For the fourth time in its more than 100-year history, General Motors is moving its corporate headquarters – but it isn’t going very far. The automaker will relocate from the current, facility along the Detroit River to the city’s newest highrise 1.2 miles away. The move was driven by a variety of factors, said GM CEO Mary Barra, including the need for less office space following the COVID pandemic.
History
The Past Lane: Ransom Olds Built More Than Oldsmobiles and REOs
But what he built may just surprise you. Like many American entrepreneurs, Ransom E. Olds started many endeavors. Having built his first steam-powered car in 1884 and his first gasoline-powered car in 1896, Olds establishes the Olds Motor Vehicle Company in 1897. It’s...
GM Takes Another Step Toward Going Back to the Moon
General Motors is headed back to the moon — maybe. It is providing Ultium batteries as well as some experience with chassis and suspension development for the next-generation lunar terrain vehicle that just got the green light from NASA. Find out more about the project and GM’s role in it at Headlight.News.
The Past Lane: A Mid-Century Modern Small Car
In an era when Detroit’s Big Three wanted to do nothing but build ever larger cars, Nash Motors had a different idea, on ethat would prove that not everyone thought bigger was better. Read the story at Headlight.News.
California Wants to Require Automakers to Install Speed Limiters
California lawmakers are considering a bill that could require new vehicles to come with an “intelligent speed limiter” that, in most instances, would prevent motorists from driving more than 10 mph above the speed limit. Such devices have also been recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board, though that has gained little traction on a federal level.
From “Ruin Porn” to High-Tech Hub: Ford Set to Reopen Long-Abandoned Michigan Central Station
When it opened 110 years ago, the Michigan Central depot was the tallest train station in the world and a showpiece for a city at its peak. Since it shut down in 1988, however, it’s been a symbol of urban decay and the decline of Detroit, in particular. Now, after a...
Headlight News for the Week of 2-19-24 Podcast: Ford Plans Low-Cost EVs, Cybertruck Rust, Rivian Teases New EV, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Review
Headlight News for the Week of 2-19-24 – Ford Plans Low-Cost EVs – Cybertruck Rust – Rivian Teases New EV – Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Review – and a Week in Automotive History.
The Past Lane: The Birth of a High-Performance Chrysler
It’s postwar America, and by the early 1950s, two-seat roadsters are everywhere. That trend leads Chrysler Corp. to develop one of its more successful models: the 1955 Chrysler C300. Check it out in The Past Lane.
The Past Lane: Ford Launches the F-Series
Having spent 47 years as America’s bestselling truck and 42 years as its bestselling vehicle, it’s hard to imagine when the Ford F-Series wasn’t so predominant. In fact, it made its debut 76 years ago this week. Headlight.News tells you it rose to prominence.
VW Celebrates 75 Years in America
The VW trend took off in the 1960s, as the loosening culture embraced the idea of a low-cost, easy-to-fix car. The low cost was key as the Boomer generation came of age and went looking for America. Read the whole story at Headlight.News.
The Past Lane: A Famous Author, A Famous Book, A Famous Movie
It seems like just another innocuous children’s film. Titled Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, this 1968 British musical hit theatres this week in 1968 starring Dick Van Dyke and Sally Ann Howes. The film concerns a down-on-his-luck inventor who turns a broken-down Grand Prix...
The Past Lane: The Pioneering Four-Wheel-Drive AMC Eagle
In an age when almost every car boasted rear-wheel drive, American Motors Corporation offered something different. Its December 14, 1987 in Brampton, Ontario, a typically chilly day in the Canadian city. But the cold is greater inside American Motor Corporation’s...