During his first full year as CEO, Akerson earned a $1.7 million salary, GM said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He also received about $6 million in salaried and restricted stock units.

Last year, GM sold more vehicles than any other automaker in the world and reached a labor agreement with the United Auto Workers union that helped maintain its lower break-even level.

Still, GM’s shares fell 45 percent last year, while the broader S&P 500 index was unchanged.

Among investors’ concerns was GM’s troubled Opel unit in Europe, where GM lost $747 million last year. GM was also hurt by weakness in South America.

“Although, by objective measures, our 2011 results were an improvement over 2010, they did not compare favorably to some of our key competitors,” GM said in the proxy. “This was reflected, in part, in the price of our common stock.”

The drop in GM’s stock price hurt Akerson’s stock-based deferred compensation. The value of those shares fell by $1.9 million last year, according to the proxy.

Compensation of GM executives is governed by a special pay master from the federal government as part of provisions put in place after GM’s U.S.-funded bankruptcy restructuring in 2009.

Akerson could have earned up to $9 million in cash and stock awards under federal regulations, according to the proxy.

The restricted stock units he earned in 2011 reflect his performance in 2010, when he largely served as a director, not CEO. Akerson has been CEO of the company since September 2010.

Ford will give investors a glimpse of what’s ahead when it reports its first quarter earnings on Friday. Analysts expect the auto maker to report strong income from its North America automotive business, which is getting a lift from a robust rise in U.S. auto sales.

At the same time, however, Ford is expected to report lower profit from its financing arm, a higher tax rate in the U.S., and losses in Europe and Asia.

For GM, which reports its earnings on May 3, it is a similar picture—increasing demand and higher prices in the U.S., despite high gasoline prices, but trouble in Europe, with increasing competition pressuring profits in South America and China.

Not all parts of the two big Detroit auto makers are pulling in the same direction, said Peter Nesvold, a transportation analyst with Jefferies & Co. in New York. “This is going to be an exceptionally strong year in North America. But international is not going to be contributing much to earnings this year.”

Analysts estimate Ford will report first-quarter earnings of 35 cents a share, according to a consensus compiled by Thomson Financial. That’s down from 61 cents a year ago. GM is expected to report a first-quarter operating profit of $1.38 billion on revenue of $37.54 billion, according to Thomson Reuters. In the year ago quarter, GM reported an adjusted operating profit of $2 billion and revenue of $36.2 billion. The consensus estimate for GM is 85 cents a share, Thomson Financial said. In the first quarter of 2011, GM reported earnings per share of 95 cents.

SAIC currently controls 51% of its long-standing joint venture with GM, which started out as a 50-50 alliance. But in 2009, shortly before it sought bankruptcy protection, GM agreed to give SAIC majority control in return for help with a loan and some cash.

Under a deal that is awaiting Chinese government approvals, GM would regain more sway in the venture’s future direction and safeguard the status of its increasingly critical Chinese operations against the risk of doing business in the highly regulated nation. SAIC also would retain its ability to book the joint venture’s revenue under recently enacted Chinese accounting rules requiring a 51% stake to claim revenue.

SAIC said in a statement that the company and GM “have established a good and enduring relationship based on a foundation of mutual benefit. There is mutual trust and mutual support on both sides, and it is a model for successful cooperation in China and even the world.”

SAIC is China’s largest auto maker and GM is the country’s largest foreign player, selling more vehicles there—2.5 million—than in the U.S. last year. Mr. Akerson said GM is carefully weighing opportunities to further expand the partnership beyond China and Asia. The two have an existing partnership in India and are selling some small vehicles in South America.

“SAIC is the principal relationship that we have around the globe now and we expect that to be the case into the future,” Mr. Akerson said.

SAIC currently controls 51% of its long-standing joint venture with GM, which started out as a 50-50 alliance. But in 2009, shortly before it sought bankruptcy protection, GM agreed to give SAIC majority control in return for help with a loan and some cash.

Under a deal that is awaiting Chinese government approvals, GM would regain more sway in the venture’s future direction and safeguard the status of its increasingly critical Chinese operations against the risk of doing business in the highly regulated nation. SAIC also would retain its ability to book the joint venture’s revenue under recently enacted Chinese accounting rules requiring a 51% stake to claim revenue.

SAIC didn’t respond to requests for comment.

SAIC is China’s largest auto maker and GM is the country’s largest foreign player, selling more vehicles there—2.5 million—than in the U.S. last year. Mr. Akerson said GM is carefully weighing opportunities to further expand the partnership beyond China and Asia. The two have an existing partnership in India and are selling some small vehicles in South America.

The package includes specific badging, chrome trim, unique wheels and the contents of the Convenience (Sierra) or SLT-2 (Yukon) Equipment Packages. The special package starts at $1,820, depending on the vehicle.

A new Heritage Blue exterior paint adds another $195 to the bottom line. White Diamond exterior paint adds another $995 to the bottom line.

The Sierra Heritage Edition gets special badges, embroidered front floor mats and front headrests, chrome exterior trim and 20-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels. It also gets a Convenience package with rear park assist, adjustable pedals, Universal Home Remote, EZ-Lift locking tailgate and rear wheelhouse liners and a rear-vision camera.

The Yukon and Yukon XL Heritage editions get special badges, embroidered front floor mats and front headrests, and an SLT-2 equipment package with such items as 10-way leather memory seats, a power-operated liftgate and heated side mirrors. However, 20-inch wheels are optional.

“Sierra and Yukon are two of our longest-running and most respected nameplates, so it makes sense to use them to represent our heritage,” said Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of GMC marketing in a statement.

GMC was formed in 1912 when the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company merged with two others, Reliance and Randolph, said GM in a statement.

One is General Motors, which has come up with idea of the $50 navigation system. For $50, GM customers will be able to download an application to their mobile devices in two of its smallest, cheapest cars that takes the place of an expensive navigation system. The app will allow a fully functional navigation system with turn-by-turn directions to be broadcast onto the car’s MyLink information system, the Associated Press reports.

It will work on the 2013 Chevrolet Spark mini car that goes on sale this summer and the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS subcompact hitting showrooms in the fourth quarter of this year. No surprise that it’s just on the cheapest models. The notion puts automakers in a bind: They would love to cash in on expensive navigation systems, but they would be out of reach for many lower-income customers.

The system eliminates the need to buy an embedded car navigation system that costs, on average, between $1,000 and $2,000, said Sara LeBlanc, GM’s global infotainment program manager:

The application, called GoGoLink, was developed by London-based Engis Technologies, and can be updated for free as road data evolve.

“Instead of having CDs that you have to update with map data, it’s all on your phone,” she said. “If you have an embedded navigation, you have to pay money to get those maps updated.”

Many smartphones already are suited to apps that provide navigation, and an increasing number of makers have found ways to pair those personal devices with the cars. But the problem for makers is that new personal devices are coming out with features faster than those in the car. Plus customers are hesitant about buying fancy systems in cars that can become outdated in a couple of years.

GM may have found an answer, at least in the budget segment which also happens to have some of its most tech-savvy customers.

“The steering gear pitman shaft may not have been adequately hardened and could fracture,” said NHTSA in its recalls summary of the problem. “If this condition occurs, a loss of steering could result, increasing the risk of a crash.”

GM says there are no reports of crashes, injuries or property damage linked to the recall. The problem was discovered by the supplier. GM said that “component testing suggests that a fatigue failure due to this condition would not occur for at least five months in service for the most severe usage,” in documentation filed with the federal government.

“The Terrain has been a very important product for GMC. It has done very well, so I think it’s a natural extension to add that premium version,” said Mary Barra, GM’s senior vice president of product development.

Barra spoke Wednesday in Detroit to several hundred members of Inforum, a professional women’s group celebrating its 50th anniversary. She gave the group a sneak peek at the Denali version of the small SUV, but declined to talk about pricing or availability. Wednesday evening, GM officials showed the new Terrain in New York.

Last month, when General Motors unveiled an updated Denali version of its GMC Acadia crossover, executives described the Denali line as a “brand within a brand.”

The 2013 Acadia Denali features a new trim package with 20-inch machined wheels, a three-dimensional polished grille, heated/cooled front seats and dual flow-through chrome exhaust outlets.

GMC sells seven Denali models with prices that start at $44,660 for the 2012 Acadia Denali and top out at a starting price of $60,285 for the Yukon Denali Hybrid.

“I think that the Denali line is really the sweet spot for the GMC lineup and is GMC’s way of differentiating itself from the Chevrolet siblings,” said Dave Sullivan, product analyst for AutoPacific.

Already, 30% of Acadia buyers opt for the Denali package. The 2012 Acadia starts at $32,685 while the Acadia Denali starts at $44,660.”If you look at the cost of the materials, there is a really nice margin on that for GM,” Sullivan said.

Barra also answered questions Wednesday about lackluster consumer demand for electric vehicles in the wake of GM’s decision to suspend production of the Chevrolet Volt for five weeks.

The Volt, she said, is a technological achievement that Americans should be proud of, despite slow sales. GM had once hoped to sell 45,000 Volts this year but has only sold 1,626 through February.

Barra said Volt sales should increase this year and is optimistic about sales of its sibling, the Opel Ampera, in Europe.

“We have said all along that we are going to meet supply with demand,” Barra said. “I really believe we are going to see a continual pickup of the pace.”

The Volt is sold at a starting price of about $40,000 before a tax credit of $7,500. Because it can go about 35 miles on a single charge, the buyer saves money on gas, but at close to $40,000, the sticker price is more than twice that of the Chevrolet Cruze.

Barra compared the introduction of the Volt and other electric vehicles with consumer electronic products such as flat-screen televisions and smartphones. Both technologies started off at high prices that dropped as newer models were introduced.

“As you get … to different technological breakthroughs with batteries, I think that allows you to continue to take the economic equation down,” Barra said. “If the equation becomes (lower), then more and more people will adopt it.”

“The Terrain has been a very important product for GMC. It has done very well, so I think it’s a natural extension to add that premium version,” said Mary Barra, GM’s senior vice president of product development.

Barra spoke Wednesday in Detroit to several hundred members of Inforum, a professional women’s group celebrating its 50th anniversary. She gave the group a sneak peek at the Denali version of the small SUV, but declined to talk about pricing or availability. Wednesday evening, GM officials showed the new Terrain in New York.

Last month, when General Motors unveiled an updated Denali version of its GMC Acadia crossover, executives described the Denali line as a “brand within a brand.”

The 2013 Acadia Denali features a new trim package with 20-inch machined wheels, a three-dimensional polished grille, heated/cooled front seats and dual flow-through chrome exhaust outlets.

GMC sells seven Denali models with prices that start at $44,660 for the 2012 Acadia Denali and top out at a starting price of $60,285 for the Yukon Denali Hybrid.

“I think that the Denali line is really the sweet spot for the GMC lineup and is GMC’s way of differentiating itself from the Chevrolet siblings,” said Dave Sullivan, product analyst for AutoPacific.

Already, 30% of Acadia buyers opt for the Denali package. The 2012 Acadia starts at $32,685 while the Acadia Denali starts at $44,660.”If you look at the cost of the materials, there is a really nice margin on that for GM,” Sullivan said.

Barra also answered questions Wednesday about lackluster consumer demand for electric vehicles in the wake of GM’s decision to suspend production of the Chevrolet Volt for five weeks.

The Volt, she said, is a technological achievement that Americans should be proud of, despite slow sales. GM had once hoped to sell 45,000 Volts this year but has only sold 1,626 through February.

Barra said Volt sales should increase this year and is optimistic about sales of its sibling, the Opel Ampera, in Europe.

“We have said all along that we are going to meet supply with demand,” Barra said. “I really believe we are going to see a continual pickup of the pace.”

The Volt is sold at a starting price of about $40,000 before a tax credit of $7,500. Because it can go about 35 miles on a single charge, the buyer saves money on gas, but at close to $40,000, the sticker price is more than twice that of the Chevrolet Cruze.

Barra compared the introduction of the Volt and other electric vehicles with consumer electronic products such as flat-screen televisions and smartphones. Both technologies started off at high prices that dropped as newer models were introduced.