General Motors

Letter stresses community and economic impact of dealership closings

5/22/09 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Wisconsin Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold, sent the following letter to Steven Rattner in response to the closure of Chrysler and GM dealerships nationwide. They urge Rattner to protect car dealers and consider the economic and community impacts of these closings.

May 22, 2009
Mr. Steven Rattner
Counselor to the Secretary of the Treasury
Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry
Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20220

Dear Mr. Rattner:    » read more »

Lawmakers Ask President to Justify Shut Down of Hundreds of Auto Dealerships

May 22, 2009 -- Washington – Senators Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan and Congressman Earl Pomeroy today expressed serious concern about how the closing of Chrysler and General Motors dealerships will impact North Dakota and other rural states.

In a letter to President Obama the delegation requested that the Administration’s Auto Task Force provide more transparency and justification about the decision by the auto companies to shut down hundreds of dealerships, especially those in rural America. The delegation noted the closures could lead to additional hardships for rural auto owners, who will have to travel even further to get their vehicles serviced.    » read more »

May 22, 2009 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (Both MD), sent a joint letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner today urging him to obtain more detailed information from Chrysler and General Motors on their recent decision to abruptly close hundreds of local dealerships nationwide.

“Our constituents are rightly concerned about this latest economic threat to their communities, which is why I want to understand the reason General Motors and Chrysler took such quick action to cut off dealerships that cost them little or no money to maintain,” said Senator Cardin “The end-goal is clear: restore the viability of the U.S. auto industry. But how will this dramatic action help them to survive?”    » read more »

Request information on behalf of Missouri dealerships

May 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter sent today to the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry, U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill and Kit Bond sought answers to concerns raised by those Missouri dealerships selling Chrysler and General Motors vehicles that learned last week that their contracts will soon be terminated.    » read more »

May 22, 2009 -- CHARLESTON, W.Va. - West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin today wrote a letter to President Barack Obama, urging him to carefully consider the potential economic consequences of plans by General Motors and Chrysler to close large numbers of locally owned dealerships as part of their reorganization.

In the letter, the governor wrote that he joins West Virginia’s congressional delegation in expressing concern about the economic impact and job loss that could come from closing dozens of small businesses that have for years been a part of communities across the state.    » read more »

May 22, 2009 -- LANSING - Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today issued the following statement on GMAC:

"I am heartened by yesterday's U.S. Treasury announcement on GMAC. It is yet another strong signal that our government is willing to do whatever it takes to ensure the long-term viability of the U.S. auto industry.

"The announcement creates stability and certainty for both GM and Chrysler dealers and provides credit opportunities for people interested in buying new GM and Chrysler products.

"Coupled with yesterday's announcement by the UAW that it reached a tentative agreement with the Treasury Department and GM on contract and trust fund changes, this is positive news for the long-term viability of GM and Chrysler."

Source: Michigan Governor

2009-05-20 -- DETROIT – General Motors’ initiatives for developing new, fuel-saving technologies have led its engineers to put the squeeze on gasoline – literally.

GM’s continuing development of homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) is pushing this promising, fuel-saving and emissions-reducing engine technology closer to production reality. An HCCI engine, when combined with other advanced technologies, provides up to 15 percent greater fuel economy than a comparable, non-HCCI engine by radically altering the combustion process.    » read more »

Based on findings of CDC expert panel which used OnStar data

2009-05-20 -- DETROIT – OnStar has developed an Injury Severity Prediction based on the findings of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expert panel which will allow OnStar advisors to alert first responders when a vehicle crash is likely to have caused serious injury to the occupants.

Using a collection of built-in vehicle sensors, OnStar Automatic Crash Response system sends crash data to an advisor if the vehicle is involved in a moderate or severe front, rear or side-impact crash. The data includes crash severity, along with the direction of impact, air bag deployment, multiple impacts and vehicle type.    » read more »

2009-05-19 -- DETROIT – General Motors (NYSE: GM) today filed a prospectus supplement with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to its exchange offers for $27 billion of its unsecured public notes and the related consent solicitations that were commenced on April 27, 2009.    » read more »

Call for comprehensive plan for communities impacted by GM and Chrysler restructuring

May 19, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. -- Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV and Senator Robert Byrd last week called for a comprehensive plan to assist communities, dealers, employees, and consumers affected by GM and Chrysler restructuring, urging the Secretary of the Treasury to keep as many dealerships open as possible.

In a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Senators Byrd and Rockefeller wrote:    » read more »

May 18, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today asked the CEO of General Motors, Fritz Henderson, to consider the impact that dealerships have on local communities as the company moves forward with restructuring and reducing its dealership network. Late last week, GM informed 1,100 dealerships that they would be losing their franchise agreements in a plan to cut 2,600 of its 6,200 dealerships under a restructuring agreement with the government.    » read more »

Senator Joins Auto Workers, Labor and Community Leaders to Discuss Federal Assistance to Support Future of Plant, Mansfield Region

May 18, 2009 -- MANSFIELD, OH – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today joined auto workers, labor officials, and community leaders to discuss the future of the General Motors stamping plant in Mansfield.

“It’s critical that we keep GM activity in Mansfield,” Brown said. “Workers at the Mansfield Stamping Plant are among our country’s most productive. The Mansfield Stamping Plan can be an important part of GM’s re-growth and future success.”    » read more »

Brown Also Writes to CEOs of GM, Chrysler Asking for Economic Rationale of Dealership Closings

May 19, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) last week wrote to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner regarding reports that General Motors may begin to export vehicles from China to the U.S. in 2011. Brown asked Geithner to require GM to produce subcompact cars in the U.S. if it receives further government assistance.    » read more »

Statement of GM President And CEO Fritz Henderson

2009-05-18 -- "General Motors commends President Obama's leadership to establish a harmonized National Program to improve vehicle fuel economy and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Energy security and climate change are national priorities that require federal leadership and the President's direction makes sense for the country and the industry. Harmonizing a variety of regulations will benefit consumers across America by getting cleaner, more efficient vehicles on the road quicker and more affordably. In turn, GM and the auto industry benefit by having more consistency and certainty to guide our product plans.    » read more »

May 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Today, General Motors initiated the dealer consolidation plan it laid out in its interim plan on April 27, 2009.

GM’s announcement is part of the company’s larger effort to restructure to achieve financial viability. The Task Force is continuing to work with GM and all its stakeholders and will stand behind GM during this process to ensure that it emerges as a more competitive, viable business in the long-term. As was the case with Chrysler’s dealer consolidation plan, the Task Force was not involved in deciding which dealers, or how many dealers, were part of GM’s announcement today.    » read more »