Muscle Card

AT&T HAS DONE IT FOR YEARS. GENERAL ELECTRIC began doing it two weeks ago. Now General Motors is offering its own high-powered credit card to boost sales of its products and grab a share of the $485 billion market for plastic money. The auto giant said holders of its new GM MasterCard would earn 5% rebates on purchases made with the card, up to a maximum of $500 a year or $3,500 over seven years. Card-holders could apply the rebates toward the lease or purchase of new GM cars and trucks -- except for the hot-selling Saturn, which has never offered price verage of about 18%. Robertson estimates that the card's features will attract 2 million holders over the next 18 months.

CHART: NOT AVAILABLE

CREDIT: NO CREDIT

CAPTION: Total U.S. consumer installment credit outstanding, in billions of dollars