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Mixed sales results, but automaker stocks rise on need for cars in Houston

DETROIT — The Big Three Detroit automakers on Friday reported better-than-expected August sales and issued optimistic outlooks for demand as residents of the Houston area replace flood-damaged cars and trucks after Hurricane Harvey, sending their stocks higher. General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler posted mixed August U.S. sales, with GM up 7.5 percent and Ford and Fiat Chrysler down. Japanese automaker Toyota improved sales by nearly 7 percent, while Honda fell 2.4 percent. Still, analysts focused on the potential for Detroit automakers to cut inventories and stabilize used vehicle prices as residents of Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States, are forced to replace tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of vehicles after the devastation from Hurricane Harvey. Mark LaNeve, Ford's U.S. sales chief, told analysts on Friday that following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 "we saw a very dramatic snapback" in demand. That said, Ford sales fell 2.1 percent in August. It sold 209,897 vehicles in the United States, compared with 214,482 a year earlier. Sales were down 1.9 percent in the Ford division and off 5.8 percent at Lincoln. Demand was down for cars, crossovers and SUVs. It was not clear how many vehicles in the Houston area will be scrapped, LaNeve said, saying he had seen estimates ranging from 200,000 to 400,000 to 1 million. Ford's Houston dealers may have lost fewer than 5,000 vehicles in inventory, he said. Ford is the No. 1 automaker in the Houston market, with 18 percent share, according to IHS Markit. The company plans to ship used vehicles to Houston dealers and has "every indication we would have to add some production" of new vehicles to meet demand, LaNeve said. Investor concerns about inventories of unsold vehicles and falling used car prices have weighed on Detroit automakers' shares most of this year. Now, automakers can anticipate a jolt of demand from a big market that is a stronghold for Detroit brand trucks and SUVs. "It's got to be a positive for the industry," LaNeve said. Investors appeared to agree. GM shares rose as much as 3.3 percent to their highest since early March. Ford increased 2.8 percent at $11.34, and Fiat Chrysler's U.S.-traded shares were up 5.2 percent $15.91, hitting their highest in more than five years. GM reported a 7.5 percent increase in U.S. auto sales in August, helped by robust sales of crossovers across its four brands.

GM diesel pickups first to undergo extra EPA, CARB testing

The effects of Volkswagen's long-running diesel emissions evasion are starting to spill over to other automakers, but General Motors is taking things in stride. The 2.8-liter, four-cylinder Duramax in the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon is the first engine to get extra scrutiny by the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board, Automotive News reports. Rather than just the usual in-lab test, it's also being checked on the road. However, the extra evaluation shouldn't have any impact on when the trucks with his mill hit dealers later this fall. "We're in our final stages of the EPA certification, and our launch is on track," Chevy spokesperson Otie McKinley tells Autoblog. The four-cylinder diesel in the trucks makes 181 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, and the automaker is touting low NOx production. In the announcement for the Colorado's specs, the company calls it "the cleanest diesel truck engine ever produced by General Motors." The tech includes exhaust gas recirculation to lower combustion temperatures and improve emissions. There's also a urea tank like on the bigger diesels for full-size trucks, and it gets refilled in time with oil changes. An indication on the instrument panel lets drivers know when that's needed, too. Even with the more demanding testing, the company doesn't seem too worried about the four-cylinder passing. "Part of our development process is on-road and off-road [laboratory] testing," Scott Yackley, Chevy Trucks assistant chief engineer, said to Automotive News. In the wake of the VW scandal, the EPA has pledged more rigorous testing. Before, on-road emissions evaluations were largely limited to heavy-duty vehicles, but the agency has decided to apply the checks more often to other models. There's also now greater cooperation with Canadian authorities.

2017 GMC Canyon Denali brings the bling

Denali is an incredibly important part of GMC's product strategy. It takes very little effort to create a Denali variant, and these models retail for big premiums over the models on which they're based. So if you're GMC, it makes sense that you'd want to create a Denali version of every product in your range. That in mind, enter the 2017 Canyon Denali. GMC's midsize pickup gets all of the usual Denali trimmings, including a new grille, chrome trim, 20-inch wheels, and the necessary badging. Inside, there's a unique instrument panel, Jet Black leather, heated and cooled seats, and again, Denali badges abound. GMC says the Canyon Denali will be offered exclusively in the crew cab body style, with either the 3.6-liter gasoline V6 or 2.8-liter diesel engine. Have a look at the fancy truck in our gallery above, and scroll down for GM's official press blast. GMC Introduces 2017 Canyon Denali Exclusive design cues, content elevate industry's first premium midsize truck DETROIT, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015 – Denali is the ultimate expression of GMC's professional grade style, luxury and capability – and it is coming to the Canyon midsize truck. The 2017 Canyon Denali is being introduced today, ahead of its public debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It goes on sale in late 2016. "Canyon is the segment's first and only premium midsize truck, offering unparalleled capability and efficiency matched with maneuverability and refinement," said Duncan Aldred, vice president of GMC Sales and Marketing. "The all-new Canyon Denali builds on that award-winning combination with the distinctive styling, luxurious interior and elevated content that has defined the Denali nameplate since its introduction nearly 17 years ago." Like all Denali models, the new Canyon Denali is distinguished with a unique chrome grille and unique wheels – 20-inch ultra-bright-machined aluminum wheels with painted accents. Exterior cues include chrome fog lamp bezels, five-inch-diameter rectangular chrome assist steps, a polished exhaust tip and a standard spray-in bed liner. The Canyon Denali will be offered in six exterior colors. Inside, a Jet Black interior features Mulan leather-appointed seats with perforated, heated-and-ventilated front seats – exclusive content in the Canyon lineup – along with unique instrument panel and console trim; and Denali-logo sill plates and floor mats. Standard technologies include Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning.