Autoblog

GM Lambda crossovers are the most American Made according to new index

Jeffrey N. Ross — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Crossover, Buick, Chevrolet, GM, GMC

There are plenty of reasons to appreciate the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia, but it seems that these crossovers have what it takes to wear the title of America's most American vehicle. And who better to determine this than Washington, DC-based American University? Frank DuBois, an associate professor at this university's Kogod School of Business, has come up with a new model for determining which cars have the highest content of US-sourced labor and parts, and he named the General Motors Lambda-platform triplets as the most "American made."

Digging a little deeper than Cars.com did in naming the Toyota Camry at the top of its American-Made Index last year, the Kogod list factors in profit margin (where the automaker is headquartered), research and development, and information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration American Automobile Labeling Act (AALA). Each vehicle was given a percentage score based on seven criteria, and the Traverse, Enclave and Acadia had the top Index Score of 88.5 out of 100.

Unlike the Cars.com top 10 list that had five "import" cars, the university's top 10 (which actually consists of 34 vehicles) only has one, the tenth-place Toyota Avalon. Oddly enough, the six-way tie for tenth place also included the Buick Regal, which was given a full score for research and development despite being derived from a European-designed Opel. Head on over to the Kogod website to see the full list of vehicles on the American Auto Index, and let us know what you think in the comments below.

GM Lambda crossovers are the most American Made according to new index originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Apr 2013 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

GM wipes out with recall of 50,000 Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave crossovers

Zach Bowman — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:15:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Buick, Chevrolet, GMC

General Motors has announced a recall of certain 2011 and 2012 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia models for wipers that may fail under heavy snow. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, snow or ice buildup may restrict the wiper movement, which may in turn lead to the wiper arm loosening from the vehicle. The ensuing reduced visibility could increase the risk of an accident. The recall only covers models currently registered in heavy snow states - about 50,000 units - including Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware and Idaho, among others. The full list may be found in the recall report after the jump.

GM is expected to begin notifying owners on Monday, April 16, and dealers will address the issue free of charge. In what sounds like one of the simpler and quicker recall fixes we can remember, dealer technicians will tighten the wiper arm nuts to prevent the wiper arms from becoming inoperable. Click past the jump for the full recall notice.

Continue reading GM wipes out with recall of 50,000 Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave crossovers

GM wipes out with recall of 50,000 Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave crossovers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rumormill: GMC Acadia's future uncertain

Zach Bowman — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, GM, GMC, Rumormill

2011 GMC Acadia Denali - Click above for high-res image gallery

Word on the web is that the GMC Acadia is back on the chopping block. You may recall that the big crossover found itself in dire straits once before when the entire GMC brand underwent a strategic review during the General Motors bankruptcy proceedings. After that brush with death, the decisionmakers at the company decided to give the entire brand - and by association, the Acadia - a stay of execution. Now a new report suggests that the next-generation Acadia may be scrapped to reduce product overlap within the GM dealer network.

General Motors currently produces three Lambda-based crossovers - the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave and the GMC Acadia - and the company says that it wants to keep overlap to a minimum for its Buick-GMC dealers. The next-generation Lambdas are expected in 2014 as 2015 models, but even if the Acadia gets axed, it's likely that GM will still keep a trio of models based off of the three-row platform, only with Cadillac getting the third model instead of GMC. Thanks for the tip, Ed!

Gallery: 2011 GMC Acadia Denali

[Source: GMInsideNews]

Rumormill: GMC Acadia's future uncertain originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

NHTSA releases second batch of crash test ratings under new system

Jeff Glucker — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, BMW, Buick, Chevrolet, GM, GMC, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota

For the 2011 model year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has implemented tougher crash testing procedures that make it more difficult for vehicles to receive a five-star rating. The new test is known as the NCAP, or New Car Assessment Program, and the first batch of cars were evaluated earlier in the year. Ten more vehicles have been subjected to the NCAP, and the results are promising... for most.

General Motors received high marks for its Lambda triplets - the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia - with all three netting five-star ratings. Not all GM products received a gold star, however - the aging Buick Lucerne only received a three-star rating under the new test procedures. Honda's Accord sedan also received a five-star rating, however its main competitor, the Toyota Camry, didn't fare so well. Both the gasoline- and hybrid-powered Camrys only received three stars.

During the first batch of testing the average score was four stars, so the five-star ratings here are good news for GM. Previously, only the Hyundai Sonata (after being revised and retested) and BMW 5 Series received the coveted five-star rating.

The National Highway Safety Traffic Administration plans to test 55 cars in total before the year is over, and the full results of the latest testing can be viewed at SaferCar.gov.

[Source: SaferCar.gov via The Detroit News]

NHTSA releases second batch of crash test ratings under new system originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

GMC Acadia Denali headed to dealers, priced from $43,220*

Steven J. Ewing — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:31:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Crossover, GM, GMC

2011 GMC Acadia Denali - Click above for high-res image gallery

We first saw General Motors' Denali-fied 2011 GMC Acadia at this year's Detroit Auto Show, and now the luxurious Lambda will be hitting dealerships in the coming weeks, priced from $43,220 (*excluding $775 in destination charges). Aside from the questionable styling tweaks, the top-trim Acadia gets a host of interior upgrades akin to the usual Denali touches found in the Yukon and Sierra.

The Denali's added kit includes things like 20-inch two-tone chrome wheels, HID headlamps, chrome interior accents, heated and cooled front seats and a head-up display. Not everyone will go for the model's front fascia tweaks or blingy alloys, but these extra amenities ought to make the Acadia a more attractive cross-shop option against its fellow controversial-looking rival, the Lincoln MKT. Follow the jump for the full details in the press release, and if you want to spec out one of your own, GMC's configurator is already online.

Gallery: 2011 GMC Acadia Denali

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading GMC Acadia Denali headed to dealers, priced from $43,220*

GMC Acadia Denali headed to dealers, priced from $43,220* originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

GM nixing summer shutdown, hiring thousands of temps to meet demand

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:26:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, GM

The Detroit auto industry's annual summer shutdown is a tradition that goes back many decades, but this year, General Motors is taking a pass. It comes from a time when the new model year started in September for every car and they all debuted simultaneously, usually in dealer showrooms. The shutdown was the two week period in the summer during which all the plants installed updated tooling for the new models.

In more recent times, the practice has persisted as a time to do maintenance and other work that might interfere with production - even if it hasn't coincided with the launch of a new model. This year, however, GM's inventories on many models are running so low that nine of the automaker's 11 assembly plants will keep producing vehicles during the designated shutdown period. Among the plants that will stay open are the Detroit-Hamtramck plant that builds the Cadillac DTS, the Delta Township plant builds the Lambda crossovers and the Chevrolet Corvette plant in Bowling Green, KY. Full press release after the jump.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading GM nixing summer shutdown, hiring thousands of temps to meet demand

GM nixing summer shutdown, hiring thousands of temps to meet demand originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Report: Cadillac to get seven-seat Lambda variant

Zach Bowman — Thu, 27 May 2010 11:31:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Rumormill, Luxury

Brace yourself, Cadillac fans. Word has just come down the pike that The Crest will "absolutely" be getting a new model based on none other than the Lambda architecture. That means that a variant of the Chevrolet Traverse will be sold under all four of The General's brands. So far, drivetrain options are still up in the air and vague at best, but we'd be willing to bet our lucky penny that both front- and all-wheel drive models will be available. Chances are that power will come from the same 3.6-liter V6 found under the hood of every other Lambda out there, too.

It's hard not to approach this with a cynical eye. Right after the company's 2009 bankruptcy blitzkrieg, GM promised the world that it was through with badge engineering for good. Swapping nameplates and fenders had done much to lead the company to the brink of collapse, and the waves of fresh new models hitting our shores had us thinking that maybe the company had turned over a new leaf.

By all accounts, the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave are selling well, so is this a case of Detroit getting greedy or is the company simply trying to spread development costs as thin as possible? Either way, it will take something really special to convince us that this is a smart move.

[Source: InsideLine]

Report: Cadillac to get seven-seat Lambda variant originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 May 2010 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Detroit 2010: GMC Acadia Denali piles on the frosting

Chris Paukert — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:59:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Crossover, GM, GMC

2011 GMC Acadia Denali - Click above for high-res image gallery

Nearly lost in the hubbub at this morning's GMC-Buick press conference here at the Detroit Auto Show was GMC's new-for-2011 Acadia Denali. This is the first time that GMC has extended its upscale Denali trim to a crossover, but they haven't changed the formula just because the designation is no longer exclusive to body-on-frame. As ever, Denali equates to a modestly swankier interior (mahogany trim, perforated leather heated and cooled seats, additional ambient lighting), along with seemingly every other option, including sat-nav, Bluetooth, three-zone automatic HVAC, heads-up display and the obligatory gigantic sunroof.

On the outside, trainspotters will be able to spot the Denali by its monotone paint (Summer White as seen here, Quicksilver Metallic, Carbon Black, Red Jewel Tintcoat or White Diamond Tricoat), honeychrome grille (yeah, we said honeychrome), along with model-specific fascias and polished six-spoke 20-inch wheels.

Subtle it isn't, but if it's your thing, keep an eye out for it in GMC showrooms beginning in the third quarter of this year.

Gallery: GMC Acadia Denali

Gallery: 2011 GMC Acadia Denali

Live Photos by Chris Paukert / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: GMC]

Detroit 2010: GMC Acadia Denali piles on the frosting originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

GMC reveals gussied-up Acadia Denali for 2011

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Etc., Crossover, GMC, Luxury, Off-Road

2011 GMC Acadia Denali - Click above for high-res image gallery

A little ahead of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit next month, GMC has revealed its new 2011 GMC Acadia Denali. Although the Denali tag has been used across the GMC lineup to signify their top-of-the-range trim level, this is the first crossover from the brand to get the tag. We first heard about this Acadia Denali on Twitter, thanks to loose-lipped Buick GMC Communications Group Manager Dayna Hart. From where we sit, the Denali makeover makes perfect sense for the Acadia, as it should help retain those affluent customers who are ditching SUVs in favor of CUVs.

The 2011 Acadia Denali will hit showroom floors late next year and will be available in both front- and all-wheel drive in seven- or eight-passenger form. The package will include a brace of signature Denali design cues: monotone paint, honeycomb grille, unique front and rear fascias, along with HID headlamps, chrome accents and exhaust tips, and the usual badges. The Acadia Denali will also get special six-spoke 20-inch wheels like the polished jobbies seen above. The model will be available in Quicksilver Metallic, Summit White, Carbon Black, Red Jewel Tintcoat or White Diamond Tricoat.

Inside the Acadia Denali, you'll find all of GMC's top-level bells and whistles: Premium audio systems with XM, perforated leather, heated and cooled seats, mahogany accents, a heads-up display, the Dual SkyScape sunroof system, plus tri-zone automatic climate control, satellite navigation, Bluetooth, OnStar, rear-seat DVD, a rearview camera and even remote starting (in case you find yourself living near either Denali or Acadia!). No pricing has been announced, yet but hopefully we'll get more details at the Detroit Auto Show next month. For now, there's a full press release after the jump and a small gallery of high-res pics in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2011 GMC Acadia Denali

[Source: GMC]

Continue reading GMC reveals gussied-up Acadia Denali for 2011

GMC reveals gussied-up Acadia Denali for 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Fido Approved: America's top ten pet-safe vehicles

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:41:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety

America's Top 10 Pet Safe vehicles - Click above for high-res image gallery

Most people don't pay it any mind, but car accidents and pets don't mix. Just like with humans, wrapping your car around a telephone pole can kill Fido dead. Or really injure the cute little guy. To draw attention to this issue, a website called Bark Buckle Up has teamed up with Edmunds.com to bring us their Top 10 Pet Safe Vehicles.

As Bark Buckle Up points out, "If you have an accident at 35 mph while toting your 60-pound unrestrained dog, your pet is capable of causing an impact of up to 2,700 pounds, slamming into the seat, the windshield, or even a passenger." Ouch. Now of course, if you have an eight pound pooch, that's only a 360 pound impact. We say "only" to illustrate how violent car crashes can be. And just imagine if you had a really big dog, like a Dogo Argentino. Assuming you got a big 160-pound satin-white boar hunter, the impact would be near the four ton range.

What do the following ten vehicles do to address pets flying through the windshield in a crash? Very little, and we don't want to get into the delusion that CUVs are somehow safer than cars. But they all offer nice amenities for pets -- stuff like room to stretch out, tri-zone climate control, fold flat rear seats, side impact airbags and rear back up cameras. As for an accident, you might want to invest in a doggy seat belt. Says Bark Buckle Up founder Christina Selter, "In the event of a sudden stop or accident, the animal can injure other passengers or be thrown through the windshield, then hinder the efforts of rescue workers or even cause another accident by escaping into the street." All ten vehicles are listed out in alphabetical order, so check 'em out in our gallery below.

Gallery: Top 10 Pet Safe Vehicles

[Source: Bark Buckle Up]

Fido Approved: America's top ten pet-safe vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Lambdas get IIHS Top Pick rating

Dan Roth — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:58:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Crossover, Buick, Chevrolet, GMC, Saturn

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety took some GMC Acadias and smashed them up to see how the big crossovers hold up against immovable objects, and unlike recent tests conducted for the Chevy Equinox and Pontiac Torrent, the news is positive. An AWD Acadia SLE acted as a stand-in for all of the Lambda models - Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, Saturn Outlook, and all Acadia trims included. It didn't matter whether the IIHS attacked the front, side, or rear - the CUV earned a "good" rating in all directions. With the standard fitment of Stabilitrak, the IIHS also bestowed a Top Safety Pick crown on GM's big haulers. The Lambas now have both a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick designator about which to brag.

[Source: Inside Line]

Lambdas get IIHS Top Pick rating originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

GMC cutting next-gen Acadia and Lambda-based SUT?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:59:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Chevrolet, GMC, Rumormill

General Motor's "commercial grade" truck unit may be losing two of its planned products, leaving some to contemplate the future of the nameplate in general. It's too early to consider GMC dead, but with the apparent cancellation of the next-generation Acadia CUV as well as the planned unibody truck inspired by the Denali XT Concept, GMC dealers are likely left wondering what, beyond the new GMC Terrain, they are supposed to be selling in the next few years. We're not all that sad to see the Acadia go as the Chevy Traverse is a better looking overall package and it makes more sense to offer the CUV as a Chevrolet anyway. What's more, with most GMC dealers also offering Buick vehicles, they'll still have the Enclave to offer potential customers.

Current rumors also predict an end to the Saturn Outlook, the slowest seller of the original Lambda-based trio, which would leave the Enclave and the Traverse as the two remaining GM crossovers. There still seems to be a good chance that Chevrolet will get an SUT based off the platform as well, so nothing too important seems to have been lost with this decision.

[Source: GM Inside News]

GMC cutting next-gen Acadia and Lambda-based SUT? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

GM laying off 1,000 workers at Lansing crossover plant

Chris Shunk — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Crossover, Buick, GMC, Saturn, UAW/Unions

GM's Lambda crossover vehicles are selling well, yet the company has decided to cut one of three shifts at its Lansing plant where the vehicles are produced. The move will cut 1,000 jobs by the end of the year, of which 497 were temporary anyway. The remaining 510 low-seniority workers will either be sent to another plant, or they will enter the jobs bank. The Buick Enclave, Saturn Outlook, and GMC Acadia have sold at an average of 13,000 units per month for the past few months, and the Enclave has been sitting on dealer lots just a bit less than a month before selling. The Detroit News quoted GM spokesman Tom Wickham as saying that demand is not slacking, and that the third shift was viewed as a temporary measure to meet initial demand for three vehicles.

[Source: Detroit News]

GM laying off 1,000 workers at Lansing crossover plant originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Lutz lets a bit of Edmunds survey slip, GM takes 13 first place picks

Chris Tutor — Fri, 04 May 2007 09:24:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying

Sometimes news is just too good to keep to yourself. Just ask GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz. With his company supposedly claiming 13 spots on Edmund's Consumers' Most Wanted list, Lutz just had to brag a bit on the corporate blog before the winners were made public.

And he should brag. Most other car of the year awards are chosen by us automotive writers who usually prefer horsepower over hip room. As the name implies, Edmund's CMW awards are chosen by the car-buying public. And despite not voting with their wallets, the car-buying public who visits Edmund's really like their GMs.

The GMC Acadia got Most Significant vehicle of the year, beating out Honda's Fit, the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the Ford Edge and the Toyota Tundra.

Click through to see Edmund's press release as well as the other category winners.

[Source: Edmunds, GM FastLane Blog]

Continue reading Lutz lets a bit of Edmunds survey slip, GM takes 13 first place picks

Lutz lets a bit of Edmunds survey slip, GM takes 13 first place picks originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 May 2007 09:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

AutoWeek drives the 2008 Buick Enclave first

Frank Filipponio — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 13:33:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Buick

click above image for more high-res pics of the 2008 Buick Enclave

Thinking outside the box a bit, AutoWeek figured that if a customer can drive down to his or her local Buick dealer and purchase a new 2008 Buick Enclave, there's no good reason to wait until GM's embargo on ride evaluations lifts at the end of May before having a go at one themselves. So they visited a local dealer, test drove one and reported the findings for those of us interested in learning about this highly anticipated new Buick ASAP. There was a bit of backlash the last time AutoWeek did this when they reviewed the 2007 Chevy Silverado well ahead of its embargo lifting, but we'll have to wait and see if anyone, including GM, cares much this time. Embargo breaking seems to be the norm these days and the rules are ever-changing. So what did they think of the Enclave?

Follow the jump for the rest of the summary, and make sure you click through the read link for the full write-up.

[Source: AutoWeek]

Gallery: 2008 Buick Enclave

Continue reading AutoWeek drives the 2008 Buick Enclave first

AutoWeek drives the 2008 Buick Enclave first originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Apr 2007 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

GM recalls Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia for faulty airbag sensors

John Neff — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 18:02:00 EST

Filed under: Recalls, Crossover, GM, GMC, Saturn

The KickingTires blog at Cars.com is reporting GM has recalled its new 2007 Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia full-size CUVs for potentially faulty airbag sensors. The problem is reportedly software related, meaning it can be fixed with a trip to the dealer and a quick patch, but every single unit sold since they went on sale in December is affected by the recall. Letters went out yesterday to owners of the Saturn Outlook and will be sent on February 28th for GMC Acadia owners.

This is not a recall mandated by the NHTSA, but rather one initiated by GM itself after the problem was discovered internally. The potentialy faulty sensor in question controls the front airbags' deployment. While this potentially faulty sensor in the Outlook and Acadia could cause injury, GM apparently caught it quickly and the fix should be cheap, easy and fast for them to apply to every vehicle affected by the recall.

[Source: KickingTires.com]

GM recalls Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia for faulty airbag sensors originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Feb 2007 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Chicago Auto Show: MotorWeek Drivers Choice Awards

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Chevrolet, GMC, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jaguar, Kia, Lexus, Porsche, Saturn, Toyota

We must admit that we were a bit surprised that MotorWeek's award for "Best Car of the Year" went to the Honda Fit. But, we suppose that it, uh, fits. We know, that was way too easy - feel free to mock us in the comments, we can take it. Here is the complete list of winners:

Best of the Year: Honda Fit
Best Small Car: wait for it... Honda Fit
Best Family Sedan: Saturn Aura
Best Minivan: Hyundai Entourage/Kia Sedona
Best Convertible: Volkswagen Eos
Best Luxury Sedan: Lexus LS
Best Sports Sedan: Infiniti G35
Best Performance Car: Ford Shelby GT500
Best Small Utility: Honda CR-V
Best Large Utility: Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon
Best Crossover Utility: GMC Acadia/Saturn Outlook
Best Pickup Truck: Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra
Best Eco-Friendly: Toyota Motor Corporation
Best Dream Machine: Jaguar XKR, Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, Porsche 911 Turbo

We can't say that we agree with many of these choices, but we didn't choose them, MotorWeek's editors did. We just typed them for your benefit, 'cause we're cool like that.

Chicago Auto Show: MotorWeek Drivers Choice Awards originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Feb 2007 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Bad motor mount halts sale of Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia

Frank Filipponio — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 12:27:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, GM

While we applaud carmakers that can streamline the design and production process to bring new vehicles to market quicker, we don't like thinking that they're skimping on the important stuff in the process. First Ford made all kinds of hoopla over their interesting and capable Edge (and it's Lincoln doppelganger, the MKX) only to have it delayed by production line "hiccups." That model is seen as being so important to Ford's future that we lauded the company for taking its time to fix the problems before it released the product. Fortunately production resumed relatively quickly and the CUVs have been leaving the plant at a healthy clip.

Now we learn that GM is going through a similar "hiccup" with their new crossovers, the Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia. Unfortunately, this problem has presented itself after some of the vehicles have already been delivered to dealers, who have been instructed to hold the CUVs on lots until a fix can be applied.

The problem has been traced to a situation where water freezes atop one of the engine mounts, which can result in NVH issues. With only around 550 of the crossovers in dealer lots dealerships, it's not a huge problem; but it's these little things that can weigh heavily on consumers' minds. Drilling a few drainage holes will alleviate the water pooling and take care of the problem. The fix can be made right at the dealer according to the report. Sales should resume in a matter of days.

[Source: Automotive News, sub req]

Bad motor mount halts sale of Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Dec 2006 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

GMC Acadia will get Denali treatment plus V8

Scott Davis — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Crossover, Buick, GM, GMC

After a day behind the wheel of the new GMC Acadia crossover SUV, the folks at Popular Mechanics report some new information that snuck out in a conversation with a particularly chatty GM staffer.

He revealed that the Acadia will get the Denali treatment and, along with the usual trim level upgrades, a V8. The more interesting news is that the V8 under the hood of the Acadia Denali, and most assuredly the Buick Enclave as well, will be from an entirely new engine family being developed for transverse applications.

He stopped short of giving up specs, but the 3.6-liter V6 as tuned for use in the new crossovers makes 275 horsepower, so figure 300+ for sure. Hey General, how about 400?

Thanks to Ben at Popular Mechanics for the heads-up!

[Source: Ben Stewart / Popular Mechanics]

GMC Acadia will get Denali treatment plus V8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Dec 2006 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

What's in a name? GM wrestles with crossover designation

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 16:02:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, SUV, Wagon, Crossover, GM

GM is apparently just as confused as the rest of us when it comes to naming that crossover/CUV/sport wagon/tall-wagon-thingy sitting in the driveway. In general, a crossover is a unibody vehicle that looks like an SUV, but handles and gets fuel mileage more like a car. SUVs are body-on-frame vehicles, generally built on a truck platform. The differences are sometimes minute, but that is only part of the problem. The bigger problem here is what to call this segment as a whole.

In the early days of SUVs, some people called all of them Jeeps. They were trucks for passenger vehicle duty, exemplified by the Jeep Cherokee. As more manufacturers started offering them, a slew of nicknames popped up to represent the segment, but SUV ended up being the one that stuck. Despite the fact that "sport" more often refers to what you can do with the stuff you are hauling, rather than how the thing drives.

So now we are faced with a similar dilemma in the emerging crossover category. GM ad execs are trying to figure out the best way to pitch their new entries in the field. GM has three new crossovers (the Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave) coming out at the end of the year that they are not sure how to label. "We changed the SRX advertising for Cadillac earlier this summer to call it a crossover," Mike Jackson, GM North America's vice president of marketing and advertising, said in an interview with Automotive News.

Read on for more after the jump...

[Source: Autoweek]

Continue reading What's in a name? GM wrestles with crossover designation

What's in a name? GM wrestles with crossover designation originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Oct 2006 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments