GM: Trucks out, cars in

Automaker plans to shut 4 pickup and SUV plants, build more fuel-efficient vehicles, and may dump the Hummer brand.


Last Updated: June 3, 2008: 9:40 AM


High pump prices are hitting big SUVs hard and shrinking their numbers. Here's a look at a few former kings of the road.


NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- General Motors announced plans Tuesday to shut four truck and SUV plants that employ thousands of workers, saying high gas prices are here to stay - and, with them, consumers' growing preference for more fuel efficient vehicles.
At a news conference in Wilmington, Del., GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner announced plans to roll out more fuel-efficient vehicles, including approval to start the production process on a vehicle that can run gas-free for trips up to 40 miles.

The plants to be closed include two U.S. facilities - the Moraine, Ohio plant that builds midsize SUVs, such as the Chevrolet Trailblazer and GMC Envoy and the Janesville, Wis., assembly line that builds large SUVs such as the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban and GMC Yukon. In addition, it plans to close a pickup plant in Oshawa, Canada, and a truck plant in Toluca, Mexico.

The company said it believes that high oil and gasoline prices will be the norm going forward, and that prices are likely to go higher due to strong global demand for oil.

Wagoner also said GM is looking at possibly selling its Hummer unit as part of a strategic review of the SUV brand based on military vehicles. The Hummer H3 mid-size SUV gets about 13 to 14 miles per gallon in city driving in the most recent EPA ratings. The H1 and H2 are larger vehicles on which EPA does not give mileage estimates.
The brand has become the symbol to many members of the public of a gas-guzzling large U.S. vehicle.

He also announced that GM has approved production of the Chevrolet Volt, a so-called plug-in hybrid vehicle that can run about 40 miles without any use of gasoline. The Volt will be built in GM's Hamtramck, Mich., plant and is due in showrooms by the end of 2010.
"We believe it's the biggest step yet in our industry's move away from its historic, nearly complete reliance upon petroleum to power vehicles," he said. "We believe the Volt is an important investment for the future of our company and our shareholders."

About 19,000 U.S. hourly employees had already agreed to take buyout and retirement bonuses to leave the company in recent months, but it had originally planned to replace most of those workers with lower-wage new hires who were not due the same expensive benefit package.

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GM closing 4 truck, SUV plants in North America
6/3/08

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The Truckers Report Merchandise

What is this country coming too?? Soon we will become a third world country, as we seem to be sinking fast

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They wont be losing much by selling off the Hummer brand.

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"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming -- WOW-- What a Ride!"

My Trailblazer was made in the ohio plant

That is a crying shame! Someone famous once said "as goes GM goes America" or something like that, it's not looking good is it?

I hear Hummers are selling real well in Venezuala where gas is still under a buck LOL

Ford also just annouced that they are going to build a new fuel efficient "WorldCar" and create almost 30, 000 new jobs..................in Mexico.

Heck this is nothing new, Saturn is selling a car built in Belgium, the Chevy Aveo is actually a Daewoo, built in Korea, and Dodge has been building the Ram 2500 and 3500, the PT Cruiser, and the new Journey in Toluca,Mexico.

yeah i just bought an 08 f150 and ford is also closing a few truck plants to increase production on small cars...i kinda like it, so many rebates and dealer incentives make it pretty sweet deal

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-Ed

I'll bet that'll break Arnold's heart though.

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The trouble with the world is not that people know too little, but that they know so many things that ain't so
- Mark Twain

Let's support our new president,
but Obama should remember one thing,
Gray Davis.....

I wonder how much they have to pay to trade a Hummer in
Ford going to Mexico I guess next all the Unions will go there.Be no jobs left here.