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GM to squeeze out more production capacity for midsize trucks

General Motors was predicting a strong showing for the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon before they debuted, and demand among dealers for the midsize trucks even exceeded company's expectations. The positive situation has left GM with a problem, though: finding ways to increase capacity for the pickups at the Wentzville Assembly plant in Missiouri. With a third shift already running, GM has continued to look for ways to build just a few more of the trucks at the plant. The company has plans to hire as many as 1,000 more workers for the Saturday and Sunday shifts to construct an additional 2,000 pickups a month, according to unnamed insiders at the factory speaking to Automotive News. The little adjustments even extend to getting rid of an unpaid break to add 18 minute of assembly time over the course of a day, which equals about 3,500 more vehicles a year. All of this effort comes because the trucks are in such high demand. According to GM's figures, the company has delivered a combined 35,720 units of the Colorado and Canyon from January through April 2015, and the Chevy was the fastest-selling truck in the US for the previous three months. In May, it spent an average of just 12 days in showrooms before being snapped up. And even better for the company, 43 percent of these buyers came from other brands. According to Automotive News, the most popular trade-ins have included the Ford F-150, Toyota Tacoma, and Dodge Dakota. Related Video:

Weekly Recap: Geneva's splendor reflects growing demand for ultra-luxury cars

Geneva is one of the most glittering auto shows in the world, but the list of high-powered and bespoke luxury cars was decadent this year even by the rich standards of the Swiss exhibition. It's great for enthusiasts to revel in the flame-throwing Aston Martin Vulcan, the racing-inspired elegance of the Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 concept and the insane performance of the Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce, but there's a reason for all of this opulence: the luxury market is big business. And it's growing. IHS Automotive forecasts that so-called ultra-premium sales will nearly triple this decade from 123,000 to 353,000 units around the world. The estimate includes brands like Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari and Rolls-Royce, but doesn't count BMW, Mercedes and Audi, which offer less expensive models in addition to their high-end flagships. Though IHS includes Porsche and its relatively large volume in the study, the ultra-premium segment is still set grow at about the same rate, even without the German automaker's figures. So what is propelling all of this growth in the most expensive segment of the auto industry? Put simply, there's more rich people. IHS Automotive principal analyst Tim Urquhart pointed to economic expansion in China, market recovery in the United States and a surge in the lucrative technology sector as contributing factors. This dovetails with a research report by UK-based Oxfam, an international relief organization, which found the world's richest one-percent owned 48 percent of global wealth in 2014, and it's expected to increase to more than 50 percent by 2016. View 17 Photos Carmakers are moving quickly to capitalize with new products, expanding their portfolios with low-volume speedsters like the 800-hp V12 Vulcan at Geneva, and plans to enter new segments, like Rolls-Royce's strategy to make an SUV. "Ultra-premium carmakers are looking to explore ways of growing their product offerings, and thus their bottom lines, in this most potentially profitable of segments," Urquhart wrote in a report on the Geneva show. In a nutshell, there are more choices for people with more money. It's a good time to have expensive taste. Other News & Notes 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata production launches It won't be long now. The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata arrives later this year, and it's officially in production. Mazda announced this week that the roadster began rolling off the assembly line at its Ujina factory in Hiroshima, Japan.

2018 GMC Sierra 2500HD All Mountain concept: Nothing stops it in its tracks

Winter may not be the best time for sports cars, but snow and ice can still provide a ton of fun in the right vehicle. The Porsche Macan GTS I had back in January was a riot in the snow, and it was wearing nothing more than a good set of winter tires. What you really need to conquer the frozen north is tracks. These replace wheels with the same sort of equipment that helps tanks and snowmobiles roll over damn near everything in their paths. That's what makes the 2018 GMC Sierra 2500HD All Mountain concept so awesome. That and the 910 pound-feet of torque from the 6.6-liter Duramax turbo diesel V8. The All Mountain concept is set to debut this week in Veil, Colorado, home to ski slopes, log cabins and nearly year-round snow pack. The truck is based off a standard GMC Sierra 2500HD. The turbo-diesel V8 makes 445 horsepower in addition to the mountain of torque. Power is sent to all four corners through an Allison 1000 six-speed automatic. The new treads come courtesy of Mattracks. The 150 Series tracks aren't cheap — well into five figures with installation — but they give you a nice 16-inch surface at each corner. Other changes and add-ons include graphics on the bodywork, a RIGID E-Series 30-inch light bar, LEDs on the wheel well and underbody, Thule snowboard racks, a roll-up tonneau cover and a new speaker system from Kicker. The truck will stay on display in Veil all winter, though a similar concept will be making its way to various auto shows, starting with Los Angeles next week. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery GMC Sierra All Mountain Concept: LA 2017 View 9 Photos Related Gallery 2018 GMC Sierra 2500HD All Mountain concept View 10 Photos News Source: GMCImage Credit: Live photos copyright 2017 Drew Phillips / Autoblog.com GMC Truck Off-Road Vehicles