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GM plans to restart production in Mexico on May 20

MEXICO CITY — General Motors is tentatively planning to restart operations at its auto assembly plant in the Mexican city of Silao on May 20, according to a message to workers seen by Reuters on Sunday, as the car industry prepares to exit the coronavirus lockdown. Separately, the president of GM's Mexican unit advised suppliers to prepare to resume operations. “We are now beginning a new phase given the Mexican governmentÂ’s official announcement earlier this week to consider the transportation manufacturing industry as essential for the countryÂ’s economy,” Francisco Garza, president ofGeneral Motors de Mexico, wrote in an email to suppliers dated on Friday that was viewed by Reuters. The reopening of the plant  in Silao would be a positive signal for the auto sector in North America, whose supply lines are highly interconnected between the United States, Mexico and Canada. The plant in the central state of Guanajuato has been idled for weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak. Workers had previously been told to plan to return to their jobs on May 18. A GM spokeswoman said the company could not confirm when it would restart operations at any of its facilities in Mexico because it is awaiting more guidance from the government. The message to the plant's workers came after the government on Friday clarified when the industry could begin easing restrictions imposed because of the health emergency. On Wednesday, the government said automakers could start going back into production from May 18. It then withdrew that advice and suggested the new start date would be June 1. Finally it indicated the sector, which forms the backbone of Mexican manufacturing, could begin operating as soon as next week if companies had the required safety measures in place. U.S. officials and its auto industry have pressed Mexico's government to get its factories open again because American operations depend heavily on parts from south of the border. However, some politicians are wary of opening too fast. Mexico registered its first case of coronavirus weeks after the United States and Canada and the toll of daily infections and deaths in the country reached new peaks over the past few days. The Silao production facility, which makes highly profitable pickup trucks for GM, is one of the biggest automotive plants in Guanajuato, a major Mexican carmaking state. Related Video:

Porsche and Buick earn top honors in J.D. Power Sales Satisfaction Index Study

Customer satisfaction with car buying has been at a low point over the past few years, as price increases, inventory shortages, and COVID restrictions have complicated every part of the process. There are signs of improvement, however, as J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index Study showed that customer satisfaction has improved slightly from a year ago. J.D. Power rates satisfaction on a 1,000-point scale, finding that it improved seven points to 793 from last year. Improving inventory levels and a slow leveling off of prices have contributed to that improvement, and fewer people are paying above MSRP for new cars. Some auto brands performed better than others with sales satisfaction. Porsche ranked highest among premium brands, followed by Alfa Romeo. Buick took the top spot among mass-market brands, with GMC, Chevrolet, and Mitsubishi behind. J.D. Power also handed out segment-level awards: Premium Cars: Porsche Premium SUV: Porsche Mass-Market Car: Chevrolet Mass-Market SUV/Minivan: GMC Mass-Market Truck: GMC Despite the increase in sales satisfaction, thereÂ’s still room for improvement to reach pre-pandemic levels. J.D. Power noted gaps in salesperson knowledge as an area of improvement. Buyers rated salespeople much better during a gas vehicle purchase than with EVs, citing their expertise as a challenge. Pricing remains a challenge despite an improvement since 2022, and satisfaction is still below pre-pandemic levels. Mass-market buyers reported a slight bump in satisfaction, while premium buyers felt that pricing was less fair than a year before. ItÂ’s an interesting contrast, showing that dealer pricing tactics can significantly impact satisfaction with the sales process. Fewer people may be paying more than MSRP, but several premium models still list with significant markups. Even more interesting is PorscheÂ’s top spot on the satisfaction list, as its cars often sell with huge upcharges, and itÂ’s exceedingly tricky even to get a build allocation for some models. Buick Chevrolet GMC Porsche Car Buying Ownership

2025 GMC Sierra EV rumored to offer a smaller 170-kWh pack as standard

It's kind of wild that you can order a 2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 pickup, yet GMC hasn't released specific figures for battery capacity; maybe that's info you only get after putting down a deposit. Adding to the mystery, the 2025 GMC Sierra EV, already being promoted at the GMC site and which will be available later this year, will add a second battery. GM Authority says the pack in the 2024 truck (that only comes in one trim) is the 204-kWh pack we already know from the GMC Hummer EV. In April, GMC raised the estimated range rating for that pack from 400 miles to 440 miles, upped towing capacity by 500 pounds to 10,000 pounds, and raised max payload capacity by 150 pounds to 1,450 pounds. For 2025, GMA says the the Sierra EV range will add a smaller 170-kWh pack for lower trims.  Trims, you ask? Yes, next year's standard Denali trim will be joined by AT4 and Elevation trims. The AT4 will come with trail-use perks like four-wheel steering, CrabWalk, and two additional inches of ground clearance thanks to 18-inch wheels wrapped in 35-inch all-terrain tires, plus Super Cruise and a spray-on bedliner. Optional features on the AT4 include a DC fast charge upgrade to 350-kW, GMC's MultiPro MidGate, and the 10.2-kW Power Station Pro. The Elevation, typically a lower trim in GMC's vehicle lineups, comes with a power-operated frunk, the MultiPro tailgate, and sits on 18-inch wheels in 33-inch rubber. The Elevation options menu will offer the MultiPro MidGate, Super Cruise, spray-on bedliner, Power Station Pro, and fast charge upgrade. The Denali will come with all of these tech features standard, but sit on 24-inch wheels in 35-inch rubber. New colors will expand the palette from the sole option today, Thunderstorm Gray, to include Deep Ember Tintcoat, Deep Ocean Metallic, Moonlight Matte, Onyx Black, and Summit White. Back to the battery, the 2025 Sierra EV's order guide shows two pack options, an Extended Range and a Max Range, without giving capacity figures. GMA believes this will be a 20-module pack of 170 kWh, powering a range of around 380 to 390 miles. The 2025 trucks reportedly begin heading down lines in early September, starting with the Denali trim, so information should be forthcoming in the not-too-distant. The AT4 and Elevation trims will reach dealerships early next year.