2014 Gmc Sierra 1500 Sle on 2040-cars

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GM to idle car production at five factories as Americans continue CUV love affair

In case you needed another reminder that Americans have fallen out of love with sedans, General Motors today announced plans to idle five factories in January in a bid to cut its inventory to 70 days. Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly ( Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac CT6, Chevrolet Volt and Impala) and Fairfax Assembly in Kansas ( Chevy Malibu) will stop production for three weeks. Lansing Grand River ( Cadillac ATS and CTS, and Chevy Camaro) is going down for two weeks, while Lordstown, OH ( Chevy Cruze) and Bowling Green, KY ( Chevy Corvette) will go idle for a week each, Automotive News reports. GM's shutdown reflects a broader problem with the company's supply – at 847,000 vehicles, the company's supply increased unsteadily from a low of 629,000 units in January of 2016. That's more than a 25 percent increase in the past year. Citing information from Autodata, The Detroit News reports that at the end of November, GM had a 168-day supply of LaCrosses, 177 days' worth of Camaro, 170 days of Corvette, 121 days for Cruze, 119 days for ATS, 132 days for CTS, and 110 days of CT6. Meanwhile, inventory of the company's more popular vehicles is actually below the professionally accepted 60- to 70-day supply, The News reports. The Trax, Colorado pickup, and GM's full-size SUVs are sitting below 50 days and experiencing year-over-year sales increases. GM needs a rethink of its inventory levels, which is something that's apparently coming. "We're going to be responsible in managing our inventory levels," GM spokesman Jim Cain told The News. Another unnamed spokesman told Automotive News the company's day-to-day supplies would "fluctuate before moderating at year-end." But at least one analyst thinks this won't be the last time Detroit needs to stop production to level things out. "Incentives are elevated, residuals are declining, and rates are rising," Brian Johnson, an analyst with Barclays, told The News. "And while GM in particular may benefit in the months ahead from new product launches, it's important to recognize that GM's inventory is elevated at the moment, and it wouldn't surprise us if they need to announce another production cut – which could pressure the stock." Related Video: News Source: The Detroit News, Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Paul Sancya / AP Plants/Manufacturing Buick Cadillac Chevrolet GM GMC Crossover SUV Sedan bowling green cadillac xt6 fairfax

Autoblog Podcast #343

George Kennedy from Boldride.com, BMW i3, NACTOY long list, Bentley SUV
Episode #343 of the Autoblog podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth and Steven Ewing are joined by George Kennedy, Autoblog alum and Editor-in-Chief of Boldride.com. Topics include the unveiling of the BMW i3, the 2014 North American Car and Truck of the Year long list, and the green-lighted Bentley SUV. As always, we start with what's in the garage, but then answer some of your questions before diving into the week's news. For those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. You can follow along after the jump with our Q&A. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #343:

GMC Terrain Nightfall Edition is murdered-out for the masses

We've lost track of how many special edition Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups there have been over the past few years. But while some special editions can be kitschy, there's nothing overtly bad about the GMC's Nightfall line. We've already seen the blacked-out look on Canyon Nightfall and Sierra All Terrain X pickups, and now, it's being applied to the Terrain. As with the trucks, the Terrain Nightfall's changes are simple: the chrome-heavy finish is replaced with gloss-black accents where applicable. That's what you'll find on the grille surround, the front and rear fascia accents, the license-plate surround, mirror caps, and roof rack. Like Jay Z said, all black everything. Except for the wheels, of course – those have machined faces with black spokes. The grille inserts aren't strictly black either (they're charcoal), and as counterintuitive as it may seem, owners can choose from three body paints in addition to Onyx Black (Summit White, Graphite Gray, and Crimson Red). The Terrain Nightfall Edition will be offered on the SLE-2 and SLT trims, with prices to be announced closer to its fall 2016 on-sale date. GMC Introduces 2017 Terrain Nightfall Edition The News Ahead of its debut at the New York International Auto Show, GMC today introduced the 2017 GMC Terrain Nightfall Edition – a stylized special edition combining blacked-out exterior details and wheels, with popular technologies such as IntelliLink with available 4G LTE connectivity and Wi-Fi hotspot. It joins the Canyon Nightfall Edition and the all-new Sierra All Terrain X as the latest GMC vehicle to offer an exclusive, personalized appearance with the Terrain's premium features and refinement. Product Details The Terrain Nightfall offers an edgy appearance with 18-inch machine-faced aluminum wheels and gloss black spokes, a charcoal grill with a gloss black surround and accents, gloss black front and rear fascia accents, gloss black rear license plate surround trim, gloss black outside mirrors and black luggage rails. Terrain Nightfall Edition will be offered on SLE-2 and SLT models with four exterior color options: Summit White, Onyx Black, Graphite Gray Metallic and Crimson Red Metallic. On Sale Fall 2016 Quotable "Building on its best year ever, Terrain continues to attract new and style-conscious customers to GMC," said Duncan Aldred, vice president of GMC Sales and Marketing.