Without a shadow of a doubt, the word “bankruptcy” rings some bells. This would allow automakers to slash costs, reduce unnecessary dealers, and scrap union contracts until there’s no tomorrow. Naturally, the downside is that consumers will experience even less confidence on the automakers and sales may slump even further. A bankruptcy may allow some companies to cut their losses, though.

On the other hand, the “bailout” process is enticing for some. The bailouts, which will likely come with a host of preconditions, could offer the car companies a much-needed injection of cash. The conditions will likely be related to quality control and the creation of new green technology, something that will sell well in the eyes of the consumer. If car companies accept the bailout cash and do what they’re supposed to do, they could recover nicely.

Naturally, one wonders where the bailout money will come from (the consumer) and what will happen if bankrupcty is the option (jobs lost, contracts torn up). In the end, are we seeing a new era of Chevy cars and Ford trucks? Is the idea of conventional dealerships a myth to be remembered in the past only? Only time will tell.

Currently, General Motors is studying whether or not to drop a few of its associated brands. Under examination is Saturn, Saab, Pontiac, and Hummer. GM also owns Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, and Buick.

The idea to drop some of the brands would be to save money and to reduce overlap, as GM’s market saturation may in fact be hampering overall top profits. By limiting the company and streamlining some of the associated brands, or at the very least the brands that aren’t particularly popular, GM can limit its market presence in tough times and can release vehicles under its more established product lines.

GM Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner is under a deadline set by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Congress has scheduled a December 5 hearing on a $25 billion auto industry rescue and may vote the week of December 8.

For more information on the bailout, Chevy cars, or what General Motors will try to do next to earn the Senate-led rescue, stay tuned.

It certainly doesn’t seem like a good time to be in the automotive industry.

Yet some companies are handling the struggles better than others, I guess. Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Hyundai all seem to be able to open up new factories despite the turmoil. And GM, Ford, and Chrysler are struggling to roll out new plans that may have customers thinking twice about domestic American cars. But is that really what is needed from the Detroit Three? They’re banking on a bailout, it seems, and may face collapse if something doesn’t happen soon.

GM, especially, seems locked in a fight to survive the times. With another factory facing cuts in Canada in Oshawa, Ontario, it seems like there’s no end in sight. GM is banking a lot on the Chevy Volt, which is coming in a couple of years, and will need every ounce of its resources to survive these tough times. How that will impact sales of Chevy cars and trucks in the long-term remains to be seen, as does any news about this bailout.

One thing’s for sure, though. GM is going to keep fighting.

With the international automobile market heading rapidly towards smaller, more reliable vehicles, it was about time that GM came up with a model it could call its own. Honda, Toyota, and Hyundai were all expanding into the United States with new factories and new opportunities, but the local automakers all seemed to lag behind and came across as lazy or uncaring.

GM is hoping that its Chevy Volt changes all of that and is hoping for an image overhaul to go with it. General Motors wants the Volt to say “we care.” The idea here is to show the world that American automakers can be on the cutting edge as well, even if it took an economic recession and some serious fiscal tumult to bring out the spirit of invention that once rolled through Detroit with such vigour.

In the end, it may be the Volt or it may be one of the other Chevy cars planned for the future that saves General Motors. For the time being, however, the Detroit Three will have to cling to hope and will simply have to wait and see.

The Buick Enclave SUV, the Chevrolet Cruze sedan, and the Cadillac CTS-V are all arriving in China with high hopes. The idea is for the vehicles to cover the wide range of customers in China and offer each customer base something new. From wealthy sporting types to individuals looking to purchase their first vehicles, General Motors is banking on this line-up to appeal to the masses.

The idea is, roughly, to remove the focus from the United States with the struggling economy. By focusing on China, General Motors is focusing on a region with proven growth.

“We have to recognize that the U.S. is where the problem is now. We’re growing in these other areas,” said Robert Socia, vice president of Shanghai General Motors. “The problems in the U.S. are finite and are attributable only to the U.S., and a little bit, to Europe.”

With that sense of growth in areas like China, it’s safe to say that General Motors is aiming at moving in a positive direction regardless of the economy or perhaps even in spite of it. For information on growth in China or on other Chevy cars, keep your browser locked here for frequent updates.

The Russian-made Chevrolet/General Motors plant has been in the works for quite some time and will represent a big boost in the European markets for the company. The plant is worth $300 million U.S. and is known as a “flexible assembly plant” in many circles because of its ability to construct a wide variety of vehicles with efficiency and speed.

The plant has 70,000 units of capacity, which is an impressive sum for the region and will help boost European production from Chevrolet/General Motors considerably. Other joint ventures and partnerships are said to be expected in the region, with the possibility of more Russian plants right around the corner.

While the American political world may not be friendly with Russia at this point and time, there is certainly nothing stopping Chevrolet/General Motors from opening the doors of commerce and exposing themselves to new markets ripe with potential. Business is business and these companies know how to play by the rules in order to benefit from economic situations.

Production of Chevy cars and trucks at plants like these help boost the international profile and, in turn, help local economies and dealers. Everybody wins.

The Cruze was revealed as the company’s car of choice recently, showing onlookers that the car is based on the new model that recently premiered at the Paris Motor Show. Chevrolet has used the Lacetti since moving into the WTCC, but the switch to the Cruze for 2009 ought to be an exciting change of pace.

Sneak peeks of the Cruze had been circulating since before the Paris Motor Show, with various industry analysts getting an early glimpse at the car. It is a global compact car, one which may well become the flagship vehicle for Chevy cars around the world. Its sleek design and driveability add up to perfection behind the wheel.

The car is being built on the Chevrolet Cobalt, Cobalt SS, and the Cobalt XFE with hopes of leading the Cobalt line to higher sales as well.

Many critics are chastising Chevrolet and General Motors for bringing the Cruze around too late, but others are suggesting that the timing is just right. With the current economic crisis swelling over our heads, perhaps the time isn’t ideal for the introduction of a brand new vehicle. With the Cruze, however, heads will turn without much damage to the bank account. It is an exciting new entry for Chevrolet and General Motors.

According to the lawsuit, Bill Heard Enterprises and about two dozen affiliates were required by the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act to give at least 60 days advance written notice of the employee terminations and continue paying certain wages, salary, and benefits during the notice period in accordance with federal law.

Edward Kratzel has brought the suit against Bill Heard Enterprises. Kratzel worked at a Las Vegas facility until September 24. He filed his lawsuit in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court District in Decatur, Alabama.

Kratzel’s suit seeks WARN Act required wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, holiday pay, vacation pay, pension and 401(k) contributions, and other benefits that would have been paid or covered during the notice period. The lawsuit also seeks attorneys’ fees.

Kratzel’s legal team is attempting to have the suit termed as a class action lawsuit that would include all persons terminated by Bill Heard Enterprises during the company’s march to bankruptcy protection. This includes those terminated at Georgia, Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Nevada, Tennessee, and Texas plants on or about September 24.

Those selling or building Chevy cars are important to, as John McCain would have it, “the fundamentals” of the American economy. Workers need to be treated fairly and if Bill Heard Enterprises is guilty of any wrongdoing, the workers will receive justice.

The production of the 2009 Traverse began after General Motors performed a 12 month retooling of the plant and invested $600 million in the project.

Production of the brand new crossover from General Motors is heavily anticipated by Chevrolet execs, who claim that the Traverse will provide the perfect fit for today’s struggling markets.

“The all new Chevy Traverse is the right product for the market today, and we’ve got the right manufacturing team building it here in Spring Hill,” said Troy Clarke, president of GM North America.

General Motors has stated that the Traverse is one of the company’s most important volume market products, noting its fuel-efficiency as one of the top-drawer effects of the car’s potential for success. The car company is hoping that the Traverse’s fuel economy, with the 3.6-litre engine, will help provide a selling feature for the vehicle.

As with most other Chevy cars, promotion is a big factor. While the vehicle is beginning production, GM and Chevrolet have a long way to go in making the car popular among a public starving for a break from the economic turmoil.

Car companies from around the world will spend millions of dollars on the show, hoping to unveil some of their more vibrant creations on a waiting public anxious to see the new goods for the first time. The public exposure from the auto show simply can’t be beat and Chevrolet will be hoping to make the most of the opportunity to reach a broad audience in one shot.

“This is a way to express that Chevrolet is now a global brand,” said Wayne Brannon, the chief of Chevrolet Europe.

One of the key components to Chevy cars presentation at the Paris show is the Chevrolet Volt. The electric vehicle is one of Chevy’s most bankable products, as the car company is putting an awful lot of promotional stock behind the smooth ride.

Chevy hopes to use the enormous media coverage and the huge international audience to bring up the profile of the Volt and other Chevy cars. With additional focus on the environmentally-friendly vehicles from around the world, there’s no question that GM and Chevrolet will set their sights on Paris for an opportunity to show just how “green” they can be.