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GM adds 1,200 jobs at Detroit-Hamtramck plant

General Motors is making a big move at its Hamtramck, MI, factory, announcing it will add a second shift and hire over 1,200 workers within the next several months. It's expected that by early 2016, the factory will employ over 2,800 workers to build the Chevrolet Volt, Impala, Malibu, Cadillac ELR, and by early next year, the new CT6. According to GM Hamtramck spokesperson Courtney Zemke, 40 of the 1,200 positions are for salaried employees, while the remainder will be hourly positions. As for where these employees will go, positions are being made available across the factory, so GM isn't focusing on any particular area for its new hires. It's a similar story behind the hiring surge itself. GM said in its press release that the "second shift is necessary to meet forecasted market demand," a position Zemke reiterated. It's a matter of demand across the plant's portfolio, rather than any one particular product seriously outstripping supply. Naturally, the United Auto Workers is happy with the move. "The workforce at Detroit-Hamtramck is second to none," UAW Local 22 Shop Chairman Don LaForest said in the attached release. "We appreciate the opportunity to expand our UAW-GM family." Hiring is going on now, with the second shift slated to get underway in early 2016. GM's Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly to Add Second Shift and More Than 1,200 Jobs Plant will nearly double its workforce by early 2016 2015-10-22 DETROIT – General Motors is nearly doubling its workforce at Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly by adding a second shift and more than 1,200 hourly and salaried jobs. The addition of a second shift will increase the plant's workforce to approximately 2,800 people when hiring is completed. The second shift is necessary to meet forecasted market demand for the five cars produced at Detroit-Hamtramck. "This is the result of the award-winning vehicles Detroit-Hamtramck produces and the confidence GM has in our team to build world-class quality for our customers," said Plant Manager Gary West. Second shift hiring is underway, and the shift is scheduled to begin operations in early 2016. "The workforce at Detroit-Hamtramck is second to none," said UAW Local 22 Shop Chairman Don LaForest. "We appreciate the opportunity to expand our UAW-GM family." The 4.1 million-square-foot Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly opened in 1985. GM has invested $1 billion in the plant over the last six years, making it one of the company's most-agile manufacturing facilities in North America.

One of the world's largest muscle car museums is auctioning off its cars

Rick Treworgy's Muscle Car City is one of the biggest collections of high-performance American cars in the world. With over 200 cars of mostly GM makes, it's a mecca for fans of the golden age of Detroit iron. Unfortunately, the museum will be shutting its doors for good on Jan. 17 and auctioning off most of its assets with no reserve. The collection is, to put it bluntly, astounding. Advertised as a combined 65,000-plus horsepower, it occupies a 60,000-square-foot retail space in Punta Gorda, Fla., in a former Walmart store. It make sense when you learn that founder Rick Treworgy made his fortune in the commercial real estate business. As a hobby, he began to amass a truly jaw-dropping collection of muscle cars, filling out a collection that often has every year of a particular model represented, or a grouping of the rarest and highest-performance option packages of that year or model. Often, Treworgy bought placeholders while scouring the country for even rarer versions. It helps that Muscle Car City also houses a showroom where unwanted cars are sold, as well as its own speed shop that stocks plenty of parts. There's even a '50s-style diner called Stingray's Bar and Grill. According to a 2014 episode of Car Crazy, Treworgy has 80 Corvettes alone, more than the actual Corvette Museum. Among them are 20 models from 1967, one of Treworgy's favorites. The rest span the decades from 1954 (he once had a '53 but sold it) to a recently acquired 2020 C8, which, according to The Drive, has only 300 miles on the odometer. You like Impalas? There are models of every year from 1958 to 1969. El Caminos? He's got 'em from 1964 to 1972. Novas? Every year from 1963 to 1970 is represented. Most are the more desirable examples of each breed, with four-speed transmissions, the biggest blocks, and unicorn option packages like a factory 1965 Z16 SS396 Chevelle, one of 200 that were ordered off-menu at Chevy dealerships. And don't even get us started on the Camaros, which include not one, but two COPO 1969s. Treworgy even owns the only known surviving example of a 1936 Chevrolet Phaeton, of which only seven were built. On top of it all, many of these cars are concours quality and have won awards at prestigious car shows. While it's sad to see a collection like this broken up, Treworgy told The Drive that he'd been planning to retire next year anyway. However, the COVID-19 pandemic sped up those plans, greatly reducing the number of visitors to his museum.

Callaway rolls out radical Corvette C7 GT3-R at Hockenheim

Leave it to Callaway to take a badass Corvette and make it even more so. Case in point: the new Callaway Corvette C7 GT3-R you see here. It made its big debut this past weekend during the season finale for the ADAC GT Masters series at the legendary Hockenheimring – the on-again, off-again home of the German Grand Prix. Why in Germany, you ask? Because that's where Callaway Competition is based. The racing division got its start in Heilbronn as Woeher & Ciccone back in 1985. It joined with US-based Callaway Cars in 1988 to distribute its modified Corvettes in Europe, and branched out into constructing racing cars in 1994. And this is its latest project. Designed in partnership between Callaway Competition in Germany and Canadian designer Paul Deutschman, the new GT3-R replaces the previous C6-based Z06.R GT3. It packs a 6.2-liter V8 pumping 600 horsepower through an X-Trac six-speed sequential gearbox. And as you can see, it sure looks the part. Callaway will be offering the new GT3-R to privateer teams for entry in a variety of racing series around the world. But it'll also be fielding the example you see here, sponsored by Whelen Engineering that – like Callaway Cars – is based in Connecticut. Callaway Corvette C7 GT3-R World Debut at Hockenheim October 3, 2015 Hockenheim, Germany – October 3, 2015 – This weekend's ADAC GT Masters Season Finale was the backdrop for the unveiling of Callaway Competition's new Callaway Corvette C7 GT3-R. Following a brief presentation to media and invited guests, the successor of the C6-based Callaway Z06.R GT3 was displayed to the public for the first time on October 3, 2015 at the Hockenheimring in Germany. Constructors of GT race cars since 1990 and based in Leingarten Germany, Callaway Competition possesses a wealth of experience, technical know-how and a broad network of specialized professional partners. These elements were crucial to conduct such a large undertaking. After nearly two years of comprehensive planning, intensive development and expert fabrication of vehicle components, Callaway Competition completed the first C7 GT3-R just a few weeks ago. Its striking design comes as a result of the collaboration between Canadian designer Paul Deutschman and team owners Giovanni Ciccone and Ernst Wohr. Mike Gramke, Uwe Hoffmann, Florian Mohring and Andre Zanke were also heavily involved in the vehicle's development.