GM’s CEO talks, sells more busses and considers selling something more. Chrysler announces the return of the Pentastar and a deal with Cerberus and Daimler to fund its pensions. Buick get a new logo and slogan, and Saturn gets a new ad campaign. Details on all after the break.
GM CEO Rick Wagoner said Thursday he didn’t see the Chrysler deal starting a rush towards private ownership in the auto industry. He said he expects to see further consolidation in the industry though. While giving his speech, he attacked federal lawmakers who support dramatically tougher fuel standards as “pie in the sky, unfunded federal mandates” for not providing Detroit help in meeting them.
Reutersreported Wednesday afternoon, GM is considering selling its medium duty truck unit to Navistar. The discussions are just in the preliminary stages according to Reuters and neither company would offer comment on the matter.
The Seattle Post Intelligencer reported Thursday morning the city of Seattle has put its money where its mouth is, and the next 100 buses they buy will come equipped with GM’s Dual Mode hybrid system. The contract covers up to 500 buses should the city exercise it in its entirety and is worth more than $500 million. The first 100 buses will be delivered by 2010.
The UAW announced it had received a guarantee of an additional $1.2 billion contribution to the Chrysler pension fund by Daimler and Cerberus as part of the deal for Chrysler, Automotive News reported. The UAW also told employees of the automaker in an online discussion that Cerberus had guaranteed them no additional job cuts beyond the already announced restructuring.
The Detroit Free Press reported today that Chrysler would return to using the old Pentastar logo for the company. It won’t be the same pentastar as was on your grandparents K-Car however, as it will be “updated and modernized.”
Along with the summertime launch of its new Enclave crossover, Buick announced yet another new slogan “Drive Beautiful” and an updated look for its classic tri-shield logo. The first advertisements will air May 20.
Buick isn’t the only GM division getting a new ad campaign and slogan. Saturn has just launched a major advertising push for its hybrid models. Created by Deutsch LA, the slogan “Rethink American” plays up Saturn’s domestic roots and its environmental friendliness. Ads started running last Monday on Heroes which airs on NBC.
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05/17, 1:48 PM
posted by:
homeboy234
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05/17, 2:09 PM
posted by:
Piablo
LMAO! Way to go homey.
I bet the change for the pentastar has been on the table for some time now. Daimler wouldn’t allow it, too similar to the Benz. Let those Chrysler guys out for one day on their own and look what happens! I’m picturing a very large pentastar on the front grill similar to the SL-500. We’ll see about this private ownership topic… I wish to hell the huge conglomerates would break up. Create some more comepetition, create better quality.
05/17, 2:18 PM
posted by:
jonnycat
Funny I forgot about the Penta star and never realized it was gone even after seeing the winged logo for years now.
As for the Saturn commercials, they started playing this week not next week week.
05/17, 2:21 PM
posted by:
homeboy234
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05/17, 2:34 PM
posted by:
Stridder44
Wow looks like homeboy needs to get laid.
05/17, 2:40 PM
posted by:
homeboy234
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05/17, 2:56 PM
posted by:
homeboy234
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05/17, 2:58 PM
posted by:
Brendino
I kinda liked the wings on the current Chrysler logo, but we’ll see what happens.
If the new Buick logo is what’s on their site, then I like it a lot.
I appreciate the moderation, moderators, so thank you
05/17, 2:59 PM
posted by:
Jazz
lol , they’ve finally leashed homeboy. I wonder why they just don’t delete his account?
05/17, 3:02 PM
posted by:
dl_caldwell
My confidence in Chrysler and it’s products dropped drastically after this deal. Watching the “Vulture Capitalists” swoop in and take control was pretty chilling. What Cerberus needs to do is convince the car buying public that WE are safe to buy their cars. The Chrysler Pacifica was high on the list for my next car – now I’m not so sure!
05/17, 3:03 PM
posted by:
04focus
i think it would be cool if chrysler kept the pentastar for the group logo and keep using the winged seal for the cars, kinda like the chiclets GM group logo vs the red GMC logo.
05/17, 3:24 PM
posted by:
renzogtr
Americana rules…. the rest of the world can just deal
05/17, 4:45 PM
posted by:
Jordan
i was actually thinking exactly what 04focus was thinking, that chrysler uses the pentastar as a corporate logo and retains the winged badge on actual chrysler vehicles. i fail to see how they could “update” the pentastar, anyway. it’s a pentagram with five lines inside it. you just can’t change it that much.
homeboy, shut up. you’re annoying, and i fail to see how jazz’s comment makes him stupid, since you’re the one with all the apparent problems. gb2/primary school.
05/17, 5:02 PM
posted by:
illwill
SSHMMRRAACKK!!
05/17, 10:13 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
Hahaha, good for homegay234, it had that coming.
Anyway, I think Rick Wagoner should stop whining so much about the increased fuel efficiency standards and start doing *something* about some of their gas-guzzling engines. The fuel consumption of their 8.1L Vortec V-8 for example is atrocious!
05/18, 4:09 AM
posted by:
GT40
HAHA! yes, no more homeboy.
05/18, 8:52 AM
posted by:
PrimeGTP
I didn’t realize people shopped 8.1L V-8 high-torque towing-designed truck engines by their gas mileage, LOL!
05/18, 11:07 AM
posted by:
Mitch Bangowitz
Yay! I like the penthouse star!!!
05/18, 3:01 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
PrimeGTP: I don’t have the data, so perhaps most of the customers don’t, but wouldn’t it be a wise decision to make the engine more fuel efficient? Just a thought…:-|