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GM might outsource vans to AM General

General Motors will possibly boost production of the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon at the Wentzville Assembly Plant in Missouri by contracting out some commercial van manufacturing to AM General. Demand for the two midsize trucks continues to boom, and GM would like to take advantage of the strong market for them. The possible deal came to light in a letter to workers at the factory, according to Automotive News. "This potential partnership would free up production capacity and allow the organization to capitalize on our ability to build midsize trucks to further satisfy customer demand," a portion of the document allegedly said. AM General would reportedly only take over assembly of the cutaway versions of the Chevy Express and GMC Savana. Customers and critics have quickly embraced the latest Colorado and Canyon since their introduction. The Chevy just won back-to-back Motor Trend Truck of the Year awards. GM also had to add a third shift and extra workers in 2014 just to keep up with demand. The Wentzville plant even increased employment on the weekends earlier in 2015 to assemble an extra 2,000 of the trucks each month. While the two pickups boom, deliveries for the Chevy Express and GMC Savana are down 26.9 percent and 26.6 percent respectively through the first 10 months of the year. GM doesn't break out numbers for the cutaway versions, but they make up about a third of production, according to Automotive News. AM General built the Humvee for the US military and does some contract work with automakers. For example, the company's Indiana factory now produces the Mercedes-Benz R-Class for export to China. Here's hoping this potential deal will help both GM and AM General keep their factories humming. Related Video:

Next-gen GM SUVs caught wearing new boxy bodies [w/video]

We recently drove the brand-new 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and found it to be vastly improved compared to the outgoing model. And now that The General's pickup trucks have been squared away, it's time to focus our attention onto their passenger-friendly companions, the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon (above).
Our spy photographers have passed along a huge smattering of photos (and a video), showing the new SUVs out testing. Both the short- and long-wheelbase models were spied, and while the overall shape of the vehicles hasn't changed all that much, we expect the updates to be substantial. In addition to new powertrain options, like GM's new small-block V8, we expect the interiors of both SUVs to get massive makeovers, providing better materials throughout their cabins and quieter, more refined environments. We even hear that some trick new suspension developments may be in store for upper-end models.
Visually, these spy shots allow us to see a couple of new details on the SUVs' front and rear fascias, including LED running lamps on the Yukon and some interesting LED taillamp treatments. Of course, the obvious third party missing from this set of photos is the Cadillac Escalade, but as we reported earlier, GM is working to further differentiate the 'Slade from the rest of the fullsize SUV lineup, and is working to make the new model "much less ostentatious."

2021 GMC Yukon Denali First Drive | Finally living up to the Denali reputation

For most of its existence, the GMC Yukon has been a virtually identical twin to the Chevy Tahoe. It would have some exterior differences, maybe a couple of different features, but aside from the badging, you’d be hard-pressed to distinguish the two. That also applied to the supposedly more luxurious Denali trim level. This new generation of Yukon mostly continues the trend, but now the Denali stands out more. It gets a unique interior designed to bridge the gap between the Yukon and Cadillac Escalade, and includes high-end features such as the Yukon's otherwise optional 6.2-liter V8 and magnetic suspension with air springs. All of this combined lets the 2021 GMC Yukon Denali live up to its luxurious reputation. It's easily the version to get if your bank account allows. It really is the interior that makes the biggest difference. The entire dashboard and door panels are exclusive to not only the Yukon, but the Denali trim level specifically. The dash design is more squared-off and truck-like, but itÂ’s offset by the use of some excellent materials. Large portions of the dash are wrapped in leather with stitching. ThereÂ’s also a large panel of matte-finish open-pore wood, available in multiple colors, on the passenger side. Some metal trim and nicely textured knobs adorn the center stack. The doors get this wood and leather, too. The center console features some attractive, stylized stitching as an extra adornment. The result is a place that feels high-quality and luxurious, but not in a garish or flashy way. Sort of a utilitarian luxury, which fits the look and character of the Yukon Denali. There are aspects of the interior that are shared with other Yukons and Tahoes, though. You get the same slightly odd but perfectly usable push-button shifter, the 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 15-inch head-up display, dual 12.6-inch backseat screens, and the same amount of interior space. These are all good things. The infotainment system is responsive and easy to use, while also offering the same advanced trailering camera system that so impressed in the Chevy Silverado HD. The head-up display is also large and legible, and fortunately not cluttered with too much distracting information. The best part, however, is the amount of space.