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GM extends production cuts, affects Cadillacs, Camaro and Acadia

General Motors is extending production cuts at some of its North America factories due to a chip shortage that has roiled the global automotive industry, the U.S. carmaker said on Thursday. The move's impact has been baked into GM's prior forecast that the shortage could shave up to $2 billion off this year's profit. GM's Lansing Grand River assembly in Michigan will extend its downtime through the week of April 26. The plant makes Chevrolet Camaros and Cadillac CT4 and CT5 sedans. It has been out of action since March 15. GM's Spring Hill assembly in Tennessee will shut down for two weeks starting the week of April 12. The plant makes the Cadillac XT5, XT6 and GMC Acadia. The company said it has not taken downtime or reduced shifts at any of its more profitable full-size truck or full-size SUV plants due to the shortage. The news was first reported by CNBC. Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel and Sriraj Kalluvila

8 cars we're most looking forward to driving in 2015

Now that 2014 is officially in the books, it's time to look ahead. And following our list of the cars we liked best last year, we're now setting our sights at the hot new metal that's coming our way in 2015. Some of these, we've already seen. And some are still set to debut during the 2015 auto show season. But these are the machines that keep us going – the things on the horizon that we're particularly stoked to drive, and drive hard. Jeep Renegade Not the Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Not the Ford Mustang GT350. Not the new John Cooper Works Mini. Nope, I'm looking forward to the adorable, trail-rated Jeep Renegade. And that's because I really, really, really like our long-term Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. I do not, however, care too much for the Cherokee's looks, and I really don't like its $38,059 price tag. The Renegade Trailhawk, meanwhile, promises much of the same rough-and-tumble character as its big brother, but at what we expect will be a more reasonable price (I'm personally wagering on the baby Jeep's off-road model starting at no more than $23,000). With a 2.4-liter four-cylinder and a nine-speed automatic, it should also be a bit easier to fill than the V6-powered Cherokee. Also, I can't help but love the way the Renegade looks. It's like someone took a Wrangler, squished it by 50 percent and then handed it off to George Clinton for a healthy dose of funk. The interior, with its bright, expressive trims and color schemes should also be a really nice place to spend some time. I'll be attending the Renegade's launch later this month, so I'll have a much shorter wait than my colleagues. Here's hoping the baby Jeep lives up to my expectations. – Brandon Turkus Associate Editor Mazda MX-5 Miata Here's an uncomfortable truth: I'd rather spend a day driving a properly sorted Mazda MX-5 Miata of any generation on a winding road than I would nearly any other vehicle, regardless of power, price or prestige. It's not just that I prize top-down driving and enjoy the Miata's small size because it gives me more road to play with. I just find there's more motoring joy to be had with high-fidelity handling and an uncorrupted car-to-driver communication loop than I do with face-distorting power or grip – let alone valet-stand gravitas. But perhaps most of all, I love Miatas because they can deliver that level of feedback and driver reward at modest speeds that won't put the locals on edge or endanger lives – you can use more of the car more of the time.

General Motors reportedly considering small electric pickup

General Motors is considering adding a small entry-level model to its range of electric pickups, according to a recent report. The carmaker is currently showing a prototype to a select group of customers to gather feedback about the model before executives decide its fate. Industry trade journal Automotive News claims that it saw the pickup during a workshop organized by General Motors and describes it as being "smaller than the Ford Maverick and the Hyundai Santa Cruz." For context, the Maverick stretches about 200 inches long, 73 inches wide, and 69 inches tall, so it's around 12 inches shorter, 11 inches narrower, and 10 inches lower than the recently-unveiled Chevrolet Colorado. It sounds like this little GM truck would be closer in size to the Brazilian-market Chevy Montana, pictured at top. But unlike the Montana, the model that Automotive News got a look at had two doors, a "low roofline," a four- to four-and-a-half-foot cargo box, and a design described as futuristic and sporty. If launched, the yet-unnamed pickup would be marketed as an "affordable" EV with a base price pegged under $30,000. However, that's a big if: the pickup — whose name hasn't been announced — hasn't been approved for production. "We're creating these to get a reaction and then to try to modify it or move on," Michael Pevovar, the director affordable EV and crossover design for Chevrolet, told the publication. "The input may come back that it's just too small, and that's okay," he added. If it turns out to be too small for buyers, General Motors hasn't ruled out building its entry-level electric pickup on a different architecture to make it a little bigger. It's too early to tell where the electric pickup would slot in the General Motors portfolio if executives approve it. Chevrolet immediately comes to mind, especially considering the sub-$30,000 price point. The model would make more sense with a bowtie on its front end than with a Cadillac emblem, GMC's trucks are normally positioned higher than Chevrolet's, and Buick hasn't built a pickup in many decades. Similarly, there's no word on when it would enter production or where it would be built. With that being said, there's very clearly a market for affordable, small pickup trucks. As of the third quarter of last year, Ford had sold more Mavericks than it had the Expedition or the Ranger. Hyundai hasn't sold as many Santa Cruz trucks, but it's still not too shabby, having beaten out the Venue and Accent last year.