Canadian Auto News Watch - Friday March 27, 2015
General Motors Corporate News
New board member for GM
Permalink: oshawaexpress.ca...
oshawaexpress.ca - Fri Mar 27 2015
Camaro says goodbye to Canada
Note: Also in The Brantford Expositor.
Byline: GLEN WOODCOCK AUTONET, Page: D3, Edition: Final
The St. Catharines Standard - Fri Mar 27 2015
Pay rises in America: Serfs up
Page: 93
The Economist - Sat Mar 28 2015
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General Motors Product News
MID-SIZE MALIBU EASY TO LIVE WITH
Byline: GLEN WOODCOCK , [email protected], Page: A1, Edition: Final
The Winnipeg Sun - Fri Mar 27 2015
2015 Chevrolet Impala 4dr Sdn LTZ - Autofocus.ca
Permalink: www.autofocus.ca...
autofocus.ca - Fri Mar 27 2015
2016 Chevrolet Malibu
Permalink: www.msn.com...
msn.com - Fri Mar 27 2015
Chevrolet announces Malibu Hybrid
Permalink: www.autogo.ca...
autogo.ca - Fri Mar 27 2015
Malibu hybrid | Autonet.ca
Permalink: www.autonet.ca...
autonet.ca - Fri Mar 27 2015
Chevrolet Cruze, 2011-2014 - Autos.ca
Permalink: www.autos.ca...
autos.ca - Fri Mar 27 2015
2015 Buick Encore; Day 3 - Autos.ca
Permalink: www.autos.ca...
autos.ca - Fri Mar 27 2015
2016 Cadillac V6 Engines - The Car Guide
Permalink: www.guideautoweb.com...
guideautoweb.com - Fri Mar 27 2015
2015 Cadillac ATS4 Coupe | Auto123
Permalink: www.auto123.com...
auto123.com - Fri Mar 27 2015
2015 Chevrolet Equinox | Auto123
Permalink: www.auto123.com...
auto123.com - Fri Mar 27 2015
Brand revamp pays off for good ol' Buick; Comeback sparked by snazzy new look, ad
campaign targeting younger buyers
Byline: Tom Krisher And Dee-Ann Durbin, Source: The Associated Press, Page: F9, Edition: Final
Times Colonist (Victoria) - Fri Mar 27 2015
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General Motors Corporate News
New board member for GM
oshawaexpress.ca
Fri Mar 27 2015
View original item at oshawaexpress.ca...»
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Camaro says goodbye to Canada
The St. Catharines Standard
Fri Mar 27 2015
Page: D3
Section: Autonet
Byline: GLEN WOODCOCK AUTONET
general
motors
noted
Also in The Brantford Expositor.
on
Fri
Mar
27
2015
5:50
am
ET
Well, this makes it official: General Motors of Canada is losing production of the Camaro, something that had
been rumoured for years.
In a press release on March 16 in Detroit, GM said the sixth-generation Camaro would be revealed on May 16
and built in the Lansing, Mich. plant that now produces the Cadillac ATS (with which the new Camaro shares a
chassis).
This will be the second time production of this iconic car has been taken away from Canada. The fourthgeneration Camaro (and Firebird) was built in Ste. Therese, Que. From 1993 until the brand was killed and the
plant closed in 2002. When the fifth-generation Camaro was reborn in 2009, production was given to GM
Canada's Oshawa, Ont. facility, where more than half a million Camaros have been built for model years 201015.
I reached out to GM Canada for comment and got this email response from Adria MacKenzie: "We're making
strides on our work with partners regarding future plans for Oshawa Assembly, but as outlined in (Canadian
president and managing director) Steve Carlisle's community update in January, we will not be able to give
definitive answers for two years. We've begun the detailed planning processes for Oshawa that will extend
through 2015 and 2016. We are going to work through that with our partners and do what's needed to ensure
we have the most productive, high-quality and cost competitive operation possible."
You can watch a video of a camouflaged sixth generation Camaro online. It appears to be more compact than
the present version from Canada.
The new Camaro will make its official debut at Michigan's Belle Isle, the 982-acre island park that is home to
the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, on May 29-31.
Those hoping to attend must pre-register at www.thecamarosix.com.The event is free but space on Belle Isle is
limited. Priority will be given to fans who agree to bring their Camaros to the event.
"This will be an event Camaro fans will not want to miss," said Todd Christensen, Camaro marketing manager.
"This is only the sixth time we have introduced an all-new Camaro. We wanted to share the moment with the
customers and fans who have helped make Camaro both America's favorite performance car for the past five
years, and a cultural icon since 1967."
About 1,000 fans are expected to attend the Camaro reveal, which will also include: a "Camaro Museum"
display of the most significant vehicles from the brand's history; hot-lap rides around the Belle Isle Grand Prix
course in the 2015 Camaro Z/28; the opportunity to talk with Camaro designers and engineers; Camaro-only
parking for owners.
[email protected]
© 2015 Osprey Media Group Inc. All rights reserved.
Illustration:
• AUTONET PHOTOS
• First generation 1969 Camaro
• Third generation 1982 Chevrolet Camaro Z28.
• Fifth generation 2011 Camaro Convertible
Edition: Final
Length: 433 words
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Pay rises in America: Serfs up
The Economist
Sat Mar 28 2015
Page: 93
American firms are having to get back into the habit of granting pay rises
THIS week the rank and file of the United Auto Workers union (UAW) met in Detroit under a logo of a clenched
fist and the slogan, "It's our time". When they last collectively negotiated a big pay deal, it was in 2011 and
General Motors, Ford and Chrysler were still crawling out of the worst recession in memory. What the workers
got then reflected the firms' feeble condition: for Ford's hourly-paid UAW members that was an annual rise of
just 1%.
That deal expires this year, just as the motor industry is booming again. The big-three car firms complain that
their wage bills are still higher than those of foreign rivals, and say they will resist pay rises. But together they
made underlying pre-tax profits of $19 billion in 2014. Workers want their slice of the cake. The gathering in
Detroit was to plan tactics ahead of talks with the car bosses in July.
Carmaking is not the only industry where there is upward pressure on pay. In February Walmart, known for its
stingy wages and lack of unions, said it would pay junior staff at least $9 per hour, which is above the federal
minimum wage of $7.25. That will affect 500,000 staff and cost $1 billion, equivalent to 6% of net profits. This
week Target, another retailer, was reported to have raised its minimum pay to $9 an hour. It so far refuses to
confirm this.
The Federal Reserve and many economists may be perplexed as to why hourly wage rises across the
economy remain subdued, at just 2% year-on-year in February, even as the unemployment rate has reached a
low of 5.5%. But to many bosses it is clear which way the wind is blowing.
For a start there is political and popular pressure to raise pay, and not just from the White House. Seattle's
mayor, Ed Murray, plans to force big firms in the city to pay at least $15 an hour by 2017. At the bottom of the
pay scale the actions of giants such as Walmart will have a knock-on effect among the 3m- odd Americans who
get paid the federal minimum wage or less. McDonald's recent annual report warns of "the trend towards higher
wages".
The bosses of smaller companies, which account for a large chunk of employment, already face a tight labour
market. In February the share of small firms that said they had job openings that they were unable to fill, and
were raising pay, rose to levels last seen before the 2008 financial crisis, according to the National Federation
of Independent Business.
If many bosses fret about rising pay, investors do not. Most listed firms do not disclose their labour costs and
few analysts ask about them. That seems complacent. The companies that form the S&P 500 index of
America's biggest firms employ 24m people worldwide. And their profits are still quite sensitive to wage costs.
A 10% rise in pay would cut profits by 8%, based on official statistics for big American multinationals. Walmart's
shares dropped by 3% on the day that it announced its pay rise.
Rising paybills need not be bad news for shareholders, however. In labour- intensive industries the American
way of low pay, low staff retention and low motivation may be a false economy. Perhaps a third of Walmart's
staff are reckoned to quit in any given year, which could be one reason why it often scores poorly for customer
service. In 2014 it said inept shelf-stocking cost it $3 billion a year--more than its planned pay rise. As the
economy improves, many retailers are busy hiring new staff only to see others walk out of the door (see chart).
Zeynep Ton of the MIT Sloan School of Management notes that some retailers, including Costco, pay more
and have happier staff who quit less and build up skills. Margins are higher as a result.
But if a trend of rising wages does set in, it will require a change of mindset among American firms. Managing
labour is an art form in economies beset by pay inflation. In India, outsourcing firms such as TCS, which
employs 318, 000 people, put intense effort into reducing staff-churn rates--TCS's is just 13% per year.
Corporate America has almost forgotten what it is like when people are a scarce resource. It is time to
remember.
© 2015 The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved.
Length: 716 words
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General Motors Product News
MID-SIZE MALIBU EASY TO LIVE WITH
The Winnipeg Sun
Fri Mar 27 2015
Page: A1
Section: Autonet
Byline: GLEN WOODCOCK , [email protected]
One of the auto industry's most crowded, most competitive market segments is the midsize family sedan
segment. Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Ford Fusion have dominated in recent years, but not to be
forgotten is the Chevrolet Malibu.
This eighth generation model was introduced in model year 2013, and the Malibu nameplate goes back to
1964. On April 3, 2015, the ninth generation 2016 Malibu will be revealed at the New York Auto Show.
But no need to wait for the new one to get a solid, good-looking car. In fact, last year J.D. Power and
Associates awarded Malibu the highest score in its class in the initial quality study that focuses on problems
experienced during the first 90 days of ownership.
For 2015 there are five trim levels, ranging from the $26,790 LS to the loaded LTZ for $36,565.
Malibu comes with a choice of four-cylinder Ecotec engines. The naturally aspirated 2.5L makes 196 hp and
186 lb-ft of torque, while the turbocharged 2.0L, with direct injection, pumps out 259 hp and an impressive 295
lb-ft of torque. Both are coupled to GM's workhorse six-speed automatic transmission.
In a recent test drive of a Malibu with the 2.5, my real world fuel economy was 9.4 L/100 km -a number that
certainly was aided by the engine's stop/start technology when driving in heavy city traffic.
The interior of my tester was finished in a pleasant Cocoa/ Light Neutral leather, but the wood trim, if real,
certainly did a good job of looking fake. The bucket seats up front are excellent and there are lots of places to
stash small items. Unlike most vehicles these days the cupholders don't swallow small cups of takeout and the
audio and HVAC controls are user-friendly.
Standard features, even on base models, include 16-inch wheels, electric power steering, driver information
centre, ABS with cornering brake control, air conditioning, and steering wheel controls for Bluetooth, cruise and
audio.
Options include bigger wheels (up to 19 inches), a sunroof, Chevrolet MyLink radio with navigation, and an
Advanced Safety Package with useful technology such as forward collision alert, lane departure warning, side
blind zone alert, and rear cross traffic alert.
For whatever reason, GM has not made the useful rearview camera, heated front seats, or an auto-dimming
rear-view mirror available on LS trims vehicles.
With front-wheel drive, StabiliTrak, and traction con-t rol, Malibu's handling is solid and the ride is quiet and
refined. It's an easy car to live with, especially in upscale trim, and especially with the big discounts GM now is
offering.
© 2015 Sun Media Corporation. All rights reserved.
Illustration:
• photo
• The Chevy Malibu stands out in a very competitive mid-size family sedan market.
Edition: Final
Length: 412 words
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2015 Chevrolet Impala 4dr Sdn LTZ - Autofocus.ca
autofocus.ca
Fri Mar 27 2015
View original item at www.autofocus.ca...»
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2016 Chevrolet Malibu
msn.com
Fri Mar 27 2015
View original item at www.msn.com...»
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Chevrolet announces Malibu Hybrid
autogo.ca
Fri Mar 27 2015
View original item at www.autogo.ca...»
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Malibu hybrid | Autonet.ca
autonet.ca
Fri Mar 27 2015
View original item at www.autonet.ca...»
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Chevrolet Cruze, 2011-2014 - Autos.ca
autos.ca
Fri Mar 27 2015
View original item at www.autos.ca...»
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2015 Buick Encore; Day 3 - Autos.ca
autos.ca
Fri Mar 27 2015
View original item at www.autos.ca...»
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2016 Cadillac V6 Engines - The Car Guide
guideautoweb.com
Fri Mar 27 2015
View original item at www.guideautoweb.com...»
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2015 Cadillac ATS4 Coupe | Auto123
auto123.com
Fri Mar 27 2015
View original item at www.auto123.com...»
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2015 Chevrolet Equinox | Auto123
auto123.com
Fri Mar 27 2015
View original item at www.auto123.com...»
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Brand revamp pays off for good ol' Buick; Comeback sparked by
snazzy new look, ad campaign targeting younger buyers
Times Colonist (Victoria)
Fri Mar 27 2015
Page: F9
Section: Driving
Byline: Tom Krisher And Dee-Ann Durbin
Dateline: DETROIT
Source: The Associated Press
Buick, the brand that once was the pace car for the drive to the senior centre, has made a comeback by
appealing to buyers not yet ready for retirement.
U.S. sales rose 11 per cent in 2014. In China, Buick's biggest market, sales gained almost 14 per cent.
This week, strong showings in two influential quality surveys are bringing good publicity to a nameplate that
was inches from the grave when its parent company, General Motors, was in bankruptcy six years ago.
On Wednesday, Buick finished second to perennial winner Lexus in the annual dependability rankings by J.D.
Power and Associates. A day earlier, it was the first U.S. brand to crack the top 10 in Consumer Reports
magazine's annual rankings, finishing seventh. The Buick Regal midsize car even bested the BMW 328i for top
sports sedan honours from the magazine.
It is all part of a turnaround at Buick led by some creative television ads, updated cars and the almost perfectly
timed debut of the Buick Encore, a new small SUV that hit showrooms two years ago just as consumers were
abandoning cars in favour of higher-sitting vehicles.
Buick has been on J.D. Power's top 10 brand list for long-term reliability every year for the past decade, even
winning top honours in 2007 and 2009. This year, the firm surveyed original owners of 2012 models. That
helped Buick because all but one of its 2012 models had been in production for at least a year, and older
models tend to have fewer problems than new ones, said Dave Sargent, J.D. Power's global automotive vicepresident.
Also, Buick has older customers than other brands, and they tend to take better care of cars and complain less
than younger buyers, Sargent said. All General Motors brands, which share many components, have seen
reliability improvements for seven straight years, he said.
Despite the gains, Buick has not returned to its heyday. U.S. sales of 229,000 last year were less than onethird of the 942,000 vehicles sold in 1984. And while the average age of a Buick buyer has fallen to 59, it's still
eight years older than the average for a U.S. car buyer, according to Kelley Blue Book.
In the J.D. Power survey, Lexus owners reported only 89 problems per 100 vehicles. Buick owners reported
110, followed by Toyota at 111 and Cadillac at 114, while Honda and Porsche tied for fifth pace with 116.
The industry average was 147 problems. Fiat was the worst performing brand, with 273 problems per 100
vehicles. Land Rover, Jeep, Mini and Dodge rounded out the bottom five performers.
The top two complaints were technical ones: inability to pair phones to the car and trouble with voice
recognition systems, which often misunderstood drivers' commands. That's a change from past years, when
design problems like wind noise or mechanical issues topped the list.
The rankings are important to automakers, since unhappy customers are more likely to shop other brands
when they buy their next vehicle.
For the past three decades, GM has tried with little success to attract more youthful buyers to Buick, enlisting
famous pitchmen such as Tiger Woods, Shaquille O'Neal and Peyton Manning. But a new ad campaign
featuring people who don't recognize updated Buicks is getting noticed with its "That's not a Buick" tagline.
Ten years ago, the average Buick buyer was a retiree and grandparent, driving to the golf course. But the
brand now attracts empty-nest baby boomers who often are downsizing from larger vehicles. Buick's two
crossover SUVs, the larger Enclave, and the compact Encore, have average buyer ages below 60, and even
are attracting people in their 30s.
The Encore, which starts at $24,605, saw sales rise 53 per cent last year to nearly 50,000. Two car models, the
Regal and LaCrosse, have been restyled, and sales are up as people opt for a little more luxury than
mainstream models offer, Sargent said.
The younger buyers, quality rankings and rising sales are all interconnected, because the top reason people
buy Buicks is the perception of quality, said Tony DiSalle, the brand's vice-president of marketing.
Engineers, he said, have spent countless hours making Buicks quiet, which customers often equate to quality.
The four-spot television ad campaign is changing the way people view the brand because it replaces the
outdated image of stodgy, boring cars, DiSalle said. "It all goes after the same message, which is really
challenging the dateness perception that's in the minds of the consumer," he said.
And after years of trying, it all seems to be working.
"Buicks don't look like Buicks anymore," said Sargent. "They're pretty sharp looking, modern vehicles, and
customers are gravitating toward that."
Illustration:
• Tribune News Service / A concept car displayed at an auto show in Shanghai a couple of years ago let the world know that the
new generation of Buicks wouldn't be your grandpa's sedan.
Edition: Final
Story Type: News
Length: 760 words
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