Auto blog

GM 6.2L EcoTec V8 rated at 21 mpg by the EPA

General Motors is already laying claim to best-in-class power for its new 6.2-liter V8 that will be offered in the 2014 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra this fall, and now it has released fuel economy numbers for the big engine. Available as an option on the Silverado LTZ and High Country (shown above) models as well as the the Sierra SLT and Denali trims, the 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 will return 15 miles per gallon in the city and 21 mpg on the highway on rear-wheel-drive trucks; these numbers drop by one mpg each on four-wheel-drive models.
These estimates are in addition to the engine's 420 horsepower, 460 pound-feet of torque and max trailering capacity of 12,000 pounds, and considering all that power it's not terribly far away from the fuel economy of GM's equally new 4.3-liter V6 and its rating of 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. This announcement comes just days after a report indicated that GM is unable to keep up with the demand of the 5.3-liter V8 in the fullsize Chevy and GMC trucks due to supplier issues. GM's official press release for the 6.2-liter V8's fuel economy is posted below.

Next-gen GM SUVs caught wearing new boxy bodies [w/video]

We recently drove the brand-new 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and found it to be vastly improved compared to the outgoing model. And now that The General's pickup trucks have been squared away, it's time to focus our attention onto their passenger-friendly companions, the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon (above).
Our spy photographers have passed along a huge smattering of photos (and a video), showing the new SUVs out testing. Both the short- and long-wheelbase models were spied, and while the overall shape of the vehicles hasn't changed all that much, we expect the updates to be substantial. In addition to new powertrain options, like GM's new small-block V8, we expect the interiors of both SUVs to get massive makeovers, providing better materials throughout their cabins and quieter, more refined environments. We even hear that some trick new suspension developments may be in store for upper-end models.
Visually, these spy shots allow us to see a couple of new details on the SUVs' front and rear fascias, including LED running lamps on the Yukon and some interesting LED taillamp treatments. Of course, the obvious third party missing from this set of photos is the Cadillac Escalade, but as we reported earlier, GM is working to further differentiate the 'Slade from the rest of the fullsize SUV lineup, and is working to make the new model "much less ostentatious."

GM profits threatened by glut of pickups

Automotive News reports that General Motors may slash production or ramp up discounts in order to deal with an oversupply of pickup trucks. GM currently has more than double the standard supply of pickups, and the vehicles are threatening to dampen the automaker's profits for 2013. Typically, automakers try to sustain a 60- to 75-day supply of vehicles, but GM is currently loaded with a 139-day supply, as of last month. At the end of November, the automaker was sitting on 245,853 units.
The manufacturer says that it will adjust production accordingly before laying any incentives on the profitable pickups. Even so, there's some concern that the inventory swell could hurt the roll-out of the next-generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. GM actually began slowly stepping back production in August, but it's clear the company will take further action as it heads toward the end of the year and into the next. Analysts predict the automaker could reduce pickup manufacturing by nearly half in the first quarter of 2013.
That still may not be enough to keep GM from laying extra cash on the Silverado and GMC Sierra. While the company's incentive spending was down in November compared to the same month in 2011, both the Ram 1500 and Ford F-150 saw double-digit percentage increases in sales last month while the Silverado and Sierra numbers slid compared to a year prior. Incentive spending could help move more trucks and add some balance to the GM inventory surge.