Two years ago, at its annual Global Business Conference, General Motors (GM 4.37%) unveiled a surprising plan. It involves radically streamlining GM's global product line -- and it takes more than a page or two from the famous "One Ford" plan that returned GM's archrival Ford (F 0.47%) to profitability.

This week, GM product chief Mary Barra gave an update on the plan's progress, with a surprising twist: The company is ahead of schedule. In this video, Fool.com contributor John Rosevear explains why that's a big deal -- and what it could mean for GM's profits in coming quarters.