GM News

With these new announcements it's clear to see how providential Sean's move from Doraville (which is closing later this year) to Delta Township was. Here's the latest:

GM today announced a range of strategic initiatives to aggressively respond to growing demand for fuel-efficient vehicles and to economic and market challenges in North America. Rick Wagoner, GM chairman and CEO, made the announcements here as part of the GM annual meeting of stockholders:

-- A new global compact car program for Chevrolet, a next generation for the popular Chevy Aveo, and a high efficiency engine module for the U.S. market.
-- Funding for production of the Chevy Volt extended-range electric vehicle.
-- Addition of third shifts to Lordstown and Orion, which build hot-selling Chevy and Pontiac cars.
-- Cessation of production at four plants that build pickups, SUVs and medium-duty trucks.
-- A strategic review of the Hummer brand.

Wagoner said. "Higher gasoline prices are changing consumer behavior, and they are significantly affecting the U.S. auto industry sales mix."

Oshawa Truck Assembly in Canada, which builds the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra, will likely cease production in 2009, while Moraine, Ohio, which builds the Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy and Saab 9-7x, will end production at the end of the 2010 model run, or sooner, if demand dictates. Janesville, Wisconsin, will cease production of medium-duty trucks by the end of 2009, and of the Tahoe, Suburban and Yukon in 2010, or sooner, if market demand dictates. Chevrolet Kodiak medium-duty truck production will also end in Toluca, Mexico, by the end of this year.