The mid-size pickup truck segment should get a much-needed shot in the arm when the global Chevrolet Colorado reaches our shores in the near future. We're not exactly sure when the Colorado will be built and sold here, but thanks to its 2011 reveal we have a good idea of what it will look like. We also don't know any specs for the North American model, and we haven't received confirmation whether a GMC variant will follow to replace the current Canyon model.
Car and Driver reports that General Motors President Mark Reuss still won't confirm a GMC spinoff, but he does add that if a "Professional Grade" version of the Colorado is built, it will be very different than its Bowtie-wearing counterpart. As the current Canyon is essentially a badge-swap away from being a Chevy, the idea of increased differentiation strikes us as a welcome development. We aren't exactly sure how much different the would-be pickup might be, but we're guessing that Reuss is referring to more unique parts than than the front fascia and minor trim enhancements that differentiate the GMC Sierra from the Silverado.
Reuss also tells C/D that the new Colorado is surprisingly large - about 90-95 percent of the size of the Silverado, and he notes the truck will feature different powertrains. We assumed that the Colorado will feature different powertrains, and we hope that a fuel-efficient six-cylinder and a diesel offering will be available under the hood.
It might have been a worthy successor to the Pontiac Vibe - a stylish, youth-marketed crossover - but alas, the GMC Granite may never come to be. Jim Federico, GM's small car exec, told Automotive News that the Granite concept from the 2010 Detroit auto show isn't headed into production.
Granite was rumored to be green-lighted for production, and would have been based on the Chevrolet Cruze platform, to compete with vehicles like the Scion xB and Kia Soul. We liked the concept when we saw it in 2010, but felt that the Granite was perhaps a bad match for GMC, given its small size.
While AN says Federico offered no further details, we imagine GM figures the forthcoming Buick Encore crossover probably doesn't need the competition in Buick/GMC showrooms.
The Chicago Auto Show has always sort of been known as a truck show, and because of that, many new pickups, SUVs and crossovers tend to debut in the Windy City. That in mind, it comes as no surprise to learn that General Motors plans to debut an all-new version of the GMC Acadia in Chicago next month. The Acadia, which launched in 2006 as a 2007 model, is indeed due for an overhaul, with its only major update being the addition of a Denali model (pictured) in 2011.
If you recall, the Acadia was the first of the Lambda crossovers to go on sale, alongside the now-departed Saturn Outlook. When asked about the possibility of a new Chevrolet Traverse or Buick Enclave making an appearance in Chicago, GMC Communications Manager Joe LaMuraglia stated that it "will be a GMC show," leading us to believe that we'll have to wait until New York or even Los Angeles to see the rest of the Lambda portfolio.
No specific details about the new Acadia were revealed at this time, nor was there any hint as to whether we'll see just the standard CUV or whether it will be joined by a Denali version. Stay tuned for the full details next month.
UPDATE:A source confirmed to Autoblog that GMC will debut a mid-cycle update of the Acadia at the Chicago Auto Show next month, not an all-new design. Expect an updated interior design and exterior tweaks.
The Chicago Auto Show has always sort of been known as a truck show, and because of that, many new pickups, SUVs and crossovers tend to debut in the Windy City. That in mind, it comes as no surprise to learn that General Motors plans to debut an all-new version of the GMC Acadia in Chicago next month. The Acadia, which launched in 2006 as a 2007 model, is indeed due for an overhaul, with its only major update being the addition of a Denali model (pictured) in 2011.
If you recall, the Acadia was the first of the Lambda crossovers to go on sale, alongside the now-departed Saturn Outlook. When asked about the possibility of a new Chevrolet Traverse or Buick Enclave making an appearance in Chicago, GMC Communications Manager Joe LaMuraglia stated that it "will be a GMC show," leading us to believe that we'll have to wait until New York or even Los Angeles to see the rest of the Lambda portfolio.
No specific details about the new Acadia were revealed at this time, nor was there any hint as to whether we'll see just the standard CUV or whether it will be joined by a Denali version. Stay tuned for the full details next month.
AOL Car and Truck of the Year, new GM pickups, Dodge Caliber all done
Episode #262 of the Autoblog Podcast is here with Chris, Dan, and Zach this week. Topics include the first-ever AOL Autos Car and Truck of the Year, speculation about what the next generation of General Motors pickup trucks will have in store for us, and the end of the Dodge Caliber. Your questions and comments power the end of the 'cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. We've embedded our Q&A module after the jump for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #262:
AOL Autos Car and Truck of the Year
Rumormongering about the new GM pickups
Dodge Caliber taken out back and shot
In the Autoblog Garage
2011 Toyota 4Runner Trail
2012 Toyota Yaris
2012 Chrysler 200
2012 Infiniti QX56
2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco
Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Zach Bowman
Runtime: 01:28:45
Get the podcast
[UStream] Listen live on Mondays at 10PM Eastern at UStream
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
We record Episode #262 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, and you can drop us your questions via our Q&A module below. Check out our discussion topics or chime in to help determine what else the crew chats about this evening. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #262
AOL Autos Car and Truck of the Year
Rumormongering about the new GM pickups
Dodge Caliber taken out back and shot
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
For most of us, holiday travel is little more than a slight inconvenience, but an Amarillo, Texas family has found out just how treacherous taking to the road in winter can be. David Higgins, his wife and his five-year-old daughter packed into the family's GMC Yukon for a ski trip in New Mexico. Shortly after the trio crossed the state line, a severe snow storm descended, forcing Higgins off the road. The SUV quickly became mired in the white stuff, and it wasn't long before the entire vehicle was encased in a massive snow drift.
The Higgins called 911 for help, but dispatchers told the family the weather was too bad for anyone to come save them. Two days later, rescuers located the stranded family and pulled them from the vehicle. Presumably fearing exposure to subzero temperatures, the Higgins' stayed inside their vehicle, though it isn't clear why they didn't continually try to dig out a path to keep from being trapped inside. Fortunately, they brought along plenty of food and water, and huddled together to keep each other warm, but they say that they nearly ran out of oxygen. Hit the jump to watch an ABC report on the family's harrowing ordeal.
Continue reading Family buried in New Mexico snowdrift for two days saved
Four of General Motors' full-size truck plants, three of them in the U.S., will go intermittently silent for a total of 21 weeks in order to retool for 2013 model year production. The Fort Wayne, Indiana and Flint, Michigan plants have both been in the news lately as recipients of multi-million dollar investments for just this purpose.
Fort Wayne will shut down for nine weeks over the course of 10 months, from January to October of 2012, while Flint will stop production for seven weeks from June to November, and the Arlington, Texas facility will be quiet from June to December for five weeks. The Mexico plant in Silao will find out its shut-down schedule next year. GM has been stockpiling a 90-day supply of its Silverado and Sierra pickups to make up for the loss of production.
When the 2013 models arrive, unconfirmed reports indicate we can expect a new forced-induction V6, the continuation of the 5.3- and 6.0-liter V8s, and the 6.2-liter V8 going into the heavy-duty versions exclusively.
ALG has released its annual Resale Value Awards. For 2012, Subaru took home the home the honor of being the top mainstream brand, while Lexus nabbed the top luxury automaker designation. ALG says that once again, Japanese automakers have performed better than their American and European counterparts when it comes to resale. Of the 21 total ALG awards, 11 went to Japanese manufacturers, though Audi bucked that trend by being the single automaker to take home the most awards. Domestic manufacturers, meanwhile, are scarcely represented in the honors. Only the GMC Acadia and Jeep Wrangler received nods for 2012.
ALG weighs each vehicle based on past performance, industry trends and segment competition. There were some surprises for 2012 - interestingly enough, ALG skipped the Toyota Prius in the hybrid/alternative powertrain segment in favor of the Volkswagen Golf TDI, and the Subaru Legacy took home the nod in the mid-sized category instead of either the Honda Accord or the Toyota Camry. Hit the jump for the full press release.
Continue reading Subaru and Lexus top ALG 2012 Residual Value Awards
Heads up, Forza fans; Turn 10 has just released the next downloadable content package for Forza 4. The November Speed Pack oozes lustworthy digital metal, including the 2012 Dodge Viper SRT8 and the Lamborghini Aventador. But the 10 new models aren't all supercars. We're particularly happy to see that the 2013 Ford Focus ST is part of the group and that players will finally get a chance to drive the 1992 GMC Typhoon as well. You can head over to the Forza Motorsport website for a full list of the vehicles in the DLC pack.
In addition to the new vehicles, the November Speed Pack also includes a Rivals mode that features the Aventador in a hot-lap battle. Turn 10 says that it will be awarding special unicorn cars to 100 random players every week. That all sounds good to us, especially considering that the pack is a mere $7. Hit the jump to check out a teaser trailer of the pack.
Continue reading Forza Motorsport 4 releases November Speed Pack DLC
