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GM tinkering with Silverado, Sierra model mix amidst strong early sales

Variety, as they say, is the spice of life. That's a lesson that is currently being taught to General Motors, because despite a strong showing from its 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, the General's pickup sales still can't best those of cross-town rival Ford.
With 59,163 trucks moved, GM fell just over 1,000 units short of toppling Ford, and one of the main reasons for that, according to GM's chief sales analyst, was due to a lack of variety in the engines and body styles available on dealer lots. "We are still over-weighted toward crew-cab V8 trucks. Our light-duty mix will moderate over time as our launch progresses," said Kurt McNeil.
Loading dealers with the popular combination of the 5.3-liter V8 and the four-door, Crew Cab body style was intentional during the truck's launch, but as supplies of leftover 2013 models, which are being sold at heavy incentives, are beginning to wane, both budget-conscious and high-dollar buyers are looking elsewhere instead of at the volume model pickups.

Leno drives Ringbrothers' latest, 1966 Chevy Chevelle Recoil

Jay Leno has been checking out quite a few older rides in his garage as of late, but has mixed things up a little this week. Ringbrothers took home an award at the 2014 SEMA Show for the 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle it named Recoil, and now the car has proven it can do more than just look good on Jay Leno's Garage. While the latest guest might look vintage, underneath those classic lines is a thoroughly modern muscle car sporting a claimed 980 horsepower. The heart of this beast is a supercharged LS7 V8 from Wegner Motorsports and a six-speed Tremec manual gearbox. Even with so much power, it can still run on 91-octane pump gas, and when Jay gets on the throttle the result is a wall of sound from the wailing supercharger. Despite the muscle, the Recoil doesn't really scream about its performance aesthetically. The color is a surprisingly plain beige, but the carbon fiber touches and side exhaust certainly indicate that there's something special here. The owner's sole request for the car was to include metal seats, and Ringbrothers provided them with a few bits of leather offering a touch of comfort. After checking the Recoil out from stem to stern, Leno finally gets behind the wheel and treats our ears to pull after pull from that big, supercharged V8.

GM reworking mandatory OnStar plans for some 2024 models

For the 2023 model year, GM added its OnStar and Connected Services plan as standard equipment to a large number of Buick, GMC, and Chevrolet vehicles. Folding the $1,500 retail price into the MSRPs of models like the GMC Acadia and Buick Encore plumped up prices beyond the usual year-on-year bumps. Looks like there's a reversal in play for 2024, GM Authority reporting that many of the models fitted with OnStar and Connected Services — now called OnStar Premium — will step down to three years of OnStar Remote Access standard.   OnStar Remote Access comes with these features: Remote key fob, vehicle locate, and remote personalization through mobile and in-vehicle apps. Three additional features can be added to the plan: OnStar Guardian, in-vehicle hotspot, and Super Cruise. Owners can also upgrade to OnStar Premium if they choose.  Higher trims like Buick's Avenir and GMC's Denali, plus the GMC Hummer and the Cadillac Escalade will retain OnStar Premium as standard equipment. That suite starts with Remote Access and adds: Automatic crash response, stolen vehicle assistance and recovery, OnStar Guardian, in-vehicle app access, unlimited streaming, three years of Super Cruise on vehicles with the hardware, and six months of SiriusXM radio. The Escalade puts a cherry on top with three years Sirius XM instead of six months. The Remote Access plan normally charges $14.99 per month. We're not sure yet if GM will subtract the cost of OnStar Premium from the MSRP and add the $540 for OnStar Remote Access, or if the trial period comes free of charge. Even if that's what happens, the change could take nearly $1,000 off the MSRP of a car like the GMC Acadia before any 2024 increases. We'll know more as the 2024MY models roll out and prices are announced. Related Video 2022 Buick Enclave Avenir revealed