GM Again Delivers Style to NAIAS
Grammy Award Winner Mary J. Blige Opened GM Style, GM’s Exclusive Pre-North American International Auto Show Bash
Mary J. Blidge and Ed Welburn at GM Style
Press Conference
DETROIT – Six-time Grammy Award winner Mary J. Blige, known as the “Queen of R&B,” headlined GM Style, a car-and-star-studded affair held Jan. 12 on the Detroit riverfront to help kickoff the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Blige was joined by other performers, including Kid Rock, DJ Samantha Ronson and Maroon 5.
Building on the success of last year’s inaugural event, the invitation-only affair was a coming out party for several of GM's newest global concepts and production vehicles, including the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. In keeping with a fashion show motif, each vehicle entered via a runway against the backdrop of live music.
Musical stars didn’t command all of the attention at GM Style, though. The Chevrolet Beat, conceived to evoke the mood of a speedy micro import tuner, came to Detroit for the first time since its introduction last spring. The Beat was so popular among nearly 2 million online voters that it inspired a production car GM will build for markets outside of the U.S.
The Saturn Astra Tuner concept, revealed recently at the Speciality Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, came to Detroit, too. The Astra concept applies some of the latest bolt-on performance and appearance components – including eye-catching 19-inch wheels – to show what’s possible with Saturn’s all-new, European-bred subcompact.
GM Style was held in a football field-size, climate-controlled pavilion on the banks of the Detroit River, just east of GM’s Global Headquarters at the Renaissance Center.
“It was a fantastic stage for us to showcase our global design capabilities and a festive way to welcome media and guests to our global headquarters in Detroit,” said Ed Welburn, vice president, GM Global Design. “The event created a lot of enthusiasm and excitement for the great vehicles we introduced in 2007, and I expect that the momentum will continue through 2008 as we celebrate GM’s second century.”
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