A Message from Ed Peper to Chevy Dealers; Malibu adding third shift

Everyone should get these but if not, here it is:

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Hi everyone,

It’s Ed Peper with outstanding news about our all-new Malibu Sedan and the continuing success of this amazing vehicle launch.

By now you may have heard the results of the just released J.D. Power Initial Quality Study among New Vehicle Owners. The survey measures the number of problems reported by more than 81,000 owners and lessees after 90 days of experiencing their new vehicles.

And Malibu finished number one in the midsize sedan segment, with the fewest reported problems. Let that sink in for a moment – Chevrolet has the highest quality midsize sedan on the market. And that’s not Chevrolet or GM saying it – it’s the most respected research organization in our industry delivering that report card. In addition, Malibu’s quality is better than Camry. And better quality than Accord, neither of which finished in the coveted top three of the entire midsize segment.

In fact, Malibu finished as the fourth highest quality vehicle in the entire industry. The only three cars to beat Malibu were the Porsche 911, the Lexus LS and the Mercedes Benz S-Class – cars that, in many cases, cost triple the price of Malibu.

This is an incredible accomplishment for the Malibu team… and you can see the respect we are earning from the automotive press over this award. For example, here is a quote that ran this morning in the Detroit Free Press from their Auto Critic Mark Phelan. “The Malibu’s achievement is most significant… the fact that the Malibu rolled straight out of the factory into first place – and an even more impressive fourth-best among all vehicles of all prices – validates GMs new emphasis on cars.”

In addition, the lead Malibu plant at Fairfax, Kansas won the Bronze award for Initial Quality, finishing among the top three North American plants in the industry. And that’s not all.

In other great news, Silverado finished first in its segment as the highest quality full size pickup. Why is this award so significant? Because, in addition to the best V8 fuel economy, it gives our customers another tangible, logical reason to purchase the benchmark in full-size pickups right now… instead of waiting around for the launches of the F-150 and Dodge Ram this Fall.

Overall the Chevrolet brand had a double digit improvement and moved above industry average in the survey.

There are many people to thank for these awesome accomplishments – from the design and engineering teams, to the hard-working and dedicated assembly plant workers… to the teams in the Regions and the dealers who work so hard to prep these vehicles to ensure the highest quality delivery experience. You have all made a major contribution to this huge win for Chevy and GM. And we are truly grateful for your commitment and partnership.

The Malibu launch ranks as one of the premier launches in GM history. The awards keep rolling in, the customers are delighted with our new midsize flagship… and we are increasing production by adding a third shift at Lake Orion to handle the demand.

Be sure to spread this outstanding news to all your team members and customers… and stay focused on the prize of sales leadership for 2008.
Thanks for everything you do for Chevrolet,

Edward J. Peper, Jr.
North America Vice President, Chevrolet