital smart energy management, two-wheel balancing, dual electric wheel motors, and a dockable user interface that allows off-board connectivity. If anyone is scared of two-wheeled motoring, there are two small wheels placed at the front and back of the concept for stability.
Each charge to the PUMA’s battery should be good for 35 miles (GM did not indicate recharge times.) Since this is designed as for urban areas, the top speed is 35 mph.
GM’s direct engine technology is being offered in many of their 2009 models. This new technology increases power while reducing fuel consumption. Injecting the fuel directly into the combustion chamber allows the engineers better control of fuel delivery and waste less of the pertrolium based product.
Last year, talking about RWD models, Lutz said: "We’ve pushed the pause button. It’s no longer full speed ahead." This year, at the Detroit Auto Show he confirmed that GM’s Zeta platform is dead and that Pontiac G8 and Chevrolet Camaro are the last models built on this platform to be sold in USA.
With the new fuel-economy target legislation and the severe economic crisis large RWD cars make no sense. This means GM will focus on Sigma RWD and all-wheel-drive architecture used for models like CTS, STS and SRX.
"The strategy we had a few years ago of basically deriving a whole sweeping global portfolio off the Australian Zeta architecture ... frankly, we have had to abandon that dream. This is because, whether you are in the United States or in China, fuel economy mandates are getting more and more severe, and we just could not base our strategy on doing relatively large and relatively heavy rear-wheel-drive cars. And I suspect the same thing is going to start to bite the traditional rear-wheel drive producers," said Bob Lutz.
With a little help from a tanking global economy and miserable 2008 auto sales, Toyota has finally overtaken General Motors place at the top of the pack for worldwide sales. GM has topped the sales chart for the last 77 years, but Toyota has been making a hard charge over the last decade. In 2008, Toyota sold 8.97 million units worldwide compared to GM’s 8.36 million. While GM execs downplay the importance of the No. 1 spot, it definitely gives Toyota new bragging rights for worldwide domination.
For GM President Fritz Henderson, it’s more important to regain GM’s financial strength since the company hasn’t posted a profit since 2004 and is now relying on a $4 billion federal emergency loans to stay alive. In its home market, GM still stands at the top (with Toyota a distant second) but saw overall U.S. sales drop 22.7 percent compared to 2007. GM, comprised of eight individual brands, sold 2.95 million vehicles in 2008. Not all sales figures were down for GM as it saw minor gains in emerging foreign markets such as Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. The automotive industry as a whole shrank 18 percent with sales dropping to approximately 13.25 million units.
Although Toyota is now officially at the top, it isn’t immune to the current economic problems either. Just a year after marking its 50th year of selling cars in the United States, Toyota posted the biggest sales decline among its major Japanese competitors with a 15.4 percent drop compared to 2007. Honda, Nissan and Mazda all posted declines, while Subaru was the only Japanese automaker to post a sales increase for 2008, albeit a scant 0.3 percent. Toyota probably doesn’t have much time to bask in its glory as GM readies a host of competitive vehicles including the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, 2010 Buick LaCrosse and 2010 Cadillac SRX.
Back in July, GM announced it will bring the Groove or Trax minicars to USA by 2011. But, no! After announcing the Beat will not be offered on the US market, GM now announced there will be no small cars coming in here.
The company considers that compact cars like Chevrolet Cruze or subcompacts such as the Chevy Aveo are more likely to be successful in the US.
The gas prices is getting higher by the end. In this case, big engines have no meaning. Reason why GM will double its global production of small four-cylinder engines (1.0L to 1.4L) by 2011, with more than half of the increase coming in North America. The strategy is highlighted by an all-new, 1.4L Turbo engine that will power the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze.
GM’s small four-cylinder gasoline engines include displacements of 1.0L, 1.2L and 1.4L. The engines were designed with fuel efficiency in mind, including technology such as full variable valve timing that optimizes power and fuel efficiency across the rpm band.
The 1.4L’s turbocharger is integrated within the exhaust manifold, for reduced weight and greater packaging flexibility in smaller vehicles. A reinforced crankshaft and stronger connecting rods are unique, delivering additional strength to support the engine’s pressurized, high-rpm performance.
Estimated power ratings for the 1.4L Turbo will be 140 hp with a torque rating of 148 lb.-ft.
As you know today GM is celebrating its 100 anniversary. We wanted to join the ones wishing GM a Happy Birthday and keep up the good work!
To celebrate its anniversary Gm will reveal today the 2011 Chevrolet Volt production version.
Little history: GM was founded on September 16, 1908 by William C. (Billy) Durant. During the past 100 years, GM sold more than 450 million cars and trucks worldwide. With manufacturing operations in 35 countries and nearly 24,000 dealerships worldwide, GM is the world’s largest automaker.
The U.S. is both General Motor’s largest single market and its home turf, but it is also facing historically tough times. "The most important thing we can do is to turn around the North American business," said GM’s Chief Operating Officer Fritz Henderson. "We do not have a huge amount of optimism for the rest of the year as the pressure on consumer continues."
Because of the uncertainty in North America, more investment is going into emerging markets such as India and China. These investments have helped support the company in the troubled times. For example, a little over a decade ago GM was originally criticized for its $1.5 billion investment in China. Now, while the North American operations have lost $51 billion over the last three years, the operations in Asia are on track for a full-year profit.
This trend seems to continue as today GM announced a partnership with the GAZ Group, a Russian maker of light commercial vehicles. The two companies will now share ownership of an Italian diesel engine manufacturer. Last month, Russia overtook Germany to become Europe’s largest car market. While General Motors already has a strong presence in Russia, it may eventually utilize this partnership to help ensure its future top spot.
There’s no secret that General Motors is trying to find solutions to find the road back to profits. After announcing that the company will focus on small cars, GM has now announced that there will be no Kappa II platform; meaning we will not see in the future models like Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky, Daewoo SX2 and Opel GT roadsters.
When the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky came to the market, GM was losing around $10,000 per unit built. Why? Because, according to GM, this models are “image cars” for their respective brands, which is how GM justified the losses on them.
The Kappa architecture is hydroformed as part of the fabrication process to achieve the dimensions and frame rails needed. Many of the body panels (namely the hood, deck-lid, and fenders) are hydroformed as well. Hydra-forming is a costly fabrication method, particularly for vehicles that have such low starting prices and low volume to boot. Add on the fact that the Kappa vehicles are largely “hand built” cars (at least by today’s standards); it becomes quite evident why GM will likely never get a return on investment with the Kappa products.
GM has decided that some of the models from Daewoo, Holden, Opel or Vauxhall may be styled in Michigan. The decision is a response to U.S. vehicle programs that have been delayed or canceled, freeing up U.S. designers for other projects. There is a surplus of design space now that the rear-drive Chevrolet Impala and an unnamed Buick sedan have been dropped, as well as GM’s next-generation pickup programs have been postponed.
"We have had a couple studios where some projects have been canceled," said Ed Welburn, GM’s design vice president. "We have other studios that are totally overloaded. We just need to level that work around the globe."
In particular, some studios are overloaded with design work on small cars. GM’s small-car programs are based at the Opel R&D center in Germany and GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. in Korea. "They can’t handle it all," Welburn said, "so some of that work will be done in North America."
