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GM phasing out light-duty 1500-series vans

In the market for a fullsize van but don't need a heavy-duty model? You're in the minority, and you're also out of luck. That's because there are barely any more fullsize vans on the market with gross vehicle weight rating of less than 8,500 pounds, the threshold that separates light- and heavy-duty vans.
According to PickupTrucks.com, neither the Ford E-Series, Ram ProMaster, nor Mercedes-Benz Sprinter are available in light-duty versions. Few of the Ford Transit configurations are, either, and now General Motors is discontinuing production of the 1500-series Chevy Express and GMC Savana.
Apparently light-duty versions accounted for just 23 percent of Express sales and only 7 percent of Savanas. Add to that the fact that these 1500 versions were the only ones using the old generation of engines and suspension, and that the Wentzville plant near St. Louis, Missouri, is trying to make room for the next Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups, and the fate of the light-duty GM van was sealed.

NHTSA closes 4-year GM investigation, issues common sense advisory [w/video]

Since January 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been investigating a possible problem with corroding brake lines in General Motors' GMT800-platform models, like the Chevrolet Silverado and Suburban and GMC Sierra, in states with salt on their roads in the winter. However, as opposed to launching a full recall of millions of vehicles, the government is issuing a common-sense safety advisory to all drivers in snowy states to keep their vehicle's undercarriage clean. It even has a video explaining things. "Older-model vehicles, often driven in harsh conditions, are subject to corrosion over long periods of time, and we need owners to be vigilant about ensuring they, their passengers, and others on the roads are safe," said NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind in the announcement of the end of the investigation. The agency was clear in its report that "brake line corrosion seen in the GM vehicles was not unique," and the government "has not identified a defect that would initiate a recall order." Instead NHTSA is advising drivers, especially those of vehicles from before 2007, to wash their vehicle's undercarriage in the winter and spring to remove salt or other de-icing chemicals. It also recommends regular checks by a mechanic to make sure everything is in proper order. According to the investigation documents, for just the GMT800 platform models, NHTSA found 3,645 complaints of brake line corrosion, which included allegations of 107 crashes and 40 injuries. The issue was found to be more common in vehicles over 10 years old. GM has released a statement (embedded below) that the company "supports the consumer advisory from NHTSA urging regular maintenance and care of brake lines on older vehicles." NHTSA Closes Investigation into Brake-Line Failures NHTSA 13-15 Thursday, April 9, 2015 Agency issues safety advisory on preventing undercarriage corrosion WASHINGTON – The Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today issued a Safety Advisory and consumer video encouraging owners of model year 2007 and older trucks, SUVs and passenger cars to inspect brake lines and thoroughly wash the underside of their vehicles to remove corrosive salt after the long winter in order to prevent brake-line failures that increase the risk of a crash.

GMC SIerra Denali is ready to live the high life

Between the information for the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado High Country and the accidently leaked picture on GMC's consumer site, it didn't take much imagination to envision what the 2014 GMC Sierra Denali would be like. But here it is. Going on sale this fall, the 2014 Sierra Denali will continue to be the most luxurious pickup truck in the General Motors portfolio, while getting more power and technology than ever before.
Like previous models, the 2014 Sierra Denali stands out from lower Sierra models with a big cheese-grater chrome grille, 20-inch chrome wheels and body-color bumpers. Inside, the Denali gets plenty of leather with contrasting stitching, but this is where GMC really steps up from the Silverado High Country with real aluminum trim and a new customizable eight-inch driver display in the gauge cluster. Standard features will include heated and cooled front bucket seats, the Intellilink infotainment system with Bose audio, while the options list offers a Driver Alert Package (with forward collision alert and lane departure warning), a rear-seat entertainment system and a Z71 Off-Road Package.
As for power, the standard engine will be the 5.3-liter EcoTec3 V8 with its 355 horsepower, and the optional engine will be the new 6.2-liter V8. Although official power figures for the bigger engine aren't in yet, GM is finally putting some estimates on paper expecting around 420 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque to go with a 12,000-pound towing capacity. The new Sierra Denali will be available in either two- or four-wheel drive. Scroll down for more details listed in the official press release.