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United States drivers buying fewer Mexican-made cars

Crossovers and pickup trucks are not only growing in market share, they're also more profitable than cars. A crossover on the same platform as a sedan retails for thousands more, despite similar components. It's one of the reasons we've seen automakers rapidly shifting production of their sedans and hatchbacks to Mexico, where cheap labor preserves the thin profit margins on these inexpensive vehicles. But as the market continues to shift in the United States, Mexico is getting burned by its lack of product diversity. The country's auto exports, which are heavy on cars, suffered a 16-percent drop last month, Automotive News reports. In total, year-over-year exports fell from 233,515 to 197,020 last month, while year-to-date exports are down by 7.4 percent, from 922,029 to 854,118. The number one culprit? America – which usually accounts for 75 percent of Mexico's exports – and its appetite for crossovers and pickup trucks bolstered by cheap gas prices. While Mexico does build some light truck models – AN specifically calls out the Ram 2500, Honda HR-V, GMC Sierra, and Toyota Tacoma as export leaders – the vast majority of vehicles rolling out of its factories are sedans and hatchbacks. In fact, the three biggest drops in Mexican exports came from companies whose south of the border factories only build cars – Ford (Fusion/Lincoln MKZ and Fiesta), Mazda (Mazda3), and Volkswagen (Golf and Jetta). Mexican Automotive Industry Association President Eduardo Solis told AN the export shortfall will likely be sorted out sooner rather than later, thanks to a pair of new factories – a Kia car factory and an Audi SUV plant – that are coming online by year's end. The two facilities will add around 100,000 vehicles to the country's export totals, which Solis said should leave the industry on the verge of breaking another export record in 2016. But how sustainable will these record-breaking years be? Slapping an "Hecho en Mexico" sticker on a new German SUV won't be enough to change the fact that Mexico's product mix is tilted too heavily towards body styles that are not growing in volume. Mexico's record-breaking export years probably aren't at an end, but we'd argue they're certainly under threat. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Omar Torres / AFP / Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing Ford GMC Honda Mazda RAM Volkswagen Truck Crossover SUV Mexico

Hummer EV SUV overland camper teased from GMC and EarthCruiser

At the end of March this year, GMC announced a collaboration with EarthCruiser. The automaker's Hummer team would work with the Oregon overlanding company's research and design division to develop an upfit for EVs, initially integrated into the Hummer EV pickup. For those not familiar with EarthCruiser, they’ve made wild overlanding vehicles like the Terranova, FX and EXP, pretty rad and pretty expensive stuff. The preview back then was a shadowy render that looked much like the silhouette of the Hummer SUV thanks to the living quarters slid into the pickup bed. The most apparent changes were solar panels integrated into the roof, and a cargo bay on the side of the slide-in. The duo's just put a much better tease on Instagram revealing the campfire-lit outline of what this version of an overland Hummer will look like. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. EarthCruiser is known for its pop-up roofs. This looks like a choice execution here, with near 360-degree visibility and integrated LEDs. Also, dig what looks like a platform off the back of the rig. We're going to guess that's either a slide-out or the rear flap on the camper top locked into the raised position. The cargo boxes on the side look neat, we look forward to finding out how they work and what they store. We also wonder if they'll be optional and whether they extend beyond the wheel arches, making a really wide pickup truck even wider.  We're not sure it will be "every overlanderÂ’s dream," but we are sure some stargazers are going to have some very sweet dreams in it. Slated for debut this month, look for it at Overland Expo Mountain West in Colorado, the same place the GMC Canyon AT4X OverlandX made its public debut in 2021, and where in Arizona last year the GMC showed the Sierra's outdoor potential with an Ultimate Overland Vehicle built on the Sierra 1500 AT4X.  Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

GM releases full Super Bowl ad with GMC Hummer, Cadillac Lyriq: Take that, Norway!

GM just dropped its big Super Bowl ad, and it’s a good one. Will Ferrell, Kenan Thompson and Awkwafina all star in the 90-second ad titled “No Way, Norway.” The point of the ad is to get Americans hyped up about the upcoming electric vehicle range on its way from GM. Both the Cadillac Lyriq and GMC Hummer EV star throughout, but itÂ’s less about the vehicles, and more about changing attitudes about EVs in general. Ferrell comes after Norway aggressively, but in a playful and competitive way about how many electric cars sell in the Scandinavian country. Over half of all new car sales in Norway are of EVs, whereas GMÂ’s data show that just 4% of new cars sold in the U.S. are electric. Massive financial incentives from the Norwegian government can take much of the credit for why EVs sell at such high rates over there. However, GM thinks it can still rally the U.S. to get more excited about buying EVs once its fleet of cars using the companyÂ’s Ultium battery tech comes online. The ad is done with classic Ferrell comedy, and it sure did elicit some chuckles from us. It also follows the same “Everybody In” philosophy that GM announced back when it changed up the logo a short time ago. GM is inviting folks to strap in for the onslaught of EVs coming their way (for now, you can buy a Bolt). President BidenÂ’s administration has voiced support for a number of policies and actions to take for greater adoption of electric cars in the U.S. — we also know the federal government intends to transition its full fleet of vehicles to EVs. It's still unlikely that we make it to Norway's rate of electric car sales in the immediate future, but the U.S. could certainly begin to close the gap. Related video: