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Monday, 27 October 2008 |
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Filed under: Hybrid, MPG, Chevrolet, GM, GMC 
It looks like the theory behind the creation of full-size hybrid SUVs may not hold water, at least from a marketing perspective. Certainly adding a hybrid drivetrain to a big truck will save more gas for a given number of miles driven than doing the same to a smaller more efficient car. At the same time these vehicles will still use more fuel than a smaller vehicle even at the higher mileage levels they achieve. The pitch from automakers like GM and Chrysler was that some people still need the capabilities that are offered by these vehicles such as the people towing boats on a regular basis.
However, the reality is that a combination of factors ranging from high fuel prices (at least they were high through most of the summer of 2008), increasingly restrictive credit and leasing terms and collapsing real estate values have made buyers re-evaluate their real needs in a vehicle. For those that are still able to afford new vehicles, "needs" increasingly means a smaller, more-efficient vehicle rather than a hybrid SUV. GM and Chrysler have seen the writing on the wall and the Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen received their execution orders last week. We heard earlier this year that GM had put the development of the next generation full-size trucks on hold for at least a year. Now Inside Line is reporting that, as far back as last May, the SUVs may have been killed entirely. It's unclear what this means for the current vehicles, but if sales don't start to at least stabilize soon, they may face the same fate as the Chryslers and die before reaching the end of their planned life cycle in 2011. Whether they live on or die sooner, they will likely be effectively replaced by the Lambda crossovers, the Acadia, Outlook, Traverse and Enclave.
[Source: Inside Line]Hybrid tech won't save the full size SUV as new Tahoe/Yukon cancelled originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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Tuesday, 21 October 2008 |
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Filed under: Green, Chevrolet, GM, GMC 
GM's new 4.5L Duramax diesel engine promises a 25% increase in fuel economy while providing 310 hp and 525 lb-ft. The new oil-burning powerplant also needs to pass 50 state emissions while providing the efficiency customers are demanding. GM has already provided some details of the Duramax 4.5L, including that the new diesel is roughly the same size as the General's compact small block V8, which means it can fit in more than just trucks and SUVs. The 4.5-liter also reduces the parts count with integrated aluminum cylinder head exhaust manifolds and an integral cam cover intake manifold. GM talked to Automotive News about new features of the lower half of the 4.5L Duramax, and they're just as extensive as the top.
[Source: Automotive News subs req'd]Continue reading GM's Duramax diesel goes under the knife, loses weight Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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Thursday, 16 October 2008 |
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Filed under: Car Buying, Marketing/Advertising, GM, GMC, Earnings/Financials  After announcing earlier this week that GMAC would only finance customers who hold credit scores higher than 700, General Motors has decided it would be prudent to reassure consumers that they are still in the business of securing loans and selling vehicles. Starting Friday, GM will launch a "Financing That Fits" campaign on a national level. Through advertising on television, newspaper, radio, and the Internet, GM will promote dealer financing with GMAC Financial Services and, for the first time, with other lenders. To further restore consumer confidence, the ads are also designed to promote the experience and expertise of the dealership professionals who work in finance and insurance. The economy has taken a serious toll on GM's showroom traffic over the past few weeks, and the announcement Monday of stricter lending policies dried up business even further. The automaker is hopeful that its new ad campaign, and cash-back deals of up to $6,000 on every 2008 vehicle left in stock, will bring them back in.
[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd] Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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Monday, 13 October 2008 |
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Filed under: SUVs, Plants/Manufacturing, Chevrolet, GM, GMC 
General Motors has announced that it wil close its SUV plant in Janesville, Wisconsin by the end of this year in response to the woeful market for utility vehicles. The plant produces the GMC Yukon and Chevy Suburban and employs 1,200 UAW workers. GM was originally planning to shutter the plant sometime before 2010, but deteriorating market conditions have expedited the plant's demise. The news comes only one week after the General announced that it would be closing its Moraine, OH SUV plant early, as well.
Some analysts think GM could pull the plug on its Oshawa truck plant and Mexico facility in Toluca early too since truck sales are down as well, as GM has already announced that those plants are slated for closure. GM top dog Rick Wagoner stated last week that some stamping facilities could also face closure to help align production capabilities to demand.
[Source: CNN Money]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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GMC News 
