Why Chevrolet Spin Phase Out

Why GM Failed In India

CNBC:

Over the last 20 years, the
Indian automotive market has grown from
about 500,000 new passenger cars,
hatchbacks, sedans and utilities to
about 3.5
million in 2018.
The market has an expected compound annual
growth rate of about 5 to
6 percent over the next 10 years.
But, some automakers have struggled
to make it work.
Among them is General
Motors, the largest U.S.
car company. GM stopped selling cars in
India in 2017 after years of
declining market share.
It's a striking move for GM, which
in recent years has also closed
shop in other regions around the
world, as leadership focuses on
maximizing profits and making investments
in new technologies such as
electric power trains
and mobility services.
With a population of more than
1 billion people, India is becoming
one of the world's
largest automotive markets.
The country is poised to surpass
Japan as the world's third biggest
new car market in 2021.
So while there is ample
opportunity for automakers, the Indian
landscape has been particularly difficult
to navigate, especially for
American firms. GM watched its share
of the Indian market erode
steadily over several years, bottoming out
at about one percent in
2016 just before the
automaker pulled out.
So if the Indian market is
growing, why did GM struggle, especially
when GM has been
so successful in China?
To be fair, quite a few automakers
tend to have difficulty in the
Indian market. First of all, India
is a massive country with a
diverse population of roughly 1.3
billion people.
India, I think, we are
definitely a complex market.
The income levels
are quite heterogeneous.
We are divided, actually into
urban India and rural India.
The consumer requirements are actually
different even the needs are
different in both these markets.
There are a few criteria a
mass market automaker ought to meet.
They are fuel efficiency, resale
value, proximity of service stations
and the affordability of parts
and low servicing costs.
I think first thing is price.
We are a country with a
very low per capita income.
Indians are very price sensitive.
But price is not the only factor.
So now the customer also needs
some more value, for example, with
styling elements. And then, I think,
the consumer also wants a global
brand. They want a
brand which is aspirational.
The consumer wants an overall combination of
all P's, you know it may
be product, it may be
price, it may be positioning.
Which makes the things
quite complicated for OEMs.
These might seem pretty attainable,
but many automakers have
struggled to meet these
in the country.
There are a couple of companies who
have managed to crack that code
and there are several more with shares
of the market ranging in size
from small to smaller.
By far, the most successful automaker
in India is the Japanese firm
Suzuki, which alone owns
half the Indian market.
Suzuki has enjoyed something of
a first mover advantage.
It was the first major automaker to
enter India, and it did so
through a joint venture
with Indian manufacturer Maruti.
Suzuki also specializes in highly
fuel efficient vehicles, which are
extremely important in
the Indian market.
After Suzuki, Korean maker Hyundai is
the second largest with 16
percent of the Indian market.
After that, Indian, Japanese and Korean
makers such as Honda, Tata,
Kia and Mahindra all more or less
have equal degrees of market share.
Kia in particular, is a relatively
late coming brand that has been
able to succeed in India.
I think an excellent example is
Kia Motors which recently entered, it
was a new brand and
they gave a great proposition.
They were in an SUV segment and
I think suddenly right from the month
one, we saw a great success
for this OEM, in India.
Then the remaining 10 percent of the
market is made up of others such
as Ford, Renault, BMW and Nissan.
Early on, GM entered the India market
with its Opel brand, a mass
market brand GM had
owned in Europe.
While Opel cars tended to be
affordable, they failed to resonate with
Indian buyers.
I think later on they realized that's
not a brand which is really
going to work well in India because
that was not a value proposition
which they were offering
to their customers.
But then GM introduced its Chevrolet
brand to the country, which
brought it more success.
It was a great success.
They launched a few great
products like Chevrolet Cruze Chevrolet
Beat. They had that start which
they were really looking forward.
Despite these efforts, the automaker had
trouble taking share in the
Indian market. It was the first
automaker to introduce a diesel fuel
powered car of its size.
At the time, the Chevrolet beat
was the smallest diesel powered car
customers could buy in India.
It was a strong proposition and
benefited from a government subsidy
on diesel engines.
But in the end, the
diesel Beat had few takers.
The company may also have made a
misstep by trying to introduce a
low-cost vehicle GM manufactured with
its Chinese partner SAIC called
the Chevrolet Sail.
Their plan got derailed with the
introduction of Sail because I think
they underestimated the consumer aspiration
and then, I think, the
decline started. GM also fell victim
to a kind of self-reinforcing
cycle. One challenge it struggled with
was the lack of an adequate
dealer and servicing network.
More premium brands such as Mercedes
and BMW often attract customers
with the means to travel
further for service and sales.
But, mass market brands such as
GM's Chevrolet are targeting middle
class buyers who value convenience.
Dealerships in India often sell a
single brand so GM's low sales
volumes meant a single dealer might sell
only a handful of cars in a
month and risk taking losses on
the costs of running the business.
In the end, such low market share
made it difficult for GM to justify
maintaining a presence
in the country.
The automaker officially stopped selling
cars in India on December
31, 2017.
GM told CNBC it explored many
options for its India business, but
ultimately withdrew after it
determined the increased investment
originally planned for the country would
not deliver the returns of
other global opportunities.
It continues to operate services
for existing Chevrolet customers in
the country. In September, the
automaker entered a long-term
partnership with Tata Consultancy Services,
which will do engineering
design for GM vehicles meant
for markets around the world.
The move out of India was part
of a larger pullback GM has been
making around the world as
it restructures its business.
We're seeing other automakers follow
suit as they're pruning.
They're pruning the dead branches and
focusing on where they can be
strong. For GM, this is a huge shift
because GM of old used to be all
things to everyone everywhere.
And, it has now decided that
is not the proper strategy.
The automaker told CNBC if it doesn't
see a clear path to leadership
and long term sustained profits in
a particular market, it will look
at opportunities to focus its resources
on areas that will lead to
the greatest results. It added that this
is the same approach it has
taken elsewhere.
The automaker also sold its
European operations to French carmaker
PSA in 2017.
At the time it pulled out of India
GM had two factories there, one in
the Gujarati city of Halol
and another in Talegaon.
The Halol plant was acquired by
MG Motor, the once famed British
brand now owned by Chinese
automaker SAIC Motor Corporation.
GM has a joint venture with
SAIC to produce cars in China.
Reports surfaced in November 2019 that
SAIC is also in talks to
acquire GM's Talegaon plant, along
with fellow Chinese automaker
Great Wall. GM told CNBC it
is exploring strategic options for the
plant. The move out of India was
a retreat for GM and for American
auto industry. Ford is starting
to do the same.
It's trimming some
of its offerings.
Global economy and global auto
market is slowing some.
Certainly true here in the
US, it's true in China.
There's just not enough money to
go around to every single market,
too every single vehicle line.
Look at Daimler and BMW,
they've announced major employee cuts.
But in some ways it might
have been a shrewd move.
The other thing that is happening
in the market that has never
happened before is we are on the
verge of massive disruption of the
industry. You know, we're going to
have a future of electric
vehicles, autonomous vehicles and new
ways to acquire personal
transportation and now
mobility service.
There's all kinds of things.
Nobody knows when that's going to happen
or how it's going to happen,
but it's requiring a
lot of investment.
Companies like GM just can't keep putting
a ton of money into the
future as well as a ton
of money in today's stuff.
While analysts do expect the
Indian automotive market to continue
growing in the foreseeable future, it
did hit a slump in 2019.
Maruti Suzuki sales were growing
until February 2019, but have
slipped every month, year
over year, until October.
Suzuki said in November that the slowing
Indian market was one of the
factors behind the company's falling overall
sales and net income in
its second fiscal quarter.
So I think right now the
market is going through turmoil.
Our economy is struggling and if
we only talk about the automotive
market we are talking about a decline
of minus 14 percent in 2019
calendar year light vehicles.
So obviously this year is the
kind of degrowth happening, which has
not happened in last
two decades, in India.
2020, we are just talking about a
kind of a flat growth but then
going forward, in 2021, '22, '23,
the assumption that our economy
should be back, you know, the
GDP growth rate will start growing
above seven percent. Indian
automotive analysts note the country's
auto industry has to contend
with the relatively recent rise of
mobility services such as ride
hailing. The potential of these
competing technologies is still
unknown, but could affect how
interested in car ownership Indians
remain in the future.
In the end, GM did make some of
the right choices when trying to go
into India. GM was right in
terms of localizing their products
typically for the Indian market, making
it, in line with the taxation
because they were able to save tax.
But, at the end of their day, were
really not able to match with what
the competitors were offering.
If the Indian economy picks back up,
GM may find itself trying to
profitably re-enter the country.
GM's rival Ford, which has been in
India since 1995, said in October
2019 it will create a new
joint venture with Indian manufacturer
Mahindra, which Ford said will help
it develop new products faster
and drive profitable growth.

Chevrolet

Audiopedia:

Compare the 2020 Chevy Traverse With the 2020 Ford Explorer | Head to Head | Ford

Ford Motor Company:

Ford's Fight To Remain An American Icon

CNBC:

Ford Motor Companyis the oldest U.S. automaker. More than one century old,
it is the only one to have survived the
Great Depression, two World Wars and the 2008 financial
crisis without having to sell to a foreign buyer or file for bankruptcy. After one hundred fifteen years,
Ford is now at a critical juncture in its storied history.
Global auto sales peaked in 2016.
The entire industry is struggling with higher interest rates more expensive material costs and a global trade war.
Then there's Uber, Waymo, Tesla and
other new startups and companies that are
upping the pressure on the industry
to keep up with the latest technology.
Autonomous driving, electric vehicles, hybrids, all of which will take billions of
dollars in investment and years to
develop before any real payoff comes.
The automaker's stock sank below 10
dollars a share in July 2018 for
the first time since emerging from
the financial crisis in late 2009.
Under former CEO Alan Mulally. Since his departure in 2014 Ford, has struggled with his successors.
Mark Fields who was an executive with Ford for nearly three decades held the top job for just three years before
the board replaced him with current CEO Jim Hackett, a company outsider in April 2017.
And Hackett is already under pressure sales in China have plummete.
Falling 45 percent in October 2018 over
the same quarter in the previous year.
Ford's European business has deteriorated and it has long struggled in Latin America.
Hackett's promised $11 billion turnaround plan hadn't fully materialized by late 2018.
Although, investors have become impatient, analysts say
Hackett still has the backing of Henry Ford's great grandson.
Ford was founded at the turn of the 20th century by Henry Ford, a mechanically inclined young man from a
farm outside Detroit, Michigan. Uninterested in farming, He worked as an engineer at the Edison Illuminating Company,
where Thomas Edison encouraged the young entrepreneur to experiment with automobile designs.
Ford ultimately teamed up with a Detroit coal dealer and founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903.
I think it's important to know that Ford was not afraid of failure in fact he embraced and welcomed failure.
He would talk about how his first two car companies failed.
He would have rather setbacks along the way but he saw each failure as a to lessen a chance to learn something
and do better with the next attempt. So I think that was important.
At that time, cars were assembled slowly by teams of skilled craftsmen. Ford saw the potential to streamline the process.
He adapted assembly line techniques learned from other industries, such as brewing and canning.
This dramatically sped up production and reduced costs.
Henry's Model T car was the first automobile produced on a mass scale would turn him into a legend.
Its initial price in 1908 of $825, under $23,000 in today's currency, gave it widespread appeal.
By 1916, Model T production rose to more than 585,000 units and the price fell to $360. During their lifetime,
Model Ts represented half of all the cars on the road worldwide.
In 1917, the company made its
first foray into producing the vehicles, it is perhaps best known for today,
the pickup truck.
The truck was based on the Model T
and was a sturdy frame with a cab in the front.
Ford sold roughly 4 million pickups
before stopping production during World War II.
In the postwar period, the company would release a number of now classic cars, including the legendary Thunderbird.
Ford rolled out the Mustang, a two door pony muscle car in 1964.
Steve McQueen would turn it into an icon in the 1968 film, Bullet.
By the early 1980s though, Ford had suffered a number of bad years
and executives at the company began
looking for challenging and inspiring new designs.
The company rocked the automotive world in 1985 when it released the Taurus, a front wheel drive sedan with
rounded edges, that was strikingly different from what sedans looked like at the time.
The car is often credited with saving the company and its so-called Jelly Bean shape influenced auto designs for more than a decade.
But Ford would later face other challenges.
Reports started surfacing in the late 1990s of accidents involving the tires on Ford Explorer sport utility vehicles.
The scandal resulted in more than 270 deaths and 800 injuries in the United States alone prompted congressional investigations.
Millions of dollars in settlements and legal costs forced several executives to resign and severely damaged Ford's reputation.
Just as Ford was putting the scandal behind it,
Cracks started showing in the auto lending market in late 2005 and early 2006, foreshadowing the crisis to come.
Ford which made $1.6 billion in 2005 lost an astounding $12.6 billion the next year.
At the height of the financial crisis in 2008, it booked a record loss of $14.7 billion.
The big three Detroit automakers: Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler would go to Washington hat in hand for a combined $34 billion in loans that December.
But Ford was spared the fates of its rivals. Then CEO Mulally, who had been hired from Boeing in 2006,
was credited with having the foresight to see the credit markets tightening.
He amassed a $20 billion war chest
through borrowing before the crisis was in full swing.
The gamble paid off.
Ford was the only Detroit automaker that didn't take federal assistance or file for bankruptcy and has booked annual profits ever since.
But since Malawi's departure in 2014, the company has seen its fortunes sink.
Some industry watchers say Mulally, like other auto executives, missteps
by realigning Ford's portfolio around passenger sedans and compact cars,
missing the dramatic consumer shift toward SUV and pickups.
Hackett has inherited a challenge.
With U.S. auto sales down from their 2016 peak of 17.5 million vehicles sold,
the industry has been increasingly relying on high priced trucks and SUV fees to bolster profits.
The company has to slim down its operation, remain profitable, invest in new products for
the short term, and still show it is looking further ahead into the future.
And it has to do this while fending off competition from not only traditional automakers but a whole new ecosystem of companies,
from industries such as technology.
Some of which have very deep pockets.
They are in this transitional challenging place right now and and taking a lot of criticism.
But let us not forget it is not a company that's on the verge of bankruptcy.
They are still very profitable.
They have a lot of cash. So, it's not a company that's going away tomorrow as Ramos said it wouldn't.
Ford wouldn't make it through the next recession. That couldn't be further from the truth.
Of course Ford certainly has its strengths.
It has a strong brand, loyal customers and good products among other things.
But the auto industry could look very different in just a few years.
Investors aren't yet convinced Hackett can navigate through these choppy waters.
Whether Ford will see another century as an American icon remains to be seen.

4K Review: 2018 Chevrolet Traverse Quick Drive | Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports:

After about a decade
out on the road,
Chevrolet has finally
redesigned its large three row
SUV the Traverse.
That first generation model was
well liked and CR recommended,
but its age was showing.
The new car boasts better
refinement, fuel efficiency,
packaging, and connectivity.
So to find out just how much
the new Traverse has improved,
we bought one for ourselves.
The 2018 Traverse is offered
with two powertrains.
A 310 horsepower V6 plus a 255
horsepower turbo four cylinder
that will come later.
With a hefty curb weight
of around 4500 pounds,
most are going to want that V6.
Combined with a new nine
speed automatic transmission,
the EPA rates the
V6 all wheel drive
model at 20 miles
per gallon combined.
A three MPG improvement
over the outgoing vehicle.
This is a big well equipped SUV,
especially in the premier trim
we purchased.
Access to the airy cabin
is easy with large doors
and a reasonable step up height.
The front seats are
wide and accommodating,
and there's ample room for
the driver to spread out.
Wide well placed arm rests
will help on those long days
in the saddle too.
But with an as tested
price of nearly $50,000,
just two way lumbar
for the driver's seat
and a manual sunshade
seem lacking.
Hop into the second
row and you'll
find enough space for
adults to truly stretch
out and get comfy.
Rear heated seats, climate
controls, and ceiling vents
adds to the Traverse's
minivan like vibe.
Headroom is only
adequate though,
as the sunroof
compromises some space.
That second row seat
can slide fore and aft
making more room for the
third row when needed.
In seven seat configuration,
the second row captain's chairs
make a handy path to
the way back seats.
There's enough headroom
for average sized adults,
but the foot space
is a bit tight.
The Traverse has pretty
good outward visibility
thanks to its tall side windows.
However, the over
the shoulder view
is limited by
thick rear pillars.
Backing up is aided by both rear
view and optional surround view
cameras.
And if that's not
enough cameras for you,
the optional rear camera mirror
gives you a wide angle view
to help with rear visibility
instead of a traditional mirror
view.
You can turn it off if
it becomes distracting.
The familiar MyLink
Infotainment system
takes center stage up front with
its colorful intuitive 8 inch
screen, which is retractable
and reveals a handy hideaway bin
behind it.
The Android Auto and Apple
CarPlay compatibility
are standard enabling seamless
smartphone integration.
Adding to the
connectivity, there
are USB ports in every
row along with a 110 volt
outlet and a built in Wi-Fi
hotspot with a free trial
period.
Out on the road, the Traverse
benefits from a quiet cabin
and immediately feels
well mannered and easy
to drive in spite
of its hulking size.
The V6 is a smooth operator
feeling unstressed around town,
yet capable of making brisk
passing maneuvers when needed.
The new nine speed
automatic shifts smoothly,
and thankfully uses a
traditional gear selector
layout.
Even though steering
is on the light side,
the Traverse corners well
for a vehicle of this size.
The ride is compliant soaking
up most impacts nicely
while still feeling
connected and controlled.
Unfortunately forward collision
warning and automatic emergency
braking are only available
on the top trims.
The fact that these important
safety features aren't standard
on all Traverse models
is a notable omission
in an all new family vehicle.
Our premier test vehicle also
has a blind spot warning,
and rear cross-traffic warning,
as well as the rear seat
reminder.
This feature gives a visual
reminder and audible alert
to check the rear seat
to prevent a child
or pet from being left behind.
We'll learn more
about the new Traverse
as we rack up our
break in miles.
Keep an eye out
for full road test
results to see how it measures
up against other competitors.
For more on large SUVs check
out consumerreports.org.

Chevrolet Trailblazer | First Drive | Road Test Review | Motown India

Motown India:

Welcome to the Motown India show, my name
is Roy P. Tharyan. A lot of good things are
happening at the General Motors office here
in India. GM CEO Mary Barra has brought in
a lot of cash, $1 billion to be precise. That's
gonna be spent on extra investments at the
Talegaon plant in Pune. New products are gonna
be coming out from the GM stable. One of them
is going to be the Chevy Trailblazer. This
is powered by a 2.8L diesel engine which generates
a massive power, 200bhp and an equally massive
torque, 500Nm. The engine is mated to a 6
speed automatic transmission. We are going
to see how well this performs, what are the
features that this company is giving us in
this wonderful SUV, a premium SUV. The Chevrolet
Trailblazer is expected to take on the likes
of the Toyota Fortuner and the Ford Endeavour
and is priced at Rs 26.40 lakhs. The Trailblazer
is a mighty machine and will be a big one
for the company. It's big in all terms size,
performance and price. The four-cylinder 2.8-litre
Duramax dieselengine comes with double overhead
camshafts, 16 valves, a water-cooled, variable
geometry turbocharger and common-rail injection.
Engine refinement is quite laudable in this
Chevy beast. A simple dip of the accelerator
pedal sends this huge machine roaring ahead.
The gears shift very rapidly and the moment
you accelerate you can feel the vehicle lurching
forward. On a straight tarmac, the Trailblazer
was a smoothie. It simply sped as though it
was a light footed gazelle out for a sprint.
The vehicle comes with Front Dual Airbags,
Anti lock braking system with electronic brakeforce
distribution, Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent
Control System, Traction Control System, Electronic
Stability Control, Cornering Brake Control
and Panic Brake Assist. All these features
come to your aid whether you are on a rough
track or speeding down a lonely winding road.
On the looks front, the Chevy Trailblazer
comes out as a neat, big fella. It’s like
a gentle giant and not radically deigned.
The front looks subtly imposing with the Chevy
split grille and sporty looking cannon type
projection headlamps. The rear has the fog
lamps accompanied by LED tail lamps. You also
get dual tone metallic roof rails and rear
defoggers with timer. Chrome is used sparingly
on the outside with a bit a bit of chrome
grip type door, outside mirrors with LED turn
indicators and Chrome rear garnish. The massive
265/60 R18 tyres with 18 Inch alloy wheels
dominate the land the SUV treads. Mind you,
this is not a four wheel drive, this is a
two wheel drive. To be precise a rear wheel
drive. This is not a pure thoroughbred SUV
for off roading purposes. But one can do it,
experts like us can do it because the immense
torque can pull you out of sticky situations.
But be careful when you take it out in the
rough. As for the interiors, the car comes
with dual tone athos beige and charcoal black
wraparound theme, a corvette inspired dual
cockpit interior, triple pod instrument cluster
with icy blue illumination and leather wrapped
gear selector and 3 spoke steering wheel.
There is ample of storage space and two 12
V Sockets in the front and one each on the
second and third rows. For the comfort of
the passengers and the driver there is a tropicalised
automatic climate control system, dedicated
rear ac system with 2nd & 3rd row vents & blower
controls, cruise control, tilt adjustable
steering column, rear view camera with touch
display, rear park assist with adaptive
gridline and buzzer warning and power adjustable
& foldable ORVMs. The SUV also has an automatic
door lock, theatre dimming effect for map
lamp and centre lamps, luggage area illumination
and dimmable instrument cluster and display.
The car comes with a 7 Inch ‘MyLink’ Infotainment
Audio Touchscreen with Smartphone App Link
, an Integrated 2 DIN Radio/MP3/USB/AUX/VIDEO/BLUETOOTH
Audio System and a premium 6 speakers system.
The 6 way power adjustable driver seat has
the best to offer. Fold all the seats behind
the driver seat and you get ample space to
put in your mattress for two people to snuggle
in comfortably! This body on frame SUV has
been smartly built. It may not be a pure 4X4
but it's been built in such a way that it
can take on off road conditions. You can see
for example the dig wheel arches. Look at
that! My hand can go. This means that these
wheels can take on a lot of topsy-turvy conditions.
The Chevrolet Trailblazer performed well on
both smooth roads as well as rough terrains.
It’s not one of the blue blooded off-roaders.
But it does take you out of some of the rough
patches. Keeping in mind India’s terrible
roads and a crumbling infrastructure, this
no-nonsense SUV from Chevrolet could be the
ideal vehicle to transport your family in
comfort and safety! It’s like the gentle
giant you would love to befriend.

Compare the 2019 Chevy Traverse With the 2019 Ford Explorer | Head-to-Head | Ford

Ford Motor Company:

Albert Gutierrez & His 1954 Chevrolet Bel Air - Lowrider Roll Models Ep. 9

MotorTrend Channel:

- You know I used to be fascinated
about cruising.
You know back in the day,
it wasn't called low riders;
you were cruisers.
And as a young kid,
I remember I was about 12, 13 years old
and I would sit in front of my porch
and I would watch everybody cruising.
I used to just sit there,
and I would just look at it
and think, "One day, I'm
going to have me a nice car."
As time went on, you know,
I just had always a passion for cars.
("Evening" by Zplit)
I think I was only 14 years old
at the time.
One day my brother told me,
he goes, "Hey, there's a 54
Chevy Bel Air car for sale."
So me and my friend,
we went down and looked at it,
and the guy said, "Hey,
yeah it's for sale.
"It needs work,"
but he wanted $50.
Well, I had to save up my money.
Took me about a month
to save up the money.
So I get to the door,
knock on the door,
and tell him, "Hey, I'm here for the car,
"but all I got is $47 and some change."
And he goes, "Yeah, go ahead, take it."
("Beat 101" by Professor Xv)
My car is a 1954 Chevy Bel Air,
two-door hard-top.
The accessories that it came with
was a power seat,
power breaks,
power windows in the front doors,
and it was an automatic.
It's pretty much fully equipped.
The car, back in those days,
Chevy, that was a heavy car option.
The engine that my 54 Chevy has
is still the original engine;
I just had it rebuilt.
It's a 235 6-cylinder;
that was a stock engine
that came with the car.
That's all, 54, you
could get in those days
was the 235 6-cylinder,
which is a good engine.
Being able to say you have your first car
is a really amazing thing.
There's many a time
I've thought of selling it over the years.
Now I look back and I think,
"Wow! There's so many
memories in that car."
I dated my wife in it.
We got married in that car.
It was our first family car.
And as time goes on,
I didn't drive it so much.
I would just park it,
and it stayed parked for almost 20 years.
And finally, I moved it into the garage
that I have now,
and it just sat there until one day I go,
"You know, I got to
restore that car again."
I just look back and I
think it's just so neat.
A lot of people always telling me,
"It's so neat to have your first car."
And I go, "Yeah, if that car could talk."
It has a lot of memories,
that car does.
("That Day" by Joakim Karud)
I started collecting cars in 95.
It was at a part in my life
where financially I was able to start,
plus I was having more time.
I just looked for cars
that are kind of unique.
I've never bought a car
that's already done.
I like getting a car that's either stock
or needs to be restored.
And we like to put our own flavor into it.
As I was restoring cars,
my wife one day mentioned to me,
that she likes Bombs.
So I said, "Okay,"
so we looked and we found one.
It needed to be restored.
What we did is we updated the car,
put a 235 out of 58,
change the trans as well,
and then we open-drived it.
And then when it came to be painted,
we went to the paint shop
and I go, "Well, what
color do you want it?"
And she looked at her finger nails
and she goes, "This is the color I want.
"The color of my finger nails."
So it's a burgundy,
that's the color she liked.
So we painted that car
and she just loves it.
I think,
you know my wife,
she has the same passion as I do.
She loves cars.
The amount of cars that I have,
there's a few cars.
Everybody always asks me,
"How many cars you got?"
I just tell them a few,
but I would say,
I probably have over 15, 20 cars.
("Better Days" by Bensound)
I grew up in Pomona, California.
I come from a family of seven.
In my family, there's three older brothers
and three younger sisters.
My dad was a construction worker.
My mom was a homemaker.
My dad and my mom they
were really good people.
They provided.
My dad always tried
to keep us out of the neighborhood scene.
He always wanted to do right.
Watching my brothers as
they started working,
they had the paper routes,
they were out cutting grass,
helping the family,
and as a young boy I seen that,
and I always wanted to
contribute to my family as well.
So I remember, I think
about 11, 12 years old,
I got a lawn mower
and I started cutting lawns.
I remember coming home
and being able to give
the money to my mom.
Say, "Here you go, mom.
"This is to help out."
I just wanted to contribute.
My dad for the longest time,
used to be my role model.
He was a Marine.
So I think at 14 years old,
I remember taking my older
brother's birth certificate,
going down, and I signed up.
I went in and I remember
taking the physical
and the guy there was looking at me.
And he goes, "You know, you
have the jaw of a 14 year old."
And I just kind of played
off, "I don't know why.
"I'm 18."
But at that time, my mom was crying.
So my brother finally said, "All right."
He went ahead and went to the recruiter
and told them, "My brother,
he lied about his age."
So next thing you know, they found out,
and they sent me back home.
As soon as I turned 17,
I ended up joining the Marine Corps.
I served six years in the Marine Corps.
I wanted to make it a career,
but after having two children,
I just got promoted to Staff Sergeant,
but I was going back overseas again,
and my wife, she didn't like that idea.
She goes, "It's too hard
to be gone for 13 months."
So we made the decision to just get out.
In the service, I got trained
as a heavy equipment mechanic,
so when I got out, that's
what I started working.
I became a diesel mechanic.
When I got out of the service,
I started working for a
company called Detroit Diesel.
I started becoming a diesel mechanic.
And then our company also
worked on generators,
so I ended up transferring over
to the generator department.
And then as time going on,
I started just doing more and more.
And at the end of 1985, I decided that,
I told my wife, "I think it's time.
"I want to go into business."
And business wasn't taking off;
it was taking off kind of slow.
There really wasn't a lot of competition.
There was basically a
lot of larger companies.
So I was able to find a
niche to do a lot of work
where nobody really wanted to do it.
So I ended up praying about it,
and I believe that God gives us favor,
and at that time he did.
He opened the door
and our business just started growing.
We started off in my garage
for the first year,
and then from there I
moved into a building.
I said, after being in
business five years,
I said, "I would like
to buy my own building."
("Peace" by Jordyn Edmond)
I'm the CEO of AG Engineering.
Started in 1985.
The type of work we do is on generators
and our work consists of anything
from a tune-up, overhaul,
repairing the electrical system on it,
updating the generators,
whatever it takes to get a
generator up and running.
Our customers is Verizon,
we're now at Frontier,
Edison, the gas company,
water company,
a lot of high-rise buildings,
just about anywhere there's a generator.
That's the kind of work we do.
I have two sons that work for me.
One of them's an electrician;
the other one is a generator tech.
They kind of both cross-train
and they're good at what they do.
When the time came
that we had our building built,
I decided, I go,
"I'm going to make an
area just for my cars."
In this garage, I do a lot of my repairs.
One side, I try to keep
it all neat and organized;
and the other side,
that's where I have lift
and I do my work.
I'm constantly adding parts
that you need for cars,
special nuts, special bolts,
so I have a nice little inventory
of my own personal stuff
that I use on my cars.
After I restored a couple cars,
I remember looking at them one time
and I remember just asking the Lord,
I said, "Lord, if there's any
way I could use these cars
"to speak into young people's life."
Maybe a month later,
this girl comes up to me,
she's a chaplain at Camp Rock.
She goes, "Al, how would
you like to come in
"and talk to the boys."
And I asked her, I go,
"Well, that's fine."
I go, "Is there any way
I could bring in a car?"
So she checked and she found out.
She goes, "Yeah, you could."
So as I started thinking about this,
I would use these as an example.
I would give a story about a restoration.
One thing I would ask these kids,
I would tell them, "A car has cancer.
"Cancer's rust.
"It eats up the floor,
it tears it all up."
And I would ask them, "How
many of you got cancer?"
And none of the kids
would raise their hands.
And I would say, "No, I'm
talking cancer of the heart."
And that's where a black hates a Mexican,
Mexican hates a black,
white.
I go, "It's your heart, where it's at."
Then they would raise their hand.
So then I would tell them, I go,
"This is where God wants
to change your life.
"He wants to take that away from you."
And so I would kind of talk to them
and tell them that God looks at them
the same way we look at these cars.
You're a trophy winner.
So you know, just being
able to mentor to some kids,
to let them know that they
don't have to go down that road.
There's a much better road to go down to,
if they would just open their eyes
and focus on the right thing
and priorities in life.
I'd rather drive an old car any day
than a new car,
'cause an old car has so much class to it.
The fact that my wife is
able to sit next to me.
When we're in a car,
we kind of just slip back into that time,
and my wife makes me feel
like a teenager again.
She says I make her feel
like a teenager again,
'cause she sits next to me,
she'll put her arm next to me,
listening to the right music.
At our age, people look at us
and they just always give us a thumbs up.
They just think it's so neat
that we could have so much fun.
We live in the greatest country there is.
I'm always telling young kids,
"If you would just put
your priorities right,
"educate yourself,"
I go, "the world is yours.
"You could do whatever you want.
"You just got to believe in yourself.
"Open your eyes and
focus on the right thing
"and priorities in life."
My name is Albert Gutierrez.
I'm the CEO of AG Engineering,
and I'm a Low Rider Roll Model.
("Better Days" by Bensound)

CLASSIC 1937 CHEVROLET VIDEO 🏁 Chevy Factory Differential Explanation! (Company Archive Footage)

HOT ROD 100:

HOT ROD 100 Presents...
1937 Chevrolet Differential
Official Instructional Video
you
now
formations like these require long hours
of intensive drilling and careful
judging when the truck goes around the
corner the writers on the outside of the
turn have to adjust their speed to keep
even with the riders on the inside the
man on the outside has to ride a lot
farther and a lot faster in order to
keep up with the parade the outside
wheels must spin faster than the wheels
on the inside because they have a
greater distance to travel in the same
length of time when a wagon turns a
corner the wheels can travel at
different speeds because each one can
turn freely on the axles and in the
early automobiles the rear wheels turn
separately and only one wheel was
connected to the engine but when only
one wheel was driven by the engine it
had to do all the work and it couldn't
get a good enough grip on the road to do
its job properly so the one wheel drive
was soon out of date but if two wheels
are locked on an axle so that they are
not free to turn separately one or the
other has to slide so engineers had to
find a way to connect both rear wheels
to the engine without sliding and
slipping on turns the device which makes
this possible is a part of the rear axle
it is called the differential because it
can drive the rear wheels at different
speeds the differential looks
complicated but once we understand its
principle it is amazingly simple these
two wheels are mounted on separate axles
and supported by a frame so that they
can revolve freely at different speeds
let's fasten a spoke on the inner end of
each axle so that by turning the spokes
we can turn each wheel separately
with a bar or crosspiece we can turn
both wheels in the same direction at the
same rate of speed let's get something
to hold this bar in place so that it
will press against a spose notice that
this support is not locked to the axle
it turns freely now we can spin the
wheels by rotating the support this is
fine
as long as both wheels are able to turn
at the same speed but let's see what
happens when we go around the corner
with this arrangement we cannot drive
one wheel faster than the other and if
we stop one wheel the other wheel won't
budge let's put this bar on a pivot so
that it can swing in either direction
now the bar can still turn both wheels
at the same speed and because it pivots
it lets one wheel turn even when the
other is stopped but if turned too far
the bar will swing around until it won't
drive the spokes that turn we need
another crossbar and more spokes to
carry on the job when we stop one wheel
the crossbars will continue to push the
spokes of the freewheel around as long
as both wheels are free to turn the bars
do not swing on their pivot and the
wheels move at the same speed now we
have the working principles of a
differential to adapt the model for use
in an automobile we will have to make a
few changes in order to reduce the jerky
action caused by wide spaces between the
spokes we will put in more spokes
further filling in the spaces between
the spokes gives steadier more
continuous action and changing the shape
gives firm constant contact now we can
make the gears thicker and stronger and
we have differential gears the edges are
cut so that they will fit together more
smoothly and silently and another gear
is added to share the work of driving
the axles the principle is the same in
order to turn the support and drive the
wheels we can fasten a large gear here
connected by a smaller gear to a source
of power
notice that the power is connected to
the differential at the center line we
can make our model more compact by
moving the gears closer together when we
put our differential in an automobile we
have to leave room for the driveshaft
which carries the power from the engine
we may build the floor of the car
above the driveshaft but if we do we
won't have much room inside unless we
make the top of the car high - of course
we could lower the floor and ceiling but
the driveshaft would be higher than the
floor this would have disadvantages a
shaft in the middle of the floor of an
automobile would be inconvenient for
passengers and would be awkward for
carrying luggage today engineers have
found a way to make the car roomier and
closer to the road without a clumsy
shaft above the floor the drive shaft
from the engine to the differential is
lowered out of the way and the drive
shaft is connected to the rear axle at
the bottom the new low Center Drive
makes the rear axle quieter stronger and
more durable because it gives better
smoother contact between the gears the
automobile of today with the low Center
drive is stronger and more rugged every
part of the rear axle has been built to
withstand strains far greater than it
will ever meet on the straightaway more
around the corner
you

BEST AMERICAN TRUCK -- 2019 Chevy Silverado vs. 2019 Ford F-150: Comparison

Car Confections:

As everyone knows pickup trucks are by far the best selling vehicles in the US
So when any change occurs to these models, it's a big deal of
Course f-150 has been the Sales Leader among them
But the Silverado is not too far behind even before this all-new model arrived in the showrooms
So with that said let's go ahead and see if the all-new Silverado has what it takes to pass up for its heavy weight
So like always the first thing we'll do is establish the pricing and option levels of these two models
starting off with our f-150
We have one of the highest equipped models the Platinum
This scores you all the luxury upgrades and a starting price of fifty eight thousand three hundred forty five dollars with four-wheel drive
From there. We do have some additional equipment as well including the 701A package
3.5 liter EcoBoost engine panoramic moonroof trailer backup assist and a spray in bedliner
All told with the $1495 destination the total rings in at sixty six thousand one hundred sixty-five dollars
Next up we have the brand new silverado in its highest trim the high country
Similar to the Ford it starts off a little over
56,000 dollars with four-wheel drive, but from there, we have the high country deluxe package optional 6.2 liter v8
Technology package power assist ups and a couple other things
After including the same $1500 destination charge the total price is sixty six thousand four hundred twenty five dollars
So make no mistake. These two are full-blown luxury vehicles
But anyways with these two nearly identical priced trucks. Let's go ahead and see who comes out on top
Even though trucks this expensive may not see much hard work will still start out with the important mechanical bits
First with the engines both have the optional upgraded ones that go about their business in very different ways
Ford uses a three and a half liter twin turbo v6 making
375 horsepower and 475 feet of torque
However, it is still out matched by the Chevy's traditional 6.2 liter naturally aspirated v8
making significantly more power at
420 horsepower and still coming within 5% of its massive torque figure at
460 pound-feet
One really interesting thing is that they both have the exact same transmission. So it's Ford and Chevy co-developed the ten speed automatic
Now moving into how they actually drive the short summary is dang good
Both have really impressive power
And as far as real world feel
I can't say that I could tell much of a difference even though the Chevy is up on power
But I will say one important difference at least to me is how the
6-2 sounds versus the Fords engine which makes virtually no sound at all
Both transmissions behaved with near transparency and even though neither of them have any air suspension or active dampers
The rides are still very compliant
and
Then ending here with fuel economy, even though the Chevy does sound better that is offset by the fuel economy
With the Silverado you're coming in at 17 combined while the f-150 beats it by two MPG combined or 19 combined
But anyways that wraps up the basics of the powertrains. So now let's check out the designs and features
While I'm going to be as objective as possible, I will still take a moment to compare the styling in general
Starting off with the Chevy the front design doesn't stray too much from the outgoing model
it has a more modernized take on the signature Chevy grille and
You'll find special bronze badging and high cut your branding to distinguish it from the more plebeian models
On the Ford it just got a refreshed last year. So it continues to have the same silver grille which is unique to the Platinum
It also comes standard with these very nice full LED headlights
The Chevy's headlights are also fully LED, but they have a more unique look that contours with the shape of the grill and
Then both also have LED fog lights at the bottom
At the sides both the Silverado and f-150 are available in a ton of different configurations
But these terms have a more limited selection
They can only be had in the large four door crew cab configurations, but you can still choose between short and standard bed lengths
Now most of the time when it comes to the rear trucks look pretty much the same but here they're actually quite different
The main thing you'll notice is the Fords silver tailgate which shows off how much you spent
but at the same time the Chevy has dual horizontal exhaust outlets, which I don't think any other truck has and
Then as far as lighting both have LED tail lights
So overall both have handsome designs and since they do have identical features, I won't award any point
Now moving around to all the other features the f-150 comes with fairly plain looking 20 inch alloys
while the Silverado has more eye-catching
22s and
as far as the mirrors, they both have heating power folding auto dimming and blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and
Speaking of BSM both trucks come with a ton of other safety features
Including forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection
Lane departure alert and auto high beam headlights
however, the Silverado is strangely missing adaptive cruise control as
Far as warranties go the two vehicles are identical
They both get 5 year 60,000 mile power train warranties and 3 year
36,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty
However on the Silverado you will find that your first maintenance visit is complimentary
Moving on to towing the smaller engine 4. It has a pretty substantial advantage our
F-150 has the max trailer tow package
But the Silverado won't allow you to combine the max trailering package with the optional deluxe or premium packages
That means that the Ford can handle 13,000 pounds versus 9300 pounds in the Chevy
But of course you could increase that rating to twelve thousand two hundred pounds if you're willing to go without the extra luxury features
of course, one of the most important parts of a truck are the beds
One either of these luxury trucks may truly get dirty
You still have plenty of capability with factory bed liners tons of tie-downs and LED lighting
The Silverado however also adds a household outlet for powering tools plus it has a class exclusive power tailgate
and
Then as far as accessibility both trucks have solutions for accessing the bed easily
But only the Silverado has running boards a slight backwards to help with side access
Finally we'll wrap up the outside with the fuel ranges the f-150s towing package also includes the extended 36 gallon fuel tank
Which is much larger than the Chevy's 24 gallon tank
Considering that the port also gets better fuel economy. Its range is significantly better at
674 miles vs. 408 in the Chevy
Well that pretty much sums up the exterior, so now let's get inside and see which truck offers the most lecture
So getting inside both trucks have smart entry as well as remote start
When you first open the door both models have power deploying running boards
But looking inside the cabins themselves, they have luxurious if familiar looking cabins, we have the full black color schemes
But richer looking Brown options are also available
Turning to the seats themselves both are 10-way power adjusting
However, the four has four-way lumbar support as well as a massaging function that the Chevy is missing
Once inside each truck has a pleasant design and very nice materials
on the f-150 you have soft touch plastic with stitching across the top and
Then you have real open pore wood in the middle as well as on the center console
The Chevy's materials are very similar with the upper - being made from a stitched soft touch
Plastic and the middle area having a leather red trim
High-country has a bronze colored plastic trim as well as some folk wood accents
The door trims mirror those same materials
So the f-150 will win the materials point since it has real open port wood that looks and feels more upscale
On both press the button to start
When you do eight-inch displays will fire up and we'll talk about the software later
Like the screens the gauges are pretty similar
Both have large displays in the middle of analog gauges with more information than you'll probably ever need to see
However, the Silverado does also have a large head-up display, which is something that no other truck in the class has
Now backing up to the steering wheels they are both leather wrapped and heated but it's only power adjusting with memory on the fourth
Also, this generation of the Silverado has eliminated power adjusting pedals, which the Ford does still have
Now moving on to the important subject of storage both deliver it in abundance
The main center consoles are roughly equivalent in their huge size but because the Chevy has a column shifter
There is more storage up in front of it
This area does also double as a wireless phone charger, which is something not available on the Ford
Checking out those shifters sans location. The Ford's is leather wrapped while the Chevy's is just plastic
both trucks do have various drive modes and manual shifting and then when you shift into reverse a
360-degree camera will pop up
as far as the quality the
Silverados does win here because the resolution is better and there are several more views to choose from all which are handy when maneuvering something
so big
However to counteract that the Ford does include automatic parking for both parallel and perpendicular spots
Both trucks come with integrated trailer brakes, but only the Ford has a system that controls the steering when backing up the trailer
Next up we have the climate controls where both are simple dual zone automatic setups with physical controls that you can operate with gloves on
Both also have three-stage seat heating and three-stage seat ventilation
Though I appreciate the ability to heat the back and butt separately on the Silverado
Now let's go ahead and sample the audio systems
I
Realized the audio samples are not really good but in real life before B&O impressed me more
now for the infotainment system
Starting with the Ford we have the latest version of sync 3
This continues to be a very easy system to use with shortcut buttons on the bottom and a home screen
We do also have integrated navigation. But even if you don't get a loaded trim, you still have standard Android auto and apple carplay
Moving to the Silverado. It has the brand new Chevy infotainment 3 system this year
The new layout is actually pretty similar to sync 3, but I did find that this system has snappier performance
The navigation system has great-looking graphics, but again both Android auto and apple carplay are standard
Overall both are excellent systems, and there's really not enough difference to award any points
Before going to the back seats. There are two more meaningful things up front
The first is this Chevy exclusive rear camera mirror which cuts out all the obstructions that might be blocking your view
But the second thing is the F-150s pano moonroof
Which is something that's still not available on a Silverado
In the rear seats the luxury continues as I mentioned before all the trucks have more legroom than
flagship luxury vehicles nowadays in
this case and insane 43.4 inches of legroom in the Chevy and
43.6 inches in the Ford and then as far as Headroom, they're both slightly open 40 inches
Once in the back you'll find tons of amenities both have rear air vents charging USB ports and a 12-volt outlet
But only the Ford has a household outlet they both also have heated seats
And lastly both trucks have seats that fold up for more storage though, the Silverado also has a hidden storage bin in the seat
So with that we wrap up another super-competitive comparison as you would expect both trucks give it a great effort
So no matter what your brand allegiance may be do yourself a favor and check them both out in person
Overall, you really can't go wrong
We hope this has been an insightful comparison for everyone
Thank you for watching like the video if you enjoyed and subscribe if you want to see more face off
Comparisons and our signature for view videos. Take care!