0
0
January 13, 2010
Mike Simcoe: Going Global with Design at Chevy
Atomicalex
“There’s no doubt about it, it’s an amazing place. The history, the ghosts. You know you are somewhere special.” That’s how Mike Simcoe, Executive Director of Design for Chevrolet, describes working at GM Tech Center’s design studios in Warren, MI. Designed by Eero Saarinen at the height of the Atomic Age, the complex is an mid-century masterpiece and a place where design and style invade every view. It’s the perfect place to lead a design renaissance from. Simcoe talked to me about the new global design language for Chevrolet, and no, it does not specify two tail lights on every car. More after the jump.
Continue reading "Mike Simcoe: Going Global with Design at Chevy" »
January 12, 2010
Tom Peters: Intuitive Design at Chevy
Atomicalex
Interviews don’t get much better than this: I sat down with Tom Peters, Design Director for Rear Wheel Drive Performance/Corvette/Full Size Truck, and got a lesson on mental preparation for drag racing. Peters likened the mental and emotional clarity needed for a perfect pass to the zen state designers need to be in when creating cars and trucks. Any disturbance in the force can find itself onto a car, and people see it immediately. This ability to intuitively find the right line for a car is what drives good design, and is one of the things that Bob Lutz has given GM designers the freedom to put to work. More on Peters’ comments about taking on Full Size Truck after the jump.
January 8, 2010
Heading to Detroit
By Rob Einaudi
Editor-in-Chief
On Sunday I’m flying out to Detroit to cover the North American International Auto Show with Katherine and Jim. We’ll be talking to folks at GM, Ford, Chrysler and VW, and of course reporting on everything cool we find at the show. I had a blast last year and I’m looking forward to going to the Designer Night party again this year. So is there anything in particular you guys want me to ask about or report on? My buddies at Moparts already loaded me up with a ton of questions about the Challenger. We’ve also set up meetings with a bunch of the Mustang designers and engineers, so definitely post your Mustang questions here. We’ll be posting plenty of pics in the CarDomain Events section, and a ton of video on StreetFire as well, so stay tuned…
December 21, 2009
What Do Your Cars Say About You?
By Sam Barer
Sound Classics
We always hear the stereotypes associated with owners of specific types of cars. The British owner is supposedly one part traditionalist and another part masochist, the manual transmission user thinks he’s a racer, the 4X4er likes to think he can go anywhere, and the V8 driver doesn’t care about the environment. Of course, if a guy pulls up in a sports car he’s obviously compensating, right?
Today I was watching my computer’s screensaver–a slideshow of most of the cars I’ve owned in the last decade. I started thinking–what might my cars, past and present, say about me?
Continue reading after the jump!
December 18, 2009
GM Makes First Loan Payment
Atomicalex
Official release from GM, attributed to Ed Whitacre: “I am pleased to announce that today, GM followed through on its commitment to begin loan repayments to the U.S. and Canadian and Ontario governments. We paid $1.0 billion to the U.S. Treasury and $192 million to Export Development Canada.
We are grateful for the support the governments have provided us. We look forward to continuing repayments through June 2010, at which time the balances will be paid in full, assuming no downturn in the economy or business.”
This is pretty awesome, considering the state of GM a year ago.
GM Kills Saab
By Rob Einaudi
Editor-in-Chief
Way to go guys, you killed another legendary brand. Press release after the jump.
December 2, 2009
Cadillac Drops Two Doors in LA
By John Naderi
StreetFire.net
Much like the impending drop top Camaro we knew it was coming, this, the Coupe version of Cadillac’s comely CTS. And there it sat with little fanfare at the LA Auto Show. Our only hint was an invite-only affair on the eve of the show’s press days that apparently we weren’t invited to (that’s okay, we just cuddled up on the couch with some warm tea and a yummy chick flick – French Kiss, if you must know). Hit the jump for more on the CTS Coupe and less on Meg Ryan.
November 6, 2009
All Up In Their Booth: the General at SEMA
By John Coyle
Deputy Editor
Did you know the General brought back the Camaro for 2010? There’s no way I’d have known,except for the fact that you can’t walk six inches at SEMA without bumping into one. I’m kidding, obviously, and I don’t mean to sound like I’m begrudging my favorite domestic automaker all the fanfare surrounding the return of its legendary muscle car. I think the boys and girls at GM did a great job with the Camaro, and the silver one in the pic below is so hot it makes me want to use expletives. To be honest, I’m a little pissed that we aren’t going to see a NASCAR version, but the Hancoock/Seibon car that’s going to run in Formula D—which is posted after the jump—is wicked, and the ZR1 was a close second for the car I wanted to shoplift from SEMA. Oh, and from the looks of the booth, you’d never know Lutz’s overlords were trying to pawn Hummer off on the Chinese. Tons of pics after the jump.
Continue reading "All Up In Their Booth: the General at SEMA" »
November 5, 2009
VSR Cadillac V-Series Powered Sports Rod Concept at SEMA
By Rob Einaudi
Editor-in-Chief
I loved this thing. Definitely one of the coolest rides in the GM booth. More pics, stats and a walk-around video after the jump!
Continue reading "VSR Cadillac V-Series Powered Sports Rod Concept at SEMA" »
November 3, 2009
NASCAR Nostalgia In The GM Booth
By Jen Dunnaway
Editor
GM is making a bit of a hoopla over the 25th anniversary of Hendrick Motorsports, for which they’ll be issuing a Hendrick edition Camaro, limited to a run of 25 units. That car doesn’t seem to be here yet, though there are a couple of other nostalgic NASCAR racers already in place in the booth. I’m thinking that the Hendrick Camaro looks a little plain-jane considering what they might have done with it, but I guess I’ll have to reserve judgment until I can see it in person. Pics and video below the jump!
