1971 Gmc Jimmy on 2040-cars

Auto blog

GM might outsource vans to AM General

General Motors will possibly boost production of the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon at the Wentzville Assembly Plant in Missouri by contracting out some commercial van manufacturing to AM General. Demand for the two midsize trucks continues to boom, and GM would like to take advantage of the strong market for them. The possible deal came to light in a letter to workers at the factory, according to Automotive News. "This potential partnership would free up production capacity and allow the organization to capitalize on our ability to build midsize trucks to further satisfy customer demand," a portion of the document allegedly said. AM General would reportedly only take over assembly of the cutaway versions of the Chevy Express and GMC Savana. Customers and critics have quickly embraced the latest Colorado and Canyon since their introduction. The Chevy just won back-to-back Motor Trend Truck of the Year awards. GM also had to add a third shift and extra workers in 2014 just to keep up with demand. The Wentzville plant even increased employment on the weekends earlier in 2015 to assemble an extra 2,000 of the trucks each month. While the two pickups boom, deliveries for the Chevy Express and GMC Savana are down 26.9 percent and 26.6 percent respectively through the first 10 months of the year. GM doesn't break out numbers for the cutaway versions, but they make up about a third of production, according to Automotive News. AM General built the Humvee for the US military and does some contract work with automakers. For example, the company's Indiana factory now produces the Mercedes-Benz R-Class for export to China. Here's hoping this potential deal will help both GM and AM General keep their factories humming. Related Video:

GM reworking mandatory OnStar plans for some 2024 models

For the 2023 model year, GM added its OnStar and Connected Services plan as standard equipment to a large number of Buick, GMC, and Chevrolet vehicles. Folding the $1,500 retail price into the MSRPs of models like the GMC Acadia and Buick Encore plumped up prices beyond the usual year-on-year bumps. Looks like there's a reversal in play for 2024, GM Authority reporting that many of the models fitted with OnStar and Connected Services — now called OnStar Premium — will step down to three years of OnStar Remote Access standard.   OnStar Remote Access comes with these features: Remote key fob, vehicle locate, and remote personalization through mobile and in-vehicle apps. Three additional features can be added to the plan: OnStar Guardian, in-vehicle hotspot, and Super Cruise. Owners can also upgrade to OnStar Premium if they choose.  Higher trims like Buick's Avenir and GMC's Denali, plus the GMC Hummer and the Cadillac Escalade will retain OnStar Premium as standard equipment. That suite starts with Remote Access and adds: Automatic crash response, stolen vehicle assistance and recovery, OnStar Guardian, in-vehicle app access, unlimited streaming, three years of Super Cruise on vehicles with the hardware, and six months of SiriusXM radio. The Escalade puts a cherry on top with three years Sirius XM instead of six months. The Remote Access plan normally charges $14.99 per month. We're not sure yet if GM will subtract the cost of OnStar Premium from the MSRP and add the $540 for OnStar Remote Access, or if the trial period comes free of charge. Even if that's what happens, the change could take nearly $1,000 off the MSRP of a car like the GMC Acadia before any 2024 increases. We'll know more as the 2024MY models roll out and prices are announced. Related Video 2022 Buick Enclave Avenir revealed

2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 reservations closed

Reservation slots for the 2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 are gone. As is the case with just about every vehicle that can be reserved, regardless of cost, there weren't enough slots to satisfy the initial rush. Carscoops noticed the situation first, getting confirmation from GMC that the only avenue remaining for now is to get on a waitlist. GMC's page for the Sierra EV affirms the same, declaring "Reservations are currently full" for the Denali Edition 1. Doing so meant putting down a $100 refundable deposit, a nominal sum that anyone could back out of, but we know by now that market conditions mean between reservation holders and the waitlist there are plenty who will conclude the transaction. Duncan Aldred, head of GMC and Buick, said so himself, telling Automotive News, "It's pretty amazing. A few years ago, when we were planning Hummer, the amount of vehicles sold over $100,000 in the entire industry was not that many. Now, that has radically changed in the last three years. There's been a rapid increase in vehicle prices and there's been an even quicker rise at the top end. We expect to sell out really quite quickly." The Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 comes loaded with quilted seats, real wood trim, Super Cruise, and two motors making a combined 754 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque, and starts at $108,695. We don't have a number to put to the phrase "sell out," though. As GM did with the Cadillac Lyriq and Chevrolet Silverado EV, reps wouldn't divulge production caps. Aldred did admit that the reservation number is below 10,000. Two more Sierra EV trims are coming, but they're not due until 2025. That starts with the base Elevation trim bringing an MSRP around $50,000. Note, that MSRP is the prediction now. Three years is a long way away. When reservations open to the public for the standard Sierra EV Denali expected in 2024 and the following trims, GMC plans to keep a tight lid on the pot. Remember, with the Hummer EV, GMC took so many reservations that current production rates mean the automaker won't clear the list for years. Production rates will climb, certainly. However, GM builds the pickups and its Cruise Origin delivery vehicle at its Factory Zero, and there are already 110,000 Silverado EV reservations alone to get through.