GM Director of Advanced Design Bob Boniface and GM Executive Director of Advanced Design Anne Asensio accept the AutoWeek Editor's Choice Most Significant Vehicle award for the Chevy Volt
By Bob Lutz
GM Vice Chairman
Media preview week of Detroit’s North American International Auto Show has come to a close, and as you probably know, it was a very good week for General Motors.
So what does that mean? Well, let me start by saying what it doesn’t mean. It doesn’t mean we’re going to trumpet our success and then rest on our laurels. It doesn’t mean the turnaround is complete. It doesn’t mean we’re exactly where we want to be — yet.
We’re going to continue doing exactly what we’re doing, and do it even better. We’re going to enjoy the success we had this week, use it as validation that we’re headed in the right direction, and consider it a motivator to do more.
We couldn’t have asked for a better official start to the week, with Sunday’s clean sweep of the prestigious North American Car of the Year and Truck of the Year awards. These awards are voted on by a broad jury of the continent’s top automotive journalists. For them to select the Saturn Aura and Chevy Silverado for top honors among a field of extremely tough competition is gratifying, to say the least. Our reaction was one of joy, and yes, a bit of vindication, but mostly gratitude, because it’s really a testament to the hard work and talent of the entire GM team that created, built and marketed those two vehicles.