Autoblog

GM began to counter the rumor and rabble with its Facts and Fiction site. Now they've gone a step further and introduced a video series called The Case for GM. The introduction video is by Christopher Barger, director of global communications technology, telling us that the series is meant to address your questions, and letting us know that the series will provide answers and insight from a large number of GM "team" members.

The second vid is from top guy Rick Wagoner, answering the question "What do you say to those with concerns about GM's future?" Let us be clear that we applaud the effort GM is making to speak to the public. Nevertheless, this video highlights the problem: Wagoner doesn't say anything. At least, nothing we didn't already know. He talks about growth in emerging markets, and hybrids are out, and GM is excited about the Volt and the "electrification of the vehicle," and how GM's design team is showing its reignited passion for cars and trucks. Yeah, so...

This also highlights the difficulty with the idea itself: how much can GM say? They can't talk about future product, they can't give away their technology R&D, they can't commit to revealing anything we don't already know. It would almost be better if they just took the day's latest bad news and said "This story isn't accurate, and this is why...," giving us any examples they could. What we would love to see is if they did a series of videos that took cars in GM's lineup and compared them side-by-side with competitor cars and showed us "This is why the GM product is as good or better."

But we realize that would be a bit unfair. Not even Toyota or Honda is going to do that. But GM says that they want this to be a dialogue, so Autoblog readers, why don't you let GM know what you really want to know -- keep it constructive, remember! -- and maybe you'll get some of your questions answered. We have little doubt that GM can win -- but we would rather see more concrete answers on the showroom floor.

[Source: GM Fast Lane Blog]

In his latest missive on the Fastlane Blog, GM car czar Bob Lutz checks in after a trip to Australia during which he sampled several new Pontiac G8s (he called the Ponchos "fabulous"), the Buick Park Avenue destined for China, and the Daewoo Veritas, another Holden sedan export. Oh, he also drove other development stuff that's in the hopper, including the Camaro development prototype. Lutz said that the car, despite being covered in a spy-photog-unfriendly black-and-white camo pattern, looked "as awesome as the concept" and that its power, sound and braking ability were completely in line with his lofty expectations. (That sound you hear is Brenda Priddy boarding a Qantas 747 to Oz.)

He describes the interior as being "remarkable" as well. We recently saw a GM video put together by the design group, in which a simulation of the Camaro startup process is shown from inside the car's passenger cabin. (It was not an actual car, but a super-high-quality computer simulation). If the interior shown in that video is indeed what's in store for the production Camaro, Lutz's use of "remarkable" is not at all out of line, and we'll all be yammering about it endlessly come January. According to Lutz's post, the Camaro is intended to be "the finest car in its class, ever." He's not doing or saying anything to temper our expectations, and based on what we've seen and heard on our own so far, there's no reason for him to do so.

[Source: GM Fastlane Blog]

General Motors' presence in the 'blogosphere' has taken the next logical progression with the addition of its own Flickr account. Although it's been around for a while, we haven't tired of clicking through some of the great photography that the page has to offer.

Between professional and amateur offerings, there's a little something for everyone, especially the latest additions from the Woodward Dream Cruise. Additionally, you'll find tons of class shots of the Camaro concept along with its predecessors in a variety of settings, the campaign of the Cobalt at the Bonneville Salt Flats and a host of other promotional shots.

Note: for a brief chronicle of GM's baby steps (and missteps) in the blogosphere, check out Jalopnik's history lesson on the subject here.

General Motors chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner chose to fill us in on GM's turnaround progress via the company's FastLane Blog, a soapbox usually reserved for one Bob Lutz.

GM's chief reiterated some of the statements he made earlier in the week to the business media, spinning away a second quarter loss of $3.2 billion by focusing on the company's success in cutting the ranks of hourly workers, promising June numbers in terms of retail sales and market share, and building up an enviable product pipeline including the nation's "most affordable hybrid SUV" in the Saturn Vue Green Line, the sold-out Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky, and the scene-stealing Chevrolet HHR.

While the ship might not have done a complete 180 yet, it's well on its way, Wagoner says.

[Source: GM FastLane Blog]

Not content with giving Bob Lutz and other execs their 21st-century soapbox (aka the FastLane Blog), General Motors launched a new blog Wednesday under the "For Your Information" banner.

The FYI Blog "will highlight the positive developments that occur at GM on a daily basis," and ought to be much more active than the FastLane Blog. We can expect to see posts in areas such as: innovations in products, technology and processes; GM employee profiles; "Good News" stories; op/ed discussions of current issues; and guest posts by non-GM authors.

[Source: GM]