Flybrian

GM completes sale of Allison for $5.6B The Associated Press | Link to Original Article @ DetNews DETROIT -- General Motors Corp. said today it has completed the sale of its Allison Transmission commercial and military business to The Carlyle Group and Onex Corp. for $5.6 billion. The sale, announced in June, includes seven manufacturing plants in Indianapolis and its global distribution network and sales offices. A production facility in Baltimore, which produces conventional and hybrid transmissions for pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, will remain with GM. Detroit-based GM said in a statement that it would use the money to strengthen its liquidity and support investments in new products and technology. Indianapolis-based Allison designs and builds commercial-duty automatic transmissions, hybrid propulsion systems and parts for trucks and buses, off-highway equipment and military vehicles. The company boasts an 80 percent market share of all medium- and heavy-duty commercial transmissions, with annual revenue of more than $2 billion. The Carlyle Group is a Washington, D.C.-based private equity firm. Onex Corp. is a Toronto-based investment conglomerate. The two will be equal partners in the deal.

Jetting around By Bob Lutz | GM Vice Chairman | Link to Original Post @ GM FastLane Blog Thursday night out at the Oakland County Airport I had the pleasure of helping Saab USA General Manager Steve Shannon introduce the Saab 9-7X Aero and 9-3 at the welcome reception of the Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance. As you know, Saab was “born from jets,” so I flew my Aero L-39 ZO “Albatros,” a demilitarized Czech-built fighter jet once used by the Libyan Air Force, from Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti to Oakland County for the occasion. Then, to benefit Meadow Brook Hall, we auctioned off a ride in the jet. So I’ll be piloting Eastern Michigan University aviation student Phillip Von Donop for a ride in the Albatros, thanks to his dad’s winning bid. As I told the folks there, although I grew up in Europe, in my younger days I was never what you would call a Saab enthusiast. And I have to say that one of the most pleasant surprises I’ve had since I returned to General Motors in 2001 is the affection and affinity I’ve developed for the Saab brand and its vehicles. I’ve become a big fan of the driving dynamics. And I’m out to create more fans. We in senior management are convinced that Saab is a jewel in the GM crown, and we’re determined to ensure its success. The product lineup has expanded, and sales are growing both here in North America and in Europe. What’s particularly encouraging is that this spurt of growth has been consistent – it hasn’t been a feast-or-famine, one-month-wonder kind of growth. The new 9-7X Aero and the 9-3 are excellent examples of Saab leveraging GM’s vast global product development resources. For example, the 9-7X Aero gets its 390 horsepower and 395 foot-pounds of torque from its LS2 6.0L engine, which is based on the small-block V-8 architecture. So while I’ve read a number of comments on this blog questioning the future of Saab, let me say that it belongs in the GM family and we plan on keeping it there. P.S. On another topic close to the fore, American automakers and fuel economy, USA Today published a misguided opinion piece July 25, and on Wednesday printed my response to it.

GM Names Phillip A. Zak To Head GM Europe Exterior Design 08-01-2007 | Link to Original Article @ Edmunds RUSSELSHEIM, Germany — Phillip A. Zak, the versatile General Motors designer who helped to shepherd the design development of such vehicles as the Pontiac REV and the Saturn Prevue concept, was appointed director of exterior design for General Motors Europe on Wednesday. His will head the exterior design of the Opel, Vauxhall and Saab brands as well as "design of certain Saturn products for North America," GM said in a statement. Zak succeeds Mark Adams, who was appointed vice president of design for GM Europe in June. Zak's portfolio includes the Chevrolet Cobalt, the Pontiac G6 and the Pontiac GXP performance line. He is a 1988 graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art. Previously, he was exterior design director of General Motors' global compact utility studio at the GM North American Design Center. What this means to you: Even with an American at the helm in Europe, future Saturns are still expected to have a distinctly German character.

A road trip by itself is an experience, but taking one during the wee morning hours is an event all its own. You certainly meet some interesting characters at reststops, especially our first one in Maryland where some guy kept asking my friend Richie for money about six times. Needless to say, it was a pitstop and away we went... *LeSabre - the original RL (Roadborne Luxury) *We scared the Honda away. We stayed at Richie's aunt's little shack in Alexandria. Please excuse the Versa. We got in around 4:30AM Sunday and left around 3:30PM. Us at the first North Carolina rest stop. Note the sweet DOT Silverado in the background. South of the Border was a necessary stop given the kitsch value and the fact that if this car belongs anywhere, its there. Roadtripper advice - don't stop here at 11:30 at night like we did because it gets a little questionable. Unfortunately, we ran into our first mechanical problems with the LeSabre here. A plug fouled out real bad. Luckily, I found one that would fit the 455. Good thing, too, because Richie found another way home... And I end the trip with some beauty shots taken today after a good two washings. So, over 1100 miles later, zero problems were encountered. The car seals up remarkably well, about as good as my Aurora, and this was verified with a short downpour in Virginia. What amazed me most was the ride quality - in a word, excellent. No typical old barge floating, dramamine-necessitating wallowing, or bumps felt four miles later. Very composed, very smooth, and surprising handler. I honestly expected to get sick of the floating, but again...none to be experienced. I've been in more modern Town Cars that handle so much worse with total disconnect and zero suspension response. Not here. Also, the nose- and taildive on braking and acceleration is not much more significant than it was in Impalas I've driven as rentals. Steering is very light, however, and typically disconnected. Not unexpected. The doors do shake and rattle over harsh bumps when the windows are rolled down, but most cars this age have doors falling off at that point. What surprised me the most was what worked - everything. Expect for the air conditioning and the analog clock, everything works...even the clock light, cigarette lighter, and ashtray lamp. Very amazed at the condition this Buick is in. Also, the radio does work, but the speaker is junk. I know this because upon arriving home, I was able to pick up reception from a large AM transmitting station, but it wasn't clear or crackle-free because of the monospeaker. As I mentioned while up in PA, over the next month, I plan total fluid changes and flushes along with replacing a few hoses and some rust abatement (very few small spots) followed by an engine tuneup/carb rebuild (I think I'll take Balthy up on his offer!) and getting a new compressor for the a/c. So...that's the story. Thanks again to my gracious hosts!

Bill left for his family reunion (and I hope you had fun, 'cause you missed a great dinner!) and B&B departed, too. But before eating, we convoyed over to Bob's mother's to check out the '38 Dodge. After the Dodge experience, we headed down to a local joint and enjoyed a great dinner - loved the prime rib melt - and began our C&G Live discussion - cars, B.S., and who to ban. Just kidding. Roger did a very gracious thing and let us all take a spin in the SKY and has he said, I didn't want to come back! Gosh, what a great car! Later that evening, Bob helped tinker with the car a bit more as it ran out of gas earlier when we were messing with the engine...and his puppies! Very active dogs, Arkus and Zora! My friend and I left Camino's at 1:30, so you can tell how much fun we had just chatting among his soon-to-be awesome pair of Chevies. Thus began the shakedown cruise...

Well, first, let me extend my heartfelt gratitude to Sixty8, SpeedingPenguin, Dodgefan, jessi_chan, Bob (Camino), Bill (Ocnblu), Roger (GMTruckGuy74), Drew (Oldsmoboi), and B&B for helping with the care and transport of the LeSabre, their extrodinarily hospitality during my visit, and of course their friendship. Rest assured this won't be the last C&G meet if I have anything to do with it! Second, if the price of gas goes up in the next few days because of supply shortages, its because of me, and I'm sorry. The flight to Philladelphia on Southwest's 737-700 was pretty uneventful and actually arrived on time even after a slightly late departure. Camino picked us up at the terminal a little bit after we landed in that beautiful GTO of his and thanks to Philly traffic, we were treated to the 'long way' tour of the area and plenty of great twisting backroads and some very spirited driving. We got a great tour of Camino's barn/garage and wow...what an awesome collection. The '98 Firehawk was there as well as the beautiful Maserati. Below, there was the ex-rental () El Camino Classic donor car, the '88 Silverado beast, something resembling a Jaguar, the Malibu, and the other El Camino. I will say that the Malibu wagon's interior is in absolutely incredible shape and its going to make one sweet hotrod wagon. After most everyone arrived, we took the LeSabre down to the lower garage to tinker with it. Here are some more pictures... *Drew, Bill, and B&B in Bob's lower barn. Note the '88 Silverado and Malibu wagon in the background. *B&B and Bob performing some much needed (and appreciated!) temporary repairs to the vacuum hoses and carb. *Drew and Roger chatting; Bill behind the helm of the beast. We had to appreciate some of the newer rides. *Bill's Sierra, Roger's SKY Of course, being one of the first major C&G meets, we had to get a car collage going. *Drew's Avalanche, Bill's Sierra, Bob's GTO, Roger's SKY

My friend, she wants to see the land yacht, so I'm taking her out to lunch in a few. In the meantime, two quick pics to prove she made it down. On final approach 20 miles from home - Downtown Tampa, Florida in sight off the I-4/I-275 (malfunction) junction. Resting after a long journey - My father and my friend, Richie, with the LeSabre, dad's Bonneville, my Aurora, and Richie's 9-3.

U R TEH SPCHAL

how 'bout now?

Fixed!

Let me fix it.

HHR is missing a fun two-door version a la PT Cruiser convertible. However, it should go a step further and offer a simple two-door in SS trim with a six-speed Getrag and 260hp 2.0l Turbo'd DI Ecotec.

I was about to call blasphamy on the bowtie delete, but it looks very clean that way. Solidly handsome ride.

You get extra points for the Cherokee mention. I'm extrodinarily impressed by Soviet/Russian aircraft, especially since they're arguably more 'operationally capable' than any other aircraft in the world, including our fighters. SU-25s are exceptional in rough-field capabilities. The classic Il-2 is a tough one to beat for sure and many now-obsolete Cold War medium jet bombers such as the Il-28 Beagle and Tu-22 Blinder are impressively sleek and classic in proportions. My favorite WWII fighter is one of the lesser-knowns - the Bell P-39 Airacobra and its successor, the P-63 Kingcobra. Midengined and very capable at low altitude ground attack, its an underappreciated design. My all-time favorite bomber is the B-36 Peacemaker. In its later variants (Six turnin' and four burnin'), it shook the hell out of the windows of my father's house in California when he was a teenager. I love the classical look of the -36, with the heavily-framed cockpit glazing, gargantuan proprotions, and ridiculous powerplants - six pusher turboprops and four jets slung under the wings in twined pods. The F/A-22 is a great bird, but I will always love the Northrop/MDD YF-23 Black Widow more. I remember reading about the ATF competition back in grade school and the YF-23 was so graceful and sleek. By many accounts, it was faster and more stealthy than the F-22, but the latter was cheaper and less ambitious. My favorite GA plane is the PA-180 and all its variations. I learned in a Cadet, soloed in a PA-160, and regularly fly a 180 Archer II. My favorite dream GA plane, however, is the Beriev Be-103 twin-engine amphibian. I would really love to own one someday. The Super Constellation is my favorite commercial aircraft. A true icon from an era when airline travel was glamorous. As I pack tonight to fly to Philly tomorrow onboard a 737, I dream and wish it was a smoke-belching piston-engined TWA Connie.

Saab 9-7X Aero Takes Off Limited Edition SUV Offers Jet-Like Performance DETROIT -- Saab takes SUV-performance to a new altitude as it announces the Aero performance version of the Saab 9-7X today. The limited edition 9-7X Aero will make its way to dealer showrooms early this autumn. The Saab 9-7X brings unique Saab brand characteristics to the midsize SUV segment, including sophisticated styling inside and out, premium design features, and the sporty and spirited performance inherent to Saab vehicles. Since its debut two years ago, more than 12,000 have been sold in the U.S. and Canada. For 2008, Saab adds the Aero model - the symbol of serious Saab performance - to the 9-7X lineup. The limited edition 9-7X Aero takes Saab's interpretation on the midsize SUV to an entirely new level accelerating the performance aspect of the sophisticated vehicle with a 6.0L V-8, 20-inch wheels and tires, unique paint and custom interior accouterments. "The 9-7X Aero is one great SUV to pilot," Shannon said. "We are excited to offer enthusiastic drivers an increased level of performance with the Aero, a symbol of Saab performance, in the midsize SUV segment." The new 9-7X Aero features a powerful, 6.0L small-block V-8 delivering 390 horsepower (295 kW) and 395 lb.-ft. (542 Nm) of torque. With 0-60 mph acceleration under six seconds, the 9-7X Aero is a treat for those who are actively passionate about the driving experience. The 9-7X Aero will be easy to spot as it wears a paint color all its own: Carbon Flash Metallic. The charcoal metallic paint nicely enhances the SUV's clean lines. Specific to the 9-7X Aero are 20-inch polished, aluminum wheels wrapped with P255/50R20 V-speed-rated performance tires that provide the optimum balance between ride and handling. Complementing the refined and driver-oriented cockpit-inspired interior are "Aero" embroidered leather seats and embossed floor mats. Under the hood of the 9-7X Aero is the LS2 6.0L V-8 with a cold air induction package, rated at 390 horsepower (295 kW)* at 6,000 rpm and 395 lb.-ft. of torque (542 Nm)* at 4,000 rpm. The LS2 6.0L is based on the small-block V-8 architecture and delivers excellent down-low torque for strong off-the-line performance. Torque is inherent to the engine's cam-in-block design, which features large 4.00-inch-diameter (101,6 mm) bores and a 3.62-inch (92 mm) stroke. Response is crisp and immediate, thanks to the electronically controlled throttle. Unique to the 9-7X Aero's version of the engine is a composite intake manifold adapted to the LS2 engine to help produce balanced torque and horsepower. Maximum towing capacity on 9-7X Aero model is 6,600 pounds (2994 kg). Like all Saabs, the new Saab 9-7X Aero is driver-focused, with a lowered chassis tuned and tested to deliver responsive, balanced handling. Corner control and body roll control are improved with front stabilizer bars that are approximately 10 percent larger in diameter. Additional strength is provided by a heavy-duty rear axle with limited-slip differential. With a four-wheel disc braking system enhanced with larger, 12.8-inch (325 mm) front disc rotors and iron twin-piston calipers, it's not difficult to put a stop to things in the more powerful 9-7X Aero. The heavy-duty iron calipers are stiff and retain their shape under high-pressure/high-heat braking conditions, providing a more linear feel and reduced pedal travel in high-energy stops. The brake pads use high-performance linings for strong fade resistance. ABS and automatic all-wheel-drive are standard on all 9-7X models as well as the StabiliTrak electronic stability control system that provides confident, sure-footed travel. The performance-oriented all-wheel-drive system delivers impressive on-road grip and enhanced "launch" feel. The always-engaged system uses a Torsen center differential to split torque between the front and rear wheels. It is a torque-bias system that detects low traction at one axle and directs more torque to the other when needed. Like all 9-7X models, the Aero model represents a terrific value with a high-level of standard equipment. In fact, the 9-7X boasts the most standard features in its class while offering a very competitive starting price at $39,935. The limited edition 9-7X Aero will start at $45,690, which includes a $745 destination fee and will begin arriving at dealerships this fall.

No problem. Deadline extended until next Friday, 7.10.07

New Interior Treatment "Embossed accents on steering wheel, shifter and door inserts, in Ebony/Morocco premium trim package"

Buick Lucerne Super

Buick LaCrosse Super

Several times in the past, someone from General Motors has contacted me in order to get in touch with a member who expressed a quality about a recently-purchased new vehicle. I hope to receive another email shortly... I'm adding this to our Newsreel and will forward this to a few people who can hopefully help out Walt with this problem.

The salesman at my local Mitsubishi dealer kept showing me this 2005 LaCrosse. Oh, wait. Its because he's a used car salesman now because Mitsubishi doesn't have a dealership in my city anymore.

No one else has anything??

1. Me.

That first car is a pile, BV.

Decklid is way too short. Looks like a hatch still. And someone please fix the C-pillar deal.