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GM CEO to meet with U.S. lawmakers over job cuts

WASHINGTON — General Motors Co Chief Executive Mary Barra plans to visit Capitol Hill next week to discuss the company's plans to halt production at five plants in North America next year and cut up to 15,000 jobs, two congressional aides said on Friday. GM has come under harsh criticism from lawmakers from both major political parties, and from President Donald Trump, since Monday when it announced the biggest restructuring for the U.S. No. 1 carmaker since its bankruptcy a decade ago. Barra is expected to meet with lawmakers from Michigan and Ohio, where GM plans to shutter three plants, as well as senior leaders in Congress. GM did not immediately comment. Barra has been calling lawmakers this week to explain the decision to end production. Trump has threatened to revoke subsidies for GM. The Detroit automaker plans to halt production next year at three assembly plants: the Lordstown small-car factory near Youngstown, Ohio; the Detroit-Hamtramck complex in Detroit; and the Oshawa, Ontario, assembly complex near Toronto. It will also stop building several models now assembled at those plants, including the Chevrolet Cruze, the Chevrolet Volt hybrid, the Cadillac CT6 and the Buick LaCrosse. Additionally, GM plans to shutter the Warren transmission plant outside Detroit and a plant that makes electric motors and drivetrains outside Baltimore, Maryland. The Cruze compact car will be discontinued in the U.S. market in 2019, although GM may continue building it in Mexico for other markets, Barra said. Reporting by David Shepardson. Related Video:

2015 Chevy Tahoe gets Police Patrol Vehicle treatment

That was fast. Mere days after showing a Police Concept based on the 2015 Tahoe at the SEMA Show, Chevrolet has announced that it will build a PPV model based on the SUV to do battle with the Ford Police Interceptor Utility (Explorer) and Dodge Durango Special Service.
You'll recall that the Tahoe has been police staple for several years, predating both the Explorer and Durango police variants, so the fact that the new model would spawn a police variant is hardly surprising. Like the civilian model, the 2015 PPV benefits from a more efficient 5.3-liter, direct-injection V8 that pumps out 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. It also features more high-strength steel, offering better crash protection, on top of optional safety items like lane departure warning, forward collision alert and a Safety Alert Seat.
The press release is rather light on police-specific items, aside from the auxiliary battery, which keeps the myriad of electronics in a modern police car running even when the engine isn't. Lightbars, 17-inch steel wheels on Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires and a push bar round out the mods for the Tahoe PPV. The cabin features a revised center console and room for laptop and other equipment mounts.

Chevy Colorado gets box delete option designed for upfitters

The Colorado, which marks the return of Chevrolet to the midsize truck segment, is receiving critical praise, and now it's time for the pickup to get to work. At the National Truck Equipment Association Work Truck Show in Indianapolis, IN, Chevy is unveiling a box delete option package for the model that allows businesses to custom tailor the Colorado to their needs. The choice to remove the bed is exclusively available on the Colorado Work Truck trim in the rear-wheel drive, extended cab model with a 305-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 and six-speed automatic gearbox, and Chevy claims this is the only option of its type in the segment. Beyond the obvious loss of the rear, these trucks feature eight mounting points on the frame for upfitters to install any necessary modifications. They also get the Z82 trailering package and a locking differential. The versions with the box delete package carry a payload rating of 2,200 pounds an a gross vehicle weight rating of 6,001 pounds. "It's ideal for utility companies requiring service bodies, as well as landscapers and other businesses needing the utility of a flatbed," Ed Peper, US Vice President for General Motors Fleet and Commerical, said in the option's announcement. Further options with the package are limited to choosing a repositioned fuel filler for the upfitter to install and deleting the rear seat for extra interior capacity. The box delete becomes available in mid-April, and buyers get a $300 credit off the price of the Colorado when it's selected. Colorado 'Box Delete' Expands Options for Businesses Chevrolet package offers unique midsize pickup platform for alternative uses 2015-03-04 INDIANAPOLIS – With a box delete option, business owners and fleet managers can have it their way when it comes to customizing the back end of the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado. Chevrolet today announced availability of the package in mid-April. It is on display this week at the annual National Truck Equipment Association Work Truck Show in Indianapolis. It is the only such option offered in the midsize truck segment. "With the segment-leading efficiency and maneuverable size, the Colorado makes a great, flexible choice for urban businesses and fleets to make the most of a midsize truck," said Ed Peper, U.S. vice president, GM Fleet & Commercial.