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Let's start with a bit of a confession. Despite having reviewed quite a few OnStar-equipped vehicles from automakers under the General Motors flag, I rarely, if ever, reach up to press that little blue "On" button while driving. There's just something about asking for directions that just doesn't sit right with me. So, it's a bit ironic that my first major immersion into the OnStar ecosystem happened in a Ford vehicle equipped with the OnStar FMV.

The OnStar FMV ("For My Vehicle") is a universal, standalone OnStar receiver that replaces the rearview … Read more

General Motors and South Korean conglomerate LG today announced a partnership to jointly develop electric vehicles for sale in different countries.

LG supplies lithium ion battery cells and battery packs for the Chevrolet Volt and the European edition of the Volt, called the Opel Ampera. Although details in today's press release were scant, GM said it intends to expand that battery supply relationship to engineer new electric vehicles.

"Many solutions for tomorrow's transportation needs may be available more quickly by building on our partnership strategy," said GM Vice Chairman Steve Girsky in a statement. "Consumers … Read more

General Motors has officially given the green light to an electrically driven Cadillac called the ELR.

The ELR, which was called the Converj as a concept car, will use the same powertrain system as the Chevy Volt. The car will have a lithium ion battery pack and electric motor to propel the car. When the batteries are running low, a 4-cylinder gas engine kicks in to generate enough charge for the battery to power the motor.

GM said yesterday that development of the ELR is just under way. It will announce details on timing and price later today.

The ELR … Read more

That reverse-roll some drivers of manual transmission vehicles experience when stopping, and then accelerating, up a hill won't happen for drivers of the 2012 Chevy Sonic.

Chevy's new subcompact car offers a feature usually reserved for SUVs and luxury sedans; hill-hold technology will be available on all manual-transmission models.

Drivers of the 2012 Sonic will have no problem when stopping at the crest of a hill, such as the one on San Francisco's Filbert Street. No more rolling backward before accelerating forward.

"Hill-hold assist uses a pitch sensor that detects the tilt of the body when … Read more

Buick just announced pricing on the 2012 Regal with eAssist, and the sportier 2012 Regal GS.

The Regal with eAssist will start at $29,530. The eAssist system is actually a $2,000 option on the Regal base model, mated to a 2.4L Ecotec engine. According to Buick, the base model without eAssist will continue to be available along with the 2.0L turbo.

The Regal GS will start at $35,310. Both prices include $860 in destination charges.

"Regal with eAssist and Regal GS offer distinct advantages to midsize luxury sport sedan customers," Tony DiSalle, U.… Read more

Solar power is coming to General Motors dealerships in an initiative to highlight GM's plug-in Chevy Volt and spiff up dealers' green credentials.

GM said today that 24 dealerships will receive a solar canopy in its Green Zone initiative. The solar arrays will be installed by Sunlogics, a solar company in which GM Ventures has invested $7.5 million.

The solar canopies will generate enough electricity to fully charge 12 Chevy Volts per day. The solar arrays will also offset dealership's electricity bills by generating on-site power.

In a GM video, two of the first dealers with the … Read more

The convenience offered by mobile apps for unlocking car doors and remotely starting their engines is also a weakness, as two hackers will demonstrate at the upcoming Black Hat conference in Las Vegas. Researchers Don Bailey and Mathew Solnik managed to use a laptop to hack the mobile app connection in two different car brands.

The researchers discovered that, when a user pushed the unlock or remote engine start buttons on the app, the phone sends a signal to a service center, which then sends a signal to the car telling it what to do. The researchers intercepted and duplicated … Read more

General Motor's venture arm said today it has invested $7.5 million in solar company Sunlogics and will purchase its solar arrays for GM facilities and dealerships.

Sunlogics will use the money to ramp up its operations, including solar panel production in Michigan and Ontario. The company, based in Rochester Hills, Mich., makes panels using thin-film amorphous silicon solar cells. It also installs and owns solar projects for corporations using its panels.

As part of the investment, GM will install solar canopies at its dealerships and business. It also signed a power purchase agreement in which it will buy … Read more

GMC dealers will get a shot at a new set of buyers starting in 2013, when General Motors is expected to launch its GMC Granite subcompact crossover.

That will diversify GMC beyond its core truck buyers, building on momentum from hot sales of its Terrain crossover. For the first time, GMC dealers will have a vehicle to fit urban lifestyles, one that can compete for shoppers with the Scion xB and Kia Soul.

Not that the brand is ignoring its core truck buyers. The Sierra 1500 full-sized pickup and Yukon SUV account for almost half of GMC's sales. Redesigned … Read more