At the Chicago Auto Show: A New Ride, Reinvention, Fabulous Bloggers, and a Need to Return

We met across the street from the downtown Sheraton Hotel. His silver paint was gleaming in the sun, and his engine was purring. He invited me to step outside of the cold and into his luxurious interior. As I looked over his burl wood accents, buttery leather seats, and state-of-the-art cockpit dash, I couldn’t help but think that my new ride, the Buick LaCrosse, was something like a knight in shining armor, but with a decidedly modern, elegant edge. Like the best James Bond ever — Sir Sean Connery, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2000.

So, naturally, I dubbed my new ride Sean. He’ll be traveling the Midwest with me for the next two weeks, and when all is driven and done, I’ll post an article letting you know how we did. I’ll also be sharing more about the reinvention of the Buick brand, which is what I concentrated on at the Chicago Auto Show this week. I spoke with two key figures at Buick — Designer John Cafaro and Marketing Director Craig Bierley, as well as a host of others who are part of the tide that’s turning Buick young, sleek, and cutting edge.

My auto show journeys are unexpectedly turning me into a bit of a car-nnoisseur. While I’ve always enjoyed driving, I’m gaining a strong appreciation for the technology and craftsmanship that goes into creating the kind of cars and trucks people are excited to drive.

(You knew this was coming, right?  How could I attend a car show and not scope out the hottest Camaro on the showroom floor?)

Of course, if you have $100K to spare — and a few extra thousand for the tickets you’re sure to get — you could drive the 633-horsepower Corvette ZR1. Mark Reuss, President of GM North America, showed this Corvette to bloggers during a walk-around Wednesday afternoon.

I was curious what kind of cars Reuss had in his garage, especially since he’s considered automotive royalty — he’s a second generation GM executive who got his start in engineering.  Reuss drives a Buick LaCrosse; his wife drives an Enclave.

During an earlier talk with writers and bloggers, Reuss apologized for the company’s inglorious and unprofitable phase. It’s a humble acknowledgement  I’ve heard several times from other central GM figures, and I wondered at what point GM would feel it was appropriate to quit apologizing and let the sweeping changes they are making speak for themselves. “We were given a second chance,” Reuss said. “We want the public to know we don’t take that for granted, and are grateful.” Other executives I spoke with indicated that they were looking forward to the day GM’s government loan is paid in full, as Chairman Ed Whitacre has promised would happen this summer.

A second chance seems to have spurred a creative and technological boon at GM. Every brand — Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC — has been reinvigorated with new design and function, and forward-thinking, green technologies are taking on a much bigger role.

Besides several new hybrids and the upcoming electric Volt automobile — which is generating a lot of buzz among green enthusiasts — GM has also invested in biofuel technology.  Gary Arvan, one of GM’s chief engineers, was happy to show me the new Silverado HD, a diesel powered, heavy-duty truck that is B20 compatible. In fact, GM will now be offering B20 capability in all of its heavy-duty products, including the GMC Sierra, GMC Savana, and Chevrolet Express.

Biodiesel fuel — which is made from vegetable matter — has been around for quite awhile, and was helped in popularity by country singer Willie Nelson, but outside of commercial trucks, the technology has not been widely used. GM’s latest biofuel offerings will allow other truck consumers the option of being greener and less dependent on foreign fuels.

I had a great time at the Chicago Auto Show, and plan on visiting Chicago again very soon, where I hope to meet with several local bloggers and explore the city in more depth. Connie Burke of GM’s social media team, (@connieburke on Twitter), did a wonderful job of gathering bloggers from across the spectrum together, and introducing us to each other’s work. I met some very dynamic and passionate people, who are into everything from city promotion to charitable causes. I’ll be writing about them and their efforts soon. Right now, I’m getting ready for a BlogTalk Radio interview with Vehicle Vibes– which was set-up by Beth Rosen, who was just one of the amazing people I met during my brief time in Chicago this week.

Right now, I’m on a tree-lined street in the small town of Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin. I’m staying with writer Pat Stewart. Pat recently retired from her job as an engineer to become a full-time writer. She just completed her second novel, which you can check out on her site.

p.s. You can check out a video interview that GM did with me on YouTube. Keep in mind that there’s a reason writers write and television people are on television.

FTC Disclosure: GM sponsors my road trip by providing automobiles. They invited me to the Chicago Auto Show and paid for my hotel stay during the event. I receive no other compensation.

Tagged as: Chicago, General Motors