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GM Europe
Product Development and
Technology Communications
Adam Opel Haus
D-65423 Rüsselsheim
Deutschland
October 2, 2008
GM at the 2008 Paris Motor Show
Eight Premieres plus Pro-Environmental Propulsion Technologies
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5 World Premieres:
o Chevrolet Cruze
o Chevrolet Orlando Show Car
o Opel/Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer
o Opel/Vauxhall Insignia ecoFLEX
o Saab 9-X Air concept
3 European Premieres:
o Chevrolet Volt production car
o Chevrolet Camaro
o Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon
GM Forum:
o Current and future pro-environmental technologies
Paris. General Motors demonstrates the diversity of its brands, mobility concepts,
alternative propulsions and design expertise at the 2008 Paris Motor Show (October
4 – 19, 2008) with eight world and European premieres and a display of current and
future pro-environmental technologies.
The star of the GM Forum stand is the production version of the Chevrolet Volt,
simultaneously revealed September 16 in Detroit and Rüsselsheim during General
Motors’ 100th anniversary celebrations. The Chevrolet Volt has the potential to redefine
GM’s next 100 years and drive dramatic changes in automotive transportation.
The Volt ushers in a new era of electrification for the automobile and creates a distinct
class of cars known as the Extended-Range Electric Vehicle, or E-REV. An E-REV like
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the Chevrolet Volt is unique from a hybrid or plug-in hybrid in that the vehicle’s wheels
are always driven electrically by an electric drive unit. For the first 60 km (MVEG
combined), the vehicle is powered only by electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion
battery. When the battery’s charge has been depleted, a range-extending gas/E85powered engine creates additional electricity on-board to power the car for several
hundred additional miles. The result is a functional vehicle without range anxiety.
World Premieres with an eye on the environment
Opel/Vauxhall offers the public its first view of the Insignia Sports Tourer, a mid-sized
station wagon with powerful and athletic elegance along with a wide range of nine Euro
5-certified engines at launch. The Sports Tourer offers ample space for five occupants
and a competitive luggage compartment for families searching for alternatives to large
SUVs. The Sports Tourer, with its smart, sporty looks, is designed as a stand-alone
model and not simply a wagon version of a sedan. In addition to the seven engines
offered on the Insignia, Opel/Vauxhall add a 2.0 Liter CDTI BiTurbo with 190 hp and a
1.6 Liter gasoline Turbo with 180 hp to the Insignia engine line up.
Opel/Vauxhall also debuts its purpose-engineered ecoFLEX model with its flagship
Insignia. The new Insignia ecoFLEX with the 160 hp 2.0 CDTI single turbo engine will
emit CO2 gases well below 140 g/km. Its CD value of 0.26 makes the Insignia ecoFLEX
one of the most aerodynamic sedans in the world.
The all-new Chevrolet Cruze raises the bar for exciting design and manufactured quality among value products in Europe's compact car segment. Its dynamic, four-door coupé-like looks bring a new dimension to traditional, three-box sedan design. With its signature grille, concave shoulder line and 'twin cockpit' interior design theme, the Cruze
also heralds the arrival of a new design look for upcoming products carrying Chevy's
gold bowtie in European markets.
The Chevrolet Orlando show car previews the looks of Chevrolet's potential entry into
the multi-purpose vehicle segment. In evolving the brand's new design look, Orlando
combines a strong, SUV-like stance with adaptable seating and impressive interior
space. The exterior lines cut a distinctive silhouette, replacing conventional “monocab”
proportions with a more defined contrast between the hood and windshield lines. Instead
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of a flat side-body, Orlando features flared fenders emphasized by a two-tone paint finish.
The innovative Saab 9-X Air concept is a design vision exploring what a future convertible from Saab could look like. The 9-X Air breaks the mould of four-seater convertible
design by introducing a folding roof – the Canopy Top (patent pending) – mounted on
curved rear pillars with a separate retracting rear screen. The 9-X Air features the closecoupled proportions of a sports car, while also providing open-top accommodation for
four in “surround glass” comfort. It shares the bold frontal styling and efficient 1.4-liter
BioPower hybrid powertrain of its 9-X BioHybrid sibling.
European debut for Chevrolet Camaro and Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon
Making its European debut at Paris, the iconic Chevrolet Camaro is a high performance
sports coupé that spices its revered appeal with advanced, contemporary technology.
With a strong, low-slung stance and front to rear body proportions that remain faithful to
the original concept, the design of the new Camaro acknowledges its rich past without
being trapped in a 'retro' focus. A mighty, 400 hp/294 kW 6.2-liter V8 engine, with Active
Fuel Management, gives it the muscle to match its looks.
The Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon has an unmistakable and dynamic presence. Dramatic
styling, ample interior space and a range of fuel and emissions-efficient six-cylinder engines are expected to make the CTS Sport Wagon a compelling alternative to larger luxury sport utility vehicles and luxury wagons. At start, the CTS Sport Wagon offers a 3,6L
V6, direct injection engine developing 229 KW/311 hp, matched with 6-speed transmissions, manual or automatic. In addition, an efficient 2,9L turbo-diesel engine is being developed for CTS models. The engine is rated at 184 kW/250 hp.
GM Forum: Current and future pro-environmental technologies
In addition to the Volt, GM Forum also highlights possible future alternative propulsion
with the GM HydroGen4 -- the fourth generation of fuel cell technology. The HydroGen4
has evolved significantly compared to its predecessors, boasting additional dynamics,
system durability and everyday suitability.
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The HydroGen4’s fuel cell stack consists of 440 series-connected cells. The entire
system produces an electrical output of up to 93 kW. With help from a 73 kW/100 hp
synchronous electric motor, acceleration from zero to 100 km/h takes around 12
seconds. The HydroGen4 has a tank system with three 700-bar high-pressure tanks
made from carbon-fiber composite material, which can hold a total of 4.2 kg of hydrogen.
This provides an operating range of up to 320 kilometers.
Bioethanol or E85, a mixture consisting of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline,
has been a GM highlight for years. Bioethanol is a renewable alternative to fossil fuels
and offers a CO2 advantage over gasoline of up to 70% on a well to wheels basis,
depending on how the fuel is produced. GM displays two models which can be operated
either by E85, with straight gasoline or with any available combination: the Saab 9-3
BioPower Convertible and the Cadillac BLS 2.0 Turbo Flexpower.
GM also has been offering natural gas vehicles based on the monovalentplus concept
since 2002. The Opel Zafira 1.6-liter CNG is designed for operation with natural gas,
biomethane or any mixture of the two and produces up to 80% less pollutants and 20%
less CO2 than a conventional gasoline engine. Next to natural gas, GM is also focusing
on LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gas). The Chevrolet Aveo LPG is thus able to reduce
exhaust emissions such as nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide and decreases CO2 by
10%.
Contact:
Joe Jacuzzi
General Director Product and Brand Communications GME
Phone: + 49 6142 7 53600
E-mail: [email protected]
Texts, photos and further information on General Motors and all GM brands present at the
2008 Paris Motor Show are available on the internet at http://media.gmeurope.com.