GM Debuts New HUMMER, SEMA Vehicles, Accessories at 2003 SEMA Show
28 Oktober 2003 - 2:01PM
PR Newswire (US)
GM Debuts New HUMMER, SEMA Vehicles, Accessories at 2003 SEMA Show
LAS VEGAS, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- General Motors is using the
backdrop of the industry's premier automotive showcase to make a
powerful statement about the company's continued commitment to
offering "gotta-have" vehicles, parts and technology. This includes
unveiling a new HUMMER, announcing future Performance Division
offerings, featuring several new powertrain applications,
presenting an array of new accessories and showing a trio of
vehicles that led an assault on the Bonneville Salt Flats. GM's
Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) exhibit includes more
than 40 production, concept and brand-directed vehicles -- all of
them on display for the first time. The display incorporates
offerings targeted at a variety of consumers. The common thread is
clear, however. Whether you're in the market for 20-inch wheels, a
big block crate motor, a high-performance sport-compact "tuner"
right out of the box, the hottest SUV on the planet, a
pocket-rocket powerplant or high-performance derivatives of your
favorite production vehicles, GM has the products and power you
need. Concept to reality The origin of three high-performance
vehicles -- available in dealer showrooms early next year -- can be
traced to the 2002 SEMA show. "Last year's SEMA show was the
coming-out party for the newly formed GM Performance Division,"
said Gary Cowger, president of GM North America. "We showed
concepts that became the Pontiac Bonneville GXP, Cadillac CTS-V and
the Saturn ION Red Line. This year we're showing the real deal,
vehicles with great performance and design that have moved quickly
from concept to reality." - Bonneville GXP puts real teeth behind
Pontiac's promise of "Excitement," with a 4.6-liter DOHC V-8 that
delivers 275 horsepower and a performance-tuned handling package
that includes four-wheel independent suspension, StabiliTrak and an
electrically controlled transaxle with a 3.71 final drive ratio. -
The CTS-V brings Cadillac into the high performance luxury arena
with a 400-horsepower, 5.7-liter V-8, six-speed manual
transmission, large Brembo performance brakes, 18-inch wheels and
tires, retuned shock absorbers and a host of interior and exterior
styling refinements. - Inspired by the tuner car movement, the ION
Red Line quad coupe features an integrated performance package
including a 2.0-liter supercharged, intercooled version of the
Ecotec four-cylinder engine, racetrack-bred suspension and unique
styling. A specially prepared ION Red Line driven by Jim Minneker,
a GM Performance Division engineer, set the land-speed mark for its
class on the Bonneville Salt Flats in northern Utah. At SEMA, the
ION Red Line is joined by the VUE Red Line, a limited-production
sport utility featuring a lowered body, sport-tuned suspension and
steering, ground effects and VUE's new 3.5-liter, 250 horsepower
V-6. The GM Performance Division provides the skill, enthusiasm and
integration to deliver uniquely branded performance vehicles out of
a common "toolbox." "We provide the integration among the various
GM disciplines critical to delivering 'gotta-have' product," said
Mark Reuss, executive director of GM Performance Division, who also
serves as executive director of vehicle architecture. "Performance
Division has a voice in the very earliest stages of product
development, so the engineering that goes into the performance
derivatives is integrated back into the mainstream production
process. This functional integration is a competitive advantage."
Next up for GM Performance Division will be a Chevrolet TrailBlazer
SS, a 2006-model-year entry that will feature a Corvette-inspired
V-8 engine, 20-inch wheels and a lower suspension than the current
production model. The production TrailBlazer SS will be based on
the TrailBlazer SS concept originally shown at the 2002 SEMA show.
Reuss' team is working up plans for other vehicles as well. These
production-intent vehicles are the first in a line of next-
generation performance cars and trucks that will be identified by
brand- specific designations -- SS for Chevrolet, GXP for Pontiac,
V-series for Cadillac and Red Line for Saturn. Test bed for new
concepts In addition to showcasing vehicles headed to production,
GM is using the SEMA show as a test bed to gauge reaction from the
experts in specialty vehicles. It's a process that helps move great
ideas from the concept stage into the dealer's showroom as fast as
possible. Among the GM highlights at the 2003 SEMA show: -
Chevrolet is developing a portfolio of Z71 trucks with off-road
suspension and high stance, such as the Silverado Crew Cab 4x4 and
Extended Cab 4x2, as well as a TrailBlazer 4x4 and a
two-wheel-drive version of Colorado. A series of XTREME vehicles
(Equinox, Colorado, Malibu and Aveo) provide the canvas for
evaluating a wide range of performance enhancements, body kits and
other accessories to allow enthusiasts to customize their vehicles.
Chevy is displaying the SSR, its innovative, head-turning
convertible sports pickup, with GM Accessories that help
personalize the vehicle. Also being shown is a special Cavalier
that competes in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) modified
class with its 1,000-horsepower version of the Ecotec 2.2-liter
engine. - Pontiac presents five concepts -- Grand Prix, Grand Am,
Vibe, GTO and Sunfire -- with an Autocross total performance theme.
The cars are outfitted with performance parts relevant to autocross
events, which are often run on parking lots and airport runways on
courses defined by traffic cones, making handling as important as
straight-ahead power. Pontiac also showcases the American Tuner
Sunfire Coupe with an aftermarket body appearance kit debuting at
dealers in late January 2004. - GMC showcases an "adventure" series
of professional off-road trucks with capabilities for outdoor
enthusiasts, each carrying the AT4 designation. The show vehicles
are all-terrain variants of trucks: Yukon, outfitted for snow
skiing trips; Envoy XUV, accessorized for the water sports
enthusiast; Sierra Crew Cab Short Box, designed with the outdoor
enthusiast in mind; and Canyon Crew Cab, outfitted for a kayaking
expedition. - Cadillac demonstrates ultra luxury security executive
customization with the Escalade ESV Executive Limousine. The SRX
Black Diamond and CTS Sport explore production capable add-on
accessories, the SRX Black Diamond aimed at skiing and other active
lifestyle pursuits and the CTS Sport targeting sport appearance and
performance. Cadillac also is showing the CTS-V with 18-inch
flangeless wheels and carbon fiber accessories. - Saturn highlights
sport compact performance with its production-intent versions of
the ION Red Line and VUE Red Line. The VUE Street Play tests
ultimate performance limits of the VUE Red Line with a
supercharged, 300- horsepower version of the 3.5-liter V-6 while
also adding performance-oriented exterior and interior changes. -
Buick highlights how it is bringing a new level of premium
refinement and style to its growing truck portfolio with the
Rendezvous and Rainier TW editions. Both concepts explore premium
luxury appointments such as new leathers, fabrics, colors and
finishes. - HUMMER emphasizes the functionality and versatility of
the new H2 SUT (sport utility truck) with the H2 SUT Dirt Sports
concept. The Dirt Sports concept includes off-road dirt bike,
camping and hard tonneau packages. - GM also is showing off three
new vehicles in its Homeland Security lineup for 2004: a one-ton
4x4 Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab Cargo/Troop Carrier, a Chevrolet
Police Tahoe, and a Cadillac DeVille Armored Edition. GM
Accessories continues to grow GM Accessories is expanding the
breadth of its accessories offerings. In 2001, GM Accessories
offered 150 products. That number has grown to more than 500 in
2003, and will exceed 1,000 offerings by the end of 2004. At the
SEMA show, GM Accessories has more than 100 parts on display, up
from 21 in 2002. GM Accessories offers the best fit, best function
and most tailored appearance. Vehicles like the new Chevrolet
Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickups, the HUMMER H2 and Chevy
SSR are examples in which GM Accessories are integrated into the
vehicle design and engineering process. GM Accessories' new
offerings include a number of product lines that cross GM's car and
truck portfolio, including: - All-new 20-inch wheels designed
specifically for Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra and 17- and
18-inch custom wheels that will be introduced in 2004 for other GM
cars and trucks. - Customized interior trim kits; examples can be
seen at SEMA on the Pontiac Grand Prix, Grand Am and Sunfire; Chevy
Colorado and TrailBlazer; and on HUMMER products. - A new
572-cubic-inch, 620-horsepower big block engine available from GM
Performance Parts, shown on a 1955 Buick Roadmaster owned and
rebuilt by Jay Leno. - Ecotec four-cylinder supercharged engines
with additional variants to come in the future. Other new offerings
include 10 new products, mostly chrome accents, for the H2, whose
customers buy $1,500 in GM Accessories on average; four accessories
exclusive to the 2005 H2 SUT, which will also be available with
many of the SUV's accessories; 17 accessories available at launch
for the SSR; and 23 available accessories for the Pontiac Vibe,
including a supercharger. GM Accessories also is gauging market
reaction to potential new products, including a modular pull-down
sliding roof rack system and retractable side steps on the GMC
Yukon and a new cargo rail system on GMC Sierra. New engines, new
technologies GM Powertrain is using SEMA to show off new engines
and variants, including two engines with Displacement on Demand
(DOD) cylinder-deactivation technology for improved fuel economy.
By 2008, GM will have two million vehicles with V-8 and V-6 engines
with DOD. The new engines with this technology are: - The Gen IV
small-block V-8, with higher performance and an array of technical
advancements. The Vortec 5300 small-block with DOD debuts on
V-8-equipped versions of the 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT, GMC
Envoy XUV and Buick Rainier. An automotive application of the Gen
IV small-block without DOD debuts later in the 2005 Corvette. - The
3900 V-6, the latest in GM's longstanding family of 60-degree V-6
engines. The 3900 will be the first GM overhead valve engine to use
variable valve timing, and it will be GM's first V-6 to use DOD.
Its first application will be on the 2005 Pontiac G6. GM is also
showcasing a new Ecotec 2.4-liter variant, which brings both larger
displacement and variable valve timing to the Ecotec modular
family. The Ecotec 2.4-liter, with 170 horsepower and 170 lb.-ft.
of torque, will debut on the all-new 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt. Growth
of HUMMER HUMMER is highlighting its growth as a brand, unveiling
the H2 SUT and a new interior for the H1. With its reconfigurable
Midgate, the H2 SUT provides a unique blend of capability and
functionality in an off-road vehicle. While the 2004 H1 is as
rugged and uncompromising as ever, a host of interior updates --
the first significant redesign in H1's history -- add comfort,
convenience and refinement to the unique HUMMER equation. New
mobility On display at SEMA, the innovative Sit-N-Lift power seat
makes it easier to enter and exit GM's midsize vans. Available on
select Chevrolet Venture, Pontiac Montana and Oldsmobile Silhouette
minivans, this new option strengthens GM's commitment to providing
transportation solutions for seniors, people with disabilities and
caregivers. The Sit-N-Lift power seat makes GM the only automotive
manufacturer in the U.S. to offer a fully motorized, rotating
lift-and-lower passenger seat. DATASOURCE: General Motors
Corporation CONTACT: Kevin Rose of GM Advanced Vehicle Development
& Planning Communications, +1-313-665-3167, E-mail: , or
Charlotte Grim of GM Performance Division Communications,
+1-586-986-1156, E-mail: Web site: http://media.gm.com/
http://www.gm.com/
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