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Deep discounts — $12K, $13K, $16K — are fueling a pickup price war

Heavy discounts of up to $16,000 per vehicle are fueling a "truck war" among full-size pickups sold in the United States by the Detroit Three, a Reuters analysis shows. Strong U.S. sales this year of the highly profitable big trucks have helped offset lagging passenger car sales. But it is not clear how much of the truck demand is linked directly to ample factory incentives and dealer discounts, or how far sales might decline without those subsidies. A Reuters survey of Ford, General Motors Co's Chevrolet and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles's Ram truck dealers across the United States indicates stores are offering deep discounts the country's bestselling full-size pickup trucks. "The walls are not crashing down on full-size trucks," said Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. Detroit-based automakers want to keep cranking out their high-margin trucks, he added, and "giving up a little of the profit is the cheapest way to do it." Stores are offering discounts of up to $12,000 on the 2018 Ford F-150, which remains the best-selling vehicle in the country, recording more than 80,000 sales in May. Discounts run up to $13,000 on the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado and as high as $16,000 on the Ram 1500. Average transaction prices for full-size pick-ups range from around $42,000 to $45,000, industry analysts and automakers say. All three companies are spending furiously - GM and Fiat Chrysler to help sell off carryover 2018 trucks to prepare for redesigned 2019 models, and Ford to sustain its long-held sales crown. A supplier fire that temporarily shut down production of the F-150 last month "changed the game," said Jeff Schuster, senior vice president of forecasting at LMC Automotive in Troy, Michigan said. The supply halt nudged Ford's crosstown rivals "to ratchet up incentives on the current models to go after weakness at Ford," he said. Deals advertised on the companies' official websites range from rebates and low-interest loans to ultra-cheap lease rates, but they are not telling the whole story. Ford, for instance, advertises a $2,000 rebate and a $500 financing credit on sales of certain F-150 models. But James Collins Ford in Louisville, Kentucky, is offering discounts of up to $12,215 on the 2018 F-150 XLT SuperCrew 4x4. The price cuts are even steeper at a number of GM and Fiat Chrysler dealers. Quirk Chevrolet is selling the 2018 Silverado 1500 Double Cab at $13,000 off sticker.

2024 GMC Sierra HD AT4X and Extreme AEV muscle their way into the lineup

The new AT4X variant of GMC's 2024 Sierra HD pickup series officially joins the stable this week, giving pickup truck box-checkers yet another off-road trim to chase. Well, two trims, technically, as GMC took the opportunity to announce that the AT4X will also be offered with an upfit package from American Expedition Vehicles, appropriately named the Extreme AEV Edition that takes its cues from the same package offered on the Sierra 1500 AT4X. And with its introduction, the 2024 GMC Sierra HD lineup is now complete.  GMC's Sierra AT4X models mirror the ZR2 packages offered on the updated Chevrolet Silverado. If you paid any attention at all to the Silverado HD ZR2's introduction earlier this month, you'll be familiar with the formula. Key upgrades include a 1.5-inch factory lift, standard electronic locking rear differential, Multimatic DSSV shocks and 35-inch Goodyear Territory all-terrain tires. It also gets beefier skid plates —  both the steel protecting the transfer case and the aluminum piece up front. With the updated 6.6-liter Duramax diesel, GMC says it'll tow up to 18,500 pounds.  "GMCÂ’s AT4X trim, which will be available across the entire GMC truck lineup, offers customers more premium and capable choices when it comes to ‘do-it-allÂ’ capabilities," said GMC VP Duncan Aldred. "Each model delivers unique strengths, with the all-new Sierra HD AT4X taking it to the max, enabling you to go virtually anywhere, with the towing power to bring your recreational toys, gear or camper along for the journey." And by "do it all," he means all the luxury stuff too, judging by the Obsidian Rush interior, which GMC says includes massaging leather front seats and real ash wood trim. The better from which to feel the shove of the AT4's two available 6.6-liter engines, one a gasoline-burner rated at 401 horsepower and 464 pound-feet of torque, the other a Duramax turbodiesel making 470 horsepower and 975 pound-feet of torque. You'll need the latter if you want to hit GMC's advertised towing capacity.  And don't forget the Extreme AEV Edition, which will surely come with a Denali-rivaling (and still TBA) price tag. The stamped steel bumpers stand out right away, as do the integrated front recovery points and winch mount. The package also adds more skid plates protecting the steering gear and transfer case. Its 18-inch "Salta" wheels are also unique.  GMC says it will be cranking out 2024 Sierra HD AT4Xs and Extreme AEV Editions by the third quarter.

Cadillac XT5, XT6, GMC Acadia recalled for two issues

General Motors is recalling three model years of the Cadillac XT5 and XT6, and the Cadillac's GMC sibling, the Acadia. The first recall has to do with the rearview camera. On 2020- and 2021-model-year XT5s, XT6s, and Acadias optioned with Surround Vision, insufficient crimping for the coaxial cables could cause a degraded signal from the rear camera, or cause the signal to fail. With all passenger vehicles required to have a working rearview camera, that's not an ideal situation. Only crossovers with Surround Vision are affected. The population at issue counts 95,231 vehicles, build dates being: XT5s produced from May 1, 2019 to June 23, 2021 XT6s built from February 25, 2019 to June 24, 2021 Acadias built from May 6, 2019 to June 24, 2021  The automaker hasn't been informed of any crashes or injuries related to the problem, and will begin mailing letters notifying owners of the issue on November 7. The fix is a trip to the dealer to have the cables inspected and replaced if necessary. Concerned customers can contact Cadillac customer service at 800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, then refer to GM's recall number, N222378380. Alternatively, they can get in touch with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov, and refer to campaign number 22V709000. Another recall concerns just the 2023 Cadillac XT5 and XT6 and 2023 GMC Acadia units that were built on August 9, 2022. That day, a printer in the Spring Hill, Tennessee, Assembly Plant malfunctioned, producing vehicle labels for the driver's side B-pillar with illegible tire size information. That's a violation of a subsection of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 110. Only 24 units are affected, the fix being a jaunt to the dealer for a label with readable information. Owners who don't want to wait until November for letters from GM can contact Cadillac customer service at 800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 800-462-8782, and mention recall number N222381690. Or they can head to the NHTSA Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 800-424-9153), or www.nhtsa.gov, and refer to campaign number 22V708000.