Autoblog

GM marketing chief Ewanick: "We'll focus on Cruze all year long"

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 09:35:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet

2011 Chevrolet Cruze - Click above for high-res image gallery

Joel Ewanik was recently named General Motors' global marketing chief, so we sat down with him and Buick marketing honcho Roger McCormack at the Detroit Auto Show to find out how they plan to get more attention for GM's brands.

For both men, the priority is to get people in seats since GM appears to realize that it can't just rely on people to trust its marketing. "We're making great cars - the Cruze was the first car in its segment to get five stars under the new NHTSA standards," Ewanick said, "we need to get people in sitting in the cars." For Buick, McCormack said as well that his brand will focus on "Activities to get people in cars, sitting in cars, experiencing cars."

On the subject of settling Cadillac's advertising, Ewanick said, "With Cadillac we're trying to create some dissonance, putting them in ski resorts to remind people that Cadillac is a great brand for their snow activities with the all-wheel-drive sports wagon and CTS, SRX and Escalade." To that end, the brand has done deals with the Northstar ski resort in Lake Tahoe and they're doing one with Vail, in Colorado.

The scope of the "Chevy Runs Deep" campaign is being broadened from its historical associations to current environmental and community efforts. "I wanted to do wind farms and solar panels, something sexy," said Ewanick. But after talking to people in the field he decided on more community-minded efforts. "Most schools aren't insulated, and if we weatherized them properly they could save on heating." A month ago Chevrolet released a commercial touting the initiatives: buy a Chevrolet and the company will invest in programs that "over the next few years" will reduce carbon emissions by 8 million metric tons.

The Volt is the brand's best halo car: "People aware of the Volt are more likely to buy into a Chevrolet - it's selling the Cruze, the Malibu and heavy duty pickups because the engineering sells the brand." Speaking of the Cruze, expect to see a lot of it this year. "We don't have a lot of big launches for the year, so the messages will focus on Cruze, month in, month out, all year long."

Both McCormack and Ewanick described Buick as "more approachable luxury." When asked if that meant Buick was no longer gunning for Lexus, McCormack said "Lexus is still very much a key competitor, as well as Acura, Infiniti, Audi in some instances and Volkswagen in some instances." The key to that appears to be not in exact head-to-head competition (a la the CTS), but finding some in-between space to occupy. "What we do very well is play in luxury mainstream," McCormack said, "positioned betweeen luxury and compact luxury, above mainstream compact. We bake in all the luxury, amenities and craftsmanship, deliver all things the consumer values but the consumer feels like they got a good deal."

If that's the Buick formula, "the same formula as on the LaCrosse," the point now is to spread it over a wider range of vehicles like the Regal and Verano - and that will also reduce the average age of the Buick buyer. "Look, the age is the age, but it's a reflection of the segments. We started with the Lucerne, LaCrosse and Enclave, all of those compete in segments that will get an older consumer."

As for Buick's ad frontman, "Kevin Bacon is the Buick spokesperson," Ewanick said, "and we don't see that changing."

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze 1LT: Review

GM marketing chief Ewanick: "We'll focus on Cruze all year long" originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 Jan 2011 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: Chevy Cruze used to play live action game of Pac-Man

Jeff Glucker — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, China, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Chevrolet, GM

2011 Chevrolet Cruze playing a full-size game of Pac-Man - Click above to watch video after the jump

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is a nimble, compact sedan that could potentially turn into a top seller for General Motors. Apparently, it's also a fan of classic video games. Well, at least the Chinese ad agency that dreamed up this interesting ad for it certainly is. A large room serves as the stage for a full-size representation of the Pac-Man universe. A white Chevy Cruze plays the part of Mr. Pac-Man while a series of Black Cruzes represent the ghosts.

The video is well made but could use a little more substance beyond the driving and background music. However, the song will be with you all day. A bit of a warning though, the song has a few swears in it, which is funny because either the ad agency didn't notice them or just doesn't care. Also, the ghosts should be multi-colored, and it would have been really hilarious if they were old Cavaliers.

Check out the commercial after the jump. If you end up enjoying the music, the name of the band is The League and the song is called "F* RNR".

Warning: Possible NSFW language.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze: First Drive

Photos by Zach Bowman / Copyright (C)2010 AOL
[Source: Youtube]

Continue reading Video: Chevy Cruze used to play live action game of Pac-Man

Video: Chevy Cruze used to play live action game of Pac-Man originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Chevrolet auctioning yet-to-be-revealed Camaro Convertible

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Auctions, Chevrolet

2011 Chevrolet Camaro convertible teaser - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's been an increasingly popular practice to auction off a hot new model to some lucky winner before it hits showrooms, and the 2011 Camaro convertible doesn't plan to be left out. General Motors is auctioning the first sample of the topless pony car in Las Vegas at the Barrett-Jackson Auction on September 24, with proceeds going to the YMCA of Southern Nevada. There's a press release after the jump and a few high-res teasers below in case you want to start saving up.

Gallery: Chevrolet Camaro Convertible teasers

Gallery: Chevy Camaro Convertible Concept

[Source: GM]

Continue reading Chevrolet auctioning yet-to-be-revealed Camaro Convertible

Chevrolet auctioning yet-to-be-revealed Camaro Convertible originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Sep 2010 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

SEMA Preview: CGS prepping custom 2011 Chevy Camaro

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 12:39:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

CGS Camaro for SEMA 2010 - Click above for high-res image

CGS is a lock to bring something unique to the annual SEMA show, and after the ReFlex and FlatBack Mustang of the last two years, the tuner has left the Ford family for GM. This year, a 2011 Chevy Camaro will step into the modification chamber, getting a body kit that includes a ZR1-style hood. Under the window you might get a glimpse of the Whipple twin-screw blower that helps boost output to 500 horsepower. 22-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli rubber bands help complete the look. Follow the jump to read the press release, and check out the high-res image below.

Gallery: CGS Camaro at SEMA 2010

[Source: CGS Motorsports]

Continue reading SEMA Preview: CGS prepping custom 2011 Chevy Camaro

SEMA Preview: CGS prepping custom 2011 Chevy Camaro originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Jul 2010 12:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Chevrolet to let Corvette owners build their own engines - for a price [w/video]

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Plants/Manufacturing, Bentley, Chevrolet

Allowing customers to customize colors and materials has become a popular and profitable option for many automakers in the last several years. Most offer customers the opportunity to pick up their new ride at the factory and even watch it being built. For the 2011 model year, Chevrolet is going one step further by giving buyers of the Z06 and ZR1 the option to build the powerplant for their new Corvette.

The LS7 and LS9 V8s used in those two models are both assembled at the Performance Build Center (PBC) in Wixom, MI which we visited last fall. The nature of the PBC production process, where a single technician starts with a bare block, then takes it through the entire assembly process and finally applies a name plaque before delivery, makes it well suited to this new program. The Engine Build Experience is not for those hoping to save a few bucks by taking on some of the labor involved in building their 'Vette. In fact, it will cost an additional $5,800 plus travel to Detroit. Those not familiar with the engine building process will likely come away very impressed with the care and technology that goes into creating these high-performance engines. Check out our chronicle of an LS9 build to see what you'll get for your money. You can see a time-lapse video of the build process after the jump.

Gallery: Building an LS9 V8 at the GM Performance Build Center

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Chevrolet to let Corvette owners build their own engines - for a price [w/video]

Chevrolet to let Corvette owners build their own engines - for a price [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

First Drive: 2011 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty trucks set new HD standard

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Work, Chevrolet, GMC, First Drives

2011 GM HD Trucks - Click above for high-res image gallery

Usually whenever we head out to a new vehicle press launch, we have to sit through exhaustive technical and marketing presentations before we get a chance to climb behind the wheel. However, General Motors put us straight into a dual-rear wheel GMC Sierra 3500 crew-cab diesel upon our arrival in Baltimore. On the docket? A 130-mile trek from Baltimore airport to Rocky Gap Lodge in the Allegheny mountains of western Maryland with Vehicle Line Executive Rick Spina sitting shotgun.

We actually appreciated this 'backwards' approach, because it gave us the opportunity to develop some 'gut' impressions of these new trucks even before we got the attendant sales pitch. For a two-hour, mostly highway jaunt, the duallie SLT proved to be a surprisingly amiable companion, but it was just the first of seven different trucks we would drive over the next couple of days. Read on past the jump find out what GM's new heavy duty trucks are like when sampled in a range of real-world conditions.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 GM HD Trucks

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty trucks set new HD standard

First Drive: 2011 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty trucks set new HD standard originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

First Drive: 2011 GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty technical deep dive

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Marketing/Advertising, Technology, Work, Chevrolet, GM, Diesel

2011 GM HD Truck New Technology - Click above for high-res image gallery

At first glance, the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra heavy-duty pickup trucks don't appear to have changed much compared to their 2010 counterparts. But don't let their familiar faces fool you, because virtually all of the greasy bits have been substantially upgraded or replaced entirely. Like the competitive heavy-duty trucks from Ford and Dodge, General Motors offers its trucks in a huge array of configurations with varying passenger, payload and towing capacities and an array of gasoline and diesel engines.

We drove seven different variants over two days in the Allegheny mountains of western Maryland along with the latest models from Dodge and Ford for comparison's sake. While the sales volume in the heavy-duty truck segment is smaller than it was at its peak a few years ago, it is still hugely profitable and comprises about 25 to 30 percent of all pickup sales. Follow the jump to learn more about what General Motors' truck engineering team has done to help ensure those dollars keep rolling in.

Gallery: 2011 GM HD Trucks New Technology

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty technical deep dive

First Drive: 2011 GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty technical deep dive originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Report: GM prices 2011 Chevrolet Corvette range

Chris Shunk — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 13:32:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, GM

2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon - Click above for high-res image gallery

The C6 Chevrolet Corvette has been around since the 2005 model year, but General Motors has made a point to keep its everyman sports coupe fresh with regular updates. For 2011, the big change is an upgraded Z06, with new Z07 and Carbon Fiber packages. One thing that isn't budging much for 2011 is price, as most versions of the Bowtie sports car have reportedly gone up in price but $20 compared to the 2010 model year.

The base Vette starts out at a reasonable $48,950, and if you lose the fixed roof, the price jumps to $53,600. Move up to the Grand Sport and you'll be staring at a $54,790 Monroney, while the GS ragtop is exactly $5,000 more than the base convertible. Move out of the GS and into the Z06 and the price rockets to $74,305. The Carbon Fiber package is $3,995 stand-alone package, while the Z06 Ultimate Performance Package (A.K.A. the Z07 package) is a healthy $9,495. The Corvette Blogger says the limited Carbon edition Z06 should come in at around $95,000.

The ZR1 gets by far the largest price increase of the bunch, as the starting price jumps $2,920 to $109,820. That's a $6,320 price bump from the 2009 model. Add the ZR1 premium equipment group and you're looking at $119,820, which is still a pretty handsome deal for the performance it offers. Head over to Corvette Blogger for more Vette pricing info. There are 19 different package options, 38 stand-alone options and nine tire choices.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon

[Source: Corvette Blogger]

Report: GM prices 2011 Chevrolet Corvette range originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Jun 2010 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: GM wants you to see a few things about the Silverado HD

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 26 May 2010 17:58:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Marketing/Advertising, Work, Chevrolet, GMC

2011 Chevy Silverado HD commercial - Click above to watch video after the jump

The 2011 Chevy Silverado HD didn't pull any punches about wanting to beat the competition, but it might just pull everything else. In case you missed any of its maybe-or-maybe-not best-in-class numbers, The General has put together a nifty little animation for you that trumpets all of its heavy duty points. And it does a much better job of it than the Dude Perfect spot did...

However, since it is well known that size matters a great deal in the world of pickup trucks, you can expect Ford and Dodge to be unveiling bigger trumpets soon enough. Follow the jump to see the Transformer-esuqe spot.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty

[Source: General Motors via PickupTrucks.com]

Continue reading Video: GM wants you to see a few things about the Silverado HD

Video: GM wants you to see a few things about the Silverado HD originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 May 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: Corvette Racing Series Episode 3 - From the track to Z06 Carbon

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 17:58:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Chevrolet, Racing

Click above to view the video after the jump

Chevrolet has just released the third installment in its ongoing series on the Corvette Racing program. One of the main justifications behind the program has been the technology transfer between the track and street versions of the Corvette. This episode takes a look at the newest special edition Corvette the Z06 Carbon. The Carbon adapts most of the cool carbon fiber bits from the top of the line ZR1 to the lighter normally aspirated 7.0-liter Z06.

Corvette Product Manager Harlan Charles and chief engineer Tadge Juechter talk about the development of systems like carbon ceramic brakes on race cars and their eventual implementation on road cars. 2010 marks the 50th anniversary of Corvettes competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and 500 examples of the Carbon will be available in late summer as 2011 models. Make the jump to watch part three.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon

[Source: Chevrolet]

Continue reading Video: Corvette Racing Series Episode 3 - From the track to Z06 Carbon

Video: Corvette Racing Series Episode 3 - From the track to Z06 Carbon originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

King For a Day? 312-HP Camaro V6 ends short reign of entry-level Mustang *UPDATE

Zach Bowman — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 09:16:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Budget, Performance, Chevrolet, Ford

2010 Chevrolet Camaro V6 - Click above for high-res image gallery

We knew General Motors wouldn't take the rampant boasting coming from Ford about its more powerful and efficient 2011 Mustang V6 lying down. According to the crews at Modern Camaro and Camaro5, the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro will boast a number of features that should help put the Bowtie's six-pot back on top. First and foremost, it appears that GM has directly contacted these enthusiast websites with some select tidbits about the 2011 car, with Camaro5 going so far as to post a short letter credited to a number of GM folks tied to the program - Cheryl Pilcher, John Fitzpatrick, Adam Denison and Scott Settlemire. Of primary importance in the note is that the Camaro's base V6 will now boast a total of 312 horsepower - beating out Ford's offering by seven ponies. That should allow GM to resume bragging that it has the most powerful entry-level muscle car out there, even if the bump in grunt doesn't make up for the fact that the Camaro weighs in at 282 pounds heavier than the Mustang. (See here for an explanation on why that really matters.) Nor does the forum claim to know what the new EPA fuel economy rating of the '11 Camaro V6 model will be after its engine's gets upgraded.

Both websites also say that buyers will be able to pick up any trim level in Chevrolet's new eye-searing Synergy Green - a color that was previously limited to the 1LT car. If the forum is to be believed, GM has also made the Camaro's heads-up display standard equipment on all 2LT and 2SS models.

If true, the changes aren't exactly earth shattering, but they should be enough to keep the Camaro near (or even at) the front of the muscle car pack for now. We would have liked to have seen The General put its pride and joy on a serious diet for 2011, but we won't exactly thumb our nose at a little extra horsepower, either. We'll be on the horn with Detroit today to confirm these claims. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

UPDATE: Official press release from Chevrolet added after the jump that confirms everything above. One note: There were no actual changes made to the Camaro's V6 engine that resulted in a power increase. Rather, Chevy says the current 304-hp rating was conservative and a new SAE certification resulted in 312 hp. So that means anyone who bought a 2010 Camaro V6 shouldn't feel shortchanged, as their engine is just as powerful as the 2011 model that will start production on June 7th.

Gallery: The Joy of Six: 2010 Chevy Camaro V6 RS

[Sources: Modern Camaro, Camaro5]

Continue reading King For a Day? 312-HP Camaro V6 ends short reign of entry-level Mustang *UPDATE

King For a Day? 312-HP Camaro V6 ends short reign of entry-level Mustang *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 09:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: Chevrolet Cruze WTTC entry gets the time-lapse build treatment

Zach Bowman — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Budget, Sedan, Europe, Videos, Chevrolet

Chevrolet Cruze WTCC Build - Click above to watch the time-lapse video

Ah, the World Touring Car Championship. Whereas we Americans are led to believe that 35 identical cars with different sticker packages, all running around in circles for 500 miles somehow constitutes "stock car" racing, our cousins in Europe treat themselves to something entirely different. They pit production-based cars from just about every automaker out there against each other on a slew of very demanding road courses. As you might expect, carnage ensues, but so does some of the best fender-to-fender action found anywhere.

The crew from Ray Mallock, Ltd. have released a time-lapse video showing exactly what goes into turning a body-in-white Chevrolet Cruze into something fit for competition. Weeks of hard work gets distilled into a little under two minutes worth of entertainment. Who doesn't love technology? Make the jump to see the video.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Chevrolet Cruze WTTC entry gets the time-lapse build treatment

Video: Chevrolet Cruze WTTC entry gets the time-lapse build treatment originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Pics Aplenty: 2011 Corvette Z06 Carbon limited edition

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon - Click above for high-res image gallery

When we first told you about the new limited edition Corvette Z06 Carbon that Chevrolet plans to offer this fall, we had two measly photos to offer up from General Motors. In the run-up to this weekend's 12 Hours of Sebring, GM has shown the Z06 Carbon in public at the Corvette Corral, and now, more photos have now been released - including interior shots that you can find in our updated gallery.

Only 500 examples of the full-blown Carbon will be built, and they include numerous carbon fiber body parts and chassis components from the ZR1. Perhaps the best part of the new model is the inclusion of the carbon-ceramic brakes and the magnetic ride damping system from the supercharged car.

Of course, those that don't manage to get one of these limited edition models can put together most of the car by opting for the carbon fiber and Z07 packages.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon

[Source: Chevrolet]

Pics Aplenty: 2011 Corvette Z06 Carbon limited edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments