General Motors Co.’s OnStar unit will introduce a new smart phone application later this year on the Chevrolet Volt extended-range hybrid car. The system, which will be compatible with the Apple iPhone, Blackberry Storm and Motorola Droid smart phones, will allow Volt owners to access data and activate certain functions remotely. GM detailed the new system this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Using the system, Volt owners will be able to monitor battery status-including state of charge, whether the battery is plugged in to an electrical outlet and when recharging will be completed. Users also will be able to remotely initiate charging and set a scheduled start time and date for a future charge, including specifying off-peak hours when electricity rates are lowest. In addition, they can request reminder texts or e-mails to notify them when to plug in.

The system enables users to view the battery charge, electric-only range and total available gasoline/electric range. Other available data that can be accessed includes lifetime usage and gasoline and electric efficiency ratings for the most recent trip.

Some functions that could only be activated by an OnStar advisor previously now can be done directly by vehicle owners. These include remote start and door unlocking, presetting the interior temperature and activating the horn or lights to help locate a vehicle in a crowded parking lot, regardless of how far away it is.

OnStar’s traditional safety, convenience, navigation and diagnostic services will continue. Volt drivers can also view and manage vehicle systems and commands from the vehicle, the Internet or through a monthly OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics e-mail. GM says it is considering expanding some of the new smart phone features to other vehicles.

General Motors Co. will install front-opening rear doors on the second-generation Opel Meriva compact minivan in Europe. Opel showed a concept version of the minivan with the unique door layout in 2008 and will take the wraps off the production model at the Geneva auto show in March. The minivan goes on sale in Europe in June.

Although so-called “suicide” doors are common on concept vehicles, the only current production models using the rear-hinged design are a pair of Rolls Royce ultra luxury cars (Phantom and Ghost) and the Mazda RX8 sports sedan. Unlike those vehicles, in which a rear door can be opened only if the corresponding front door is already open, the Meriva has B-pillars that allow the rear “FlexDoors” to open on their own and maintain the side-impact performance of conventional front-hinged units. Opel says its system, which allows the doors to open nearly 90°, offers improved accessibility to the rear seats.

Incorporating design cues from the Insignia midsize car, the new Meriva looks far more upscale than its predecessor. It also features flexible rear seats that can be folded and stored in various configurations, plus a sliding rail system that allows owners to choose from a variety of modular storage bins and other components.

Opel launched the first-generation Meriva in 2003. It has sold just over 1 million of the vehicles in Europe since then.

General Motors Co.’s new Cadillac CTS-V coupe will be fitted with the same supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 that powers the CTS-V sedan, which was launched last year. The powerplant makes 556 hp and 551 lb-ft of torque in both models.

The high-performance coupe offers the same transmission choices-a Tremec six-speed manual or Hydra-Matic six-speed automatic with paddle shifters on the steering wheel-as its four-door sibling. The car also matches the sedan’s 0-60 mph time of 3.9 seconds.

The coupe’s rear track is nearly an inch wider than the CTS-V sedan. Its length and height are both about two inches smaller than the sedan’s. In addition to giving the car a more aggressive stance, the layout also enhances handling characteristics.

The coupe shares other performance features with the CTS-V sedan, including Brembo brakes (six-piston calipers in the front and four-piston units in the rear) and Cadillac’s Magnetic Ride Control suspension system that continuously adjusts damping to match road conditions. The “V” models also sport unique front and rear fascias and a special grille that is designed to maximize air intake.

The CTS-V coupe, which will be unveiled next week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, will be built at GM’s Grand River plant in Lansing, Mich. It will arrive in showrooms this summer. Pricing is expected to top $60,000.

Next year Honda Motor Co. plans to launch a production car based on the small-car concept it unveiled this week at the New Delhi auto show. Pricing is expected to start at less than $11,000.

The yet-to-be-named new model will be built in both India and Thailand. Other details are sketchy-the concept isn’t equipped with an engine and lacks a full interior. A wide chassis and “forward” bumpers create the space and appearance of a larger vehicle, Honda says.

Although the company designed and built the hatchback concept primarily in Japan, it says the production model will be tailored toward India and other emerging markets.

In India, Honda operates as Honda Siel Cars India Ltd., a joint venture with domestic conglomerate Siddharth Shriram Group. The company sold about 65,000 cars in India last year.

General Motors Co. Vice Chairman Bob Lutz wrote a to-do list for the company that was published yesterday by Edmunds.com. Unlike personal New Year’s resolutions that often fall by the wayside, Lutz says his list contains things that GM can, must and shall do this year.

Most important, according to Lutz, is for GM to focus on product above all else. In fact, he cites building the best cars, trucks and crossovers in the world as the top two items on the list.

Several other product-related themes also made the list, including quality, design and leadership in the development of advanced technologies such as electric propulsion. Not surprisingly, successfully launching the Volt extended-range hybrid also is a key for Lutz.

In addition, he says, GM must do a better job at marketing and communicating product attributes and value to the public. Even though Lutz believes GM has done a good job in improving quality and design in recent years, he concedes that not all GM products are world-class. He says the laggard products suffer an “enormous reputational deficit” piled up over several decades of shortcomings.

Another objective is to develop GM’s four remaining brands to their full potential. Lutz says GM also wants to pay back the government loans it received over the last year on or ahead of schedule.