Tag Archives: General Motors

GM Considers More Specialty Silverado Trucks

mm_gal_item_c2.img_resize.img_stage._2GM’s latest specialty truck, the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado High Country, won’t go on sale until this summer, but already GM is looking into adding more specialty versions of the Silverado.

Other automakers like Ford and Chrysler have had success with specialty trucks like the F-150 Harley Davidson and the Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn, and GM hopes to see similar success with the Silverado High Country. Industry insiders have noted, however, that these specialty trucks can be a double-edged sword. The right combination can bring in new customers as Ford did with the Harley Davidson F-150, but if an idea is too niche, it will not sell and could possibly alienate loyal brand customers.

Pricing has not been announced yet for the Silverado High Country, but GM’s manager of creative design for full-size pickup trucks did hint that it is “for someone who wants to know he has the money,” so a high price tag is expected.

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Is 2013 the Year of the Pickup?

ram-1500-backplateIt might still be too early to tell, but so far, 2013 is looking like the year of the pickup.

In April, pickup trucks saw double-digit sales gains with Ram pickups seeing 49 percent gains, Ford’s F-series getting 24 percent gains, and GM getting 23 percent gains. The surge in pickup sales has been so significant that Ford and other automakers are upping their truck production to keep up with demand. Ford and Chrysler have both announced that they will be adding shifts at their plants in response to the April sales.

Chrysler’s April sales, however, were more than just a sign that the public loves pickup trucks. Ram’s commercial pickup trucks just underwent a redesign, and April sales would be an indication of how the public feels about the new look. Now that April is done, it looks like Chrysler should have nothing to worry about.

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Toyota Holds Title as World’s Largest Automaker

ToyotaNow that the first quarter of 2013 is over, Toyota has regained and held its position as the world’s largest automaker.

Back in 2012, Toyota won back the distinction as the world’s largest automaker after losing out to General Motors back in 2011. In the first quarter of 2013, Toyota has sold 2.43 million vehicles, trailed closely by General Motors at 2.36 million and Volkswagen at 2.27 million vehicles.

A spokesperson from Toyota downplayed their win, stating, “Rather than pursuing numbers, we try to sell one car at a time, producing good cars. We aren’t focused on being number one.” Modesty aside, however, I’m sure that Toyota is very happy to be back on top.

The tsunami and earthquake in Japan back in 2011 disrupted Toyota’s production schedule, and they lost out to GM, their biggest competitor of recent years. Being back on top is a testament to Toyota as a company and Japan as a country. They faced tragic, devastating events and still survived and came back strong.

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