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U.S. denies GM tariff relief request for China-made Buick SUV

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has denied a General Motors Co request for an exemption to a 25 percent U.S. tariff on its Chinese-made Buick Envision sport utility vehicle. The denial of the nearly year-old petition came in a May 29 letter from the U.S. Trade Representative's office saying the request concerns "a product strategically important or related to 'Made in China 2025' or other Chinese industrial programs." The midsize SUV, priced starting at about $35,000, has become a target for critics of Chinese-made goods, including leaders of the United Auto Workers union and members in key political swing states such as Michigan and Ohio. GM said on Tuesday it was aware of the denial and has been paying the tariff since July. GM has not raised the sticker price to account for the tariff. Buick Envision sales fell in the United States by nearly 27% to 30,000 last year and fell another 21% in the first three months of 2019. Only a small number of vehicles are built in China and sold in the United States. Last month, the U.S. Trade Representative's Office also denied a request by Chinese-owned Volvo Cars for tariff exemptions for mid-size SUVs assembled in China after the automaker sought an exemption for the XC60, its top selling U.S. vehicle. GM, the largest U.S. automaker, argued in its request that Envision sales in China and the United States would generate funds "to invest in our U.S. manufacturing facilities and to develop the next generation of automotive technology in the United States." GM said last year the "vast majority" of Envisions, about 200,000 a year, are sold in China. Because of the lower U.S. sales volume, "assembly in our home market is not an option" for the Envision, which competes with such mid-size crossover vehicles as the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Cadillac XT5. Ahead of the July 2018 start for higher import tariffs, GM shipped in a six-month supply of Envisions at the much lower 2.5 percent tariff rate, Reuters reported in August 2018.

GM promises to add 20 EVs and fuel-cell cars to lineup, paid for by SUVs

DETROIT — General Motors outlined plans on Monday to add 20 new battery electric and fuel-cell vehicles to its global product lineup by 2023, financed by robust profits from sales of gasoline-fueled trucks and sport utility vehicles in the United States and China. "General Motors believes in an all-electric future," GM global product development chief Mark Reuss said on Monday during a briefing at the company's suburban Detroit technical center. Future generations of GM electric vehicles "will be profitable," Reuss said, but added it was not clear when GM could make all its new vehicle offerings zero-emission electric cars. Regulators in China and some European countries have floated proposals to ban internal combustion engines by 2030 or 2040. "We will continue to make sure our internal combustion engines will get more and more efficient," Reuss said. GM shares were up more than 4 percent in midday New York trading on positive comments from Rod Lache, auto analyst at Deutsche Bank. Automakers, including electric vehicle market leader Tesla, lose money on electric cars because battery costs are still higher than comparable internal combustion engines. The company offered sneak peeks of three EV prototypes: a Buick SUV, a sporty Cadillac wagon and a futuristic pod car wearing a Bolt badge. GM funds its forays into new technology using a river of cash generated by old-technology vehicles popular with its core customer base in the United States heartland. In comparison, Tesla has burned through an estimated $10 billion in cash and has yet to show a full year profit. GM earned more than 90 percent of its $12.5 billion in pretax profits last year in North America, amid robust demand for its lineup of large sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks. The company's profitable operations in China rely on consumer demand for an expanding lineup of gasoline powered SUVs. GM has previously announced plans to make some of its future electric vehicles capable of driving themselves in robot taxi fleets. The company offered sneak peeks of three electric vehicle prototypes: a Buick brand sport utility vehicle, a sporty Cadillac wagon and a futuristic pod car wearing a Bolt badge. GM collaborated with Korean battery maker LG Chem to build the Bolt battery system. Company officials did not say what companies would supply batteries for the larger fleet of vehicles promised by 2023. Fuel-cell vehicles will also play a role in GM's future, the company said.

Next-generation Buick Enclave spotted with Wildcat looks

The rollout of GM's next-generation three-row large SUVs is well under way with the reveals of the 2024 Chevy Traverse and GMC Acadia. Another vehicle on the platform is also getting a redesign soon, according to these spy photos: the Buick Enclave. It's still going to be big, and it will now receive the same sort of Wildcat concept-inspired styling as smaller Buicks such as the Envista and Encore GX. The Enclave's front is where the Wildcat connection is the most clear. It has the pointy shark nose and wide, frowning grille. It's hard to say whether it will get a mesh grille like some of the production SUVs, or a slatted grille like the concept. High up are slender daytime running lights with the actual illuminating headlights hidden lower in the outboard air intakes. We're not totally sure if this look will work on such a large, tall vehicle, but we'll reserve final judgment when we can see the car with all its paint and trim on display. The sides of the Enclave still have a fair bit of the Coke bottle curves that have appeared on every Enclave, if a bit more toned down. The greenhouse seems to take after the GMC Acadia more than the Traverse, as it seems it has a relatively thin C-pillar. The D-pillar looks quite thick, which will probably be toned down with judicious application of gloss black plastic.  Details of the rear are difficult to make out. It seems to have slim, wide and curvy rear taillights. The rectangular exhaust tips are nicely fitted to the rear bumper. But that's about all that stands out. We're expecting the Enclave to have basically the same powertrain as the GMC Acadia, with the one engine offering being a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque. It should be paired with an eight-speed automatic and either front- or all-wheel drive. Odds are it will not get an off-road variant like the Acadia AT4 or Traverse Z71. But it might get a sportier road-going version that could take advantage of the torque-vectoring dual-clutch rear differential from those aforementioned off-roaders. It should also be revealed sometime next year with deliveries likely in the same year. Related video: