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General  Motors,  Inc.
[est. 1908; reorganized 7/2009]

history/timeline primary divisions subsidiaries other services works about General Motors General Motors execs image gallery links

some pungent quotation
— somebody

History of General Motors entry at Wikipedia
browse books
xxx catalog at Amazon.com
somebody credits [] at Internet Movie Database

History / Timeline  About  General  Motors

1908 Sept 16: Founding of the General Motors Company by William C. Durant [1861-1947] in Flint, Michigan as a holding company. 1908 Sept 17: General Motors purchased Buick Motor Company [founded 1899, 1902 & 1903] from David Dunbar Buick [1854-1929]; still is the premium Buick Division. 1908 Nov: General Motors purchased Olds Motor Vehicle Company [est. 1897]; longtime Oldsmobile Division [1909-2004]. 1908: General Motors purchased Elmore Manufacturing Company [1893-1912] 1909: General Motors purchased Cadillac [est. 1902]; still is the luxury Cadillac Division. 1909: General Motors purchased Cartercar Company [1905-1915]. 1911: General Motors purchased/merged Welch Motor Car Company [1901-1911]. 1909: General Motors purchased Oakland Motor Car Company [1907-1931] of Pontiac, Michigan; the Pontiac line debuted in 1926 and quickly outsold the Oakland models, so Oakland was discontinued in 1931. 1911 Nov: Chevrolet was founded by durant [absorbed by GM 5/1918]; still is the Chevrolet Division. 1916: Wall Street I.P.O. 1917: General Motors purchased Samson Tractor [est. 1900, defunct 1923] 1918: General Motors purchased McLaughlin Motor Car Company of Canada [est. 1907] became General Motors of Canada, Ltd. 1925: General Motors purchased Vauxhall Motors [est. 1857] for $2.5 million, sold off in 2017 1925: General Motors purchased stake in Yellow Cab Manufacturing Company [est. 1920], purchasd remainder/absorbed 1943] introduced the Pontiac brand [1926] Pontiac [launched 1931, defunct 2010] rebranding of Oakland Motor Car Co. Opel [80% interest for $26 million in 1929; purch 1931] GM released the Electrovan in 1966, the first hydrogen fuel cell car ever produced Lotus Cars [purch 59.7% 1986] British sports cars; sold to Bugatti in 1993. In March 2000 GM traded 5.1% of its common stock, worth $2.4 billion, to acquire a 20% share of Fiat. In December 2000, GM announced phasing out of the Oldsmobile brand, eventually discontinued in 2004 GM paid $2 billion to sever its ties with Fiat in 2005. as part of the G.O.P. Economic Meltdown of 2008, GM received $17.4 billion in bailouts; in June 2009, the company filed for a government-backed Chapter 11 reorganization; the Troubled Asset Relief Program of the U.S. Treasury invested $49.5 billion in General Motors; Treasury invested an additional $17.2 billion into GM's former financing company, G.M.A.C. (renamed Ally Financial). Treasury sold its GM shares for $39 billion in December 2013, resulting in a loss of $10.3 billion; the shares in Ally were sold in December 2014 for $19.6 billion, resulting in a $2.4 billion profit. A study by the Center for Automotive Research found that the GM bailout saved 1.2 million jobs and preserved $34.9 billion in tax revenue. 2023:

		"GMC: The First 100 Years - A Complete History" [2002] by John Gunnell G.M.C. celebrated its 100th anniversary and released a complete history of the company 192-page Krause Publns 11¼x11 hardcover [2002] out of print/used
		"Billy, Alfred, and General Motors: The Story of Two Unique Men, A Legendary Company, and A Remarkable Time In American History" [2006] by William Pelfrey A history of automobile maker General Motors, told thru the lives of various executives . . . Kindle Edition from Amacom Books [2006 edition] for $9.99 Amacom Books 9x6 [3/2006] for $16.89 Amacom Books 9¼x6 hardcover [3/2006] for $33.52 Amacom Books 9¼x6 hardcover [3/2006] out of print/used

http://www.amazon.com/David-Buicks-Marvelous-Motorcar-Automobile/dp/0978626907/
http://www.amazon.com/General-Motors-Photographic-History-Motoring/dp/0738500194/
http://www.amazon.com/The-Deal-Maker-William-General/dp/0471395234/
http://www.amazon.com/Years-General-Motors-Richard-Langworth/dp/1412715121/ https://www.amazon.com/Fins-Harley-General-Motors-Detroit-ebook/dp/B01HXJQ1O4/ https://www.amazon.com/Years-General-Motors-Alfred-Sloan-ebook/dp/B00S8U0ADG/ https://www.amazon.com/General-Motors-Photographic-History-Motoring/dp/0738500194/

Primary  Brands/Marques

Buick Motor Company [founded in 1899, purchased in 1908]

Cadillac [est. 1902, purchased in 1909]

Chevrolet  [founded 11/1911, absorbed by GM 5/1918]
Chevrolet Motor Division entry at Wikipedia
Stovebolt Reunion [Sept 2016 = #12] in Kansas City, Missouri

Vintage Chevrolet Club of America [est. 1961]
official website • entry at Wikipedia {empty}

Central Arizona Region V.C.C.A. Auburn [CA] Region V.C.C.A. Foothill {Los Angeles, CA} Region V.C.C.A. Greater Southbay {San Jose, CA} Region V.C.C.A. Orange County [CA] Region V.C.C.A. San Diego [CA] Region V.C.C.A. San Fernando Valley {Los Angeles, CA} Region V.C.C.A. The Sierra View [Northern CA] Region V.C.C.A. Southern California Region V.C.C.A. Southern New England Region V.C.C.A. Gulf Coast [FL] Region V.C.C.A. Great Lakes [IL] Region V.C.C.A. Northern Illinois Region V.C.C.A. Indiana Region V.C.C.A. Jersey Lakeland Region V.C.C.A.

Queens County [NY] Region V.C.C.A. Miami Valley [Ohio] Region V.C.C.A. Columbia River [OR] Region V.C.C.A. Willamette Valley [OR] Region V.C.C.A. Keystone [Eastern PA] Region V.C.C.A. Charleston [SC] Lowcountry Region V.C.C.A. Upstate South Carolina Region V.C.C.A. Bluebonnet [South Texas] Region V.C.C.A. Lone Star [TX] Region V.C.C.A. North Cascade [WA] Region V.C.C.A. Puget Sound [WA] Region V.C.C.A. Wisconsin Region V.C.C.A. Louis Chevrolet Region V.C.C.A. in France Chevrolet Club of Norway V.C.C.A. H-Model Chapter

"Chevrolet Presents: Balance" theatrical commercial [Jam Handy Orgn 1935] /tt1964526/
watch b&w short film [3/2019 upload; 6:34] online at YouTube

"Chevrolet Presents: Be My Guest" theatrical commercial [Jam Handy Orgn 1955]
"Chevrolet Presents: Do It Yourself" theatrical commercial [Jam Handy Orgn 1955]
"Chevrolet Presents: First Date" theatrical commercial [Jam Handy Orgn 1955]
"Chevrolet Presents: Here's Looking" theatrical commercial [Jam Handy Orgn 1955]
"Chevrolet Presents: Low and Behold" theatrical commercial [Jam Handy Orgn 1955]
"Chevrolet Presents: Perfect Timing" theatrical commercial [Jam Handy Orgn 1955]
"Chevrolet Presents: Rx For Travel" theatrical commercial [Jam Handy Orgn 1955]
"Chevrolet Presents: The New Era" theatrical commercial [Jam Handy Orgn 1955]
"Chevrolet Presents: What's New" theatrical commercial [Jam Handy Orgn 1955]
"Chevrolet Presents: You Can Take It With You" theatrical commercial [Jam Handy Orgn 1955]

	"A Pictorial History of Chevrolet, 1929-1939: As Told Thru Original Factory Photos From The G.M. Media Archives" [1998] by John D. Robertson M.B.I./Cars & Parts 8¾x10½ hardcover [2/98] out of print/used
	"A Pictorial History of Chevrolet, 1940-1954: As Told Thru Original Factory Photos From The G.M. Media Archives" [1998] by John D. Robertson M.B.I./Cars & Parts 8¼x10¼ hardcover [11/98] out of print/used
	"A Pictorial History of Chevrolet, 1955-1957: As Told Thru Original Factory Photos From The G.M. Media Archives" [1999] by John D. Robertson M.B.I./Cars & Parts 8½x11 hardcover [6/99] out of print/used
	"A Pictorial History of Chevrolet, 1958-1960: As Told Thru Original Factory Photos From The G.M. Media Archives" [2001] by John D. Robertson M.B.I./Cars & Parts 8½x10¾ hardcover [6/2001] out of print/used
	"Chevrolet Station Wagons: 1946-1966 Photo Archive" [2002] by Robert J. Headrick Jr. Iconografix pb [6/2002] for $29.95

http://www.amazon.com/Camaro-American-Publications-International-Staff/dp/B004KABJMY/
http://www.amazon.com/Camaro-Legend-Reborn-Larry-Edsall/dp/0760328196/
http://www.amazon.com/Chevrolet-Auto-editors-Consumer-Guide/dp/0785312382/
http://www.amazon.com/Chevrolet-Chronicle-Editors-Consumer-Guide/dp/1412719941/
http://www.amazon.com/100-Years-Chevrolet-Ralph-Kramer/dp/1596130717/

Chevrolet Corvette® [1953-2003] wikipedia Corvette® 50th Anniversary Corvette WebRing

Corvettes West in Colton, California
Corvette® Edition Monopoly® game

	"Corvette: Fifty Years" [2002] by Randy Leffingwell, Photography by David Newhardt Motorbooks Intl. 8¾x7¾ pb [10/2004] out of print/many used Motorbooks Intl. 12½x11 hardcover [11/2002] for $40.16
	"The Complete Book of Corvette: Every Model Since 1953" [2006] by Mike Mueller Motorbooks Intl. 10¼x9 pb [1/2012] for $19.79 Motorbooks Intl. 12¼x11 hardcover [11/2006] for $34.65

http://www.amazon.com/Automobiles-Corvette-Artist-Not-Provided/dp/B000JBXHO6/ DVD
http://www.amazon.com/Corvette-Illustrated-Encyclopedia-Tom-Benford/dp/0837609283/
http://www.amazon.com/Corvette-Inside-Development-Corvettes-1975-1992/dp/0837608597/
http://www.amazon.com/Corvette-Sixty-Years-Randy-Leffingwell/dp/0760342318/
http://www.amazon.com/Tag-City-CS60064-Chevrolet-Corvette/dp/B0030CYLD2/
http://www.amazon.com/The-Corvette-Anthology-1953-2013/dp/1936735334/ DVD-ROM
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Encyclopedia-Corvette-Peter-Henshaw/dp/0785828338/

Fiat [partner 2000-2005]
In March 2000 GM traded 5.1% of its common stock, worth $2.4 billion, to acquire a 20% share of Fiat;
paid $2 billion to sever ties with Fiat in 2005.

G.M.C. Truck Division
Rapid Motor Vehicle Company [est. 1902, purch 1909] of Pontiac, Michigan - became G.M.C. Truck
Reliance Motor Car Company [est. 1904, purch 1909] of Detroit, Michigan - became G.M.C. Truck
Euclid Trucks [purch 12/1953] heavy equipment, which later spawned the Terex brand
Yellow Cab Manufacturing Company [est. 1920, interest 1925, purch/absorbed 1943]

Lotus British sports cars [purch 59.7% 1986; sold to Bugatti in 1993]

Olds Motor Vehicle Company [est. 1897, purchased 11/1908, gone 2004]
In December 2000, GM announced phasing out of the Oldsmobile brand, eventually discontinued in 2004

	Oldsmobile entry at Wikipedia Oldsmobile Club of America Olds Heritage Center {old site thru Alexa} Encyclopedia of Oldsmobile Bryceman's Olds Site / FAQ Oldsmobile pictures gallery

Opel [80% interest for $26 million in 1929; purch 1931]

	Packard entry at Wikipedia The Packard V8 Club The Packard Club National Packard Museum Max Merritt Packard Auto Parts [est. 1960]

Packards Intl. Motor Car Club & annual Packard Grand Salon in Irvine, California in October

untitled short documentary film about Allan Hill, who lives in Detroit's abandoned Packard Auto Plant (closed in 1956)
watch 4/2012 video [7:47] online at YouTube

	"Motorbooks Classics: Packard, 1899-1958" [1998] by Dennis Adler Motorbooks Intl. 10x10 pb [7/2004] for $18.21 Motorbooks Intl. hardcover [10/98] for $0.00
	"Packard: A History of The Motor Car & The Company" [2005] by Beverly Rae Kimes Automobile Quarterly 8x9½ hardcover [1/2005] out of print/used

http://www.amazon.com/Packard-Automobiles-1920-1958-Brooklands-Portfolio/dp/1855209217/

Pontiac Motor Division [1926-2009]
Oakland Motor Car Company [est. 1907, purch 1909] the predecessor of Pontiac, 1931
introduced the Pontiac brand [1926]
http://www.amazon.com/GTO-Pontiacs-Great-Darwin-Holmstrom/dp/0760339856/

formerly Oakland division of General Motors [1908-31]

Saturn [founded in 1985, folded 2010]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_Corporation
GM introduced the Saturn Vue Green Line hybrid vehicle in 2006.

Vauxhall Motors, U.K. [est. 1857, purch 1925, sold off 2017]
British automaker purchased for $2.5 million in 1925

Yellow Cab Manufacturing Company
[est. 1920, interest 1925, purch/absorbed 1943]

Minor / Defunct Companies

Holden [saddlery est. 1856, autos 1898, GM purch 1931, defunct 12/2020] in Australia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden

Elmore Manufacturing Company [est. 1893, purchased in 1908, defunct 1912]

Welch Motor Car Company [est. 1901, merged 1911]

Cartercar Company [est. 1905, purchased in 1909, defunct 1915]

Samson Tractor [est. 1900, purch 1917, defunct 1923]

McLaughlin Motor Car Company [est. 1907 in Canada; purch 1918] became General Motors of Canada, Ltd.

LaSalle [1927-1940] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaSalle_(automobile)

Daewoo [est. 1937 in South Korea; GM purch 2002; replaced with Chevrolet brand in 2011]

Saab [1945-2014]
GM purchased 50% in 1989; purch remainder 2000; sold off to Dutch automaker Spyker 2010; folded 2014]

GM in 1966 released the Electrovan, based on the GMC Handi-Van;
the first hydrogen fuel cell car was a concept vehicle only and never produced.

Hummer [1992-2010, revised 2020] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummer

Subsidiaries

Dayton Engineering Laboratories Co. (Delco) [est. 1909; defunct 1985]
supplier United Motors [est. 1916, purch 1918, absorbed 1944]
Guardian Frigerator Company [est. 1918, purch 1919] which was renamed Frigidaire; losing money in 1979, sold off
supplier Fisher Body [purch 1926]
Allison Engine Company [purch 1929] aircraft engines
Electro-Motive Company [purch 1931] and expanded EMC's realm to locomotive engine manufacturing in 1941; sold off in 2005
Winton Engine Company [purch 1931]
Packard Electric Company [purch 1932] (not to be confused with the Packard car company, which merged with Studebaker Corp. [1852-1967] years later)
controlling interest in North American Aviation [purch 1932]; merged it with the General Aviation Manufacturing Corp.
Detroit Diesel [est. 1938]
Hughes Aircraft Company [purch 1985 for $5 billion]; merged it into Delco Electronics [1909-85]
GM sold the military businesses of Hughes Aircraft Co. in 1997 to Raytheon Company for $9.5 billion in stock and debt.

EVENTS & INNOVATIONS
United Auto Workers labor union [est. 1935]; 1936 Flint Sit-Down Strike, which spread to 8 plants; the strike ended 11 February 1937 when GM recognized the U.A.W.
GM introduced the Hydramatic in 1939, the first affordable and successful automatic transmission, for the 1940 Oldsmobile
GM released the Electrovan in 1966, the first hydrogen fuel cell car ever produced
In 1973, the Oldsmobile Toronado was the first retail car sold with a passenger airbag
GM installed its first catalytic converters in its 1975 models
GM debuted the General Motors EV1 Impact concept car in 1990, a battery electric vehicle; it was the first car with zero emissions marketed in the USA in over three decades. The Impact was produced as the EV1 for the 1996 model year and was available only via lease from certain dealers in California and Arizona. By 2002, all of the EV1s were returned to General Motors, and except for around 40 which were donated to museums with their electric powertrains deactivated, they were all destroyed.
GM delivered the first full-sized pickup truck hybrid vehicles, the ˝-ton Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra trucks in May 2004; later, the company debuted another hybrid technology, co-developed with DaimlerChrysler and BMW, a diesel-electric hybrid powertrain manufactured by Allison Transmission for transit buses; GM continued to target the diesel-hybrid market with the Opel Astra diesel engine hybrid concept vehicle in January 2005.
GM started in 2008 to offer the 2-mode hybrid system in the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalade, and pickup trucks

Other  Services
Electronic Data Systems [purch majority for $2.5B from Ross Perot; purch Perot's stake in 1986 for $750M]; spun off in 1996
General Motors Acceptance Corp. (G.M.A.C.) [formed 1919] to provide financing to automotive customers
GMAC Mortgage [est. by G.M.A.C. 1985]; acquired Colonial Mortgage as well as the servicing arm of Norwest Mortgage; the acquisition included an $11 billion mortgage portfolio
General Motors Group Insurance Program [est. 1926] to provide life insurance to its employees
Motors Insurance Corp. [est. 1939] vehicle insurance

Works  About  General Motors
[ Coming Soon ] **

Pioneers  &  Executives
automotive pioneer David Dunbar Buick [] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Dunbar_Buick
automotive pioneer William C. Durant
automotive pioneer ransom olds
alfred p. sloan

Image  Gallery

L i n k s
[ Coming Soon ] **

here on the General Motors, Inc. Page at Spirit of America Bookstore

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General Motors execs  •  image gallery  •  links

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