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General Motors could turn Hamtramck into its electric pickup, SUV hub

Electric off-roaders could revitalize the Detroit-Hamtramck factory that General Motors previously announced it will close. While official details remain shrouded in secrecy, analysts believe the plant will be re-tooled to manufacture at least three electric models due out during the early 2020s. The plant's scheduled closure was one of the grievances the United Auto Workers (UAW) union cited when it embarked on a 40-day strike in September 2019. General Motors agreed to keep it open without shedding much light on what it planned to build there. Analyst at LMC Automotive told the The Detroit News they believe an often-rumored electric SUV that will resurrect Hummer's name, image, or both will be one of the models assigned to the Hamtramck plant. Battery-powered variants of the GMC Sierra and the Cadillac Escalade will be made there, too, as will an enigmatic van. LMC Automotive's Jeff Schuster believes the van will come first; it could enter production as early as 2021. The Hummer — which might also be offered as a pickup — will follow before the end of 2022, while the Sierra and the Escalade will both arrive in 2023. We're taking this report with a grain of salt, though, because only one of the aforementioned models has been announced by General Motors. Rumors of a Hummer resurrection emerged in the summer of 2019, just a few weeks before we heard unverified reports of a battery-powered variant of the next-generation Escalade. General Motors confirmed plans to enter the burgeoning electric pickup truck segment, which Ford, Rivian, and Tesla also have their sights on, but it hasn't detailed how or when. The van is a mystery. General Motors refused to comment on the report. It previously announced it will keep Hamtramck open, and invest $3 billion to build electric vehicles there. The investment will create 2,225 jobs. Inaugurated in February 1985, the Hamtramck factory has churned out a diverse selection of models over the past 34 years, including Cadillac's Eldorado, Seville, and Allante, the Oldsmobile Toronado, the Buick Riviera, and more recently, gasoline-electric Chevrolet Volt. General Motors announced plans to close Hamtramck in 2018, but it quickly backpedaled and extended its lease on life until 2020 by keeping the Chevrolet Impala and the Cadillac CT6 around for a few additional months.

Watch GM's new pickup crash its way to five-star NHTSA ratings

General Motors has just scored a big win with its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks, acing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration New Car Assessment Program. The two full-size trucks had already netted a five-star Overall Vehicle Score in their crew-cab variants, but the new testing certifies them as five-star trucks in both regular and double-cab bodystyles, so GM's trucks offer top ratings across the board.
"Our incredibly capable trucks have been engineered to be some of the safest," Gay Kent, GM's general director of Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness said. "We've designed the vehicle structure, strategically placed high-strength steel and developed the occupant restraint system to achieve high levels of safety performance."
The scores mark the Silverado and Sierra as the first pickups to net five-star scores since NHTSA beefed up their testing regime in 2011, a nice feather in GM's cap as it continues to slug out the pickup truck wars with crosstown rivals Ford and Ram.

2019 GMC Sierra 1500 All Terrain spied with raised suspension, off-road tires

The 2019 GMC Sierra is here, though we've only seen the two top-tier trims, SLT and Denali. As past spy shots show, the Chevy Silverado's corporate sibling has more on the way. We now have a new batch of images showing what looks like the new All Terrain package, sort of a GMC equivalent to the Silverado's Trail Boss guise. The current All Terrain package is available in three different tiers on the Sierra SLT: All Terrain, All Terrain SLT Premium and All Terrain X. In addition to equipment from the Z71 package (skid plates, suspension upgrades), the All Terrain package adds Rancho shocks, an Eaton locking rear differential and more aggressive tires. There are some additional features and appearance changes, too. The more aggressive All Terrain X adds things like a cat-back exhaust and Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tires. The truck in these spy shots is definitely wearing different wheels and tires than the Sierras we've previously seen. It also looks like it's sitting a little higher, just like the Silverado Trail Boss. This also looks to be an SLT model as it doesn't have the MultiPro tailgate. Expect the 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter V8s to return, but don't rule out a diesel-powered Sierra All Terrain sometime down the line. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2019 GMC Sierra All Terrain spy shots View 9 Photos Image Credit: Brian Williams Design/Style Spy Photos GMC Truck Off-Road Vehicles gmc sierra 1500