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GM might lose 90-year U.S. sales crown over chip shortage

Automotive News editor Nick Bunkley tweeted on October 1 that according to AutoNews data, General Motors "has been the largest seller of vehicles in the U.S. every year since passing Ford in 1931." With automakers having turned in light car and truck sales data for the first three quarters of 2021, GM's 90-year-run might not reach 91. According to AN figures, Toyota was 80,401 vehicles ahead when the October workday started. Worse, GM is so far behind its historic pace that it might only sell enough light vehicles in the U.S. to match its numbers from 1958.  Meanwhile, the New York Times put a few more salient numbers to the pain GM and Toyota are enduring alongside the the rest of the industry. GM sold 33% fewer cars in Q3 2021 than it did in Q3 2019 during the dark days of the pandemic, 446,997 units this year as opposed to 665,192 last year. GM's Q3 2020 was only down 13% on Q3 2019. Over at Toyota, the bottom line showed a 1% gain in Q3 2021 compared to 2020, with 566,005 units moved off dealer lots. The finer numbers show two steps forward and one step back, though; Toyota's September sales were down 22% compared to last year.  GM remains optimistic about what's ahead, GM's president of North American operations telling the NYT, "We look forward to a more stable operating environment through the fall." We'd like to see that happen, but we don't know how it happens. The chip shortage said to have been the inciting incident for the current woes isn't over, and not only can no one agree when it will be over, the automakers, chip producers, and U.S. government still can't get on the same page about who needs what and when. Looking away from that for a second shows articles about "No End In Sight" for supply chain disruptions in early September, before China had to start working through power supply constraints, global supply chain workers started warning of a "system collapse," and roughly 500,000 containers sat waiting to be unloaded at Southern California ports — a record number seemingly broken every week. And back to chips, we're told just a few days ago the chip shortage is "worse than we thought."   For now, the NYT wrote that GM dealer inventory is down 40% from June to roughly 129,000 vehicles, and down 84% from the days when dealers would cumulatively keep about 800,000 light vehicles in stock. However, GM just announced it would have almost all of its U.S. facilities back online next week, although some would run at partial capacity.

GM announces 3 new recalls affecting 1.7M vehicles in North America [w/video]

Still embroiled in the ongoing ignition switch recall, General Motors announced today three more discrete recalls, affecting a grand total of 1,546,900 vehicles in the US. The Detroit News reports that some 1.7 million vehicles are affected overall in North America. The first and largest of the trio of new recalls concerns some 1.18-million Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia crossovers from the 2008-2013 model years, Chevrolet Traverse from 2009-2013 (pictured above) and Saturn Outlook vehicles from 2008-2010. All of the crossover utilities may have an issue with the wiring harness for their seat-mounted side airbags. Apparently, the vehicles are equipped with a Service Air Bag warning light that, if ignored, "will eventually result in the non-deployment of the side impact restraints." Those restraints include the side airbags, a front-center airbag if the vehicle is so equipped and seatbelt pretensioners. Dealers of affected vehicles will be instructed to remove driver and passenger side airbag wiring harness connectors, and then "splice and solder the wires together." The second recall affects 303,000 Chevrolet Express (pictured right) and GMC Savana vans from model years 2009-2014, and with gross vehicle weights under 10,000 pounds. Said vehicles do not comply with a head impact requirement for unrestrained occupants, and will need a reworking of the instrument panel material to be sent back on the road. It doesn't sound as though there's a quick fix for this one, as the GM press release states: "Unsold vehicles have been placed on a stop delivery until development of the solution has been completed and parts are available." Finally, the third recall affects 63,900 Cadillac XTS luxury sedans from model years 2013 and 2014. A brake booster pump may be susceptible to corrosion by way of the relay, potentially causing and electrical short, overheating, melting of plastic components and even engine fires. GM says it is aware of two engine fires in unsold XTS models and two cases of melted parts. Repairs for the issues affecting the XTS have not not mentioned by GM in the release. The Detroit News is also reporting that along with news of the triple-recall, GM is taking a $300-million credit to help pay for the repair costs, and to deal with the ongoing costs associated with the ignition switch recall. In an attempt to explain just what GM has been doing in the face of these very serious issues, newly minted CEO Mary Barra has addressed the issues in a new video.

Cadillac Escalade reportedly getting 200-hp bump from supercharger

Cadillac is preparing to supercharge the Escalade, according to a recent report. The body-on-frame General Motors SUVs that it shares its basic underpinnings with are allegedly in line to receive a big increase in power, too. Released for the 2021 model year, the fifth-generation Escalade eschewed downsizing and launched with a 6.2-liter V8 as its standard engine. It develops 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque when it's naturally aspirated, and Motor Trend learned from an anonymous source that the optional supercharger will increase the first figure to anywhere between 600 and 625. The eight's torque output will undoubtedly go up, too. The supercharged Escalade won't outgun the sold-out Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, which gets 710 horses, but it will pack a serious punch. It doesn't sound like the V8 will require significant modifications to handle the extra power because the supercharger kit will likely be installed by dealers, not on the assembly line. This strongly suggests that it's more of a bolt-on job than one that requires taking the engine out and apart to install stronger connecting rods and forged pistons, for example. ECU tweaks will be part of the package, too, and the fuel delivery system may require some upgrades. Interestingly, Motor Trend learned from Texas-based Hennessey that the SUV's ECU is locked to tuners, which adds credibility to the report. Motorists who want more power will need to go through official sales channels, then. Bigger brakes and a firmer suspension won't be part of the package — at least not yet. The same source outlined a true high-performance evolution of the body-on-frame behemoth that will be quicker and tighter to drive. Oddly, it's not being developed by the engineers in charge of Cadillac's V-branded models, according to the report. If the report is accurate, we'll learn more about the supercharged Cadillac Escalade in the coming months, and it might go on sale in time for the 2022 model year. Expect the supercharger to come with a four-digit price tag. Chevrolet's Tahoe/Suburban and GMC's Yukon/Yukon XL will reportedly be available with a supercharger, too.