Autoblog

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]

Toyota's not having an easy time with the Tundra so far. It's been criticized for lacking a fully-boxed frame, the internet is alight with Tundra-hate, and now along comes the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Both Regular and Double Cab variants of Toyota's intended domestic-fighter were crashed by the agency, and both only managed four stars.

While a four star crash test rating isn't horrible, the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado / GMC Sierra and Dodge Ram all have the strength to ring the 5-star bell and win the stuffed bunny. The likelihood of injuries in a Tundra could be up to 10-percent greater than the domestic brands because of its one-star deficit. The difference could also be as small as one-percent, however, so this news may not be as significant as it sounds at first blush. All we can really say with certainty is that the Tundra performs worse when crashed into a concrete barrier at 35mph than its competition.

No doubt the Tundra's performance in this test will again focus scrutiny on the truck's frame, which is not fully boxed like its competition. According to Mike Levine from Pickuptruck.com, the Tundra's frame is split into three parts and the front piece actually is boxed. However, the frame under the cab and bed are C-channel, and they are also affected by a frontal crash. As Levine told us, the rest of the Tundra's competition now has some ammo to aim back at the Tundra in their marketing efforts.

We expect that acceptance of the brawny fullsizer from Toyota will take a little while, and it may not come until the current generation Tundra is dead and buried, but when Toyota wants something, they don't mess around. They were up front in expecting the Tundra to receive five stars and a Best Pick from the IIHS, so don't expect this 4-star rating to last long.

[Source: Pickuptruck.com]

Last evening, a source privy to the talks between Chrysler and GM, revealed to the New York Times that the General may be sharing its GMT900 SUV platform with the American half of the German-American hybrid.

Since Chrysler doesn't have a large SUV in its line-up (the Durango doesn't make the cut), the rumored platform sharing could make a bit of sense – for Chrysler. As for General Motors, the automaker's turnaround plan is in full effect and the only upside we can see is that a little extra cash in the coffers certainly wouldn't do any harm, as long as it doesn't cut into their highly-profitable SUVs.

Talks between the two automakers have supposedly gone on for about six months, which leads us to believe that some partnership between the two automakers is forthcoming. Naturally, when the NYT contacted a spokesperson for Chrysler about the leak, the response was "no comment."

Ready, set, speculate...

[Source: New York Times via Jalopnik]

GM expects to turn a profit for Q4 2006 and is again restating its earnings for 2002-2006. It seemed just only yesterday when every analyst and armchair CEO had dire of predictions for GM. CEO Rick Wagoner's head was called for and bankruptcy pools were going around the offices. Things picked up in 2006 with the introduction of the GMT900 SUVs and pickups, and it looks like the corner may about to be dramatically turned with new product like Malibu, Enclave, Astra and CTS on the way. The news of the General turning a quarterly profit isn't all that surprising, but what's crazy is the latest earnings restatement.

If it seems like it's been happening a lot, well, it's because it has. Seven out of the last eight quarters have been accompanied by earnings restatements, which casts doubt upon any of GM's earnings statements, good or bad. One day we may wake up and hear that 2005 really was just a bad dream for GM and that they actually turned a profit. We kid. GM's now looking to share earnings results the week of February 5th.

[Source: Detroit News]

With the sales of the new GMT900 platform SUV's still strong, GM is looking ahead to assure that future inventory doesn't overrun demand as it has in the recent past. The company announced today that it will be reducing production in three plants that produce the GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalade, and Chevrolet Tahoe from 56.5 vehicles per hour to a nice even 50. The plants will remain closed for the first half of January, extending the normal 1-week holiday shutdown to three, and then resume production at the reduced rate.

GM expects some staffing adjustments to occur, but has not yet determined how the slow down will affect employees at each assembly plant, which are located in Janesville, WI, Arlington, TX, and Silao, Mexico.

[Source: Automotive News]

Late last night, the embargo on GM's new Silverado ad campaign was dropped and our friends over at the Jalop' were kind enough to let us in on all the glorious and controversial details.

Now that the actual ads are starting to break cover, we're finally getting a feel for how they, ummm, feel. Across the board, it's exactly what we expected from the new campaign, but it seems that certain images that were shown to the press earlier, didn't make it into the final spots we're seeing now. The two visuals that created the biggest stir involved a shot of the "Towers of Light" projecting from Ground Zero and an aerial shot of an atomic bomb explosion.

Jalopnik has the full explanation about what went down when they asked GM's PR flacks why the images were nixed at the 11th hour.

Make the jump to see the second video.

The PR people at GM have described their new line of GMT900 pickups as, "the most important product release in General Motor's history," and it very well may be. With a new player in the market in the form of the Tundra and a new F-150 due in the near future, the General is banking on the Silverado and the Sierra to shore up the pickup truck segment in its favor.

To that end, its new ad campaign is aiming directly at who GM feels is its target demographic: rural, married men who love their families, their jobs and their country.

The new spots, which will debut during Monday Night Football, are a look back on the last 50 years of American culture, including the good, the bad and the profound. John Mellencamp serenades over images of baseball, farms and other assorted Americana, including an image of the "Towers of Light" that emanated from Ground Zero after the attacks of 9/11 and, oddly, an image of an atomic bomb test.

Our blogging brethren over at Jalopnik have a full report from the media event they attended and give a more detailed synopsis, along with some analysis of the General's newest ad campaign.

[Source: Jalopnik]

UPDATE: Spy shots are GMT900 Hybrid versions. The aero gear isn't for looks, but supposedly improves aerodynamics and boosts fuel economy.

Our automotive compatriot over at Winding Road, Chris Paukert, procured spy shots of several aero-enhanced versions of the Tahoe and Yukon SUVs. The assumption gathered by these test mules is that the General may be outfitting some of their newest GMT900 SUVs with some additional flare in a move to make a more 'sporty' 'ute.

Analysis of the cosmetic upgrades centers around the front clip, which sports a lower bumper and a revised grill, as the clean-themed side steps and a modified rear end wrap up the overall look.

[Source: Winding Road]

click image above to watch video

The GMT900 twins have arrived and are ready to do battle. General Motors made the smart move by having its Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickups exceed their peers in virtually every category, but until now we've only seen the pickups in pics. We strung together a quick vid (actually it's nine minutes long) of the GMT900 pickups at their launch and also on the move out on the open road. Seeing them being driven gives a new underderstanding of how prominent their front ends really are. There are also a few interviews thrown of engineers describing the features that both trucks will have when they come to market later this year. Enjoy the show!

On this week's episode, Damon and I break down what occurred between Mazda and the RX-8 community late last week. We also go over the new GMT900 pickups and how new battle lines are being drawn in the pickup wars thanks to high gas prices. We couldn't let the week go by with talking about Playboy, as well. This month's issue of the men's magazine was chock full bunnies, Rabbits and high-priced exotics. We end the show expressing our lament for another Enzo that has bitten the dust and give our best wishes to its owners, Richard Losee, who is recovering after he and his Ferrari crashed at 200 mph and rolled seven times on a highway in Utah. Enjoy the show!

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Hosts
John Neff and Damon Lavrinc

Producer
John Neff

Length
33:20