The five most senior General Motors (NYSE: GRM) executives, along with the 20 next highest-paid employees, are going to see their cash compensation fall $3.9 million (31%) on a year-over-year basis.

The decision was made by the "independent master" that was appointed to set pay and stock levels for those in charge of companies that have received a majority of the funding from the federal government. GM is not on its own, as top execs at GMAC (the company's financing arm) and Chrysler will see their compensation cut as well.

The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) that "General Motors Co.'s search for an outsider to replace its chief financial officer is being complicated by the pay restrictions the Treasury Department is imposing on companies that received large bailouts from the federal government, according to people familiar with the matter."

GM is expected to be able to offer its CFO a pay package consisting of a significant amount of stock (Hah!) but a salary of only about $1 million per year -- not much for a company of GM's size and problems. Plus, ya gotta live in Detroit and work with Fritz Henderson.

Now that the "new GM" has risen, some of the old ideas are starting to resurface in the media. One of the freshest ideas is here again, coming off the lips of GM CEO Fritz Henderson.

The Chevy Volt, GM's all-electric passenger car slated to hits the streets sometime in 2011, will get "230 miles per gallon" according to the automaker's CEO. That's great -- but why mention the MPG figure for an electric car?

Speaking to a congressionally-appointed panel in Detroit, car czar Ron Bloom said that the U.S. government does not want to run the operations of General Motors, and reiterated his belief that we will sell our stake in General Motors as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, CEO Fritz Henderson said that he plans to repay the government's loan within six years and would like to take the company public again in 2010. However, given that more than 80% of the original loan to GM has been converted into equity, repaying the loan is really not an impressive accomplishment -- and even that might not even be possible.

UPDATE: This post inadvertently linked to a "Tell Fritz" website that is NOT the official site and is not connected with GM. For the real Tell Fritz feature, check out GMReinvention.com.

General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson and his PR corps have managed to drum up quite a bit of press for his allegedly new, more transparent, consumer-friendly approach to running a car company. The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) that "Mr. Henderson is planning various ways to remain the face of GM's turnaround effort, including a consistent string of media interviews and monthly national road shows starting in August, during which he plans to meet with dealers and interact with customers."

Tell Fritz is a new Twitter-like blog format where consumers can interact with the top man at GM. Someone hysterically, it's even equipped with Google Ads for companies like Fritz Hansen Furniture and Fritz the Schnauzer -- Multiple streams of income, here GM comes!

Fritz Henderson has only been the CEO of General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM) for a day, but it's already time to declare him a rapacious swamp sow, unwilling to make even token sacrifices to save the company that has been his ample salary since 1984.

The Associated Press reports that "Fritz Henderson said at a news conference Tuesday that his pay will remain unchanged now that he is head of the troubled automaker. His base salary as chief operating officer was cut 30 percent to about $1.3 million this year when GM accepted government loans."

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), flush with $13.4 billion in federal bailout cash, is going on a diet.

Media reports indicate that the beleaguered automaker is going to focus on four core brands in North America: Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC. Chief Executive Rick Wagoner told Bloomberg News that the company may retain Saturn, though the once-cutting edge brand's future remains cloudy.

Meanwhile, Chief Operating Officer Fritz Henderson said the company's "worst case scenario" indicates that it will need need more than the bailout money it has already received. Oy vey. That's not a good sign.

If there is to be a turnaround at GM -- and I realize that's a big if -- the automaker has to dispose of Saturn. Remember how GM trumpeted Saturn as a different kind of car company? It never quite worked out that way. I always found Saturns to be underpowered and ugly. Maybe one of the big European or Japanese car companies will purchase the division for the right price.

General Motors (NYSE: GM) today posted better-than-expected second quarter earnings. In this most recent chapter in this comeback story, General Motors earned $2.48 per share on an adjusted basis. Analysts had been expecting earnings of $1.13. This is the company's third straight profitable quarter.

The strong numbers are not going unrewarded so far in the premarket. Early morning traders have pushed the stock up 6.0% in premarket trading with around another 30 minutes to go before the opening bell.

What a difference a year makes. I can remember seeing the writing on the wall of a complete collapse this time last year when the company threw up horrible 2006 second quarter numbers. Last year, when the company showed a loss of $3.4 billion, there were lots of questions floating around Wall Street as to whether or not the company was going to be able to pull itself back out of the hole it had dug for itself.

Well ... today is another big step in the right direction, but there is still work to be done in Detroit.