---

'Autoline Detroit': All New-Car Programs at GM Now on 24 Month Cycle

25 October 1999

'Autoline Detroit': All New-Car Programs at GM Now on 24 Month Cycle

    DETROIT, Oct. 22 -- Every new car and truck that General
Motors is now working on is being done in only 24 months, Wayne Cherry, the
vice president of GM Design, said on the television program "Autoline
Detroit."  He says this will help GM become a world leader in product design
and innovation, by getting new designs to the market faster.
    Wayne Cherry also said that GM will show concept vehicles that are almost
production ready at auto shows next year.  While GM has shown some of these
vehicles to the press, Cherry said it has some other vehicles it will unveil
that no one outside the company has seen yet.
    Other topics that Wayne Cherry talks about include:
    *  The need to tailor car designs for different parts of the world, and
not rely on a common "world car" design.
    *  How the differences between cars and trucks are blurring and how in the
near future no one will distinguish between the two.
    *  How the retro look is appropriate for certain brands, but why the
emphasis of design must always be on the future.

    "Autoline Detroit" with John McElroy airs each Sunday morning at
10:30 a.m. on Detroit Public Television.  Streaming video of the program is
available at http://www.theautolink.com