2003 Gmc Envoy Sle on 2040-cars

Auto blog

How Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra will take on the Ford F-150 profit machine

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — When General Motors engineers were developing the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks, some of them joined public tours of Ford's Dearborn, Mich., factory to watch aluminum-bodied F-Series trucks go down the assembly line. The redesign of the Ford F-Series trucks, launched in 2014, set a new standard for fuel economy and lightweight vehicle construction. But armed with stopwatches and trained eyes, the GM engineers believed they saw problems. "They had a real hard time getting those doors to fit," Tim Herrick, the executive chief engineer for GM truck programs, told Reuters. His team did more intelligence gathering. They bought and tore apart Ford F-Series doors sold as repair parts. Their conclusion: GM could cut weight in its trucks for a lower cost using doors made of a combination of aluminum and high-strength steel that could be thinner than standard steel, shaving off kilograms in the process. These pounds-and-pennies decisions will have major implications in the highest-stakes game going in Detroit: dominance in the world's most profitable vehicle market, the gasoline-fueled large pickup segment. What's more, GM is banking on strong sales of overhauled 2019 Silverados and GMC Sierras to fund its push into automated and electric vehicles — a business many investors see as the auto industry's long-term future. The risks are high given the hits automakers have taken from U.S. President Donald Trump's trade policies. Rising aluminum prices spurred by Trump's tariffs are driving up costs on the Ford's F-Series, while rising steel and aluminum prices likewise drag on GM results. GM also has a significant risk should the United States, Mexico and Canada fail to agree on a new NAFTA trade deal, given GM trucks built at its Silao, Mexico, factory could face a 25 percent tariff if NAFTA collapses. Major profit per truck Interviews with GM executives and a tour at its factory here in northwest Indiana provide a detailed look inside GM's plan for the most important vehicles in its global lineup. These big pickups are everything Tesla's Model 3 or Chevy's Bolt electric car is not. The mostly steel body is bolted to the truck's steel frame, rather than the one-piece body and frame electric vehicles. The majority of trucks will have a V-8 gasoline engine powering the rear wheels — like the classic GM cars of the 1950s. Some Silverados will have new four-cylinder engines, but there is no electric or hybrid offering as of now.

New GM subcompact SUV spied, could be a Chevy or GMC

GM's pair of subcompact crossovers have been trundling along for a while now. The Buick Encore was the first for Americans in the 2013 model year, and the Chevy Trax that was based on the Encore (an encore of the Encore, if you will) arrived for the 2015 model year. Each has undergone a mild update, but these spy photos could indicate their replacements are in the works. Or not. For starters, we can't be sure which GM brand this new SUV is destined for. Though the timing and its flowing lines could indicate Buick, the thick horizontal bars visible in the grille would indicate otherwise. The next Encore being at least related to this is at least a possibility. Making the case for GMC are those thick grille bars, the fact that it extends far below the lights, and may even rise above them, similar to the Acadia. And that rising beltline isn't that different from that of the Acadia. Arguing against the GMC idea is the Encore, which is almost always sold in GMC-Buick combo dealers. Much as the Acadia was made smaller to eliminate confusion and in-house competition with the Enclave, it's hard to see GM opting to resurrect such an issue at the bottom end of the SUV market. That means we're leaning toward this little SUV wearing a Chevy bowtie. The split grille with a large lower section and small upper section is the brand's current design language, as seen on the new Malibus and Cruzes. The shape is vaguely Equinox-like. And like Buick, Chevy also has a subcompact crossover ready for replacement: the Trax. Now, our photographer reports he's seen another subcompact testing that has Blazer design cues, but in this crossover-hungry market, we wouldn't be surprised if two similarly sized but differently styled Chevy crossovers make the grade. It's a strategy that's working pretty well for Jeep. We'll no doubt be seeing more of these disguised test vehicles milling about the country in the coming months, so perhaps we'll eventually get a better idea of what this is before more official information starts trickling out within one or two years. Related Video: Featured Gallery GM Subcompact Crossover spy shots View 10 Photos Image Credit: SpiedBilde Spy Photos Buick Chevrolet GM GMC Crossover SUV buick encore chevy trax

2024 GMC Hummer EV pickup gets a price hike - with a catch

Watching auto industry MSRPs move around is like watching the Vegas big board for odds, the numbers almost always going against the folks laying down the money. In yet another sign of the times, a few trims of the 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUT — that's the pickup — are seeing additional price increases. A little more than a year ago, GMC increased prices by $6,250 for the EV2, EV2X, and EV3X trims due to the rising costs of parts. Those joining the lengthy reservation list also found the automaker also increased the destination charge from $1,995 to $2,295. The 2024 Hummer EV configurator doesn't list the EV2 yet, so its $86,245 suggested sticker price may yet hold up. The MSRPs for the rest, and their changes from the most recent pricing, are: EV2X: $98,845 ($1,600) EV3X: $106,945 ($700) EV3X Omega Edition: $150,295 ($300)  Taking a longer view back to December 2021 reveals just how far the bar has moved. At that time, the EV2 was predicted to cost $79,995, the EV2X was going to go for $89,995, and the EV3X for $99,995. The 2024 Hummer EV3X now costs more than the 2022 Hummer EV Edition 1, which started at $112,595 after destination. The Edition 1 came with the 24-module extended-range Ultium battery pack that's now a $9,995 option on the EV3X; the price above is for a 20-module pack, one of the new features for 2024. The EV3X Omega Edition and its Neptune Blue paint not only blows everything else out of the water price-wise, its feature set could make even Edition 1 buyers blue with either sadness or envy.   The good news? GMC is offering discounts for early reservations. Per the GMC configurator, at the moment, buyers who reserve an EV2X will get an $8,150 instant discount, buyers wanting an EV3X will get a $6,250 discount. These effectively wipe out the new price rises and last year's price increases, taking the 2X down to $90,695 and the EV3X down to $100,695. The savings could be enticements to get people in the reservation line. With tens of thousands of reservations already in the books and threads on forums like Hummerchat wondering if anyone's seen the EV2X trim that was due earlier this year, it might be a while yet before an order turns into a Hummer EV.  Related Video This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.