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GM laying off 500 workers to slow Chevy Sonic production

Due to slow sales of the Chevrolet Sonic and Buick Verano, General Motors is cutting a shift at the Orion Township plant that builds the pair. The move lays off about 500 workers, but most of them are expected to get offers to transfer to other factories, Automotive News reports. The move came just a day after GM announced adding 1,200 employees to the Detroit-Hamtramck plant. GM has been trying all year at the Orion Township factory to align production of the Sonic and Verano with their demand. The automaker first attempted idling the plant several times and eventually resorted to laying off about 100 workers. It also reduced the production rate there. With the huge rise in popularity of crossovers, demand for the plant's small cars is on the downturn. According to Automotive News, there's currently a 116-day supply of Sonics and 100 days of Veranos to sell. Delivers tell a similar tale because the Chevy is off 35.2 percent from January to September, and the Buick does little better with a 27.2 percent drop from the same period last year. While the situation at Orion Township might look rough now, big things are on the horizon. Soon, the new Chevy Bolt electric vehicle will be built there when it hits the market around 2017. Plus, the plant will also get a $245-million upgrade and 300 new jobs for another, unannounced vehicle.

Opel readying Adam model with SUV cues

The Opel Adam, the microcar of General Motors' European subsidiary, has seen its sales cool significantly since it first hit the market in the United Kingdom and Europe, but a push is reportedly under way that just might be enough to get the stylish, little car moving again.
Using the Opel Adam Rocks Concept as a template, Opel will ruggedize the Adam, so that it might compete with the growing herd of city cars that sport SUV styling, like the Volkswagen Cross Up and Fiat Panda 4x4, according to a report from Automotive News Europe. Sporting a bumped-up ride height and tougher body work, it's a dedicated soft-roader, but will freshen the Adam's lineup and, hopefully, broaden its customer appeal.
The Adam Rocks, according to IHS Automotive analyst Ian Fletcher, should also make some more coin for GM's struggling European arm. "Automakers are happy to meet demand for SUV and crossovers as the customer pays a premium," Fletcher told ANE. And although the Rocks might have been planned from the start as a production vehicle, the timing, with the Adam's sales slowdown, doesn't seem like a coincidence.

2017 Buick Encore freshens up for the New York Auto Show

Buick is dressing up the 2017 Encore for spring – specifically the New York Auto Show – where the compact crossover is expected to strut its stuff. The freshening follows the playbook of the Chevy Trax, which was also updated with a light hand. Though it keeps its familiar shape, sort of like an oversized Pontiac Vibe, the Encore gets Buick's new grille. It's a simple look with the wings bisecting the brand's tri-shield, and it calls to mind Buick's iconic front ends from yesteryear. You might remember it from the Avenir and Avista concepts. There are also new headlights. They look stolen from Audi, and it's an attention-getting gaze for the new face of the Encore. There will likely be new wheel packages, too. We can't see inside the Encore. Spy photographers couldn't get close enough to this Buick shoot in Southern California. But, we expect the interior to also mirror the Trax enhancements, which included a new instrument panel, gauges, materials, and infotainment. The Encore shares underpinnings with the Trax and Opel Mokka. We expect the Encore to arrive in late summer. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Buick Encore Spy Shots Image Credit: Brian Williams / SpiedBilde Design/Style Spy Photos New York Auto Show Buick Crossover buick encore