1999 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible 2-door 5.7l on 2040-cars

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China's rise, global restructuring wither GM's Korea division

An article in the Daily Kanban suggests the sun is setting on GM Korea, and it could already be well into dusk. GM Korea came about when General Motors, along with co-investors SAIC and Suzuki, bought Daewoo Motors from parent company Daewoo Group in 2001; it had a previous tie-up with GM, a joint venture that ended in 1992, although Daewoo cars were based on GM cars until 1996. Over the decade following the purchase, it became such an important part of operations that it was renamed GM Korea in 2011, "to reflect its heightened status in [the] global operations of GM." Just two years later, the printed rumors were that the subsidiary responsible for a fifth of Chevrolet's global production could be shutting down. The division's sales were down almost 21 percent through November of last year, counting domestic South Korean sales, exports, and CKD – Complete Knock Down – products. That makes the labor strife, already an issue for four years, even more acute, reports say the subsidiary will lose $36 million a year if it can't get the job and wage cuts it wants, and government concessions can't make up for the losses. And it gets worse, so head over to Daily Kanban to read the rest of the story.

PickupTrucks.com's latest test results in a familiar winner [w/video]

PickupTrucks.com has gone and thrown the latest batch of half-ton pickups into a cage match to see who would come out on top. The site put the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2013 Ford F-150, Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan through a battery of tests. Those included 0-60 miles per hour acceleration, 60-0 mph deceleration, fuel economy, a hill climb, and payload and towing. They even threw the rigs on an autocross course to evaluate overall handling. Each truck was given points based on how it scored in each evaluation.
Who came out on top? Somewhat surprisingly, the 2013 Ford F-150 walked away with the gold, though fewer than 50 points separated first and fourth place. Head over to PickupTrucks.com to read the full evaluation and the final results. You may be shocked to see exactly where some of the segment's newest additions placed. You can also watch a video on the test below.

GM uses wind power to build SUVs, trucks

This week started with a chill, as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a dire report with scientists warning, "The world we know today is not the world we will see in 50 years," with temperatures rising at their current rates. In the meantime, the trend toward purchasing more SUVs and crossovers continues. Most automakers, though, have set goals toward more sustainable production. That includes General Motors, which, somewhat ironically, plans to use wind power to produce many of its vehicles, including pickups and full-size SUVs. As the Detroit Free Press reports, several wind farms are coming online to support cleaner production as part of a partnership between GM and energy producer CMS Enterprises. At the beginning of October, the 100-megawatt Northwest Ohio Wind Farm began producing energy, supplying GM operations in Ohio and Indiana, where manufactured vehicles include the Chevy Cruze, Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra. Hilltopper Wind Farm in Illinois will begin producing another 100 megawatts for GM manufacturing in the region. In Texas, where GM builds the Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL and Cadillac Escalade, the automaker is getting 50 megawatts from Cactus Flats Wind Farm beginning October 9. Using wind power isn't just about being green, but also for the sake of price stability. As Rob Threlkeld, GM's global manager of renewable energy told the Free Press, "You don't get the price spikes this way, like you do with fuel, and it reduces the environment footprint of the vehicle you're driving." Threlkeld said that renewable energy has already meant "millions of dollars in savings" for GM. GM plans to power all of its global operations with renewable energy by 2050. This week, the automaker was ranked 76 on the EPA's "National Top 100 List" of green manufacturers. It was the only automotive company listed. Related Video: News Source: Detroit Free Press, GM, EPAImage Credit: GM Green Plants/Manufacturing Chevrolet GM GMC Truck SUV wind power sustainability