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Will Chevy Bolt get Opel badge in Europe?

General Motors' European plug-in vehicle name may go from A to B. That's because the Chevrolet Bolt could be sold under GM's Opel brand across the Pond, Automotive News Europe says, citing people familiar with the process that it declined to identify. The Ampera, the European version of the Volt extended-range plug-in vehicle, is being phased out due to poor sales. While the Ampera won the European Car of the Year in 2012, its sales have trended well below expectations. That the Bolt would be sold as an Opel hints to us that GM expects to distribute the electric vehicle in far smaller numbers than in the US. The Bolt, which was introduced in January in its concept version at the North American Auto Show in Detroit, will have a single-charge range of about 200 miles. GM representatives didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from AutoblogGeen on Friday afternoon. The car will also have a price tag in the US of about $30,000, factoring in federal-government tax incentives. That's if those tax incentives are still around in 2017, when the Bolt is expected to debut stateside. Related Videos: Featured Gallery Chevrolet Bolt EV Concept News Source: Automotive News Europe-sub.req. Green Chevrolet GM Opel Electric Chevrolet Bolt bolt

Weekly Recap: Chevy and Alfa plot comeback strategies

Chevrolet and Alfa Romeo were two of the 20th Century's most iconic automotive brands. Chevy embodied America's post-war power and confidence. Alfa was the definition of the stylish Italian sports car. They reached halcyon heights in the 1950s and '60s, before declining precipitously amid new competition, changing consumer tastes, and uneven corporate management. Both say 2015 is the start of something better, and this week Chevy and Alfa laid out ambitious plans and showcased new cars that they hope will make them more relevant this year, and in the coming years. Each brand sits at its own crossroads, and their paths forward are as different as the Chevy Cruze and the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Chevy is still a sales beast, as evidenced by its volume of 4.8 million vehicles sold around the world last year. Chevy executives are fond of saying one of their cars is sold every seven seconds, which illustrates the strength and reach of a car brand that is the fourth largest in the world. "Make no mistake about it, we are a brand for the people," said General Motors North America president Alan Batey. But he wants consumers to want to buy a Chevy for its design and technology, not simply because it's affordable. That starts with all Chevys now featuring a distinctive a family look, with sporty cues from the Corvette or strong lines that riff on the Silverado pickup. "We want people to fall in lust with our cars," said Mike Pevovar, executive design director for Chevy passenger cars. "That initial emotional attraction has to be right on the exterior, and that's where form comes into play." Chevy is also loading up its cars, like the freshly unveiled 2016 Chevy Cruze, with technology to appeal to a younger crowd that prizes connectivity. The Cruze will offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with its MyLink infotainment system, and OnStar with 4G LTE and wifi. Seeking out younger buyers is also sound business practice: Millennials now outnumber Baby Boomers as the largest single age group in the United States. Younger buyers also can improve a brand's image, which is another area where Chevy would like to improve. Chevy ranks 82nd on Interbrand's Best Global Brand's list, behind 11 other automakers. Apple is No. 1. "We need our own variation of the Genius Bar," Batey said. 2016 Alfa Romeo Giulia View 3 Photos Meanwhile, Alfa is in different shape.

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.