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2021 GMC Canyon trims overhauled, SL and SLT disappear

Until this year, the GMC Canyon has offered six trims in two drivetrains: SL, a base model simply called Canyon, SLE, All Terrain, SLT, and Denali, with all but the SL available in either 2WD or 4WD. GM Authority credits "dealer sources" for news that the 2021 Canyon has had its trim steps overhauled. According to the chart in the report, the SL and SLT are no more, the base Canyon gets replaced by a trim called Elevation Standard, and SLE turns into Elevation. We already know that All Terrain has given way to AT4, while Denali remains in the top spot. Trim content doesn't change with the names, but there's no equivalent for the SLT trim in terms of spec. The GMC site lists the 2020 SLE and SLT on the same page, and a shopper must burrow into the spec comparison page to figure out the differences. The SLT only comes with the 3.6-liter V6 and eight-speed transmission, and makes features like remote start, climate control, heated mirrors, heated seats, hitch guidance, and a spare tire standard equipment. It also chromes the exterior door handles, and offers a Cocoa/Dune leather interior that can't be had on the SLE. It's possible the SLT's $4,700 premium over the SLE led more buyers to start with the SLE and add the engine and options they wanted.   We have a number of questions that we'll need to wait for GMC's official announcement to answer. The 2020 Canyon offers an Elevation Edition package for $650 that adds a black grille with body-colored surround, and 18-inch Satin Graphite wheels in all-terrain rubber. There's also a California Elevation Special Edition for $1,195 with all-weather floor liners, assist steps, and mud flaps. They could be optioned on the SLE but not the SLT. With the addition of two Elevation trims, we'll find out if the packages get renamed or go away. Separately, CarBuzz spotted a 2021 GM Fleet Order Guide that mentions a leveling kit option, LPO Code SQS, for the Canyon and the Chevrolet Colorado. We noted the inclusion of a leveling kit in the coming Canyon AT4 Off-Road Performance Package. According to the order guide, the option can be ordered only for the Canyon AT4 trim, but it's not clear if that's an a la carte choice or if buyers must order the Off-Road Performance Package. On the Chevy, the rake-removal equipment can be had with the Colorado 4x2 Z71 or the 4x4 Work Truck, LT, and Z71. Related Video:

2016 Chevy Colorado grabs Motor Trend Truck of the Year award

It's not an easy feat to win Motor Trend Truck of the Year twice in a row, but the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado managed to do just that. Thanks to the introduction of the 2.8-liter Duramax four-cylinder diesel, the magazine decided to bring the pickup back to defend the title. In more good news for the Bowtie brand, the 2016 Camaro earned the magazine's Car of the Year award. The Colorado beat a tough group of finalists to earn the nod this year, including its GMC Canyon sibling. The Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra also made this year's list. The Nissan Titan XD and latest Toyota Tacoma rounded out the challengers. A model had to shine in six criteria to earn the title: advancement in design, engineering excellence, safety, efficiency, value, and performance of intended function. Like it did with the Camaro, Motor Trend posted a story online that explained the rationale for picking the Colorado again. They praised the diesel profusely and lauded the whole platform as quite a capable hauler. This year's Motor Trend SUV of the Year honor went to the Volvo XC90. The Swedish 'ute had to win against an initial group of 16 candidates that the magazine eventually whittled down to finalists that consisted of the Honda Pilot, Lincoln MKX, the combined Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class and GLE Coupe, and Nissan Murano. "Seven-passenger people movers aren't supposed to drive like this," senior features editor Jonny Lieberman said about the Volvo in the announcement of the champions. The Honda CR-V won last year. In the explanation online, the judges applauded the XC90's new modular platform, and they loved both the T6 twin-charged engine and T8 hybrid version. The SUV's key enamored the writers, too. Related Video: MOTOR TREND Announces 2016 "Of The Year" Winners Car of the Year, Truck of the Year, SUV of the Year, and Person of the Year announced during live ceremony and webcast in Los Angeles LOS ANGELES, Nov. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, for the first time in the brand's 66-year history, MOTOR TREND announced winners of the Golden Calipers for Car of the Year, Truck of the Year, SUV of the Year, and Person of the Year at a red-carpet gala in front of an audience of industry insiders and celebrity guests. The awards show was also streamed live on the MOTOR TREND Channel on YouTube, with 3.5 million subscribers the world's largest automotive video channel, and on MOTOR TREND OnDemand, the brand's new subscription video on demand (SVOD) channel.

Frustrated GM investors ask what more Mary Barra can do

DETROIT — General Motors Co Chief Executive Mary Barra has transformed the No. 1 U.S. automaker in her almost five years in charge, but that is still not enough to satisfy investors. Ahead of third-quarter results due on Oct. 31, GM shares are trading about 6 percent below the $33 per share price at which they launched in 2010 in a post-bankruptcy initial public offering. The Detroit carmaker's stock is down 22 percent since Barra took over in January 2014. After hitting an all-time high of $46.48 on Oct. 24, 2017, the shares have declined 33 percent. In the same period, the Standard & Poor's 500 index has climbed 7.8 percent. Several shareholders contacted by Reuters said GM could face a third major action by activist shareholders in less than four years if the share price does not improve. "I've been expecting it," said John Levin, chairman of Levin Capital Strategies. "It just seems a tempting morsel to somebody." Levin's firm owns more than seven million GM shares. Barra has guided the company through the settlement of a federal criminal probe of a mishandled safety recall, sold off money-losing European operations, and returned $25 billion to shareholders through dividends and stock buybacks from 2012 through 2017. GM declined to comment for this story, but the company's executives privately express frustration with the market's reluctance to see it as anything more than a manufacturer tied mainly to auto market sales cycles. GM's profitable North American truck and SUV business and its money-making China operations are valued at just $14 billion, excluding the value of GM's stake in its $14.6 billion Cruise automated vehicle business and its cash reserves from its $44 billion market capitalization. The recent slump in the Chinese market, GM's largest, and plateauing U.S. demand are ratcheting up the pressure. GM is one of the few global automakers without a founding family or a government to serve as a bulwark against corporate raiders. In 2015, a group led by investor Harry Wilson pressed GM to launch a $5 billion share buyback, and commit to what is now an $18 billion ceiling on the level of cash the company would hold. In 2017, GM fended off a call by hedge fund manager David Einhorn to split its common stock shares into two classes. Einhorn, whose firm still owned more than 21 million shares at the end of June, declined to comment about GM's stock price. Other investors said there were no clear alternatives to Barra's approach.