New car company planned for former GM plant in Louisiana: Off-topic discussion forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

Subscribe get a full year for only $23.95 Sample Free Test Drive—no strings attached

June 17, 2009 12:36 p.m. dyintorace Dork

New auto company planned for former GM plant in Louisiana

T. Boone Pickens is an investor; ex-Mazda stylist Matano will lead design

A new auto company backed by billionaire investor T. Boone Pickens and staffed by former Mazda design chief Tom Matano plans to build "environmentally friendly" vehicles in Louisiana.

V-Vehicle Co., of San Diego, will bring about 1,400 workers to a Monroe plant that once belonged to General Motors, according to a statement today from the Louisiana Economic Development Web site. The workers will be paid an annual salary of $40,000.

“VVC will produce a high-quality, environmentally friendly and fuel-efficient car for the U.S. market,” the statement said. “The goal of the company is to provide the American buyer greater product value and a superior automotive experience.”

Financing also comes from Silicon Valley venture capitalists Ray Lane and John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, said The News-Star newspaper in Monroe. Louisiana businessman James Davison, who owns the former plant, told the newspaper he is also an investor.

The plant most recently was operated by Guide Corp. The company was formed in 1906 as an automotive lamp-repair company. It later became GM’s Delphi Lighting unit and was spun off in 1998, a year before GM and Delphi Corp. separated.

Production at the Monroe plant ceased in January 2007 as Guide’s assets were put up for auction. The company succumbed to global competition, legacy costs and a lack of funding to develop capital-intensive modern lighting systems.
June 17, 2009 12:42 p.m. Tim Baxter Online Editor

Used to drive past it all the time. Good-sized plant. I wish 'em luck with it.
June 17, 2009 12:50 p.m. dyintorace Dork

I think it's interesting that 2 Silicon Valley VC's are involved. That would seem to hint at some sort of alternative-type car (electric, etc).
June 17, 2009 1:59 p.m. alfadriver HalfDork

Lots of former GM and Chrysler engineers who know a thing or two about engines and transmissions are available. Given the proper direction and money, they will do as asked.

It will be interesting to watch, considering how expensive it is to design a car, let alone build 100,000 of them.

Eric
June 17, 2009 2:10 p.m. Tim Baxter Online Editor

Another thought: 40k will go a LONG way in Monroe, La.
June 17, 2009 2:34 p.m. MadScientistMatt HalfDork

I've wondered who would be the first to try that sort of thing, as if you ever wanted to break into the automotive business, it's going to be hard to find a better time than now or the next year or two.
June 17, 2009 2:38 p.m. carguy123 Dork

A flat salary and you work for me to do whatever I need you to do instead of just the little niche the unions allow you to do makes sense, that's probably why it won't work
June 17, 2009 5:09 p.m. ignorant PowerDork

carguy123 wrote:

A flat salary and you work for me to do whatever I need you to do instead of just the little niche the unions allow you to do makes sense, that's probably why it won't work

Some program on NPR the other day said that the latest generation will be shaped by 1 thing and 1 thing only. It is the fact that for every 10 of them there will be 5 jobs.
June 17, 2009 5:23 p.m. z31maniac Dork

carguy123 wrote:

A flat salary and you work for me to do whatever I need you to do instead of just the little niche the unions allow you to do makes sense, that's probably why it won't work

Are you talking about just the guys on the line or engineers and such as well?

I don't think a janitor should make as much as an assembly guy should make as much as an engineer.
June 17, 2009 5:49 p.m. ckosacranoid HalfDork

meybe with this mess, meybe we can get back to the point of lots of diffeent car componies ou that instead of just 3 of them like the first half of the last centrery.
June 17, 2009 6:15 p.m. Redhornet New Reader

ckosacranoid wrote:

meybe with this mess, meybe we can get back to the point of lots of diffeent car componies ou that instead of just 3 of them like the first half of the last centrery.

I totally agree, but without the same amount of beer consumption.
June 18, 2009 8:05 a.m. Dr. Hess PowerDork

I predict the new vehicles will run on CNG/LNG. Look at Clean Energy Fuels Corp (CLNE), owned by the Pickens', invested in by the Pelosi's. They keep trying to find someone to buy their gas for transportation uses. Now the Pickens' figgered they'd just make a car company. I bet that every vehicle out of Monroe, LA will run on gas from CLNE.