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GM tinkering with Silverado, Sierra model mix amidst strong early sales

Variety, as they say, is the spice of life. That's a lesson that is currently being taught to General Motors, because despite a strong showing from its 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, the General's pickup sales still can't best those of cross-town rival Ford.
With 59,163 trucks moved, GM fell just over 1,000 units short of toppling Ford, and one of the main reasons for that, according to GM's chief sales analyst, was due to a lack of variety in the engines and body styles available on dealer lots. "We are still over-weighted toward crew-cab V8 trucks. Our light-duty mix will moderate over time as our launch progresses," said Kurt McNeil.
Loading dealers with the popular combination of the 5.3-liter V8 and the four-door, Crew Cab body style was intentional during the truck's launch, but as supplies of leftover 2013 models, which are being sold at heavy incentives, are beginning to wane, both budget-conscious and high-dollar buyers are looking elsewhere instead of at the volume model pickups.

Stop-start standard in four-cylinder 2015 Chevrolet Impala

Chevrolet has announced that it will include stop-start technology as standard in the entry level 2015 Impala. The result is a nearly five-percent improvement in city fuel economy, also known as one mile per gallon, up to 25 mpg, combined. The 3.6-liter V-6 Impala will not feature stop-start. The 2015 Impala comes equipped with Chevrolet's 2.5-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine, which will also offer 22 mpg in the city, and 31 on the highway. The 3.6-liter V-6 Impala will not feature stop-start and the mild-hybrid eAssist model from the 2014 MY, which got 29/25/35 combined/city/highway mpg, has been discontinued. Chevrolet spokesman Chad Lyons told Green Car Reports that not even one percent of the 2014 Impalas purchased were the Eco model. So Chevy is trying something different. With a seamless driving experience in mind, the new Impala's stop-start tech features software that governs under what conditions the feature will activate. The engine won't shut off if the car has not reached a speed of six miles per hour, so the start-stop won't be cycling during traffic jams. It can also fire the starter even if the engine has not come to a full stop, which quickens reaction time, particularly in instances of what Chevrolet calls "change-of-mind events." The stop-start function uses information about cabin temperature and humidity as well as battery charge to help determine whether or not to shut off the engine. The 2015 Impala has been engineered to reduce NVH, which will also help create a smoother stop-start experience for occupants, Chevy says. Motor mounts have been updated, and a burlier starter motor will help restart the engine after a stop. The Impala follows the 2014 Malibu as Chevrolet's second vehicle to feature stop-start tech. The four-cylinder model currently makes up over 30 percent of Impala sales. The 2015 Impala will be available beginning this summer, with a base MSRP of $27,735 (including destination charges). And while one MPG isn't a huge difference, neither is the price increase of just $50 for a bit of eco-minded innovation. Read on for more details in the press release below. Chevrolet Makes Stop/Start Standard in 2015 Impala Technology improves city fuel economy by 5 percent 2014-05-22 DETROIT – Stop/start technology will be standard on the 2015 Impala base 2.5-liter ECOTEC® engine, an addition that improves the vehicle's city fuel economy by nearly 5 percent, or one mile per gallon.

GM slashes prices in China as sales falter

Buying a vehicle from General Motors' stable of brands might be a lot cheaper in the near future – at least for customers in China. The effort comes as GM hopes to keep sales there growing, and the decision alludes to yet another sign that the Asian country no longer has the booming auto market of past years. GM and its Chinese joint venture partner SAIC are slashing prices by as much as the equivalent to $8,700 on 40 models from Buick, Chevrolet, and Cadillac, according to The Detroit News. Across all of automaker's nameplates, the overall sales dipped in China in April by 0.4 percent to 258,484 vehicles. Among the drops, Buick was down 8.5 percent, and Chevy shrunk 5.6 percent. Caddy's numbers increased 4.6 percent for the month, though. Buick remains a popular brand in the minds of Chinese consumers, but according to The Detroit News domestic automakers there are starting to eat into the dominance of foreign companies in the market. The country remains important for GM, though. Late last year, it outlined a future strategy that included China as a major pillar, including a $14 billion investment to build five new factories and boost sales. News Source: The Detroit NewsImage Credit: Alexander F. Yuan / AP Photo Buick Cadillac Chevrolet GM Car Buying Car Dealers saic