The GM Collection Photo Gallery

I'm back from the GM Collection event.

Along with a group of twenty or so other motojournalists, I spent two days with the General in Temecula and San Diego, California.

The trip started off in Temecula, about 90 miles southwest of Los Angeles. We met at Saturn of Temecula, where we had lunch and listened to an address by Jill Lajdziak, General Manager of the Saturn Division of GM. After a brief Q&A session, we paired up and hit the road in new Saturns.

After a turn in the new Aura sedan and the Sky Red Line, I climbed into the 2007 Saturn Vue Green Line, GM's first Hybrid SUV. I only got to drive it for about 20 minutes, but that was long enough to show me that I have to get one to review for the site.

After a brief stop at the Hotel Del Coronado to check in and find our rooms, we were back out in Saturns for a quick drive over to the South Bay Drive-In Theater for an alfresco dinner. As we sat in Saturns facing the drive-in screen, GM ran a video of vehicle promos and drove the 2007 GM lineup in front of us -- the show before the show. Then the movie began -- Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, the NASCAR comedy starring Will Ferrel.

Back to the hotel and to bed by 11:00, then up again for a 7:00 am presentation and breakfast buffet with a keynote address by Steve Harris, GM's VP of Communications, and a GM Truck presentation by Mike "Tooley" Tulumello, Full Size Truck Vehicle Line Director.

After checking out of the hotel, we headed over to Qualcomm Stadium, home of the San Diego Chicken - I mean Padres and Chargers. GM set up an enormous autocross course and a lineup of vehicles to take out on driving loops, along with a boating and towing demonstration.

After driving for several hours, and after the requisite lunch break, we were set loose to drive back to Temecula to pick up our personal vehicles.

I've posted a GM Collection Photo Gallery for your viewing pleasure, and I'll be following up on this event with extended SUV test drives for months to come.

And best of all, now I know how to get to Temecula!

Photo © Jason Fogelson