1999 Gmc Safari Slt Extended Passenger Van 3-door 4.3l on 2040-cars

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GM to sell rebranded Peugeot vans in US?

According to a report by France's La Tribune cited by Reuters, General Motors and Peugeot are discussing the possibility of selling PSA Peugeot-Citroën commercial vans in the US through The General's dealership network. While specific models and what brand they may sell under stateside are not immediately clear, the move isn't entirely out of the blue, particularly since GM owns seven percent of the French automaker.
Peugeot and GM already have a joint-venture agreement to ease costs associated with vehicle development and procuring parts, and while the progress of the arrangement has been inhibited some by Europe's difficult economy, the two automakers are looking to expand the relationship. With sales in the dumpster, Peugeot's long-term prospects have looked particularly shaky as of late, and GM could use a modern commercial van lineup to better compete with North America's suddenly modern and Euro-fied competition. Mercedes-Benz kicked off the high-roof trend with its Sprinter, and for 2014, Ford is following with its Transit van (joining its smaller Transit Connect sibling), while Chrysler is leveraging its relationship with Fiat to rebrand the Ducato range of vans as Ram Promaster models.
Peugeot already has a full line of commercial van solutions in its stable, from its compact Partner and Bipper models to the larger Expert and Boxer models, which are available in a variety of cargo and people-carrying configurations.

5 reasons why GM is cutting jobs, closing plants in a healthy economy

DETROIT — Even though unemployment is low, the economy is growing and U.S. auto sales are near historic highs, General Motors is cutting thousands of jobs in a major restructuring aimed at generating cash to spend on innovation. It's the new reality for automakers that are faced with the present cost of designing gas-powered cars and trucks that appeal to buyers now while at the same time preparing for a future world of electric and autonomous vehicles. GM announced Monday that it will cut as many as 14,000 workers in North America and put five plants up for possible closure as it abandons many of its car models and restructures to focus more on autonomous and electric vehicles. The reductions could amount to as much as 8 percent of GM's global workforce of 180,000 employees. The cuts mark GM's first major downsizing since shedding thousands of jobs in the Great Recession. The company also said it will stop operating two additional factories outside North America by the end of next year. The move to make GM get leaner before the next downturn likely will be followed by Ford Motor Co., which also has struggled to keep one foot in the present and another in an ambiguous future of new mobility. Ford has been slower to react, but says it will lay off an unspecified number of white-collar workers as it exits much of the car market in favor of trucks and SUVs, some of them powered by batteries. Here's a rundown of the reasons behind the cuts: Coding, not combustion CEO Mary Barra said as cars and trucks become more complex, GM will need more computer coders but fewer engineers who work on internal combustion engines. "The vehicle has become much more software-oriented" with millions of lines of code, she said. "We still need many technical resources in the company." Shedding sedans The restructuring also reflects changing North American auto markets as manufacturers continue to shift away from cars toward SUVs and trucks. In October, almost 65 percent of new vehicles sold in the U.S. were trucks or SUVs. That figure was about 50 percent cars just five years ago. GM is shedding cars largely because it doesn't make money on them, Citi analyst Itay Michaeli wrote in a note to investors. "We estimate sedans operate at a significant loss, hence the need for classic restructuring," he wrote. The reduction includes about 8,000 white-collar employees, or 15 percent of GM's North American white-collar workforce. Some will take buyouts while others will be laid off.

Truck Trend names GMC Sierra Denali 2016 PTOTY

Citing its best-in-class power, its amenities, and technology, Truck Trend magazine has named the GMC Sierra Denali its 2016 Pickup Truck of the Year. Seven "all-new or significantly revised pickup trucks" were invited to compete, and out of the seven tested categories the Sierra won interior, functionality, and "Empirical," and scored second in highway testing and exterior looks. It beat the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country and Colorado Z71 diesel, GMC Canyon SLT diesel, Nissan Titan XD Pro4X, Ram 1500 Rebel, and Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road. In the mag's 43rd annual Four-Wheeler of the Year award, the Range Rover SVR claimed the crown. The Sierra got refreshed this year with new front-end styling with HID headlamps and LED accents, tech features like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and wireless phone charging, and optional convenience features like a remote locking tailgate and power articulated assist steps. The big powertrain upgrade was availability of the 5.3- and 6.2-liter V8s with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This is the second time Truck Trend has conferred a PTOTY award, the Ford F-150 walking away with the silverware last year. The nod to the Sierra comes after sister publication Motor Trend named the 2016 Chevy Colorado with the Duramax diesel engine its Truck of the Year. The press release below has the details on how the accolade was won. GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Wins TRUCK TREND'S 2016 Pickup Truck of the Year AwardFirst-Class Amenities, 21st Century Technology, and Best-in-Class Power Lead GMC Sierra 1500 Denali to Best Field of SevenLOS ANGELES December 22, 2015—TRUCK TREND, the nation's premier light-truck authority, has selected the GMC Sierra 1500 Denali as the winner of its second annual Pickup Truck of the Year Award.TRUCK TREND's Pickup Truck of the Year award program is an invitation-only shootout that is only open to all-new or significantly revised pickup trucks for the upcoming model year. For 2016, the field of vehicles included seven entries from five companies and consisted of one variant from each company's eligible product line. This year's contenders included:- Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country- Chevrolet Colorado Z71- GMC Canyon SLT- GMC Sierra 1500 Denali- Nissan Titan XD Pro4X- Ram 1500 Rebel- Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-RoadTRUCK TREND's experts were immediately impressed with the Sierra Denali, which is focused on comfort, safety, and innovation.