Automotive News - September 15, 2008 - (Page 55)

© GM Corp. © GM Corp. 1950 Pontiac introduced first color-keyed interior. 1952 Oldsmobile provided automatic headlamp dimming. 1953 First mass-produced fiberglass body was introduced on Chevrolet Corvette. 1956 Chevrolet Corvette used first transistor radio. 1957 Mechanical fuel injection was offered by Chevrolet and Pontiac. 1958 Air suspension was introduced by five GM vehicle divisions. 1961 GM’s Detroit Diesel division introduced engines capable of running on a variety of fuels, including gasoline and diesel. GMC introduced V-6 engines for truck use. 1962 Oldsmobile Jetfire and Chevrolet Corvair Monza were world’s first production cars with turbocharged engines. Buick offered first domestic V-6 car engine. 1963 Cadillac offered first AM/FM radios. 1964 GTO performance option for Pontiac Tempest LeMans initiated muscle-car era. Chevrolet Corvette offered first transistor ignition. 1965 First stereo radio appeared in GM cars. 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado was first modern American car with front-wheel drive. Pontiac introduced first massproduced six-cylinder engine with overhead camshaft. 1967 Several GM cars got first collapsible steering columns. 1968 Molded-plastic front bumper cover, introduced on Pontiac GTO, was precursor of today’s fascia panels. 1969 Most GM cars got side door beams. Some Pontiacs had radio antennas embedded in windshield and first moldedplastic gasoline tanks. 1970 Chevrolet Vega was powered by first aluminum engine with high silicon cylinder bore surfaces. 1971 Buick offered first electronic traction control. Track Master computerized antilock rear brakes were Cadillac option. 1974 Dual airbags were introduced on Buick, Oldsmobile and Cadillac models. Fisher Body invented ignition interlock system. 1975 Catalytic converters were installed on most GM automobiles. © GM Corp. 1977 1978 1980 1981 1987 1990 Chevy Cosworth Vega’s engine was first U.S. use of dual-overhead camshafts with four valves per cylinder. Chevy Chevette was first American vehicle with all-metric fasteners and dimensions. Oldsmobile Toronado offered first microprocessorcontrolled ignition. Digital electronics operated Cadillac Seville trip computer. Integrated circuits took command of GM fuel injection, ignition and diagnostic functions. Corvette adopted fiberglass-reinforced monoleaf rear spring. Cadillac Allante employed multiplexed wiring for exterior lighting. Cadillac Allante introduced electronic © GM Corp. 1991 1995 1996 At Nucor, we recycle 9 million cars a year. Melting down usable steel and recasting it into a new life. Not to mention giving new life to the environment. Because recycled steel reduces mining waste by 97%, air pollution by 86%, water pollution by 76%. And because our mini mills use signiﬁcantly less energy than conventional steelmaking, we save 6 trillion BTUs per year. Enough to power Los Angeles for 8 years. All while helping the industry reduce greenhouse gas emissions, exceeding the Kyoto Protocol’s target by more than 240%. Making the world we live in a cleaner place. Including our clothes. www.nucor.com 1999 traction control for frontdrive cars. Saturn cars had molded plastic exterior panels. GM’s Guidestar provided route information on LCD screen. GM’s EV1 was first modern electric car. Cadillac offered OnStar, first GPS-based assistance and communication service. Cadillac DeVille was first vehicle with night-vision © GM Corp. It’s Our Nature.® system and LED taillamps. 2002 Quadrasteer four-wheel steering appeared on Chevrolet and GMC full-sized pickups. 2006 Pontiac Solstice was first volume use of sheethydroformed steel body panels. 2008 Two-Mode hybrid system was offered on Chevrolet and GMC trucks. — Don Sherman September 15, 2008 55 AUTOMOTIVE NEWS

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Automotive News - September 15, 2008

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