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GM announces net 220 job increase as Trump visits Michigan

GM announced today that about 900 jobs would be added (or, importantly, retained) ahead of President Trump's arrival in Michigan, where he is expected to discuss his plan to roll back fuel economy standards. The timing of the announcement is almost certainly not coincidental, as appending it to a Trump visit gives it a higher profile and dovetails with the President's jobs agenda. It's less likely the decision itself was made for those reasons, but the free PR boost is a nice bonus. As for those 900 jobs themselves, they aren't all new jobs. The only net gain is approximately 220 jobs at the Romulus Powertrain Plant, which produces the 10-speed automatic transmission that's proliferating through the company's lineup. The 180 jobs at Flint Assembly and 500 jobs at Lansing Delta Township are retained jobs – that is to say, spots the company found for workers who would otherwise have been laid off. By the way, the Flint jobs will help with production of heavy-duty pickups, and the Lansing jobs are to produce the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave. Finding jobs for manufacturing workers in the auto sector, whether new or retained, is admirable. No matter how GM couches it, the company has created or retained a total of 7,000 jobs this year, and its total reinvestment in US production is around $1 billion. But these decisions are business ones, not political ones – timing the announcements to make them seem inspired by economic policy, or the political situation, is simply smart PR. Related Video: Image Credit: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images Celebrities Government/Legal Buick Cadillac Chevrolet GMC

GM is quietly slashing prices on base models

While General Motors' fourth quarter financial figures haven't yet been released, the automaker seems to be weathering a potentially rocky time well, even beating third-quarter projections last year. To keep the climb going, the company is launching new base trims for several popular models that make them cheaper than ever but with tight dealer margins. The new entry-level trims are the Chevrolet Cruze L, Equinox L, GMC Terrain SL and Buick LaCrosse 1SV. Buyers lose some content by picking them, but the prices are slashed. According to Cars Direct, the biggest savings are on the LaCrosse, where customers pay $31,065, plus $925 destination, $2,570 less than the previous base 1SB trim but must accept things like 17-inch wheels and no cargo net in the back. If you're wondering how Buick can remove only a little equipment but cut the price so much, it's because the company also slashed dealer margins. According to Cars Direct, the difference between the invoice and MSRP for the LaCrosse 1SV is only around $150, compared to around $1,350 before. The disparity is even greater for the Cruze with an $81 difference in the prices, compared to about $600 for the LS version. Showrooms are expected to keep very low stocks of these trims, though. "Dealers use such vehicles to get people in the door, but they do not generally want to do high volumes of these strippers. The margins are next to nothing; they don't make much money off these cars," said Ed Kim, Vice President of Industry Analysis for AutoPacific to Autoblog. Dealers are also expected to advertise that these new base trims undercut major competitors. For example, the Cruze L rings up for about $2,320 less than a Honda Civic LX, according to Cars Direct. One potential drawback for buyers is that these models might not be eligible for incentives. While the attractive prices might get customers into dealers, folks may not actually end up driving home with these entry-level models. Kim indicated base trims also make up a small portion of the sales mix. "Consumers aren't asking for stripped out vehicles, even at the low end of the marketplace," he said. Featured Gallery 2015 Chevrolet Cruze View 9 Photos News Source: Cars DirectImage Credit: Chevrolet Buick Chevrolet GM GMC Car Buying Car Dealers Crossover Sedan gmc terrain cheap cars

Buick Envision Plus is a seven-seater tweener developed for China

Buick has filled the gap separating the Envision and the Enclave with a new crossover named Envision Plus. Launched at the Shanghai auto show, the three-row people-mover is scheduled to go on sale in China later in 2021. The plus-sized Envision stretches 190.7 inches long, 74.1 inches wide, and 66.7 inches tall, figures that make it around eight inches longer and two inches taller than the regular Envision. It's also a full 14 inches shorter, four inches narrower, and three inches lower than the Enclave, which is the biggest crossover in the Buick range. Designers didn't settle for stretching the Envision's wheelbase. They gave the Plus a more upright front end characterized by a taller grille, a flatter and longer roofline, and a redesigned rear end accented by a strip of bright trim that connects the lights. Only photos of the upscale Avenir trim (shown above) have been published so far. Images of the cabin are not available yet. We expect the Plus offers an interior close to the standard Envision's — from the driver's point of view, at least. The biggest difference is that the longer Envision lives up to its name by letting motorists take more gear or kids along for the ride thanks to a more spacious trunk and third-row seats. Power for the Envision Plus comes from a turbocharged, 2.0-liter EcoTec four-cylinder engine fitted with 48-volt mild-hybrid technology. Bolted to a nine-speed automatic transmission, the turbo-four is the same basic engine found in the American-spec Envision, where it develops 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, but figures for the Plus weren't released. Front- and all-wheel-drive models will presumably be available. Buick will release pricing information closer to the model's on-sale date. As of writing, the Envision Plus has only been announced for China, where it will be built, but unverified reports claim it will arrive in American showrooms before the end of 2021. We've reached out to the company, and we'll update this story if we learn more. 2021 Buick Verano Pro GS View 5 Photos What else did Buick show in Shanghai? Buick no longer sells sedans in America, but it remains present in that segment on the Chinese market. In addition to the Envision Plus, it unveiled a model named Verano Pro developed specifically for China, built locally, and aimed at relatively young buyers. At launch, motorists will be asked to choose between the regular sedan and a sportier-looking variant that wears the storied GS emblem.