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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

GM recalls 64k 2011-2013 Volts over carbon monoxide fears, stop sale on Trax and Encore

General Motors is recalling 50,249 Chevrolet Volts from the 2011-2013 model years in the US and an additional 13,937 exported examples because of fears over carbon monoxide buildup. According to a statement, if a Volt is accidentally left on while running on electric power, its internal combustion engine would eventually kick on to charge on the battery. If this happens in an enclosed space, then carbon monoxide can fill the area, leading to a potential exposure to the dangerous gas. According to GM, there have been two injuries reported due to this issue. To fix the problem, there's a software update to limit the time the vehicle can idle. According to Automotive News, GM is also issuing a stop sale on about 2,300 examples of the 2015 Chevrolet Trax and Buick Encore. In these compact crossovers, it's possible that the steering column assembly could touch the power steering circuit board and cause damage over time. This could potentially cause the system to stop working. Automotive News indicates that the automaker is still working with the supplier to get the necessary parts to repair this problem. General Motors is recalling 50,249 Chevrolet Volts in the U.S. from the 2011-2013 model years to implement a software update that will limit the amount of time a vehicle can be left idling in the "on" or "run" position. If a driver exits the vehicle and inadvertently leaves the vehicle "on" by failing to react to cues and warning chimes emitted by the vehicle, the vehicle's high-voltage battery will drain after a period of time and the gasoline engine will begin to run. If the gas engine runs for a long period of time within an enclosed space, such as a garage, carbon monoxide could build up. GM is aware of two injuries, both related to carbon monoxide build up. The total recall population including Canada and exports is 64,186. Related Video:

2018 Buick Regal's base price is almost $2,500 cheaper than last year's

Along with the launch of the Buick Regal GS, Buick released official pricing for all three versions of the Regal, and they're very competitively priced, especially the Sportback. The part-sedan, part-hatch Regal Sportback starts at just $25,915. That's more than $2,000 cheaper than the previous generation 2017 Buick Regal sedan, which started at $28,385. Along with the savings in cost comes a standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 250 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque - 295 pound-feet with optional all-wheel drive. That's a significant step up from the standard naturally aspirated engine in the previous-generation Regal that makes just 182 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque. The new Regal's hatch also provides more flexibility for loading cargo, and the cargo space expands from 14.2 cubic feet in the old model to 31.5. View 12 Photos The TourX wagon, or crossover depending on your opinion, comes with a $4,000 premium over the Sportback, with a base price of $29,995, matching what was revealed last month. It gains only about an extra cubic foot behind the rear seats, but with the seats folded, it has 73.5 cubic feet to play with. It also comes with standard all-wheel drive and the engine with 295 pound-feet of torque. Plus, it has the added ride height and plastic body cladding that gives it the same trendy look shared with the Subaru Outback, Volvo V60 Cross Country, and Audi A4 Allroad. It is a few thousand more than the Outback, but it undercuts the Volvo by roughly $10,000 and the Audi by almost $15,000. Then, for performance, there's the Regal GS. It starts at $39,990 and has a 310-horsepower V6 and standard all-wheel drive. It also features all of the versatility of the regular Regal Sportback. All-in-all, the Buick Regal line seems to pack a lot of value, at least on paper. Related Video: