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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.

2024 GMC Sierra prices go up — and also down

The 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 is ready to work the yard, but how much you'll need to get the pickup back to your yard has changed compared to the 2023 Sierra — most often in a good way. The changes for the new model year aren't substantive, just enough to give Sierra lovers enough modification to prove they have the latest. The AT4X was only available with the 6.2-liter V8 in 2023; for 2024 the big bad off-road trim makes the 3.0-liter Duramax diesel inline-six the standard engine and takes $2,400 off the base price compared to last year's 6.2-liter. On top of that, the 6.2-liter AT4X costs $500 less than last year. Re: the gas V8, this is the opposite of the hefty increases we've seen Chevrolet generally do with 6.2-powered trims. The SLT, AT4, AT4X, Denali, and Denali Ultimate get the option of an active exhaust on four-wheel-drive trims with the 6.2-liter for $395. The 2.7-liter Turbo H.O. four-cylinder gas engine is rebranded TurboMax and comes with a five-year, 100,000-mile warranty. Two new wheel designs enter the catalog, availability depending on trim, and colors join the palette, their availability also trim-dependent: Downpour Metallic replacing Pacific Blue Metallic, and Thunderstorm Grey, both adding $495 to the price. Now to the haggling. Even though destination has risen $100, to $1,995, five of the eight trims — including the diesel AT4X — are less expensive than they were a year ago, some of them by $1,000. The new sums after destination and their differences from 2023 are:  Sierra Pro Regular Cab Standard Box 2WD TurboMax: $39,695 ($700) SLE Double Cab Std Box 2WD TurboMax $51,095 ($1,000 less) Elevation Double Cab 2WD TurboMax $52,795 ($1,000 less) SLT Crew Cab Short Box 2WD 5.3L V8 $56,795 ($1,000 less) AT4 Crew Cab Short Box 4WD Duramax 3.0L I6 $68,595 ($500 less) AT4X Crew Cab Short Box 4WD Duramax 3.0L I6 $81,195 (New trim) Denali Crew Cab Short Box 2WD 5.3L V8 L84 $68,595 ($1,000) Denali Ultimate Crew Cab Short Box 4WD Duramax 3.0L I6 $83,490 ($500) Since certain varieties of the 2023 Sierras are still on the configurator and in dealer inventory, any business wanting to take a tax loss for 2023 should buy the older Sierra. Regular buyers willing to forego the new bits on the 2024 Sierra will likely be able to find dealers ready to take a machete to the MSRPs of some 2023 Sierras sitting on the lot.

2016 Green Truck of the Year, Commercial Green Car of the Year finalists

Not only are commercial-grade haulers getting more green love lately, they're getting more different kinds of green love. The 2016 Green Truck of the Year, the second time the award has been handed out, is being decided by judges from Green Car Journal and the San Antonio Auto & Truck Show. This year the award is joined by the new 2016 Commercial Green Car of the Year, which crowns one of the little vans increasingly used by small business as cargo and delivery vehicles. The Green Truck of the Year finalists are the Chevrolet Colorado Duramax (pictured), Ford F-150, GMC Canyon Duramax, Nissan Titan XD, and Toyota Tacoma. The first three of those were on last year's list, but since they are completely new or upgraded for 2016 - Ford with its all-aluminum body, the General Motors twins with the new diesel Duramax engine - they qualify for entry again. The Ram 1500 EcoDiesel won last year. The Commercial Green Car finalists are the Chevrolet City Express, Ford Transit Connect, Mercedes-Benz Metris, Nissan NV200, and Ram ProMaster City. You can read more details in the presser below, and the awards will be announced in San Antonio sometime during the show from November 19-22. San Antonio Auto & Truck Show Announces 2016 Green Truck of the Year and Commercial Green Car of the Year Finalists SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Green Car Journal and the San Antonio Auto & Truck Show have announced finalists for the 2016 Green Truck of the Year™ and 2016 Commercial Green Car of the Year™ awards. The Green Truck of the Year™ nominees are the Chevrolet Colorado Duramax, Ford F-150, GMC Canyon Duramax, Nissan Titan XD, and Toyota Tacoma. Vying for the all-new 2016 Commercial Green Car of the Year™ award are the Chevrolet City Express, Ford Transit Connect, Mercedes-Benz Metris, Nissan NV200, and Ram ProMaster City. "Over the past few decades, new car models have benefitted from design and technology improvements that have brought higher fuel efficiency and greater levels of environmental compatibility," said Green Car Journal and CarsOfChange.com Editor and Publisher Ron Cogan. "With models like these ten deserving finalists, we're witnessing the pickup and light commercial vehicle field enjoying the same attention." The new Commercial Green Car of the Year™ award is part of an expanded awards program presented at this year's 2015 San Antonio Auto & Truck Show.