2007 Gmc Savana Yf7 Upfitter on 2040-cars

Auto blog

GM might lose 90-year U.S. sales crown over chip shortage

Automotive News editor Nick Bunkley tweeted on October 1 that according to AutoNews data, General Motors "has been the largest seller of vehicles in the U.S. every year since passing Ford in 1931." With automakers having turned in light car and truck sales data for the first three quarters of 2021, GM's 90-year-run might not reach 91. According to AN figures, Toyota was 80,401 vehicles ahead when the October workday started. Worse, GM is so far behind its historic pace that it might only sell enough light vehicles in the U.S. to match its numbers from 1958.  Meanwhile, the New York Times put a few more salient numbers to the pain GM and Toyota are enduring alongside the the rest of the industry. GM sold 33% fewer cars in Q3 2021 than it did in Q3 2019 during the dark days of the pandemic, 446,997 units this year as opposed to 665,192 last year. GM's Q3 2020 was only down 13% on Q3 2019. Over at Toyota, the bottom line showed a 1% gain in Q3 2021 compared to 2020, with 566,005 units moved off dealer lots. The finer numbers show two steps forward and one step back, though; Toyota's September sales were down 22% compared to last year.  GM remains optimistic about what's ahead, GM's president of North American operations telling the NYT, "We look forward to a more stable operating environment through the fall." We'd like to see that happen, but we don't know how it happens. The chip shortage said to have been the inciting incident for the current woes isn't over, and not only can no one agree when it will be over, the automakers, chip producers, and U.S. government still can't get on the same page about who needs what and when. Looking away from that for a second shows articles about "No End In Sight" for supply chain disruptions in early September, before China had to start working through power supply constraints, global supply chain workers started warning of a "system collapse," and roughly 500,000 containers sat waiting to be unloaded at Southern California ports — a record number seemingly broken every week. And back to chips, we're told just a few days ago the chip shortage is "worse than we thought."   For now, the NYT wrote that GM dealer inventory is down 40% from June to roughly 129,000 vehicles, and down 84% from the days when dealers would cumulatively keep about 800,000 light vehicles in stock. However, GM just announced it would have almost all of its U.S. facilities back online next week, although some would run at partial capacity.

2022 GMC Sierra gets overhauled interior, new Denali Ultimate and AT4X

GMC Sierra's 2022 update is here, boasting a ground-up interior redesign, an updated Super Cruise package with trailering support, and two new trims aimed at very different buyers. While the GMC Sierra's bones are undeniably good, its interior has really held it back from our full-throated support in recent years. The pricier trims of the refreshed 2022 model may well erase those shortcomings entirely.  Hot on the heels of its revamped platform mate, the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado, the new Sierra arrives with a similar suite of upgrades, plus a few items that will remain exclusive to the fancy-pants Sierra for now, like Enhanced Super Cruise with available automatic lane-change and trailering mode. As with the Silverado, the Sierra's 2.7-liter four-cylinder gets an upgraded block and internals, allowing for a higher torque output (420 pound-feet), which means it makes even more torque than the 5.3-liter V8. Diesel models also enjoy some chassis upgrades that allow for the fitment of GMC's Max Tow package. That allows a diesel Sierra 1500 4x2 to handle 13,200 pounds and the 4x4 model to tow up to 13,000 even.  Still, the 2022 Sierra's most noteworthy improvements are to be found inside, and what better way to showcase an upgraded interior but with a new, range-topping luxury trim? Say hello to the 2022 GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate.  This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 2022 GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate unveiled Denali represents a huge chunk of Sierra sales, and when your branding is based around upscale sophistication, you sure want to put your best foot forward at the top of the pricing structure. GMC wasn't quite there with the outgoing Sierra Denali, but the new Denali Ultimate may just be the ticket to one-upping the likes of the swanky Ram 1500 Limited.  This is the no-holds-barred, all-options-checked model that really makes GMC money. The 6.2L V8, 10-speed automatic and Super Cruise are standard on Denali Ultimate. All of the leather and wood elements visible here are real (seriously, you can touch them and everything). There's also a faux suede headliner, 16-way power-adjustable and massaging front seats, a 12-speaker Bose system and a 15-inch color HUD included.  GMC included several unique elements for Ultimate, including topographical maps and the latitude and longitude of Mount Denali formed into various interior trim pieces.

Roadkill pits every project car against each other

The guys behind Motor Trend's monthly Roadkill series have collected nine of their favorite project cars from their videos and pitted them against each other in a battle royale to determine a winner. It's 44 minutes long, but it's completely worth the investment of time.
The cars run the gamut from a 1973 Chevrolet Ramp Truck, a 1975 AMC Pacer and a legitimately impressive 1967 Chevy Camaro, and they are pitted against each other to see which is the fastest around an autocross course. The drivers include Roadkill's two hosts and Motor Trend's Johnny Lieberman and Carlos Lago. It's reminiscent of the best episodes of Top Gear and worth a watch.
So it's the weekend - the perfect time to relax. Grab your preferred beverage, get comfortable and enjoy 44 minutes of some seriously ratty but utterly cool project cars as they are throttled within an inch of their lives (or past it). Scroll down to check out the video.