Does the World Need Another Blog?
by Chris Preuss – VP Communications, GM Europe
When our President, Carl-Peter Forster, asked me to create a blog for GME, my immediate answer was “be careful what you ask for.” It also made me think of this Dilbert cartoon:
Why this blog…and why now (beyond my boss wanting it)? Well, after observing the flow of information and news coverage of GM in Europe over the past several months, it’s clear that a tremendous amount is being written and said about GM. The trouble is, more often than not, it’s not us saying it! My firsthand experience working with the FastLane Blog for GM in Detroit was that it was an effective way of getting our perspective across while driving a more robust conversation with the many audiences that have an interest in GM. “Driving Conversations” will be a site for GM leadership in Europe – mostly led by Carl-Peter -- to discuss products, issues and corporate performance from a personal perspective. The last thing we will make this space is a waste of our time and yours -- it’s not meant to be a new way to disseminate repurposed press release material.
And while we’ll be making a certain amount of editorial accommodation to get the executive’s views from thought to the Internet, this will not be the manufactured content of PR people. For full disclosure, given the executives’ brutal schedules, heavy travel and the like, we’ll be gathering these thoughts and writings in various formats (tape-recorded, transcribed or written) and will post them on the site. But it will always be the actual thoughts and viewpoints of the featured executive. Our hope is that once the blog gets well established, we’ll launch a German section on the site as well. But the thing that will make this most exciting is hearing from all of you…our employees, dealers, suppliers, media and other interested parties who closely follow our business here in Europe and around the world.
While it’s certainly a tough business cycle, it’s also one of the most exciting times of change and opportunity in the history of the automotive business. We look forward to starting this conversation with you on how we are moving forward!
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- Posted in Business |
- Comments (6)
Comments (6)
Frank said:
Welcome to the blogosphere GM Europe! When will we get an Opel super car?
A. Woodruffe said:
Hi Frank,
What do mean when?
All OPELs are super !!
Seriously though I can think of two great cars; the Astra OPC and the OPEL GT. If you haven't driven them yet please do as they, Just like the OPEL Speedster advert showed a few years ago. You'll find the adrenalin rush will leave you not being able to hold a glass water for at least 5 minutes after driving either car.
I assume you might have been hinting at something with a bit more power, but remember power is nothing without control and GM's latest AWD system which first debuted in the Saab 9-3 TurboX gives almost (within half a second) the same performance as the BMW M3 Coupe in all weather conditions other than dry. So good is the system that on slalom tests the XWD (Cross wheel Drive) system out performed a Porsche 911 Carrera 4, Although the exit speed was not as fast as the Porsche the overall time was quicker.
XWD is will not be a Saab specific attribute and I believe the new OPEL Insignia will feature this very same system but likely matted to a more powerful 2.8 V6 engine generating what could be in excess of 300hp.
Regards Anthony
Jean-Charles Jacquemin said:
All OPELs are super !!
I completely agree with you A. Woodruffe all the Opels I have (had) are (were) really super.
Gereon (Germany) said:
I'd recommend reading this:
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080530/FREE/356550315/1023/CARNEWS
In my opinion it's time that GM does a similar thing and introduces the Opel (Saturn) Corsa in the US, even if it first would mean additional costs for necessary modifications. The Corsa for sure would take away market-share from the Asian competition within the small-car-segment. Due to the imminent production-cuts of SUV's and large Pick-Up's, capacities would be released for building the Corsa in the US as well. This should avoid any issues, caused by the strong Euro, which otherwise might hurt the profits, if the Corsa would be exported from Europe to the US instead, as it's done with the Astra.
Scott Jensen said:
Looking around here I don't see anywhere that I can subscribe to be sent an email when a new blog post has been added. If I missed it, please point it out. If such doesn't exist, I'd recommend you add it.
Second, I just read The Atlantic's "Electro-Shock Therapy" article on the Volt....
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200807/general-motors
...that just came out today and resulted in me eventually finding this blog. I would suggest you use this blog to write your impressions of that and other articles done on GM. If they got something wrong, here you can correct that. If they left something out that would have been good to know, you can add that here. All that and any antidotes you can relay about the interview and/or interviewer would be fun to read.
Third, I used the GM comment form to send a message to you, Mr. Preuss. I asked them to forward it to you. Hopefully it will get to you.
Keith Childs said:
We don't offer e-mail alerts on GM Blogs and we have thought about it carefully- but we decided to focus on updates via RSS. But thanks for the suggestion and Chris Preuss wanted me to add he appreciated your input.
Keith Childs
GM Europe Communications