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GM Ships First Vehicles to Harlem Auto Mall


February 2006
 Filed under: GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATE Car News | GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATE Headlines

Harlem's first auto center in 40 years prepares to open

New York - General Motors today delivered the first batch of 60 vehicles to the Chevrolet-Saturn and Cadillac-HUMMER dealerships in Harlem. Both dealerships are expected to open by March 1, 2006.
The Harlem Auto Mall will be one of the largest auto sales and service centers in New York City, and the opening will mark the first time in more than 40 years that customers will be able to shop and get their vehicles serviced by a franchised auto dealer north of 72nd Street. The auto mall comprises two separate facilities on nearly a full city block between 127th and 128th Streets and Second and Third Avenues.

Otis Thornton, a GM dealer since 1993, owns and will operate Chevrolet-Saturn of Harlem, at 2485 Second Avenue. The dealership was developed with GM's Minority Dealer Development Program. Thornton also owns a Buick-Pontiac-GMC dealership in East Brunswick, N.J.

Craig Lee is president and executive manager of Potamkin Cadillac-HUMMER of Harlem, at 2495 Second Avenue. The dealership was developed with Potamkin's Minority Dealership Program, which began 20 years ago. The Potamkin organization has 10 minority partners.

The Potamkin organization, which at the time held six GM franchises in Manhattan, proposed the Harlem site to GM. In June 2003, the parties formalized the plan: GM would develop a Chevrolet-Saturn store and the Potamkins would construct a Cadillac-HUMMER facility on adjacent property.

"Harlem, with its proximity to the Triborough Bridge, FDR Drive and connecting roadways, had long been on GM's radar screen for new franchises," said Scott Mackie, General Motors Northeast Regional General Manager. "Some 350,000 vehicles a day pass the Harlem Auto Mall, traveling to Queens, the Bronx and the suburbs of Westchester County, New York and lower Connecticut. It is an ideal location for auto retailing.

"General Motors also is pleased to play a role in providing high-wage, high-skill jobs to this historic New York community," Mackie said.

General Motors created its Minority Dealer Development Program in 1972. It is the first and longest-running program of its kind in the automotive industry. GM has 357 minority-owned dealerships.

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest automaker, has been the global industry sales leader for 75 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 327,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. In 2005, 9.17 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. GM operates one of the world's leading finance companies, GMAC Financial Services, which offers automotive, residential and commercial financing and insurance. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.

The Potamkin Auto Group was founded in 1954 by Victor Potamkin. Today, operating under the name of Planet Automotive, the company has annual sales of more than $1.6 billion and 70 dealerships in eight states, including Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, California and Texas. Another seven new auto dealerships are under development. The group holds franchises from most of the major domestic and foreign manufacturers. It owns and operates nine dealerships in New York City including the six GM franchises on Eleventh Avenue in Manhattan.

Source: GM

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