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GM profits threatened by glut of pickups

Automotive News reports that General Motors may slash production or ramp up discounts in order to deal with an oversupply of pickup trucks. GM currently has more than double the standard supply of pickups, and the vehicles are threatening to dampen the automaker's profits for 2013. Typically, automakers try to sustain a 60- to 75-day supply of vehicles, but GM is currently loaded with a 139-day supply, as of last month. At the end of November, the automaker was sitting on 245,853 units.
The manufacturer says that it will adjust production accordingly before laying any incentives on the profitable pickups. Even so, there's some concern that the inventory swell could hurt the roll-out of the next-generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. GM actually began slowly stepping back production in August, but it's clear the company will take further action as it heads toward the end of the year and into the next. Analysts predict the automaker could reduce pickup manufacturing by nearly half in the first quarter of 2013.
That still may not be enough to keep GM from laying extra cash on the Silverado and GMC Sierra. While the company's incentive spending was down in November compared to the same month in 2011, both the Ram 1500 and Ford F-150 saw double-digit percentage increases in sales last month while the Silverado and Sierra numbers slid compared to a year prior. Incentive spending could help move more trucks and add some balance to the GM inventory surge.

2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV revealed, priced the same as the truck

Following up on the 2024 GMC Hummer EV pickup truck's big reveal back in October is the SUV variant. And it looks pretty much the way you would expect. From roughly the doors forward, it's the same as the blocky pickup. But the back half now has an enclosed cargo area, a full-door tailgate and full-size spare mounted to it. Besides the tweaked looks, the SUV is physically shorter. The full dimensions haven't been revealed yet, but the wheelbase is 8.9 inches shorter than the truck at 126.7 inches total. The overall length is likely reduced even further, since the tail is much shorter than the truck's with the rear wheels close to the bumper. Both of these changes will greatly improve breakover and departure angles, plus make the vehicle generally more maneuverable on and off road. GMC boasts that with four-wheel-steering, the turning circle is just 35.4 feet, about a foot and a half tighter than the truck. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Powertrains are identical to that of the truck. The EV2 and EV2X get two motors making 625 horsepower. Higher EV3X and Edition 1 trims have three motors making 830 horsepower. Electric range varies between about 250 miles to 300 miles depending on specification. Extremely fast 800-volt, 300-kW DC fast charging is available and included on all but the base trim level. An Extreme Off-Road Package is available on EV2X and above that adds 18-inch wheels with 35-inch mud-terrain tires. You'll also be able to get the ground-clearance-increasing air suspension and four-wheel steering with the famous Crab Mode. Super Cruise will be standard on every GMC Hummer EV. Pricing and trim levels are nearly identical to the pickup truck, with only the Edition 1 varying. The base model starts at $79,995, and each trim and price is listed below. Prices are listed without the destination charge because that figure has not been revealed yet. EV2: $79,995 EV2X: $89,995 EV3X: $99,995 Edition 1: $105,595 ($110,595 with Extreme Off-Road Package) The Edition 1 SUVs will be available first with sales starting early next year. The EV2X and EV3X will go on sale that spring, and the base EV2 trims will go on sale in spring 2024. GMC is taking reservations now, and they can be made at this link. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

GM's MPG overstatement could affect 2 million vehicles

Late last week, GM admitted that three of its large SUVs fuel economy window stickers did not match their actual efficiency ratings, and so the vehicles couldn't be sold. The stickers on the 2016 Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave said their ratings were one to two miles per gallon better than they should have been. Officially, the number of affected vehicles sits at about 60,000. But Consumer Reports makes a good point: what's up with all of the previous model year SUVs that are basically the same vehicle? To wit: the 2016 model year vehicles are not substantially different than the 2015 or the 2014, or even going all the way back to 2007. On the EPA's fuel economy website, all of these older models will "have better stated fuel economy numbers than the new vehicles in GM's dealerships," Consumer Reports noted. CR's best point, and the one that makes the 60,000 number potentially grow to 2 million if all of the vehicles built on this platform are affected, is that "[i]t seems unlikely that the company would change the powertrain on these carryover models so late in their model cycles in a way that would cause a dramatic, negative impact on fuel economy." GM says that earlier model year SUVs are not affected and the EPA did not respond to CR's question about the potential for more discrepancies. We've seen automakers reverse course before, so if GM has to come out with a mea culpa soon, don't be surprised. GM is rushing corrected stickers to dealers so that the SUVs can be sold again, but a fix for the already-sold vehicles could be trickier to solve. Related Video: Related Gallery 2013 GMC Acadia View 16 Photos News Source: Consumer Reports Government/Legal Green Buick Chevrolet GMC Fuel Efficiency mpg gmc acadia chevy traverse