Auto » GM Opens New Racing Center G eneral Motors recently opened the doors to its all-new GM Powertrain Performance and Racing Center in Pontiac — a state-of- the-art facility designed to enhance the development processes for the company’s diverse racing engine programs. The new, 111,420-square-foot facility is connected to GM’s Global Powertrain Engineering Center and is part of a $200-million investment at the Pontiac cam- pus. It relocates the Racing center from Wixom to the Pontiac Powertrain Campus, bringing together under one roof an additional team of nearly 100 engine builders, engineers and other support staff. The Performance and Racing team is responsible for developing engines for NASCAR, NHRA, IndyCar, IMSA and other racing series. “We race to win and learn,” said Dan Nicholson, vice president, General Motors Global Powertrain. “This new facility offers unprecedented opportuni- ties to connect our racing engineers and powertrain engineers, integrating their knowledge to give our racers an edge on the track and our customers better vehicles on the road.” * FORD TO ADD FOUR NEW SUV NAMEPLATES Ford will add four new nameplates to its global SUV lineup in the next four years in segments in which the company does not currently compete. Together, millennials and baby boom- ers give Ford 160 million good reasons to expect the surge in SUV sales will continue into the next decade. Growth in SUV sales is expected to continue — not only in the United States, but around the world. “As members of the 80-million- strong millennial age group enter their prime child-rearing years, a leading indicator of more SUV sales, nearly 80 million aging baby boomers continue to prefer their SUVs,” said Mark LaNeve, Ford Motor Company vice president of Marketing, Sales and Service. “It’s a demographic double whammy and it all points to one thing — more SUVs for the foreseeable future.” While low gas prices have contrib- uted to the growth in SUVs in recent times, much-improved fuel efficiency in the latest generation of utility vehi- cles leads Ford to believe a potential rise in gas prices wouldn’t push con- sumers back to passenger cars. “Some SUVs now rival the fuel efficiency of V6-powered midsize sedans from only a few years ago,” said LaNeve, “and as baby boom- ers grew up with much less capable, much less-efficient vehicles, they tend to appreciate the efficiency of Ford’s newest SUVs.” Even if gas prices go up, he added, refueling costs for owners of modern SUVs will be much less than they were during the last SUV boom. * AUTORAMA COMES TO DETROIT Autorama, America’s “greatest hot rod show,” is coming to the Cobo Center in Detroit Feb. 26-28. General admission is $19, children 6-12, $6, kids 5 and under are free. Discount tickets are available at O’Reilly Auto Parts, presenting sponsor of the event. Information about special guests and events can be found at autorama.com/ attend/detroit. * continued on page 34 Michigan’s Number 1 Audi Retailer, Audi of Rochester Hills, now offering up to $3,000.00 in Conquest Discounts off certain Audi models, to owner’s/lessee’s of 2001 or newer BMW’s, Lexus’, Mercedes, Acura’s, Infiniti’s or Toyota’s. Contact Sandy for details on this outstanding promotion currently offered now through March 31st. Sanford “Sandy” Greenberg Certified Audi Brand Specialist, Elite 248-997-7438-Direct Sandy.Greenberg@edmotorgroup.com AudiofRochesterHills.com 248-997-7400-main 32 February 25 • 2016 2050930