GM board orders faster new vehicle rollout

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- General Motors Co.'s board chairman says company management was told this week to bring some of its new vehicles to market faster.

Edward Whitacre Jr. would not identify the vehicles but told reporters on a conference call Wednesday that the board emphasized fuel efficiency as well as other areas.

Whitacre says the company can become profitable sooner than many people think it can. He says he's confident that GM can change its culture so it can respond to market changes faster, even though it has not hired a lot of new people from outside.

He also says GM's balance sheet is strong and he is confident it can protect and grow its U.S. market share.

GM's new board met for the first time in Detroit on Monday and Tuesday.