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GM issues stop-sale order for 2024 Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon pickups

General Motors has issued a stop sale for the midsize 2024 Chevrolet Colorado and 2024 GMC Canyon pickups due to software problems, the Detroit Free Press reported Tuesday. The newspaper had previously reported that trucks were piling up in GM's Wentzville Assembly holding lot. Well, now we know why. As happened with the 2024 Chevy Blazer EV late last year, the midsize pickups are grounded until further notice.  While GM declined to reveal the nature of the software issues to the Free Press, we've seen the chaos inflicted by the company's current digital suite manifest in the Blazer's rocky launch. In some cases, those EVs were effectively bricked (whether permanently or temporarily) by glitches that plagued the infotainment. And because modern infotainment touches virtually every aspect of vehicle operation, what might sound like a trivial issue can quickly snowball. The Edmunds test vehicle produced "the single longest list of major faults" the outlet had ever seen.  Some trucks have already shipped to dealers and will remain on hold there until serviced and released; it appears GM will continue to hold trucks at its Missouri production facility until they receive software updates to address the ongoing issues. GM did not provide a timetable for software fixes or the resumption of customer deliveries.       

The Chevrolet Camaro 1LE returns with V6 or V8 power

The Chevy Camaro's performance variants are legendary, and enthusiasts have long lusted after the Z/28 and ZL1. But there's a lesser-known model that shouldn't be overlooked: the 1LE. It's Camaro code for performance on the track. The 2017 Camaro 1LE debuts this week at the Chicago Auto Show and goes on sale late this year. The 1LE package will be offered for the first time on V6 Camaros, as well as the traditional V8-powered SS. The cars have upgraded suspensions, better brakes, aerodynamic treatments that create more downforce, and improved cooling features. The goal is simple: faster laps. "This is all grip and handling and cooling," said Todd Christensen, Camaro marketing manager. It's an enthusiast special, transforming your basic Camaro into a more capable track machine. The 335-horsepower V6 and 455-hp V8 are unchanged (and only come with six-speed manual gearboxes), because the focus is on improving the Camaro's reflexes. That means different things, depending on the engine choice. Here's how they break down. V6 1LE The V6's 1LE package is based on the LT trim and it pilfers the best chassis pieces from the V8 model, including the FE3 suspension with stabilizer bars. It also has a mechanical limited slip differential (3.27 ratio) and four-piston Brembo brake calipers in front. The fuel system is also borrowed from the SS, and it all rolls on 20-inch forged aluminum wheels wrapped in Goodyear Eagle F1 rubber measuring 245/40R20 in front and 275/35R20 in back. Christensen says Chevy added the 1LE pack for the V6 because customers actively wanted it, and for a reasonable price (we hear the 1LE will cost about the same as the fifth gen's $3,500 option) they can transform their V6 into a car that's as track capable as the SS. While it's giving up 120 hp, a V6 Camaro 1LE will also be more than 200 pounds lighter than the eight-cylinder 1LE. Chevy noticed the customer interest for a V6 1LE and will study offering the pack on Camaros with the turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Consider the V6 a test case. "I'm anxious to get some customer feedback [from the V6]," Christensen said. SS 1LE Even though it's heavier, the SS 1LE offers a lot of goodies that make it three seconds faster than a normal SS, according to Chevy's testing at Willow Springs Raceway in the California desert. The spotlight features in the SS are Magnetic Ride Control for the FE4 suspension and electronic-slip differential (3.73 ratio).

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