The 2007 Chevy Tahoe SUV, redesigned with a new front-end, better fuel economy (by one mile per gallon) and a more powerful engine, has been selling like gangbusters for the General. This gives us an alternate explanation for why GM's been asking their suppliers to speed ahead with production of components for the Chevy Suburban and the GMC Yukon, the Generals new full-sized SUVs.
And that makes sense right?...
...You have a new SUV that gets a bit better fuel economy, a bigger engine, and its selling moderately well. I guess that means SUVs can save you again, right?
Well, whatever happened to that whole "car" thing GM used to build? You know...the vehicles with good fuel economy, small enough to fit into a normal parking spot and cheap enough to build, buy and maintain you can own one forever? Yeah those things, cars. The vehicles GM will need to exist when gasoline hits $3.00 a gallon again.
GM's already forgotten about those again. And like Pavlov's dog, GM is hearing the bell of short-term profits in lieu of long-term solvency. Here's to hoping that bell is merely Pavlov's and not the one tolling in that old Metallica song...
GM moves to accelerate production of key SUVs [Automotive News]
Related:
The Jalopnik Morning Shift: AAA is reporting on gas prices. [internal]