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GM announces net 220 job increase as Trump visits Michigan

GM announced today that about 900 jobs would be added (or, importantly, retained) ahead of President Trump's arrival in Michigan, where he is expected to discuss his plan to roll back fuel economy standards. The timing of the announcement is almost certainly not coincidental, as appending it to a Trump visit gives it a higher profile and dovetails with the President's jobs agenda. It's less likely the decision itself was made for those reasons, but the free PR boost is a nice bonus. As for those 900 jobs themselves, they aren't all new jobs. The only net gain is approximately 220 jobs at the Romulus Powertrain Plant, which produces the 10-speed automatic transmission that's proliferating through the company's lineup. The 180 jobs at Flint Assembly and 500 jobs at Lansing Delta Township are retained jobs – that is to say, spots the company found for workers who would otherwise have been laid off. By the way, the Flint jobs will help with production of heavy-duty pickups, and the Lansing jobs are to produce the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave. Finding jobs for manufacturing workers in the auto sector, whether new or retained, is admirable. No matter how GM couches it, the company has created or retained a total of 7,000 jobs this year, and its total reinvestment in US production is around $1 billion. But these decisions are business ones, not political ones – timing the announcements to make them seem inspired by economic policy, or the political situation, is simply smart PR. Related Video: Image Credit: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images Celebrities Government/Legal Buick Cadillac Chevrolet GMC

GM confirms 2015 Silverado, Sierra to get 8-speed automatic

When viewed alongside the next Ford F-150 and the Ram 1500, there is one thing that seems to be missing from the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. Where the F-150 will rely on turbocharging and aluminum architecture and the Ram sports an eight-speed automatic and an air suspension, the General Motors twins lack a big, calling-card feature. They're very good, very refined trucks, but one could argue that they're not terribly innovative.
And while it might not be as flashy a feature as air suspension or a lightweight skin, the Silverado and Sierra will get their own eight-speed automatic for 2015, a transmission that will be paired with the company's Ecotec3 6.2-liter V8. The new cogswapper will also find its way into the GMC Yukon Denali, but for now, there's no indication why the Cadillac Escalade, Suburban, Tahoe and standard Yukon are being left out.
According to GM, the new gearbox is about the same size and weight as the current Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed. By the time the new powertrain combination enters production late this year, the EPA will almost certainly have gotten around to certifying the vehicles' fuel efficiency. Until then, feel free to speculate. The current Silverado with the 6.2 and six-speed auto returns 14 miles per gallon in the city and 20 on the highway. How much do you think the eight-speed will improve those figures? Scroll down for the official press blast from General Motors, and then head into Comments.

Truck Trend names GMC Sierra Denali 2016 PTOTY

Citing its best-in-class power, its amenities, and technology, Truck Trend magazine has named the GMC Sierra Denali its 2016 Pickup Truck of the Year. Seven "all-new or significantly revised pickup trucks" were invited to compete, and out of the seven tested categories the Sierra won interior, functionality, and "Empirical," and scored second in highway testing and exterior looks. It beat the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country and Colorado Z71 diesel, GMC Canyon SLT diesel, Nissan Titan XD Pro4X, Ram 1500 Rebel, and Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road. In the mag's 43rd annual Four-Wheeler of the Year award, the Range Rover SVR claimed the crown. The Sierra got refreshed this year with new front-end styling with HID headlamps and LED accents, tech features like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and wireless phone charging, and optional convenience features like a remote locking tailgate and power articulated assist steps. The big powertrain upgrade was availability of the 5.3- and 6.2-liter V8s with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This is the second time Truck Trend has conferred a PTOTY award, the Ford F-150 walking away with the silverware last year. The nod to the Sierra comes after sister publication Motor Trend named the 2016 Chevy Colorado with the Duramax diesel engine its Truck of the Year. The press release below has the details on how the accolade was won. GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Wins TRUCK TREND'S 2016 Pickup Truck of the Year AwardFirst-Class Amenities, 21st Century Technology, and Best-in-Class Power Lead GMC Sierra 1500 Denali to Best Field of SevenLOS ANGELES December 22, 2015—TRUCK TREND, the nation's premier light-truck authority, has selected the GMC Sierra 1500 Denali as the winner of its second annual Pickup Truck of the Year Award.TRUCK TREND's Pickup Truck of the Year award program is an invitation-only shootout that is only open to all-new or significantly revised pickup trucks for the upcoming model year. For 2016, the field of vehicles included seven entries from five companies and consisted of one variant from each company's eligible product line. This year's contenders included:- Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country- Chevrolet Colorado Z71- GMC Canyon SLT- GMC Sierra 1500 Denali- Nissan Titan XD Pro4X- Ram 1500 Rebel- Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-RoadTRUCK TREND's experts were immediately impressed with the Sierra Denali, which is focused on comfort, safety, and innovation.