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U.S. new-vehicle sales in 2018 rise slightly to 17.27 million [UPDATE]

DETROIT — Sales of new vehicles in the U.S. rose slightly in 2018, defying predictions and highlighting a strong economy. Automakers reported an increase of 0.3 percent over a year ago to 17.27 million vehicles. The increase came despite rising interest rates, a volatile stock market, and rising car and truck prices that pushed some buyers out of the new-vehicle market. Industry analysts and automakers said strong economic fundamentals pushed up sales and should keep them near historic highs in 2019. "Economic conditions in the U.S. are favorable and should continue to be supportive of vehicle sales at or around their current run rate," Ford Chief Economist Emily Kolinski Morris said after the company and other automakers announced their sales numbers Thursday. That auto sales remain near the 2016 record of 17.55 million is a testimonial to the strength of the economy, said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics. The job market, he said, has created new employment, and wage growth has accelerated. "That's fundamental to selling anything," he said. "If there are lots of jobs and people are getting bigger paychecks, they will buy more." The unemployment rate is 3.7 percent, a 49-year low. The economy is thought to have grown close to 3 percent last year, its best performance in more than a decade. Consumers, the main driver of the economy, are spending freely. The Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate four times in 2018 but is only expected to raise it twice this year. Auto sales also were helped by low gasoline prices and rising home values, Zandi said. It all means that people are likely to keep buying new vehicles this year even as they grow more expensive. The Edmunds.com auto-pricing site estimates that the average new vehicle price hit a record $35,957 in December, about 2 percent higher than the previous year. It will be harder for automakers to keep the sales pace above 17 million because they have been enticing buyers for several years now with low-interest financing and other incentives, Zandi said. He predicts more deals in the coming year as job growth slows and credit tightens for higher-risk buyers. Edmunds, which provides content, including automotive tips and reviews, for distribution by The Associated Press, predicts that sales will drop this year to 16.9 million.

GM ending stop-sale order on heavy-duty trucks

General Motors responded to an inquiry from Autoblog regarding a stop-sale order on its full-size heavy-duty pickup trucks. Here's GM's official statement. GM is committed to building the highest quality products possible. We paused delivery on a small number of HD pickups with the 6.6 liter Duramax engine last week to finalize an investigation into a potential quality issue. The investigation has been completed and the stop sale will be lifted for the small number of vehicles at dealerships.Customers can be assured GM’s heavy duty pickups are covered by a 5 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty. The original article continues below. General Motors has reportedly sent its Chevrolet and GMC dealers a stop-sale order that applies to some examples of the 2022 Silverado HD, the 2022 Silverado MD, and the 2022 Sierra HD. The units affected by the stop-sale order may develop an engine-related problem. Citing anonymous sources, website GM Authority wrote that the Duramax 6.6-liter turbodiesel V8 in the affected trucks can hydrolock, which means liquid could enter the cylinders and cause a substantial amount of damage. The report does not specify where the liquid would come from; hydrolocking can happen by driving through a deep puddle of water, for example, but a large amount of coolant can cause it as well. The publication adds that the stop-sale order was assigned internal reference number N222362910. It also notes that the trucks included in it can't be sold, delivered to buyers, traded with another dealer, sent to auction, or even used for demonstration purposes until further notice. Earlier in April 2022, GM Authority reported that General Motors planned to buy back an unspecified number of Silverado HD and Sierra HD trucks due to quality-related issues with the 6.6-liter V8. Details about the problems experienced by customers haven't been released; all we know is that each truck will be replaced, though the replacement may not have the same equipment due to the ongoing chip shortage. Related video:

GMC Hummer EV EarthCruiser upfit finally here, for going out there

The GMC Hummer EV EarthCruiser upfit can now be seen in the wide open bright light, the battery-electric overlanding rig soon available to Hummer EV pickup owners to head back into the bush for extended stays. The camper's made of carbon fiber and features EarthCruiser's hallmark pop-top roof. When closed, the camper takes the Hummer EV's 79-inch stock roof height up to 90 inches. Springing the three-layer, insulated roof to bivouac increases height to 117 inches. The upfit keeps the Hummer EV's 217-inch length, and it appears the side storage bins don't extend beyond the 87-inch width of the electric pickup's wheel arches. The driver's side exterior bin holds recovery gear, the passenger's side storage holds tanks for filtered water.  Sized to sleep two people, there's a full-sized RV bed with 35 inches of headroom under the raised top. Tall outdoorsy types are well served by the 76 inches of headroom standing in the hallway, and 80 inches at the rear entrance. Power comes from 605 watts of solar panels on the roof, energy stored in a 12-volt lithium battery array that adds up to 6 kilowatt-hours or 460 amp-hours of energy, running through a 1,500-watt inverter. EarthCruiser says the batteries will be enough to juice hungry appliances like the refrigerator/freezer combo for about a week. That means owners would need to be more careful with water than with power, there being a 13.5-gallon freshwater tank — which the sun can't refill — and a seven-gallon gray water hold. Other amenities include an induction cooktop, sink, filtered and unfiltered water taps, flat-pack toilet, indoor and outdoor showers and 12-volt water heater, 120-volt and 12-volt outlets, and lots of dimmable lighting. Liveaboards control the interior through a seven-inch touchpad. Outside, an exterior keypad manages exterior lighting and systems. No mention of an indoor heater, but there's plenty of storage in the galley drawers and cabinets, and under the bed for a portable unit.   The GMC Hummer EV EarthCruiser upfit greets the public at this weekend's Overland Expo Mountain West in Loveland, Colorado, welcoming all gawkers from August 25-27. Pricing should come later this year, before EarthCruiser begins offering the unit to owners next year. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.