Note: The GM Newsline is published during weekdays internally at GM.
Since it relates general news regarding the auto industry (i.e. more than
just news about GM), I thought it may be of interest to readers of this
group. I have obtained permission to post it here, and will do so from
time to time.
-Kurt Godden
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This is the GM International Newsline for Wednesday, August 10, 1994,
9:30 a.m. EDT.
FOCUS ON PRODUCT
YUKON, BLAZER AND AURORA FEATURED IN MOTOR TREND …. Three new 1995 GM
vehicles draw rave reviews in the September issue of Motor Trend
magazine: the four-door GMC Truck Yukon, the Chevrolet Blazer LS and
Oldsmobile Aurora. Following are highlights:
GM ADVANCES TO THE LEADERSHIP POSITION: Motor Trend notes that at GMC
Truck the two-door Yukon will continue in its present form, (Chevy’s
version will be renamed Tahoe to free the Blazer badge for compact
models), while a new four-door Yukon will roll out next spring. "That
advances General Motors to the leadership position with three different
sizes of four-door sport/utilities: the compact Blazer/Jimmy (baby
bear), the new Tahoe/Yukon (mama bear), and the ever-popular
Suburban/Suburban (papa bear) for those with truly hefty hauling chores,"
Motor Trend said.
MEET THE "MAMA BEAR" OF SPORT UTILITIES: Motor Trend took a test drive
in a prototype four-door GMC Truck Yukon and offered a glowing report.
Comments included: "Clearly, the GMC Truck folks have been listening
carefully to the most trivial requests from customers" …. "Overall it’s
a masterful layout" …. "Like the Suburban from which it springs, the
Yukon has a thoroughly pleasant driving personality" …. "As is the case
with practically every new-generation truck, car people will endure
little sacrifice when they transition from a sedan to the Yukon
sport/utility."
THE BIG KIDS’ TRANSFORMER TOY: Motor Trend test drove a prototype 1995
Chevrolet Blazer LS, describing the new model as "the big kids’
transformer toy: drives like a car, plays like a truck." The Blazer
badge now belongs exclusively to the two- and four-door compact
sport/utilities in Chevy’s lineup. (The big truck that wore the badge
until now will answer to the name Tahoe in 1995.) Motor Trend’s comments
included: "All the good stuff from the S-truck and more is packed into
the new Blazer: a very rigid frame, aerodynamic bodywork, shrewdly tuned
suspension gear, and deluxe interior accommodations with upgraded
features such as a driver-side airbag" …. "The Blazer rides like a
dream, with an amazing lack of impact harshness and road noise" …. "One
major leap the new model makes over the previous S-Blazer is in interior
packaging" …. "Actually, the Blazer LS is so chock full of thoughtful
details you subconsciously begin searching for a secret made-in-Japan
label" …. "Overall, we’re quite impressed by the great leap ahead
Chevrolet (and GMC Truck) is about to make with its newest compact
sport/utilities."
AURORA WINS BY A TKO: Motor Trend decided to see how the new Oldsmobile
Aurora stacks up as a world-class luxury car and evaluated it to see if
it can go "toe-to-toe" with the Mercedes-Benz C280 and the Lexus GS 300.
Final decision: "Oldsmobile has arrived on the world scene. It’s the
Aurora, by a technical knockout." Said one editor: "Olds didn’t build a
Mercedes or Lexus clone; but instead produced the kind of top-quality GM
car it should’ve been building a year ago." Motor Trend notes "the
Aurora may lack some of the imports’ refinement and sportiness, but it
excels where it counts. It’s stylish, powerful, roomy, and comes
standard with an unbeatable price-to-feature ratio. This is more than
enough to outweigh any minor deficiencies."
ON WALL STREET …. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed Tuesday at
3755.76, up 1.95 points. GM common stock closed down 1/8 at 50-1/4. GM
Class E was down 1/2 at 35-1/2, and GM Class H was up 1/8 at 35-7/8.
Ford common stock closed unchanged at 30-1/8, and Chrysler was up 1/8 at
46-3/8.
(The purpose of the GM Newsline is to provide news and information
pertinent to GM, the auto industry and the economy. Content includes a
summary of news as it is covered by the media and does not necessarily
reflect the views of the corporation. News sources are attributed, and
GM’s position is included when a statement is available.)
This ends the GM International Newsline for Wednesday, August 10, 1994.
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