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GM to squeeze out more production capacity for midsize trucks

General Motors was predicting a strong showing for the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon before they debuted, and demand among dealers for the midsize trucks even exceeded company's expectations. The positive situation has left GM with a problem, though: finding ways to increase capacity for the pickups at the Wentzville Assembly plant in Missiouri. With a third shift already running, GM has continued to look for ways to build just a few more of the trucks at the plant. The company has plans to hire as many as 1,000 more workers for the Saturday and Sunday shifts to construct an additional 2,000 pickups a month, according to unnamed insiders at the factory speaking to Automotive News. The little adjustments even extend to getting rid of an unpaid break to add 18 minute of assembly time over the course of a day, which equals about 3,500 more vehicles a year. All of this effort comes because the trucks are in such high demand. According to GM's figures, the company has delivered a combined 35,720 units of the Colorado and Canyon from January through April 2015, and the Chevy was the fastest-selling truck in the US for the previous three months. In May, it spent an average of just 12 days in showrooms before being snapped up. And even better for the company, 43 percent of these buyers came from other brands. According to Automotive News, the most popular trade-ins have included the Ford F-150, Toyota Tacoma, and Dodge Dakota. Related Video:

GMC caught using Rivian R1T image for Sierra Denali EV Photoshop

The rise of electric start-ups have many legacy automakers checking their rear view mirrors as they scramble to join the EV party. Most wouldn't like to admit it publicly, but we know that at least some folks at General Motors are keeping an eye on Rivian. That's because a recent post on social media account by the General Motors design department appears to have used an image of the Rivian R1T, but heavily photoshopped. The post was intended as a peek of the GMC Sierra Denali EV's rear view. Eagle-eyed observers like AllCarNews soon noticed many familiar elements to the rendering, including the wheels and tires, mirrors and doors. Even the backgrounds are identical, including some leaves that the truck is kicking up. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Seen side by side, the two pickups' similarities don't end there. The Sierra EV is wider, but the cab's rear pillars and glass look the same as the Rivian's, just stretched horizontally. The rear bumper and its license plate cutout and reflectors on either side look a bit too close for comfort as well.  The post as since been deleted. A GM spokesperson explained the situation to The Drive, "The GM Design Instagram channel is meant to give followers an inside look at the process of designing new products and the creative teams behind it. Often, these posts use sketches made for internal studio use during design development. The sketch in question was intended for internal use only, and was posted without the necessary approval. It has been removed from the GM Design Instagram page." Automakers often use products from the competition as benchmarks or design inspiration. Designers sometimes use existing images as a starting point as well, in order to quickly get an idea down "on paper". They just tend to do it in private. A juggernaut like GM using an image from an upstart like Rivian is embarrassing for the General, but surely an ego boost for the EV brand.  When dealing with an up-and-comer, perhaps it's best to take a page from Mad Men's Don Draper. In season four of the advertising drama, a newspaper calls the hot shot exec for a quote, after a young rival publicly says he's gunning for Draper. Draper knows exactly who the reporter is talking about but when asked for comment says, "Never heard of him." Related Video This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Where the 2023 GMC Sierra AT4X fits into the hierarchy of off-road trucks

The world of off-road pickups sure seems like it's getting crowded, but the reality is that half-ton trucks were always pretty capable, even with what seemed like fairly basic 4x4 packages. It wasn't until recently that manufacturers really started to carve out different off-road niches for their mainstream pickup offerings. With the introduction of the 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X (alongside its mechanical twin, the Chevy Silverado ZR2), the crowd has grown even thicker. Even we have trouble keeping up with the increased segmentation of off-road pickup trucks, so we threw together this handy guide to help you understand just where these various packages fit into the broader pickup hierarchy. Let's dive in.  Your basics If we say "Z71" or "FX4" to you, both will probably ring a bell. That's because they've been around a few days short of forever and their respective customers have grown so used to these package codes that OEMs got into the habit of just plastering them on the side of so-equipped truck beds. Anybody who sells a pickup truck offers some sort of basic off-road prep package like this one. Z71 is found on GM vehicles; FX4 is Ford's. Ram just calls it "Off Road Group," but no matter what you call them, they're all pretty similar.  Typical upgrades for this category include some additional ground clearance, a basic all-terrain tire, heavy-duty suspension upgrades and likely either a limited-slip or locking rear differential. These are pretty handy for anything beyond a rutted dirt road. On newer trucks — especially on higher trim levels — you'll probably also get some dedicated off-road drive modes.  Mid-range This is where things start to get interesting. To qualify for this category, a locking rear differential is a must. Most of the names in this segment are well-established too, though some (Nissan Titan Pro-4X, anyone?) may not necessarily be on your radar. The Toyota Tundra TRD Pro checks in here, as does the Ram Rebel, Chevy Silverado Trail Boss and GMC Sierra AT4 (no X!).  Realistically, if there's somewhere you need to go and one of these trucks won't do it, you might want to consider a helicopter. But it's 2021, and our thirst for capability is strong, so of course, there's a way to spend more of your money on this type of thing. Onward! Entry-hardcore Here we are, the home of the new 2022 GMC Sierra AT4X and Chevrolet Silverado ZR2. This is a tiny niche, otherwise occupied only by the Ford F-150 Tremor.