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Why Cadillac hasn’t found success yet in World Challenge Series, and why it’s not giving up

Filed under: Motorsports, Cadillac

Cadillac CTS-V SCCA race car

Cadillac CTS-V Coupe SCCA race car takes on all comers – Click above for high-res image gallery

The last time Cadillac lined up for the World Challenge Series from 2004 to 2007, it was competing with the CTS-V sedan. As put by an understated Jim Vurpillat, Cadillac’s global head of marketing, “We’ve been here before and had some success.”

The CTS-V Coupe race cars were plucked from the same line as cars headed to dealerships.

By “some success,” he means that the four-door roared off with the championship in its second and fourth years. The team has a steep road to climb if they’re going to relive that kind of winning percentage with its new CTS-V Coupe, but, having watched the package shred the Long Beach circuit last weekend, there’s no doubt they have a car that will be able to do it… eventually.

With just six months to prepare for the racing season, the two CTS-V Coupes piloted by Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim were built at the Lansing, Michigan plant, plucked from the same line as cars headed to dealerships. They were then taken to Pratt & Miller, the same firm that prepped the championship-winning CTS-V sedans, to be overhauled.

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Gallery: Cadillac CTS-V Coupe at the Long Beach World Challenge Series race

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Why Cadillac hasn’t found success yet in World Challenge Series, and why it’s not giving up originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Bob Lutz gives Lotus a 60% chance of success

Filed under: Lotus

Bob Lutz in front of reporters

If anyone knows about turning things around, it’s Bob Lutz. After all, he was a naval aviator, and those guys can pull some serious G forces. He’s also widely credited with keeping Chrysler alive for longer than it might have been otherwise. But what’s he up to these days?

Well for one thing he’s sitting on the senior advisory board for Lotus, giving Dany Bahar and company some guidance as they endeavor to usher the House that Colin Built into a new era. And an ambitious endeavor it is, rolling out five new models all at once while expanding its motorsports program tenfold and then some.

So what does Lutz think of Lotus’ chances? Well he’s optimistic, but cautiously so. Lutz reportedly gives the prospects at least a 60 percent chance to succeed, but importantly, he thinks it’s more viable than the company’s current path. According to Lutz, “It’s a risk. But I’m quite certain it stands a better chance than the Lotus status quo, which for sure would eventually lead this great brand into terminal decline.”

In other words, while there are no guarantees, it’s a good plan – not a perfect one – and it’ll take some good ol’ fashion elbow grease to make it work – something Lutz knows all about.

[Source: Autocar | Image: Stan Honda/AFP]

Report: Bob Lutz gives Lotus a 60% chance of success originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Will GM’s EV policy be dictated by the success of its IPO?

Filed under: Technology, GM, Earnings/Financials

2011 Chevrolet Volt

2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors is getting closer to the day it takes that financial plunge and once again offers its stock to the world. The day of the IPO, which is speculated to occur in November, will be a very important day for the future of GM. If it goes well, it will provide the automaker with a massive infusion of cash, much of it which figures to be used to repay the government. The money could also be tucked away into the General’s treasury where it can serve to fund product development. One such area of development? Electric vehicles.

GM is finally getting ready to release the Chevrolet Volt upon the waiting world, and early demand for the vehicle is high. However, the technology’s long-term financial viability at GM remains very much in doubt, and according to TheDetroitBureau.com sources, while other Voltec programs are being explored, nothing has been approved yet because executives and board members are waiting to see how the IPO affects their research and development budgets.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt: First Drive

2011 Chevrolet Volt

Will GM’s EV policy be dictated by the success of its IPO? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Obama working to pitch success of auto bailouts to American public

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Chrysler, GM, Earnings/Financials

You don’t have to be a pollster to know that for the most part, the American public remains none too happy about the federal government handing over the people’s hard-earned tax dollars to pull General Motors and Chrysler out of the fires of insolvency. Despite the fact that both companies have managed to keep their lights on, doors open and paychecks flowing due to their generous federal loans, Joe Plumber still can’t stand the thought of paying the price of the two companies’ failures. With midterm elections right around the corner, President Obama is in Detroit to attempt to sway that opinion.

The Commander-in-Chief will speak to crowds at Chrysler’s Jefferson North plant about the positive side of loaning close to $85 billion to two of our country’s largest automakers, including the fact that in 2010, the Big Three have re-hired a total of 55,000 of the 334,000 workers it sent packing a year prior. That may seem like a fraction of the total, but the President is certain to point out that without the loans, that job loss figure would have been much higher.

And then there’s the matter of getting the federal government’s money back. President Obama is also focusing on sharing his belief that a large majority of the country’s money will be returned once GM and Chrysler go public once again.

Interested in keeping tabs on Obama’s visit to Motown? The Detroit Free Press has a liveblog that you can follow along with (including live audio) by clicking here.

[Sources: Bloomberg, Detroit Free Press | Image: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty]

Obama working to pitch success of auto bailouts to American public originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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