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58-698: In 2001 and 2002, GM allowed journalists to examine early versions of the Hummer H2, which were still under development. The H2 was built by AM General under contract with General Motors at AM General Commercial Assembly Plant in Mishawaka , Indiana . Standard features included air conditioning with tri-zone climate controls, an adjustable, leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio controls, cruise control, leather upholstery, heated front, and rear seats, 8-way power front seats, dual memory system, BOSE premium sound system, single-CD/cassette player and later in 2004,

116-581: A 12-month period. However, this growth was not sustained, with annual sales declining by an average of 200,000 units in subsequent years. In April 2016, Baojun began exporting vehicles, with the 630 compact sedan being sold in Egypt and Algeria under the Chevrolet brand as the second generation of the Optra model. In 2018, Baojun further diversified its lineup with the introduction of its first electric vehicle,

174-529: A 15% stake in AeroVironment . In 1989, GM acquired half of Saab Automobile 's car operations for $ 600 million. In August 1990, Robert Stempel became CEO of the company, succeeding Roger Smith . GM cut output significantly and suffered losses that year due to the early 1990s recession . In 1990, GM debuted the General Motors EV1 (Impact) concept, a battery electric vehicle , at

232-530: A British producer of high-performance sports cars . In 1987, in conjunction with AeroVironment , GM built the Sunraycer , which won the inaugural World Solar Challenge and was a showcase of advanced technology. Much of the technology from Sunraycer found its way into the Impact prototype electric vehicle (also built by Aerovironment) and was the predecessor to the General Motors EV1 . In 1988, GM acquired

290-510: A breakthrough in heat treating still in use today as ASTM A255. GM established Detroit Diesel the next year. In 1939, the company founded Motors Insurance Corporation and entered the vehicle insurance market. The same year, GM introduced the Hydramatic , the first affordable and successful automatic transmission , for the 1940 Oldsmobile. During World War II , GM produced vast quantities of armaments, vehicles, and aircraft for

348-482: A continuation of its diversification plans, GMAC formed GMAC Mortgage and acquired Colonial Mortgage as well as the servicing arm of Norwest Mortgage in 1985. This acquisition included an $ 11 billion mortgage portfolio. The same year, GM acquired the Hughes Aircraft Company for $ 5 billion in cash and stock and merged it into Delco Electronics . The following year, GM acquired 59.7% of Lotus Cars ,

406-957: A controlling interest in North American Aviation and merged it with the General Aviation Manufacturing Corporation . The GM labor force participated in the formation of the United Auto Workers labor union in 1935, and in 1936 the UAW organized the Flint Sit-Down Strike , which initially idled two key plants in Flint, Michigan, and later spread to 6 other plants including those in Janesville, Wisconsin and Fort Wayne, Indiana . In Flint, police attempted to enter

464-524: A namesake defense vehicles division which produces military vehicles for the United States government and military, the vehicle safety, security, and information services provider OnStar , the auto parts company ACDelco , a namesake financial lending service , and majority ownership in the self-driving cars enterprise Cruise LLC . The company originated as a holding company for Buick established on September 16, 1908, by William C. Durant ,

522-542: A program to develop a lightweight two-stroke diesel engine for possible usage in automobiles. Soon after, GM acquired Electro-Motive Company and the Winton Engine Co. , and in 1941, it expanded EMC's realm to locomotive engine manufacturing. In 1932, GM acquired Packard Electric (not to be confused with the Packard car company, which merged with Studebaker years later). The following year, GM acquired

580-516: A significant decline in demand, leading to the discontinuation of several newly introduced models within just 2-3 years of their debut. This decline was exacerbated by growing concerns over the reliability of earlier models. As a result, the role of an affordable combustion vehicle brand within the SAIC-GM-Wuling portfolio was taken over by the sister brand Wuling. In 2021, Baojun adjusted its naming strategy by adopting proper names, renaming

638-458: A six-disc CD changer, then in 2007, a single CD-player with MP3 capability, an auxiliary input jack and DVD player, outside-temperature indicator, compass, rear radio controls, independent front torsion bar suspension, rear five-link coil spring suspension developed for the H2, oversized tires with wheels scripted "HUMMER", universal garage door opener and remote engine start (2007 and 2009). Options for

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696-425: A special 2009 Black Chrome Limited Edition featuring a new paint color, Sedona Metallic. All Black Chrome editions also had Sedona interior, black chrome accents instead of standard chrome, and unique 20-inch black chrome wheels. Initially, there were supposed to be 1,000 to 1,300 Black Chrome editions. However, due to the mid-year production shutdown, only six were ever actually made, and they were not made available to

754-422: A strategy by CEO Roger Smith to derive at least 10% of its annual worldwide revenue from non-automotive sources. GM also intended to have EDS handle its bookkeeping, help computerize factories, and integrate GM's computer systems. The transaction made Ross Perot the largest shareholder of GM; however, disagreements with Roger Smith led the company to buy all shares held by Ross Perot for $ 750 million in 1986. In

812-559: A third model (the Baojun 610 ) was announced at Auto China . At Auto Shanghai in 2015, the company introduced the Baojun 560 SUV. And in July 2014, SAIC-GM-Wuling launched the Baojun 730 , a seven-seater MPV. Baojun sold 688,390 vehicles in 2016. In late 2016, Baojun introduced its most successful vehicle, the Baojun 510 small SUV, which went on sale the following year. The model helped increase sales of Baojun to 996,629 in 2017. It

870-755: Is an American multinational automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit , Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing four automobile brands: Chevrolet , Buick , GMC , and Cadillac . By total sales, it has continuously been the largest automaker in the United States, and was the largest in the world for 77 years before losing the top spot to Toyota in 2008. General Motors operates manufacturing plants in eight countries. In addition to its four core brands, GM also holds interests in Chinese brands Baojun and Wuling via SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile . GM further owns

928-625: The Fortune 500 and 50th on the Fortune Global 500 . In 2023, the company was ranked 70th in the Forbes Global 2000 . In 2021, GM announced its intent to end production of vehicles using internal combustion engines by 2035, as part of its plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. By 1900, William C. Durant 's Durant-Dort Carriage Company of Flint, Michigan , had become the largest manufacturer of horse-drawn vehicles in

986-473: The 2-mode hybrid system in the Chevrolet Tahoe , GMC Yukon , Cadillac Escalade , and pickup trucks . Baojun Baojun ( simplified Chinese : 宝骏 ; traditional Chinese : 寶駿 ; pinyin : Bǎojùn ; lit. 'Treasured Horse') is a Chinese automobile marque owned by a joint venture of General Motors (GM) and SAIC Motor , SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile . The brand

1044-848: The Allies of World War II . In 1940, GM's William S. Knudsen served as head of U.S. wartime production for President Franklin Roosevelt , and by 1942, all of GM's production was to support the war. GM's Vauxhall Motors manufactured the Churchill tank series for the Allies, instrumental in the North African campaign . However, its Opel division, based in Germany, supplied the Wehrmacht with vehicles. Politically, Sloan, as head of GM at

1102-617: The Baojun E100 microcar, and the Baojun 530 SUV. The electrically powered Baojun E100, which is only 2.49 meters long, was initially only available in Guangxi from August 2017. Since June 2018, it has been available throughout China with an increased range. The 530 SUV was notably the first Baojun vehicle to be marketed globally under the Chevrolet brand. The model's production was also initiated outside of China, including in India under

1160-823: The Baojun RC-6 based on the RS-5 was introduced. In September 2019, the Baojun RM-5 MPV was introduced. Baojun presented the Baojun RS-3 SUV at the end of October 2019. In 2020, the Baojun E300 microcar, the Baojun RS-7 and the Baojun RC-5 sedan were introduced. Despite these efforts, the "New Baojun" strategy did not result in increased market interest. Instead, the brand experienced

1218-522: The Cadillac V8-6-4 variable-cylinder engines. GM sold Frigidaire in 1979. Although Frigidaire had between $ 450 million and $ 500 million in annual revenues, it was losing money. Robert Lee of GM invented the neodymium magnet , which was fabricated by rapid solidification, in 1984. This magnet is commonly used in products like a computer hard disk. The same year, GM acquired Electronic Data Systems for $ 2.5 billion from Ross Perot as part of

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1276-520: The General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC), which provides financing to automotive customers, was formed. In 1920, du Pont orchestrated the removal of Durant once again and replaced him with Alfred P. Sloan . At a time when GM was competing heavily with Ford Motor Company , Sloan established annual model changes, making previous years' models "dated" and created a market for used cars . He also implemented

1334-682: The LA Auto Show . It was the first car with zero emissions marketed in the US in over three decades. The Impact was produced as the EV1 for the 1996 model year and was available only via lease from certain dealers in California and Arizona. In 1999–2002, GM ceased production of the vehicles and started to not renew the leases, disappointing many people, allegedly because the program would not be profitable and would cannibalize its existing business. All of

1392-567: The Rapid Motor Vehicle Company of Pontiac, Michigan , and the Reliance Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan (predecessors of GMC ) in 1909. Durant, with the board's approval, also tried acquiring Ford Motor Company , but needed an additional $ 2 million. Durant over- leveraged GM in making acquisitions, and was removed by the board of directors in 1910 at the order of the bankers who backed

1450-765: The Yellow Cab Manufacturing Company the same year, and its president, John D. Hertz , joined the board of directors of GM; it acquired the remainder of the company in 1943. In 1926, the company introduced the Pontiac brand and established the General Motors Group Insurance Program to provide life insurance to its employees. The following year, after the success of the 1927 model of the Cadillac LaSalle designed by Harley Earl , Sloan created

1508-472: The corporate spin-off of Electronic Data Systems . In 1997, GM sold the military businesses of Hughes Aircraft Company to Raytheon Company for $ 9.5 billion in stock and the assumption of debt. In February 2000, Rick Wagoner was named CEO, succeeding Smith. The next month, GM gave 5.1% of its common stock, worth $ 2.4 billion, to acquire a 20% share of Fiat . In December 2000, GM announced that it would begin phasing out Oldsmobile . The brand

1566-537: The "Art and Color Section" of GM and named Earl as its first director. Earl was the first design executive to be appointed to leadership at a major American corporation. Earl created a system of automobile design that is still practiced today. At the age of 24, Bill Mitchell was recruited by Earl to the design team at GM, and he was later appointed as Chief Designer of Cadillac. After Earl retired in December 1958, Mitchell took over automotive design for GM. Also in 1926

1624-449: The 4X4 system to replace the old pushbutton controls, brushed aluminum interior trim panels, new interior color options, available remote engine start, and a center dashboard-mounted analog clock. Also for 2008, a new 393 hp (293 kW) 6.2 L V8 gasoline engine replaced the previous 325 hp (242 kW) 6.0 L, with a new 6L80-E six-speed automatic transmission, replacing the 4L65-E four-speed automatic. Hummer launched

1682-588: The EV1s were eventually returned to General Motors, and except for around 40 which were donated to museums with their electric powertrains deactivated, all were destroyed. The documentary film Who Killed the Electric Car? covered the EV1 story. In November 1992, John F. Smith Jr. became CEO of the company. In 1993, GM sold Lotus Cars to Bugatti . In 1996, in a return to its automotive basics, GM completed

1740-475: The H2 include adjustable rear suspension (which is included within the Adventure Package), a broad power sunroof, rearview camera, DVD entertainment system, navigation system, ladder, custom grilles, side step bars, Air compressor with road assistance kit, and 20" chrome wheels (slightly different from stock wheels). For 2008, the Hummer H2 and H2 SUT received an update. While essentially unchanged on

1798-825: The MG brand as the MG Hector and in Indonesia as the Wuling Almaz. The Baojun 360 MPV went on sale in May 2018. Since September 2018, the Baojun E200 , an electric microcar, has been sold in China. In January 2019, Baojun introduced a new model strategy called "New Baojun," which aimed to provide vehicles with more avant-garde styling and expand its lineup with higher-end models featuring enhanced equipment. Alongside this strategy,

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1856-590: The RC-5W model as Baojun Valli and the E300/E300 Plus electric hatchback as Baojun KiWi EV. In 2023, Baojun shifted its focus entirely to electrification, phasing out all models from the previous decade except for the city car KiWi EV. The brand renewed its lineup with electric models, starting with the introduction of the small Baojun Yep SUV, followed by the Baojun Yunduo compact hatchback later in

1914-684: The United States. Durant was averse to automobiles, but fellow Flint businessman James H. Whiting , owner of Flint Wagon Works , sold him the Buick Motor Company in 1904. Durant formed the General Motors Company in 1908 as a holding company , borrowing a naming convention from General Electric . GM's first acquisition was Buick , which Durant already owned, then Olds Motor Works on November 12, 1908. Under Durant, GM went on to acquire Cadillac , Elmore , Welch , Cartercar , Oakland (the predecessor of Pontiac ),

1972-452: The company acquired Fisher Body , its supplier of automobile bodies. GM acquired Allison Engine Company and began developing a 1,000 horsepower liquid-cooled aircraft engine in 1929. The same year, GM acquired 80% of Opel , which at that time had a 37.5% market share in Europe, for $ 26 million. It acquired the remaining 20% in 1931. In the late-1920s, Charles Kettering embarked on

2030-480: The company in 1915 after a disagreement with Durant. GM was reincorporated in Detroit in 1916 as General Motors Corporation and became a public company via an initial public offering . By 1917, Chevrolet had become successful enough that Durant, with the backing of Samuel McLaughlin and Pierre S. du Pont , reacquired a controlling interest in GM. The same year, GM acquired Samson Tractor . Chevrolet Motor Company

2088-542: The company updated its logo, replacing the previous shield with a horse image, with a minimalist diamond-shaped horse profile. Under this new approach, Baojun introduced a new naming convention for its models: passenger cars were given the prefix "RC," SUVs and crossovers "RS," and minivans "RM." The Baojun RS-5 , the brand's fourth SUV, was presented at the Guangzhou Auto Show in November 2018. In June 2019,

2146-716: The diesel-hybrid market, the Opel Astra diesel engine hybrid concept vehicle was rolled out in January 2005. Later that year, GM sold its Electro-Motive Diesel locomotive division to private equity firms Berkshire Partners and Greenbriar Equity Group. GM paid $ 2 billion to sever its ties with Fiat in 2005, severing ties with the company due to an increasingly contentious dispute. GM began adding its " Mark of Excellence " emblem on all new vehicles produced and sold in North America in mid-2005. However, after

2204-408: The exterior, the H2 and H2 SUT interiors were redesigned. This included a new instrument cluster with improved gauges and Driver Information Center (DIC) based on the higher-trim GMT900 trucks/SUVs, a new leather-wrapped steering wheel, three new radios with a Bose premium audio system and auxiliary audio inputs (including a new touchscreen GPS navigation radio with DVD audio and video playback while

2262-482: The first hydrogen fuel cell car ever produced. Though fuel cells have existed since the early 1800s, General Motors was the first to use a fuel cell, supplied by Union Carbide , to power the wheels of a vehicle with a budget of "millions of dollars". In the 1960s, GM was an early proponent of V6 engines , but quickly lost interest as the popularity of muscle cars increased. GM demonstrated gas turbine vehicles powered by kerosene , an area of interest throughout

2320-497: The gasoline was harmful to various biological organisms including humans. Evidence shows that corporate executives understood the health implications of tetraethyllead from the beginning. As an engineer for GM, Midgley also developed chlorofluorocarbons , which have now been banned due to their contribution to climate change . Under the encouragement of GM President Alfred P. Sloan Jr., GM acquired Vauxhall Motors for $ 2.5 million in 1925. The company also acquired an interest in

2378-664: The industry, but abandoned the alternative engine configuration due to the 1973 oil crisis . In partnership with Boeing , GM's Delco Defense Electronics Division designed the Lunar Roving Vehicle , which traversed the surface of the Moon, in 1971. The following year, GM produced the first rear wheel anti-lock braking system for two models: the Toronado and Eldorado. In 1973, the Oldsmobile Toronado

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2436-601: The largest seller of horse-drawn vehicles at the time. The first half of the 20th century saw the company grow into an automotive behemoth through acquisitions; going into the second half, the company pursued innovation and new offerings to consumers as well as collaborations with NASA to develop the earliest electric vehicles . The current entity was established in 2009 after the General Motors Chapter 11 reorganization . As of 2024 , General Motors ranks 25th by total revenue out of all American companies on

2494-637: The loans to keep GM in business. The action of the bankers was partially influenced by the Panic of 1910–1911 that followed the earlier enforcement of the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 . In 1911, Charles F. Kettering of Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company (DELCO) and Henry M. Leland invented and patented the first electric starter in America. In November 1911, Durant co-founded Chevrolet with race car driver Louis Chevrolet , who left

2552-587: The market was the four-door compact sedan 630, which debuted at a price point of approximately $ 7,000 USD in November 2010. The development of the Baojun 630 involved significant input from designers at General Motors. Sales started in late 2011 through a dedicated dealer network. The joint venture also offered a localized version of the Daewoo Matiz / Chevrolet Spark, known as the Baojun Lechi. In 2014,

2610-486: The plant to arrest strikers, leading to violence; in other cities, the plants were shuttered peacefully. The strike was resolved on February 11, 1937, when GM recognized the UAW as the exclusive bargaining representative for its workers and gave workers a 5% raise and permission to speak in the lunchroom. Walter E. Jominy and A.L. Boegehold of GM invented the Jominy end-quench test for hardenability of carbon steel in 1937,

2668-528: The pricing strategy used by car companies today. The pricing strategy had Chevrolet , Pontiac , Oldsmobile , Buick , and Cadillac priced from least expensive to most, respectively. In 1921, Thomas Midgley Jr. , an engineer for GM, discovered tetraethyllead (leaded gasoline) as an antiknock agent, and GM patented the compound because ethanol could not be patented. This led to the development of higher compression engines resulting in more power and efficiency. The public later realized that lead contained in

2726-507: The public. General Motors was not required to provide official fuel economy ratings for the H2 due to the vehicle's heavy gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). Prior to 2011, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) exempted vehicles with a GVWR over 8,500 lb (3,900 kg) from fuel economy standards and testing. General Motors General Motors Company ( GM )

2784-487: The reorganization in 2009, the company no longer added the logo, saying that emphasis on its four core divisions would downplay the GM logo. In 2005, Edward T. Welburn was promoted to the newly created position of vice president, GM Global Design, making him the first African American to lead a global automotive design organization and the highest-ranking African American in the US motor industry at that time. On July 1, 2016, he retired from General Motors after 44 years. He

2842-504: The time, was an ardent opponent of the New Deal , which bolstered labor unions and public transport . Sloan admired and supported Adolf Hitler . Nazi armaments chief Albert Speer allegedly said in 1977 that Hitler "would never have considered invading Poland" without synthetic fuel technology provided by General Motors. GM was compensated $ 32 million by the U.S. government because its German factories were bombed by U.S. forces during

2900-418: The transmission is in the park position, and XM Nav-Traffic capabilities), a new rear seat DVD entertainment system, Bluetooth hands-free calling capabilities, enhanced voice activation, new OnStar hardware with buttons moved from the rearview mirror to the overhead console, a lower dashboard-mounted radio, new dual-zone climate controls, new rear seat audio system controls, a new dash-mounted control knob for

2958-518: The war. Effective January 28, 1953, Charles Erwin Wilson , then GM president, was named by Dwight D. Eisenhower as United States Secretary of Defense . In December 1953, GM acquired Euclid Trucks , a manufacturer of heavy equipment for earthmoving , including dump trucks , loaders and wheel tractor-scrapers , which later spawned the Terex brand. Alfred P. Sloan retired as chairman and

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3016-408: Was consolidated into GM on May 2, 1918, and the same year GM acquired United Motors , a parts supplier founded by Durant and headed by Alfred P. Sloan for $ 45 million, and the McLaughlin Motor Car Company , founded by R. S. McLaughlin , became General Motors of Canada Limited. In 1919, GM acquired Guardian Frigerator Company , part-owned by Durant, which was renamed Frigidaire . Also in 1919,

3074-573: Was created as a more affordable alternative to existing GM brands such as Chevrolet and Buick for the Chinese market, while being more upmarket than the Wuling brand. Following the success of Wuling , the SAIC-GM-Wuling announced the creation of a second car brand, Baojun in November 2010 as a cheaper alternative to existing GM brands Chevrolet and Buick , which are also on sale in China. The company's products compete with domestic Chinese manufacturers such as Chery , Geely , Changan , Haval and Trumpchi . The first Baojun model introduced to

3132-560: Was eventually discontinued in 2004, seven years after it had become the first American car brand to turn 100. In May 2004, GM delivered the first full-sized pickup truck hybrid vehicles , the 1/2-ton Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra trucks. These mild hybrids did not use electrical energy for propulsion, like GM's later designs. Later, the company debuted another hybrid technology, co-developed with DaimlerChrysler and BMW , in diesel-electric hybrid powertrain manufactured by Allison Transmission for transit buses. Continuing to target

3190-494: Was replaced by Michael Simcoe . In 2006, GM introduced a bright yellow fuel cap on its vehicles to remind drivers that cars can operate using E85 ethanol fuel . They also introduced another hybrid vehicle that year, the Saturn Vue Green Line . In 2008, General Motors committed to engineering half of its manufacturing plants to be landfill-free by recycling or reusing waste in the manufacturing process. Continuing their environmental-conscious development, GM started to offer

3248-410: Was succeeded by Albert Bradley in April 1956. In 1962, GM introduced the first ever turbocharged production car in the world in the Oldsmobile Cutlass Turbo-Jetfire. Two years later, the company introduced its " Mark of Excellence " logo and trademark at the 1964 New York World's Fair . The company used the mark as their main corporate identifier until 2021. GM released the Electrovan in 1966,

3306-424: Was the best-selling crossover in China in 2018, and also the best-selling car sold by Baojun. As of June 2019 , nearly 800,000 units of 510 had been sold. It is also notable for being the highest-selling new car nameplate in world's history. It recorded 416,883 sales during its first 12 months in market, the highest of any other car in the world. It took the record from the Baojun 560 which was sold 319,536 units in

3364-444: Was the first retail car sold with a passenger airbag . Thomas Murphy became CEO of the company, succeeding Richard C. Gerstenberg in November 1974. GM installed its first catalytic converters in its 1975 models. From 1978 to 1985, GM pushed the benefits of diesel engines and cylinder deactivation technologies. However, it had disastrous results due to poor durability in the Oldsmobile diesels and drivability issues in

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