Automotive News - February 11, 2008 - (Page 40) 40 • FEBRUARY 11, 2008 Buick, GMC consider smaller, more fuel-efficient products Jamie LaReau jlareau@crain.com DETROIT — General Motors executives are considering smaller vehicles for Buick and GMC. The move is in response to higher fuel prices that are causing consumers to shift from fullsized pickups and sedans to smaller, more fuelefficient vehicles. GMC is considering an SUV or crossover that is smaller than the Envoy mid-sized SUV or Acadia crossover, says Jim Bunnell, general manager of Buick, Pontiac and GMC. “There’s nothing to talk about yet, but if you look at the trends in the marketplace, it’s something we have to stay on top of,” Bunnell says. Industry sales of truck-based, body-on-frame SUVs are declining sharply as consumers shift to crossovers, Bunnell notes. But, he says, that means “there’s plenty of opportunity out there” in crossovers. In January, sales of the Envoy fell 3.2 percent, sales of the Yukon full-sized SUV dropped 19 percent, and sales of the Sierra full-sized pickup were virtually flat compared with the year-ago period. Yet total GMC sales are up 15 percent in January from a year ago — supported largely by the Acadia, which sold 7,318 units in January. Buick is ripe for a car that is smaller and less expensive than the LaCrosse mid-sized sedan, Bunnell says. The LaCrosse base price is $24,475 including shipping. Bunnell declined to elaborate on plans to expand Buick’s U.S. lineup other than to say, “That’s something we’re looking at possibly partnering with our friends in China.” c Mitsubishi has added a Galant Sport Edition trim line for the 2009 model year. The new version includes such standard equipment as 17-inch wheels, fog lamps and a power driver’s seat. GM to upgrade Duramax V-8 diesel engines Richard Truett rtruett@crain.com New Galant arrives just in time Kathy Jackson kjackson@crain.com LOS ANGELES — Mitsubishi has begun delivering its restyled 2009 Galant sedan to auto dealers — and not a moment too soon. The new Galant is crucial for Mitsubishi, which kicked off 2008 with a 23 percent January sales decline. The Galant was the company’s best-selling model last month at 2,144 units — up 29.6 percent from January 2007. The Galant has not been redesigned since the 2004 model year, and the 2009 model falls far short of a full-fledged redesign. But it does get new front and rear sheet metal, in- cluding an updated fascia, hood and rear end, and restyled headlights and taillights. Mitsubishi also spiffed up the car’s image by adding a Sport Edition trim line to the base 160-hp ES four-cylinder version. A new 230-hp Sport V-6 trim line also has been added. The high-performance, 258-hp Ralliart V-6 returns for the 2009 model year. For 2008, the Galant’s trim lines included the base four-cylinder DE, the four-cylinder ES and the Ralliart. Some dealers have complained that Mitsubishi did not go far enough to differentiate the 2009 model. “We have leases coming due, and we’re showing them something we showed them in 2004,” says Dan Georger, who owns Dan Georger Mitsubishi in Buffalo, N.Y. Joe Mitchell, owner of Biggers Mitsubishi in Elgin, Ill., says the new value packages will help. The base ES sells for $21,749. The Sport Edition four-cylinder, at $23,149, carries such standard equipment as 17-inch wheels, power sunroof, fog lamps, rear spoiler, power driver’s seat and sport fabric. That’s a $1,110 savings compared with buying the equipment separately. The 2009 Ralliart, with navigation, stickers for $29,449, up from $29,624 for the comparable 2008 model. All prices include shipping. c DETROIT — The workhorse Duramax 6.6-liter turbodiesel V-8 engine that General Motors uses in its heavy-duty pickups is being rebuilt to comply with tough new emissions standards that take effect in 2010. GM last week announced the first phase of its plans to redo the Duramax. GM said it is spending $69 million on plant upgrades, which will include new production equipment. GM would not say what changes the Duramax will get other than a new emissions system. The company says it will use selective catalytic reduction or urea to reduce oxides of nitrogen, or NOx, emissions so the Duramax can continue to be sold in all 50 states and meet new Tier 2, Bin 5 emission levels. Vehicles using the engine will also have a diesel particulate filter. The displacement of the revamped engine will remain at 6.6 liters, but it could also share GM’s new diesel engine layout that does away with the intake and exhaust manifolds. GM developed the 6.6-liter Duramax along with Isuzu. It went on sale in the 2001 model year and has been a trouble-free, hardworking powerplant that propelled GM to more than 25 percent of the heavy-duty diesel truck market, up from about 2 percent. Last year, the Duramax plant built nearly 200,000 of the engines. More than 1 million have been built since production started. “GM is transforming its product portfolio to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, and the 2010 Duramax diesel is an integral part of that transformation, as well as a component of GM’s strategy to diversify vehicle energy sources,” John Buttermore, GM Powertrain vice president of global manufacturing, said in a statement. Besides the heavy-duty Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, GM uses the Duramax in the Express and Savana full-size vans and in mediumduty trucks. c Sonic hires Dealer.com DETROIT — Sonic Automotive Inc., the nation’s third-largest dealership group, has selected Dealer.com for dealership Web sites and search engine marketing. Dealer.com will provide exclusive online marketing software to all 154 Sonic franchises. Sonic, of Charlotte, N.C., chose Dealer.com “because we believe they have the best overall online marketing solutions that will give us a distinct competitive advantage over our competitors and will provide an even more inviting destination for our customers,” Rachel Richards, Sonic’s vice president of retail strategy, said in a statement. Dealer.com, founded in Burlington, Vt., in 1997, sells online marketing services for auto dealers. — Ralph Kisiel The NEW way to buy and sell NEW vehicles with other same brand dealers! Is new fabric mightier than mites? You have your front lot… and your back lot… Hans Greimel hgreimel@crain.com FFER OFFER:: NO RISK OREE NO RISK F REE USE ITh F11,,2008 USE ITh3 2008 3 Untill Marc Unti Marc Now, you have a THIRD lot Your unllimited “virtual” lot! • Move Inventory Fast • Find Vehicles Immediately • Reduce Carrying Costs • Keep A More Profitable Inventory • Keep A Smaller Inventory Visit us ath Vi t NADA Boo th NADA Boo # 1429W www.thirdlot.com TOKYO — Toyota has finally worked the bugs out of its new seats. No, nothing was wrong with the seats. Toyota Motor Corp. has developed a car seat that all but eliminates allergies caused by stowaway dust mites in the cushions. It’s part of Toyota’s push to create a cleaner cabin for drivers and passengers. In this case, Toyota is targeting the allergic disorders triggered by exposure to dead dust mites and their droppings. Symptoms can include asthma and dermatitis. The secret is a newly developed car seat fabric. The new seats will debut in models scheduled for launch in Japan in the “near future,” Toyota says. The fabric contains an anti-allergen agent that encapsulates and isolates 98 percent of the allergens that otherwise would accumulate on cushions and wreak havoc with sensitive humans. Among its similar initiatives, Toyota has developed seats that reduce skin irritation by using a fabric coated with sericin, a protein from natural silk. It also has created an air-conditioning unit that reduces pollen in the air flow and suppresses airborne mold and bacteria. And to further help motorists catch their breath, Toyota has worked out an in-car oxygen-level conditioner. It maintains a suitable level of oxygen in the cabin at all times. c http://Dealer.com http://Dealer.com http://www.thirdlot.com http://Dealer.com http://Dealer.com http://www.thirdlot.com
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