Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[REPORT: GM's next-gen SUVs to be body-on-frame (otherwise they'd be crossovers)]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/24/report-gms-next-gen-suvs-to-be-body-on-frame-otherwise-theyd/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/24/report-gms-next-gen-suvs-to-be-body-on-frame-otherwise-theyd/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/24/report-gms-next-gen-suvs-to-be-body-on-frame-otherwise-theyd/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

2009 Cadillac Escalade Platinum - Click above for high-res image gallery

The GMT900 platform is by far the highest volume chassis General Motors has here in the States, as it underpins the Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe, Avalanche and Suburban, the Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV, and the GMC Sierra, Yukon and Yukon XL. We never had any doubt that GM would continue to build body-on-frame trucks in the future, but with demand for SUVs shrinking quickly, some thought the body-on-frame SUV would soon be a thing of the past. Maybe not.

Our friends over at Pickuptrucks.com are reporting that the next generation of the GMT platform will be produced by Magna International's Cosma in Canada and Mexico - and that new platform will underpin the next-generation of GM SUVs along with the GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado. Pickuptrucks quotes Magna spokesperson Scott Worden as confirming that the next generation of GM's large SUVs will come with the body-on-frame architecture. This sort of chassis tends to add weight versus a unibody platform, but it also adds capability for towing and payload at lower cost.

We're not really all the surprised that GM will continue to build BOF SUVs, especially when considering that the General sold a combined 200,000 copies of the Suburban, Yukon, Tahoe and Escalade last month alone. And last we checked, these are still relatively expensive vehicles that bring in quite a bit of desperately needed profit. And if customers are interested in a family hauler with better interior packaging and fuel economy, we're sure GM dealers will be happy to get them into a Buick Enclave, Chevy Traverse or GMC Acadia.


Gallery: 2009 Cadillac Escalade Platinum


[Source: Pickuptrucks]

REPORT: GM's next-gen SUVs to be body-on-frame (otherwise they'd be crossovers) originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>body on frame suvBodyOnFrameSuvcadillac escaladeCadillacEscaladechevy suburbanchevy tahoeChevySuburbanChevyTahoegmt 900Gmt900suvtahoeTue, 24 Nov 2009 11:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Review: 2009 Chevy Tahoe LTZ 6.2L 4x4]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/05/in-the-autoblog-garage-2009-chevy-tahoe-ltz-6-2l-4x4/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/05/in-the-autoblog-garage-2009-chevy-tahoe-ltz-6-2l-4x4/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/05/in-the-autoblog-garage-2009-chevy-tahoe-ltz-6-2l-4x4/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


2009 Chevy Tahoe LTZ 6.2L 4x4 - Click above for high-res image gallery

For a long time, gas prices in the United States were literally cheaper than dirt. Seriousl - check out the price of a bag of top soil at your local home improvement store. With such low fuel prices, the cost of operating a motor vehicle was really not much of an issue for most Americans. As a result, the only cost that concerned Americans when buying a vehicle was the monthly payment. People bought what ever they could afford on a monthly basis, not at the pump.

The result was the rise of the personal use truck, and in particular, the sport utility vehicle. It started slowly in the 1980s with the Jeep Cherokee and really picked up steam with the launch of the Ford Explorer. As the Nineties wore on, people moved into even bigger full-size SUVs and the Chevy Tahoe was among the most successful up until the last few years. That's when sales hit a brick wall as gas prices finally started to climb.

We recently got to spend some quality time with a 2009 Chevy Tahoe LTZ and its big 6.2-lliter V8. Follow the jump to see if this behemoth still has what it takes to charm consumers now that gas prices have ebbed.


Gallery: Review: 2009 Chevy Tahoe LTZ 6.2L 4x4


Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Review: 2009 Chevy Tahoe LTZ 6.2L 4x4

Review: 2009 Chevy Tahoe LTZ 6.2L 4x4 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2009 chevrolet tahoe2009 chevy tahoe2009ChevroletTahoe2009ChevyTahoechevroletchevrolet tahoeChevroletTahoechevychevy tahoechevy tahoe ltzChevyTahoeChevyTahoeLtzfeaturedgaragein the autoblog garageInTheAutoblogGarageNewCarReviewreviewreviewstahoeThu, 05 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade not being replaced]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/27/tahoe-yukon-and-escalade-not-being-replaced/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/27/tahoe-yukon-and-escalade-not-being-replaced/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/27/tahoe-yukon-and-escalade-not-being-replaced/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



The full-size SUV's future is on shaky legs and now, reports have surfaced that General Motors has killed the next generation Tahoe and Yukon 'utes, just weeks after announcing it would shutter its SUV plant in Janesville, Wisconsin. Of course, if that pair is buried, the Suburban and the Cadillac Escalade that use the same platform must also come to an end, at least in their current form.

Past reports indicate that the ultra-lux ride from Caddy will move to the Lambda platform for its next generation. The Tahukon pair had been slated for a redesign in 2011, and since that's reportedly not going to happen, the duo's future is definitely in question. GM will probably keep churning out the current version until it's no longer profitable to do so.

These days, any story about the General would be incomplete without some mention of Chrysler, and this one's no different. America's number three automaker just announced just last week that it would be phasing out its full-sized 'utes as well. Therefore, any possible merger of the two companies would carry on without a new large SUV platform at all. How the times have changed.

[Source: The New York Times via Inside Line]

Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade not being replaced originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cadillac escaladeCadillacEscaladechevy suburbanchevy tahoeChevySuburbanChevyTahoeescaladegmc yukonGmcYukongmt900suburbantahoeyukonMon, 27 Oct 2008 18:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Cost of owning a car crests $1/mile on some models]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/08/cost-of-owning-a-car-crests-1-mile-on-some-models/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/08/cost-of-owning-a-car-crests-1-mile-on-some-models/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/08/cost-of-owning-a-car-crests-1-mile-on-some-models/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

We've all seen the ads in the newspaper or in commercials that say you can get a new car with zero money down and only $299 per month. Quick math tells you that even after taxes and destination, you're only paying about $4,400 the first year to own a brand new car. A recent study by consulting firm Runzheimer International shows that a new car will cost you considerably more in overall operating costs. At 15,000 miles per year, the cost of insurance, gasoline, fees, depreciation, and maintenance can drive the overall cost near $20,000 per year.

The 2008 Cadillac STS was tops in this year's test, costing buyers $19,537. The Lexus LS460 was close behind at $19,372. Big vehicles cost quite a bit also, with Ford's E-350 XL SuperDuty tallying a $16,543 bill followed by the Chevy Tahoe LS 4x4 at $15,789. There were some relatively low cost vehicles as well, with the first year costs of a Toyota Corolla CE coming in lowest in the test at $7,933 and a Ford Ranger XL pickup that hits $9,929. If these numbers seem high, it's because the highest liability in a new car balance sheet is depreciation, and new cars can lose thousands the day they're driven off the lot. Every mile on the odometer brings the resale value lower, and if your new car carried lots of incentives or it's a rental car favorite, its residual plummets even further.

[Source: The Car Connection]

Cost of owning a car crests $1/mile on some models originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 08 Dec 2007 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Cadillac STSCadillacStsChevy TahoeChevyTahoeLexus LS460LexusLs460new car buyingNewCarBuyingResidual valueResidualValueToyota CorollaToyotaCorollaSat, 08 Dec 2007 09:27:00 EST<![CDATA[SEMA honors four vehicles as most accessory friendly]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/01/sema-honors-four-vehicles-as-most-accessory-friendly/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/01/sema-honors-four-vehicles-as-most-accessory-friendly/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/01/sema-honors-four-vehicles-as-most-accessory-friendly/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,



Because so much of what SEMA is about concerns the aftermarket, each year the organization honors the most accessory-friendly vehicles with an award. This isn't to say that these are the best vehicles on the market, but rather that each represents a car or truck where the manufacturer has worked with the aftermarket and SEMA to help make accessories more readily available from the time the vehicle is launched. They also show how these manufacturers are thinking ahead and planning for customization during the design process to make modifying the car easier after it's launched. There are four classes thus rewarded: Car, Truck, and SUV. The categories have grown this year to include hybrids as a separate group. For 2007, the awards went to the Nissan Titan in the Truck category, the Cadillac CTS won in the Car category and the Hummer H2 won in the SUV category. The Hybrid award went to the Chevy Tahoe. Perhaps the ONLY design award some of these vehicles will ever win.

[Source: SEMA]

Continue reading SEMA honors four vehicles as most accessory friendly

SEMA honors four vehicles as most accessory friendly originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Nov 2007 04:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Cadillac CTSCadillacCtsChevrolet TahoeChevroletTahoeChevy TahoeChevyTahoeHummer H2HummerH2Nissan TitanNissanTitanSEMAThu, 01 Nov 2007 04:03:00 EST<![CDATA[General Motors stars on "The Apprentice" again]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/15/general-motors-stars-on-the-apprentice-again/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/15/general-motors-stars-on-the-apprentice-again/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/15/general-motors-stars-on-the-apprentice-again/#commentsFiled under:


On Monday's "The Apprentice," contestants were charged with developing the "most entertaining training event" for Chevy dealers. Having been to a dealer training or two, we know they're interesting enough what with numerous demonstrations of the various features and options, deep dives into the psyches of potential buyers and thorough reviews of the competition.

On Monday's episode, however, Chevrolet General Director of Advertising & Promotions Kim Kosak and Chevrolet Vehicle Line Executive Gary White met with the two teams of potential Trump lackies to prep them before they created a three-hour training session for Chevy marketing gurus and dealers focusing on the 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe. Golf, models, a comedian, an open bar and a general lack of knowledge about the Tahoe all drove team Gold Rush over the proverbial cliff, while Synergy's knowledge of the truck and outdoorsy activities (fly fishing, anyone?) around which the training was planned struck gold with dealers.

Armchair apprentices can play too by visiting chevyapprentice.com.

General Motors stars on "The Apprentice" again originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Mar 2006 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ChevyChevy TahoeChevyTahoeDonald TrumpDonaldTrumpSUVsTahoeThe ApprenticeTheApprenticeWed, 15 Mar 2006 18:00:00 EST