For a dedicated car enthusiast like Louis Fourie the opportunity to join General Motors Overseas Operations in 1968 was the realisation of a dream. GM funded his university education and helped launch a rewarding career.
His career provided opportunities to sample a wide variety of cars from Opel, Vauxhall and Holden and to gain hands-on knowledge of the automobile industry. He maintains contact with his GM contemporaries in their foreign postings and actively continues to gather material on GM worldwide. Further research convinced Louis that he has amassed the tools and detailed information to compile this comprehensive history.
This three-volume work is the realisation of a goal to provide the most extensive and detailed history of GM’s international automobiles ever written. Included is the complete collection of specifications of all GM’s global automobiles to be found anywhere. Recording this GM history is also a gesture of appreciation to GM for the great career opportunities provided him.
Louis continues to provide commentary and articles on automotive history including other automotive makes. He is actively involved with the Society of Automotive Historians where he is a director. His fascination with automobiles, the people and the industry will last a lifetime.
This three-volume work is the realisation of a goal to provide the most extensive and detailed history of GM’s international automobiles ever written. Included is the complete collection of specifications of all GM’s global automobiles to be found anywhere. Recording this GM history is also a gesture of appreciation to GM for the great career opportunities provided him.
Louis continues to provide commentary and articles on automotive history including other automotive makes. He is actively involved with the Society of Automotive Historians where he is a director. His fascination with automobiles, the people and the industry will last a lifetime.
Volume One traces the history of Opel and Vauxhall separately from inception through to the 1970s and thereafter collectively to 2015. Special attention is devoted to examining innovative engineering features and the role Opel has taken of providing global platforms for GM. Each model is examined individually and supplemented by exhaustive supporting specification tables.
Volume Two examines unique models and variations of Chevrolet and Buick manufactured in the Southern Hemisphere and Asia but never offered in North America. Daewoo, Wuling and Baojun are other Asian brands covered in detail. This volume concludes with recording the remarkable early success of Holden and its continued independence through to today.
Volume Three covers the smaller assembly operations around the world and the evolution of GM’s export operations. A brief history of Isuzu, Subaru and Suzuki looks at the three minority interests GM held in Asia. The GM North American model specifications are the most comprehensive to be found in a single book. Global and regional sales statistics are included. GM executives and management from around the globe are listed with the roles they held. An index ensures that these volumes serve as the ideal reference source on GM.
Details:
Number | Number of | Images – | ||
of Pages: | Color: | B&W: | ||
Volume I | 612 | 599 | 108 | |
Volume II | 472 | 394 | 27 | |
Volume III | 486 | 36 | 3 | |
Total | 1,570 | 1,209 | 138 |
Price: US$ | ||
Hardcover | ISBN: | |
Volume I | $60.00 | 978-1-4602-9686-8 |
Volume II | $50.00 | 978-1-4602-9688-2 |
Volume III | $50.00 | 978-1-4602-9690-5 |
Total | $160.00 | |
Website Link to Purchase Books:
Volume I http://www.friesenpress.com/bookstore/title/119734000036356095
Volume II http://www.friesenpress.com/bookstore/title/119734000035588157
Volume III http://www.friesenpress.com/bookstore/title/119734000036356081
Purchase from Author – All Volumes $150.00 – Email Contact L4ie@telus.net
Reviews:
We think of General Motors being as American as apple pie and baseball, but, in reality, this corporate giant has, for more than 100 years, had a worldwide footprint, with plants and different brands in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. The topic of GM’s automotive history outside of the U. S. is so vast in scope that it has never before been tackled in its totality. With the help from research assistant Martin J. Schaefer, former General Motors Overseas Operations employee and current Society of Automotive Historians president Louis F. Fourie has done the inconceivable and authored a three-volume set of books that is, according to GM Heritage, the most extensive and detailed history ever written about the company, from a global perspective. Three hardcover books encompass 1,570 total pages and include illustrated comprehensive histories of scratch-started or purchased former and current GM-owned marques like Vauxhall, Saab, Holden, and Daewoo, plus special international variations of Buick, Chevrolet, Opel, and more. Charts detail mechanical specifications and production figures of each model built, and key executives are profiled. It’s an incredible achievement, fascinating to anyone interested in automotive history, and an indispensable reference for GM enthusiasts around the globe.
Mark J. McCourt
Hemmings Motor News
Table of Contents:
Volume I Opel, Vauxhall, Saab and Lotus from Europe
PART ONE Adam Opel from Germany | ||
CHAPTER 1 | Sewing Machines, Bicycles and External Designs | 6 |
CHAPTER 2 | The Opel Designs, 1902 – 1914 | 17 |
CHAPTER 3 | World War I and Subsequent Desperate Times, 1914 – 1929 | 40 |
CHAPTER 4 | GM Arrives – Innovation for the 1930s | 58 |
CHAPTER 5 | World War II and Post War Expansion | 78 |
CHAPTER 6 | Kadett Returns and Opel Soars | 96 |
CHAPTER 7 | From Shapely Sleek to Polished Prestige | 113 |
CHAPTER 8 | Superior Handling for the 1970s | 126 |
Appendix P1-1 | Opel Management | 134 |
Appendix P1-2 | Opel Specifications 1899 – 1929 | 137 |
Appendix P1-3 | Opel Specifications 1930 – 1977 | 142 |
Appendix P1-4 | Opel Production Numbers | 147 |
PART TWO Vauxhall from the United Kingdom | ||
CHAPTER 9 | Vauxhall Gardens, Luton and Flutes | 154 |
CHAPTER 10 | The Pomeroy Designs | 162 |
CHAPTER 11 | Early Sporting Years | 173 |
CHAPTER 12 | GM’s Experiment in Overseas Manufacture | 184 |
CHAPTER 13 | Innovations for the Thriving Thirties | 193 |
CHAPTER 14 | From War to Flamboyant Fifties | 206 |
CHAPTER 15 | Expanding Sixties | 220 |
CHAPTER 16 | Severe Seventies Leads to Ophalls | 232 |
Appendix P2-5 | Vauxhall Management | 239 |
Appendix P2-6 | Vauxhall Specifications 1903 – 1924 | 241 |
Appendix P2-7 | Vauxhall Specifications 1926 – 1978 | 243 |
Appendix P2-8 | Vauxhall Production, Sales and Financial Numbers | 247 |
PART THREE Global Designs from Opel | ||
CHAPTER 17 | World Car By Default | 253 |
CHAPTER 18 | Cementing a Sporting Image | 262 |
CHAPTER 19 | Front-Wheel Drive and Wearing the Crest of Every GM Brand | 278 |
CHAPTER 20 | New Territory, Super-Mini | 288 |
CHAPTER 21 | The Fastest 4-Door Sedan in the World | 300 |
CHAPTER 22 | A Growth Sector – SUVs | 314 |
CHAPTER 23 | Opel’s Automotive Centenary | 331 |
CHAPTER 24 | Exotic Roadster | 345 |
CHAPTER 25 | FlexSpace – Clever Versatility | 359 |
CHAPTER 26 | The Impact of Ownership Structure | 371 |
CHAPTER 27 | The Emerging Influence of South Korea | 382 |
CHAPTER 28 | To Sell or Not to Sell | 396 |
CHAPTER 29 | Indulge the Desires of Enthusiastic Drivers | 415 |
Appendix P3-9 | Specifications For Global Designs (Mostly) from Opel, 1973 – 2015 | 418 |
Appendix P3-10 | Engine Specifications of Opel, Vauxhall & Common GM Brands | 433 |
PART FOUR Saab AB from Sweden | ||
CHAPTER 30 | Origins and an Entry Into Automobiles | 450 |
CHAPTER 31 | New Horizons, Mr. Saab and So Neat | 463 |
CHAPTER 32 | Swedish Elegance | 481 |
CHAPTER 33 | Turbocharging, the Ticket to the Premium Seats | 492 |
CHAPTER 34 | An Italian Dance | 507 |
CHAPTER 35 | GM in Search of a Premium Brand | 516 |
CHAPTER 36 | A True Saab | 523 |
CHAPTER 37 | Filling Gaps in the Product Line and Building a Cadillac | 536 |
CHAPTER 38 | GM Bows out of Saab | 550 |
Appendix P4-11 | Saab Executives and Management | 556 |
Appendix P4-12 | Saab Specifications | 559 |
Appendix P4-13 | Saab Production Numbers | 565 |
PART FIVE Lotus from the United Kingdom | ||
CHAPTER 39 | Sporting Specials Plus Some Assembly Required | 569 |
CHAPTER 40 | Light But Strong Backbone and Mid-Engine Magic | 578 |
CHAPTER 41 | The Elite and Giugiaro’s Grant to Supercar Status | 587 |
CHAPTER 42 | More Than GM Ever Bargained For | 598 |
Appendix P5-14 | Lotus Specifications | 605 |
Appendix Vol.2-15 | Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations | 609 |
Volume II Holden, Daewoo and Unique Variations of Chevrolet, Buick and Opel
PART SIX Chevrolet in Brazil | ||
CHAPTER 43 | Turbulent Beginnings, Local Content and Competition | 616 |
CHAPTER 44 | Early GM Manufacture in the Sixties | 621 |
CHAPTER 45 | First with a World Car Design for the Seventies | 633 |
CHAPTER 46 | Navigating the Nineties with Some Imports | 642 |
CHAPTER 47 | New Century, New Plants and New Designs | 654 |
Appendix P6-16 | GM do Brasil Executives and Management | 671 |
Appendix P6-17 | Chevrolet Brazil Specifications | 672 |
Appendix P6-18 | Chevrolet Brazil Engine Specifications | 678 |
Appendix P6-19 | Chevrolet Brazil Production | 684 |
PART SEVEN Chevrolet and Opel in Argentina | ||
CHAPTER 48 | Sporadic Opportunity | 687 |
CHAPTER 49 | GM Returns | 694 |
Appendix P7-20 | GM Argentina Executives and Management | 697 |
Appendix P7-21 | GM Argentina Chevrolet and Opel Specifications | 698 |
PART EIGHT Chevrolet, Opel and Ranger in South Africa | ||
CHAPTER 50 | Opportunity But Escalating Local Content Requirements | 701 |
CHAPTER 51 | Cosmopolitan Chevrolets | 706 |
CHAPTER 52 | Back to Opel but GM Departs for a Few Years | 715 |
Appendix P8-22 | GM South Africa Executives and Management | 719 |
Appendix P8-23 | GM South Africa Specifications | 720 |
Appendix P8-24 | GM South Africa Sales | 725 |
PART NINE Chevrolet and Daewoo from South Korea | ||
CHAPTER 53 | Early Alliances | 730 |
CHAPTER 54 | GM’s First Joint Venture | 735 |
CHAPTER 55 | Exported to GM Markets | 748 |
CHAPTER 56 | GM Departs | 756 |
CHAPTER 57 | Rapid Growth Yet Soon Stretched Too Far | 764 |
CHAPTER 58 | GM Returns | 774 |
CHAPTER 59 | Globalizing the Chevrolet Brand | 782 |
CHAPTER 60 | Platform Unity Returns | 788 |
CHAPTER 61 | Daewoo Brand Retired But It’s a Success Story | 799 |
Appendix P9-25 | GM Korea/Daewoo Executives and Sales/ Production | 804 |
Appendix P9-26 | GM Korea Daewoo/Chevrolet Specifications | 805 |
PART TEN Buick, Chevrolet, Wuling and Baojun in China | ||
CHAPTER 62 | Incredible Opportunity | 817 |
CHAPTER 63 | Why Buick? | 821 |
CHAPTER 64 | Murtaugh’s Micro-vans | 828 |
CHAPTER 65 | LaChina LaCrosse | 837 |
CHAPTER 66 | A Chinese Chevrolet. Where is the Ceiling? | 847 |
Appendix P10-27 | GM China Executives and Management | 862 |
Appendix P10-28 | GM China Buick, Chevrolet, Wuling & Baojun Specifications | 863 |
Appendix P10-29 | GM China Buick, Chevrolet, Wuling & Baojun Engine Specifications | 872 |
PART ELEVEN Holden in Australia | ||
CHAPTER 67 | Holdfast Heritage | 880 |
CHAPTER 68 | GM (Australia) Pty. Ltd. And GM-Holden’s Ltd | 885 |
CHAPTER 69 | Holden’s War and Postwar Activities | 894 |
CHAPTER 70 | The Pride of Australia | 901 |
CHAPTER 71 | A Smaller Companion | 917 |
CHAPTER 72 | HQ – High Quality | 929 |
CHAPTER 73 | Leaning Towards Japan and Europe | 940 |
CHAPTER 74 | The Crown Slips Off and Regulations Bite | 952 |
CHAPTER 75 | Toyota Alliance – Button’s Bite But Soon Unbuttoned | 968 |
CHAPTER 76 | Monaro Migrates to the USA and UK | 985 |
CHAPTER 77 | Holden Special Vehicles | 996 |
CHAPTER 78 | Those Stubborn Australians Win As Usual | 1007 |
CHAPTER 79 | Holden Special Vehicles E Series | 1016 |
CHAPTER 80 | The Most Successful Division, But Spoken Too Soon | 1026 |
Appendix P11-30 | Holden Executives and Management | 1029 |
Appendix P11-31 | Holden Specifications | 1031 |
Appendix P11-32 | Holden Engine Specifications | 1056 |
Appendix P11-33 | HSV Range | 1064 |
Appendix P11-34 | Holden Body Production Pre-WWII | 1069 |
PART TWELVE Conclusion | ||
CHAPTER 81 | A Sad End But a Bright Future Awaits | 1073 |
Appendix Vol.2-35 | Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations | 1081 |
Volume III GM Worldwide, North American Specifications and Executive Listings
PART THIRTEEN A Corporate Review of GM International | ||
Appendix P13-36 | Spreading Wings | 1087 |
Appendix P13-37 | Foreign Manufacturing | 1093 |
Appendix P13-38 | Minority Interests and Joint Ventures | 1098 |
Appendix P13-39 | Corporate Executive Listing – Export, Overseas and International | 1102 |
PART FOURTEEN Worldwide GM Plants | ||
Appendix P14-40 | General Motors North America (GMNA) | 1111 |
Appendix P14-41 | General Motors Europe (GME) | 1117 |
Appendix P14-42 | General Motors Asia Pacific (GMAP) | 1129 |
Appendix P14-43 | General Motors Latin America, Africa and Mid-East (GMLAAM) | 1144 |
Appendix P14-44 | Selected Specifications from Plants Not Reviewed Elsewhere | 1153 |
Appendix P14-45 | Selected Specifications of Other Makes Using GM Engines | 1160 |
Appendix P14-46 | GM Plants – North America | 1163 |
Appendix P14-47 | GM Plants – International | 1168 |
Appendix P14-48 | GM Component Operations | 1172 |
Appendix P14-49 | GM Production and Sales Statistics | 1173 |
PART FIFTEEN Affiliates, Links and Name Combinations | ||
Appendix P15-50 | Fiat Auto S. p. A. | 1203 |
Appendix P15-51 | Isuzu Motors Limited | 1206 |
Appendix P15-52 | Subaru – Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. | 1211 |
Appendix P15-53 | Suzuki Motors Company | 1218 |
Appendix P15-54 | GM’s Links to Most of the Auto Industry | 1227 |
Appendix P15-55 | Name Combinations | 1230 |
PART SIXTEEN GM North American Specifications | ||
Appendix P16-56 | Lesser Known GM Automobiles Cartercar, Ellmore, | 1243 |
Ewing, Rainier, Scripps-Booth, Sheridan, Welch & Companion Makes | ||
Appendix P16-57 | Buick Specifications 1904 – 2015 | 1259 |
Appendix P16-58 | Cadillac Specifications 1903 – 2015 | 1290 |
Appendix P16-59 | Chevrolet Specifications 1912 – 1954 | 1308 |
Appendix P16-60 | Chevrolet Specifications 1955 – 2015 | 1311 |
Appendix P16-61 | Chevrolet Engine Specifications 1955 – 2015 | 1340 |
Appendix P16-62 | Oldsmobile Specifications 1901 – 2004 | 1354 |
Appendix P16-63 | Pontiac Specifications 1926 – 1954 | 1380 |
Appendix P16-64 | Pontiac Specifications 1955 – 2009 | 1383 |
Appendix P16-65 | Pontiac Engine Specifications 1926 – 2009 | 1406 |
Appendix P16-66 | Canadian Pontiac Specifications 1937 – 1970 | 1419 |
Appendix P16-67 | Canadian Pontiac Engine Specifications 1937 – 1970 | 1425 |
Appendix P16-68 | Saturn Specifications 1991 – 2010 | 1428 |
Appendix P16-69 | Obsolete GM Makes – Specifications 1900 – 1939 | 1431 |
Appendix P16-70 | GM Body and Platform Listing | 1440 |
PART SEVENTEEN GM Executives and Management | ||
Appendix P17-71 | GM Corporate Executives and Management | 1449 |
Appendix P17-72 | GM North American Executives and Management | 1452 |
Appendix P17-73 | GM International Executives and Management | 1464 |
Appendix P17-74 | GM Executives and Management – Alphabetical Listing | 1473 |
Appendix Vol.3-75 | References | 1517 |
Appendix Vol.3-76 | Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations | 1537 |
Appendix Vol.3-77 | Bibliography | 1541 |
Index | 1545 |