1997 Sierra Ext Cab C2500 2wd on 2040-cars

Auto blog

GM to idle car production at five factories as Americans continue CUV love affair

In case you needed another reminder that Americans have fallen out of love with sedans, General Motors today announced plans to idle five factories in January in a bid to cut its inventory to 70 days. Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly ( Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac CT6, Chevrolet Volt and Impala) and Fairfax Assembly in Kansas ( Chevy Malibu) will stop production for three weeks. Lansing Grand River ( Cadillac ATS and CTS, and Chevy Camaro) is going down for two weeks, while Lordstown, OH ( Chevy Cruze) and Bowling Green, KY ( Chevy Corvette) will go idle for a week each, Automotive News reports. GM's shutdown reflects a broader problem with the company's supply – at 847,000 vehicles, the company's supply increased unsteadily from a low of 629,000 units in January of 2016. That's more than a 25 percent increase in the past year. Citing information from Autodata, The Detroit News reports that at the end of November, GM had a 168-day supply of LaCrosses, 177 days' worth of Camaro, 170 days of Corvette, 121 days for Cruze, 119 days for ATS, 132 days for CTS, and 110 days of CT6. Meanwhile, inventory of the company's more popular vehicles is actually below the professionally accepted 60- to 70-day supply, The News reports. The Trax, Colorado pickup, and GM's full-size SUVs are sitting below 50 days and experiencing year-over-year sales increases. GM needs a rethink of its inventory levels, which is something that's apparently coming. "We're going to be responsible in managing our inventory levels," GM spokesman Jim Cain told The News. Another unnamed spokesman told Automotive News the company's day-to-day supplies would "fluctuate before moderating at year-end." But at least one analyst thinks this won't be the last time Detroit needs to stop production to level things out. "Incentives are elevated, residuals are declining, and rates are rising," Brian Johnson, an analyst with Barclays, told The News. "And while GM in particular may benefit in the months ahead from new product launches, it's important to recognize that GM's inventory is elevated at the moment, and it wouldn't surprise us if they need to announce another production cut – which could pressure the stock." Related Video: News Source: The Detroit News, Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Paul Sancya / AP Plants/Manufacturing Buick Cadillac Chevrolet GM GMC Crossover SUV Sedan bowling green cadillac xt6 fairfax

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.

The electric Hummer gets a new logo

GM submitted three trademark applications to government offices here and in Canada, as discovered by GM Authority. Two applications went to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the Canadian Intellectual Property Office on February 4 this year, seeking to reserve the new Hummer logo, at the top in the image above. Note, the two logos aren't to scale; they're about the same size all things being equal, but we shrunk the old mark. GM sent a second application to the USPTO on February 7 requesting the brand name "Hummer" for application to "motor land vehicles, namely, automobiles, trucks and sport utility vehicles; bicycles." True, we've seen the new Hummer script stretched across the front of the coming electric pickup in a teaser clip, but the paperwork continues the process of getting the entire continent ready for the alternate universe resurrection of one of America's most notorious brands.     In 2010, gas prices were in orbit, GM committed to closing the Hummer brand, vandals were setting fire to the scattered Hummers left on dealer lots, the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 made 638 horsepower, the eco-minded revered the Toyota Prius and the Tesla Model S was still two years away. In that year, it would have been hard to say something more bonkers than, "Hummer's coming back in ten years as an electric pickup, its top trim making 1,000 horsepower and 11,500 pound-feet of torque." But here we are. The new logo's squareness connects it to the resolute bluntness of the old mark, yet the thinner font and chopped corners both modernize the old logo and lessen its truculence. The brand appears headed the same way, with lurid specs and square-jawed looks just like old times, but having in LeBron James a more modern take on the hardcore male vibe than it once got from (unpaid) association with guys like Arnold Schwarzenegger. To be fair, old Hummer commercials always featured women in the driver's seat, or men and young boys dreaming of big adventures, or Regis Philbin chatting up models, but the marketing department couldn't — or didn't want to — outrun the lineup's reputation on the street. We'll see how the electric version and its “incredible on- and off-road capability" fare. According to the teaser site, the new Hummer's debut is still on track for May 20. If the brand manages to recreate the old H3T pickup but with an electric powertrain, it's got one buyer right here lined up already. Related Video: