General Motors Unleashes 'Autotainment' on Las Vegas Scene

[Arizona Slim]

http://www.prnewswire.com/news/index...04266673&EDATE


General Motors Unleashes 'Autotainment' on Las Vegas Scene

GM to Open Unprecedented 'The Drive' Facility Offering Performance & Off-Road
Driving Experiences in Spring of 2006; GM also Becomes a Marketing &
Advertising Partner of the Las Vegas Monorail Company

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- With tons of dirt and a dose of speed,
the corner of Paradise Road and Sahara Avenue will be transformed in spring of
2006 when General Motors opens the doors of "The Drive," a unique hands-on
driving experience that will be the first of its kind within the United
States.
Featuring two professionally-designed driving courses -- including a high
performance loop and an off-road adventure over a dirt terrain -- The Drive
will provide a unique "autotainment" experience adjacent to the Las Vegas
Strip. The land to be utilized for the facility will be leased by General
Motors from the Sahara Hotel & Casino. For the duration of the project, GM
will also be a marketing and advertising partner of the Las Vegas Monorail
Company including having the only brand presence at the monorail station at
the Sahara Hotel & Casino -- currently the most northern point of the Las
Vegas Monorail system.
"The Drive provides a unique platform for General Motors to showcase its
vehicles in an unprecedented way," said Steve Tihanyi, general director,
marketing and entertainment alliances for General Motors. "With two fun-
filled courses, consumers will be able to enjoy one-of-a-kind driving
experiences in a variety of our products without any pressure to buy."
The performance course will feature a half-mile paved route with jogs and
turns complete with chicanes to enjoy both the speed and handling control of
pure sports car driving thrills. Vehicle choices to be unleashed on the
Performance course will include: the legendary Chevy Corvette; the Pontiac
GTO; the 400-horsepower Cadillac CTS-V; the Pontiac Solstice, a roadster
exhibiting thrilling Pontiac performance; the luxurious and powerful Cadillac
STS-V; and the impressive Saab 9-3 convertible.

[sgfootball2006]

The off-road trail is available to test out the Chevy Silverado
Diesel, and once available, the redesigned 2007 models of the Chevy Tahoe, GMC
Yukon Denali, Cadillac Escalade and Chevy Suburban. Select large SUVs will be
E85 fuel compatible as well.

These are going to be some light offroad courses if the new Tahoe, Yukon, suburban, and escalade are going to go on it. They wont be able to make it over many obstacles

[chad4835]

I think it would be awesome to have these accross the country especially for Hummer dealerships.

[mgescuro]

Would be a great idea if people ever stayed at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas.
Shoul dbe a good draw though.

[Dano702]

Another reason i love Vegas , we get all the cool stuff. Cant wait to go check it out.

[TuffG929]

The XLR-V, for one reason or another, is conspicuously missing from the race cource.

Perhaps GM will see the true value of this and make it a traveling thing. I would love to see one in NY.

[surferdude00711]

Originally Posted by TuffG929

The XLR-V, for one reason or another, is conspicuously missing from the race cource.

Perhaps GM will see the true value of this and make it a traveling thing. I would love to see one in NY.

I wouldn't say its brilliant to allow Joe Shmo to take 100k. cars out for a spin. Plus, XLR-V is VERY low volume.

[rmodys]

Wow, that sounds really cool.

[TuffG929]

Originally Posted by surferdude00711

I wouldn't say its brilliant to allow Joe Shmo to take 100k. cars out for a spin. Plus, XLR-V is VERY low volume.

I see your point about it being a low production vehicle (as is the STS-V), but if that were the reason, then why don't they have the regular XLR? I think it's because it would overlap with the vette.

Also, what difference does it make if it's a 60K Escalade, or a 100K XLR? Not much when your talking about such a huge project.

[GMCtruck]

This seems like another waste of money to me. Sure, lots of people will go there to have some fun, but how many of those same people will actually go out and buy from GM when they leave? I'd say probably not enough to justify the overhead and operating costs of this facility.

[TuffG929]

Originally Posted by GMCtruck

This seems like another waste of money to me. Sure, lots of people will go there to have some fun, but how many of those same people will actually go out and buy from GM when they leave? I'd say probably not enough to justify the overhead and operating costs of this facility.

People will have to pay to go there. If ticket prices are just right and they sell stuff once inside, I thisnk GM could actually profit.
I also think that almost everyone on this sight would like to go there.

[Cortazzo]

WHat they want to do is get people into a GM product ANY WAY THEY CAN. Most people that wouldn't consider a GM product, if they drive one, many change their minds. This is a fun and innovative way for a lot of potential people, perhaps ot spend their vegas winnings, to get into a GM vehicle.

[New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66]

Cool, I wonder how much it is? It'd be nice to get a Solstice on a track. I'm sure the guys, and gals, doing it have to sign something in case they damage the vehicle. You don't want some domestic hating punk ramming a car into a wall om purpose.

The XLR should be a part of that. Sounds cool. I hope to be in Vegas this spring/summer to take the second part of a driving school I took last summer. Time in a skid-car, but this time the skid-car will be a C5 or C6 'Vette. I'll have to look for it.

I'm out...

[chevy6.0fan]

Originally Posted by sgfootball2006

These are going to be some light offroad courses if the new Tahoe, Yukon, suburban, and escalade are going to go on it. They wont be able to make it over many obstacles

Yep, they are just too on road oriented. The approach angle is pitiful, and the factory tires dont have decent grip

[OzoneGTX]

People that have gone to the AutoShow in Motion events on this site say that the GM reps let you do squat in the performance cars and are very strict about actually using their performance cars for spirited driving.

I wonder if this will turn out the same.

While were on the topic of car shows, anyone see the stunt driving show they have in DisneyLand (or World) France? It's a bunch of modified GM cars doing all kinds of crazy things. I just don't think its GM endorsed at all though. Still awesome.