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GM will stop reporting monthly U.S. vehicle sales

DETROIT — General Motors said on Tuesday it will stop reporting monthly U.S. vehicle sales, saying the 30-day snapshot does not accurately reflect the market, and will instead issue quarterly sales. GM will also no longer report monthly sales in China, its largest market, and Brazil. GM will provide monthly data to the U.S. Federal Reserve, industry associations and government agencies across the globe, but that data is not made public. Analysts and investors rely on monthly U.S. vehicle sales not just to track the performance of individual automakers, but as a barometer of the health of the world's second-largest auto market and as an indicator of consumer confidence in the U.S. economy overall. GM and its Detroit rivals Ford and Fiat Chrysler have relied heavily on sales of high-margin pickup truck and SUV sales to boost profits. GM's total U.S. sales, its second-largest market, are down 3.2 percent for the first two months of 2018, reflecting a 6.8 percent drop in retail sales to individual customers, the company reported last month. GM executives have expressed frustration that comparisons of monthly U.S. sales results among rival automakers are distorted by short-term discount programs, and by differences in strategy for selling vehicles in bulk to rental car fleets. "Thirty days is not enough time to separate real sales trends from short-term fluctuations in a very dynamic, highly competitive market," Kurt McNeil, U.S. vice president for sales operations said in a statement. GM's actions could prompt other automakers to also switch to quarterly U.S. sales reports. Major automakers will report March U.S. new vehicle sales on Tuesday. Until the early 1990s, most U.S. automakers released sales results every 10 days. The former Chrysler Corp. stopped reporting sales on a 10-day basis in 1990, and rivals followed suit over the next three years. GM executives are betting that investors will quickly adapt to receiving U.S. sales data every three months, as investors in other retail sectors already have. Retailers such as Walmart report sales on a quarterly basis. Reporting by Joe WhiteRelated Video: Image Credit: Reuters Earnings/Financials Green Buick Cadillac Chevrolet GM GMC US

2017 Buick LaCrosse gets Avenir-inspired tease

Stylish touches from the beautiful Buick Avenir Concept are actually hitting the road on the front end of the new 2017 LaCrosse. The brand is showing off this single teaser of a more angular grille surround than what is currently seen on its lineup. In the center there's a three-color version of the well-known Tri-Shield badge. Chrome wings meet at the logo, and vertical chrome bars lead the eye up over the body. A version of this design is eventually becoming part of the entire Buick lineup by 2018. Debuting at the 2015 Los Angles Auto Show in November, the future LaCrosse rides on stronger, lighter underpinnings than the current model. It also gets a five-link rear suspension. The company promises that the changes mean a more engaging drive from the sedan. "The Avenir concept shattered expectations of what a Buick could be and the 2017 LaCrosse promises to do the same," Duncan Aldred, vice president of Buick, said in the release of the teaser image. The show car's look was highly praised by critics when it debuted at this year's Detroit Auto Show. The Avenir even won Eyes on Design awards for Best Designed Concept Vehicle and Innovative Use of Color, Graphics, and Materials. Related Video: Buick Previews All-New 2017 LaCrosse Expressive, Avenir-inspired design cues introduce the new face of Buick DETROIT – Buick today confirmed the all-new 2017 LaCrosse, with a preview of its Avenir concept-inspired design cues. A striking evolution from current Buick models, LaCrosse features a grille design that puts a new face on the brand, including a new, three-color tri-shield insignia set on a wing-shaped element. Contrasting with darkened waterfall grille bars and spanning the width of the opening, it connects the grille and headlamps, and emphasizes LaCrosse's new sculptural surfacing. The design was introduced on the Avenir concept and was inspired by the 1954 Wildcat II concept. It's a face all Buick models will adopt by 2018. "The Avenir concept shattered expectations of what a Buick could be and the 2017 LaCrosse promises to do the same," said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Buick. "Its expressive design represents a break from convention and highlights the progressiveness in all new Buick models." The next-generation LaCrosse's design is framed on an all-new chassis that is stronger yet lighter than the current model and serves as the foundation for a more dynamic driving experience.

2019 Buick Envision starts just under $33,000

Buick has announced that prices for its new 2019 Envision will start at $33,985 (including destination), positioning the refreshed compact SUV right between its best-selling Encore entry-level crossover and more upmarket Enclave and taking aim at competitors including the Lincoln MKC and Acura RDX. The Envision will be offered in five trim levels — Envision, Preferred, Essence, Premium and Premium II, which starts at $45,590 — when the crossover goes on sale this spring. Prices exclude tax, title, license, dealer fees and optional equipment. We told you recently about the optional new nine-speed Hydra-Matic 9T50 automatic transmission and 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder on the top two trim levels. The upgraded engine offers 252 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The standard setup remains the 197-hp 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine making 147 lb-ft of torque and mated to a six-speed automatic, offered in front- or all-wheel drive. The crossover gets a new winged Buick emblem on the grille, new headlamps and newly sculpted front and rear facias, plus optional 19-inch wheels. It also gets a Buick-first tire-fill alert that signals when a tire has reached the recommended pressure level. Standard technology features include an in-vehicle air ionizer to eliminate odors, a switch to turn off its fuel-saving engine stop feature, rear-park assist, an 8-inch diagonal infotainment system and 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. By dropping the starting MSRP by nearly $1,000, GM says the Envision is now better positioned against its top-selling Encore (starting MSRP $22,990), for which nearly 60 percent of buyers come from outside the automaker's stable of brands. Related Video: