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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:

2024 GMC Sierra HD unveiled with new design and more powerful turbodiesel V8

The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD made its debut in September 2022, so it was only a matter of time before the GMC Sierra HD received a similar round of updates. Unveiled online, the truck gains a new-look design and a more powerful turbodiesel V8, among other changes. GMC developed the Sierra HD primarily for towing and hauling so the most significant changes are found under the hood. The available 6.6-liter turbodiesel Duramax V8 engine now develops 470 horsepower at 2,800 rpm and 975 pound-feet of torque at 1,600 rpm, figures that represent increases of 25 and 65, respectively, over the 2023 model and that match the 2024 Silverado HD's. GMC notes it increased low-end torque by about 25% by fitting a new turbocharger. The V8 spins the rear or the four wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission.  On the gasoline side of the spectrum, the 6.6-liter V8's output stays flat at 401 horsepower and 464 pound-feet of torque. It's now bolted to a 10-speed automatic transmission, and replacing the 2023 truck's six-speed lets the engine run closer to its peak power for longer periods. Here again, rear-wheel-drive comes standard and a part-time four-wheel-drive system is available across the entire line-up. Properly equipped, the 2024 Sierra 2500 HD Crew Cab can tow up to 21,900 pounds. The standard 2500 HD's towing capacity checks in at 22,500 pounds (a 4,000-pound improvement), and the 3500 HD is capable of towing up to 36,000 pounds — that's nearly 13 Subaru BRZs. Buyers have a dizzying selection of trim levels and body styles to choose from. The range includes Regular, Extended, and Crew cabs as well as seven trim levels called Pro, SLE, SLT, AT4, AT4X, Denali, and Denali Ultimate, respectively. The AT4X variant will not be available at launch, and the Denali Ultimate is new for the 2024 model year. Additionally, 3500 HD models can be ordered with dual rear wheels. What the truck looks like depends on the trim level. Broadly speaking, designers drew a more angular front end with a new-look grille, sharper-looking lights, and a redesigned bumper. New wheels are part of the update as well; the 3500 HD dually gets 18-inch polished aluminum wheels, and 22-inch units are optional on single-rear-wheel trucks. Finally, the color palette grows with six optional shades called Titanium Rush Metallic, Sterling Metallic, Volcanic Red Tintcoat, Redwood Metallic, Meteorite Metallic, and Downpour Metallic, respectively.

Mary Barra reportedly confirms GM's electric pickup truck plans

According to Motor Authority, CEO Mary Barra confirmed General Motors' intentions to build an electric pickup truck this week. Whether or not it would be an all-new vehicle is unknown. The news comes not even a week after Ford announced a $500 million investment in electric-vehicle startup Rivian. First, electric powertrains were integrated into cars. Then came the crossovers and the SUVs. Naturally, then, the next wave will be pickup trucks. Ford is set to produce an electric F-150, Rivian has the R1T, and now General Motors has reportedly confirmed its plans to introduce a competitor into the field. The article says the topic was brought up in a recent investor call as part of a brief overview of the automaker's electrification strategy. That's where the details end, however, as there is no indication of a timeline, what GM brand would carry the truck, or whether it would be an entirely new product or an adaptation of a current model. The latter seems most likely, which points to the Chevrolet Silverado or the GMC Sierra as possibilities. Chevrolet has been GM's electrification leader this decade with the Bolt and Volt, so an electric Silverado would align well with that messaging and branding. However, an electric pickup would likely be a pricier premium product, which could align it better with GMC. Autoblog has reached out to GM for comment and will update this space when we get a response. Green Rumormill Chevrolet GMC Truck Electric Future Vehicles Mary Barra electric truck chevrolet silverado