GM VP DISCUSSES FUEL ECONOMY!

By Tom Stephens--Group Vice President, GM Powertrain

I'm going to jump into this blog from time to time as I see items that interest me.
Last week, someone posted: "In view of rising gas prices, when is GM going to get off the gas guzzler wagon and start building, promoting, and selling more fuel efficient vehicles?
Let's explode that myth with some facts.

GM leads the auto industry in providing the broadest array of fuel-efficient cars, trucks, SUVs and vans -- according to 2005 data from the Environmental Protection Agency. GM makes 19 models that get 30 mpg or better on the highway, more than any other automaker. Volkswagen and DaimlerChrysler are next with 14 and 13 models, respectively.

Using 2005 EPA data, for trucks there are 69 unique model/powertrain combinations where the top six manufacturers compete. As a full line manufacturer, GM offers 66 of those combinations and is the fuel economy leader in 41 of them. The second place manufacturer has only nine fuel economy "wins." On a percentage basis, GM wins 62 percent of these head-to-head comparisons (41 of 66) while the second place finisher wins 40 percent (6 of 15).

Using 2005 EPA data, for cars there are 82 unique model/powertrain combinations where the top six manufacturers compete. GM offers 53 of those combinations and is the fuel economy leader in 28 of them. The second place manufacturer has only 18 fuel economy "wins." On a percentage basis, GM wins 53 percent of these head-to-head comparisons (28 of 53) while the second place finisher wins 45 percent (9 of 20).

Using 2005 EPA data across Ward's Automotive segmentation, GM is the city fuel economy leader in 7 of 25 segments and the highway fuel economy leader in 8 of 25 segments.
What's the bottom line? For a given segment of the market, it's likely that GM sells the most fuel-efficient model available.

Here's a shameless plug. Bob Lutz has been talking about brands, but none of these vehicles would move without engines and transmissions. While he's been working on this "FastLane" blog, us engine people developed our own blog for the most popular engine ever made, the Smallblock Engine blog. This blog celebrates the 50th anniversary of the smallblock engine. We've made 90 million smallblock engines. The latest iteration produces 500 horsepower and 475 foot-pounds of torque and will propel the Corvette Z06 from zero-to-60 in well under four seconds.

GM is intent on satisfying the needs of buyers: small cars to heavy duty trucks, fuel-sipping vehicles for urban rush hours to performance vehicles for an adrenaline rush.

Tom Stephens biography
Posted by Editor at January 28, 2005 09:14