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| The new compact ones come already |
| “Made in USA” |
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Chevrolet Spark will enter production this year, inside the new strategy of GM of making more compact, economic and less pollutant cars. His executives initiated conversations in Washington DC, with delegations of three states, to decide about which of them will construct them. photo: Paul Sancya / AP
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Henry C. Jackson
aP
General Motors Corp informed that his new generation of compact cars might construct in Michigan, Tenesí or Winsconsin, which will be decided in the next weeks. The first model will be Chevrolet Spark based on the prototype Beat, added the sources.
Officials of the company met in Washington DC state and federal delegations to discuss the selection criteria.
“ Part of the reason for which we are here is because we want to go forward more quickly that we prune... so I can say to them that it will be a decision that we take in weeks, not months”, affirmed Troy Clarke, president of the operations of GM of North America.
The delegations had abundant questions, allowed Clarke.
The plants of Michigan and Tenesí are ready to finish his production in the third trimester of this year, but they will remain ready to resume works. The factory of Wisconsin closed in April.
The meetings
On having gone out of a meeting with Tenesí officials, Clarke said that he wanted to show for what GM is looking in the new place. “We wanted to be available for answering the questions at any level of detail that the state delegations should want”, it mentioned.
The democratic representative of Tenesí, Lincoln Davis, in whose district is the plant of Spring Hill, proved to be satisfied after the meeting with the GM leaders.
“ With the investment that GM has done and the one that we could do in the future... (Spring Hill) is in a good position to be chosen like the place”, it supported.
Members of the legislative delegation of Winsconsin expressed a bulletin after his meeting, praising the GM officials for coming to Washington DC to talk on the plans of the company.
“ We make clear that the workpeople in Janesville (where the GM plant stays) are enthusiasts and well prepared to help to that GM modernizes with his new line of small and more efficient cars in the fuel consumption”, they said.
The representative of Michigan, Vern Ehlers, revealed that the GM officials said to the delegation of Michigan “what factors they would be considering and they were very logical and direct”.
GM originally glided to construct his new small car in China. Last month he announced that it would do it in the United States like an authorization to the trade unions.
GM operates under the Chapter 11 of the law of bankruptcies the first day of this month.
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| After acquisition of Chrysler and GM Europe |
| New Fiat Nº 2 of the world |
Colleen Barry
New York / AP
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Plant of assembly Mirafliori of Fiat, in Turin, which production will extend the whole Europe as well as the United States and Latin America. Photo: Massimo Pinca / AP
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The general manager of Fiat, Sergio Marchionne, will happen to assume the same position in Chrysler later that the American manufacturer goes out of the bankruptcy protection, confirmed a spokesman of the Italian giant Fiat.
The idea of Marchionne of creating a vast operation that it converts to Fiat into the second manufacturer of the world and the biggest of Europe has made the analysts open-mouthed.
Marchionne, which assumed the Fiat direction when this giant Italian was losing money and turned it into a reliable company from 2004, affirmed that the self-propelled companies need to make approximately 5,5 million units a year, the double of what produces at present Fiat, to be able to survive.
The Fiat goal is to restructure the company Fiat Group Automóviles – that Romeo includes the marks Fiat, Lancia and Alpha - to create a new company that it includes also to Chrysler, GM Europe and now the GM operations in Latin America.
Fiat moved forward that the new company would make 6 million vehicles.
Marchionne, of 56 years and of double nationality, Canadian and Italian, it was mentioned for the headquarter since the Italian manufacturer came to an agreement to acquire 20 per cent of Chrysler in bankruptcy. The general manager of Chrysler, Bob Nardelli, announced that he will resign when it concludes the bankruptcy process, leaving the charge for Marchionne.
Marchionne continues his strategy to assume the operations GM in Europe-Opel in Germany, Vauxhall in Great Britain and Saab in Sweden - while other executive Fiat high places confirmed that also he is interested in the GM operations in Latin America.
| Big welcome to the super convertible one |
| Fiat 500C, a window to the sky |
Turin, Italy
Special
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Two beautiful hostesses present the Fiat 500C convertibly in the last Lounge of the Motorcar of Geneva. Photo: AP
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The new Fiat 500C has entered this year the big door of the last car lounges, like world advance for his entry to the market of sales. The concessionaires of the whole Europe and thousands of buying potentials offered to him the first big reception in this spring, and from there the enthusiasm thinks about how to move towards other regions of the world.
The comments are superlative, and they qualify to the Fiat 500C like “a convertible one that gives big emotions”, and that also “assures the maximum conduction pleasure and brings together a fascinating line with the yield of flexible and respectful engines with the environment”.
This version based on the convertible original, is a tribute to the "open" motorcar of 1957. But at the same time he proposes avant-garde solutions in the sector of the mechanics, of the propellents and of the serviceability on board.
With his innovative bonnet – who assures a real “window to the sky” - the new one 500C preserves the same dimensions of the standard model and shares three propellents: the two of gasoline 1.2 of 69 cv and 1.4 of 100 cv together with the turbodiesel 1.3 Multijet of 75 cv combined with a mechanical change of 5 marches.
System Start&Stop
As demonstration of his constant commitment in the products achievement with minimal environmental impact, the Fiat 500 exhibited in the Lounge of Geneva turned out to be characterized by the logo "Pur-O2", which identifies a group restricted and chosen of models that, for his technological contents and low levels of emission of CO2, are located in the avant-garde of the international car panorama.
As innovation, the porter, thanks to an ingenious hinges system, offers an enclosed simplified access when the bonnet is in position of entire opening.
Real design object, the bonnet of the Fiat 500C is characterized by his much refined systems of the movement with electrical control.
| Model Escalade circulates already 2009 in hybrid version |
| Green happiness … and in a Cadillac |
Carlos Guzmán
Special of Autoproyecto.com
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With capacity for 7 passengers Escalade Híbrida 2009 is provided with a third tier of seats that it is possible to remove to extend the load space. Photo: General Motors
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Hybrid Cadillac Escalade is the first luxurious utilitarian van of big size that implements a hybrid propulsion system, combining an engine V8 with two electrical engines and a powerful bundle of batteries.
General Motors (GM) also introduced this system in Chevrolet Tahoe and the GMC Yukon, but the luxurious level of the Escalade is incomparable.
The price of this one hybrid is of $ 73,135 (although it is completely equipped), compared to the basic price of the normal Escalade, which is of $ 62,205. To recover the additional investment of the hybrid model for the gasoline saving, the driver would have to handle the car approximately five years.
In fact, the potential driver of this model must worry more for diminishing the trace of carbon dioxide that leaves in the ambience that of saving fuel. In my trial period I could obtain an average consumption of gasoline of 17.5 MPG in handling of city and freeway. Not badly at all for a mastodon of this size, but still a high number for what it is an individual urban transport car.
Hybrid system
The engine V8 6.0 liters produces 332 horsepowers, and cocktail with the hybrid system that produces 300 volts, the Escalade offers suitable acceleration.
The electrical part of the hybrid system produces 300 volts, using two electrical engines connected to the transmission, and a bundle of batteries of nickel. This electric power is used like assistance under strong accelerations, and it impels to the car only at low speeds.
As in other hybrid cars, the system recycles the braking energy to recharge the batteries.
To save more gasoline, the system extinguishes 4 of 8 cylinders of the engine when they do not need.
Agreeable of driving
The cabin of the Escalade is a place that invites us to spend a good moment, with sumptuous seats of leather, big interior space and an ideal suspension. The center of gravity feels a little high, and needs a soft and careful handling, but let's not forget that we are speaking about a 6,000 pounds big van.
The handling experience is very agreeable. Immediately on having sat down, I could obtain an ideal position, and the seats are of more comfortable that it has experimented on any car.
The access to the porter is slightly difficult for the height of the vehicle, but this is something typical in vans of such a size.
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