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China-market Buick Electra E5 meets the world

We now know the Buick Envista crossover is on the way to the U.S. market after its recent debut in China. The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has previewed another Buick crossover that will eventually get here, the release spotted by Car News China. The battery-electric Electra E5 was outed as part of the ministry process of opening up a public comment for new market entries. This is the Buick-branded Ultium-based EV that inaugurates a new electric era for GM brands over there, the E5 landing in the middle of the consecutive E1 to E9 trademarks Buick reserved a few years ago. The five-seat crossover's dimensions have been given as 192.6 inches long, 75 inches wide, and 66.2 inches tall, on a wheelbase 116.3 inches long. That size puts it on the same wheelbase as the coming 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV, with a length about two inches longer. The base wheels measure 18 inches, the options list offers 20-inch units. The battery pack is sourced from a joint venture between CATL and SAIC, the latter being GM's joint venture partner in China. The automaker said it's "tailored for China" but we don't know what that means, nor do we know the capacity. Thanks to the MIIT information, we do know the E5 weighs 5,666 pounds and in this initial form will be powered by one 241-horsepower motor that can achieve a top speed to 112 miles per hour.  Spy photographers caught an Electra SUV clad in camo doing the rounds in Michigan earlier this month with all the same design cues seen on the Chinese model — narrow headlights and taillights, three-piece high brake light on the hatch spoiler, and the same wheels. Although we could be wrong, we'd bet a fair bit of money our Electra will come with more than 241 horsepower, though. Even our compact Buick Envision gets 228 hp, and it weighs almost 2,000 pounds less than the China-market Electra E5.   The same over there as here, the E5 represents Buick's first proper move toward the all-electric lineup scheduled to be completed by 2030. In China, it will mean the sunset of current EV offerings like the Buick Velite 6 MAV wagon-like vehicle, and the Chevy-Bolt-based Velite 7. Car News China said neither sell well, calling the Velite 6 "a bit of an oddball," and the 7 a little small for the Chinese market. Younger, tech-happy buyers will be lured with the first strokes of SAIC's Smart Cockpit and GM's Super Cruise. Deliveries should commence at the beginning of next year in China, the E5's arrival in the U.S.

GM warning 800,000 owners that their cars may need oil changes more frequently than they say

The days of changing your engine oil every 3,000 miles are long gone thanks to most cars having automatic oil monitoring systems, but about 800,000 General Motors vehicles apparently have incorrect monitoring software that is leading to premature engine component wear. According to Autoweek, certain 2010-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain models equipped with 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines could be going too long in between oil changes resulting in a higher-than-normal number of warranty claims for the engine's balance chain. The balance chain links the balance shaft to the crankshaft, and a worn one can produce higher noise levels.
As a fix, GM dealers will be reprogramming the software for the monitors in an effort to reduce the interval between oil changes, which varies based on driving habits and conditions. Through February 2015, the software update will be done at no cost to vehicle owners, but since this is not a recall, after that point, it will be up to the discretion of dealers as to whether or not they will charge for the service. What isn't immediately clear is whether GM plans on giving assistance to out-of-warranty customers who are experiencing engine issues from the worn chain.

GM will stop reporting monthly U.S. vehicle sales

DETROIT — General Motors said on Tuesday it will stop reporting monthly U.S. vehicle sales, saying the 30-day snapshot does not accurately reflect the market, and will instead issue quarterly sales. GM will also no longer report monthly sales in China, its largest market, and Brazil. GM will provide monthly data to the U.S. Federal Reserve, industry associations and government agencies across the globe, but that data is not made public. Analysts and investors rely on monthly U.S. vehicle sales not just to track the performance of individual automakers, but as a barometer of the health of the world's second-largest auto market and as an indicator of consumer confidence in the U.S. economy overall. GM and its Detroit rivals Ford and Fiat Chrysler have relied heavily on sales of high-margin pickup truck and SUV sales to boost profits. GM's total U.S. sales, its second-largest market, are down 3.2 percent for the first two months of 2018, reflecting a 6.8 percent drop in retail sales to individual customers, the company reported last month. GM executives have expressed frustration that comparisons of monthly U.S. sales results among rival automakers are distorted by short-term discount programs, and by differences in strategy for selling vehicles in bulk to rental car fleets. "Thirty days is not enough time to separate real sales trends from short-term fluctuations in a very dynamic, highly competitive market," Kurt McNeil, U.S. vice president for sales operations said in a statement. GM's actions could prompt other automakers to also switch to quarterly U.S. sales reports. Major automakers will report March U.S. new vehicle sales on Tuesday. Until the early 1990s, most U.S. automakers released sales results every 10 days. The former Chrysler Corp. stopped reporting sales on a 10-day basis in 1990, and rivals followed suit over the next three years. GM executives are betting that investors will quickly adapt to receiving U.S. sales data every three months, as investors in other retail sectors already have. Retailers such as Walmart report sales on a quarterly basis. Reporting by Joe WhiteRelated Video: Image Credit: Reuters Earnings/Financials Green Buick Cadillac Chevrolet GM GMC US