tahoe

GM to add 110 jobs and invest $331 million in Arlington, Texas plant

General Motors today made another announcement regarding allocation of the $2 billion in U.S. plant investment.

The automaker will add 110 jobs and invest $331 million to purchase tooling and equipment and expand the Arlington Assembly Plant.

Currently, the plant's 2,400 hourly and salaried employees make Chevrolet Tahoes, Suburbans, GMC Yukons and Cadillac Escalades.

"This investment will allow us to continue building award-winning full-size SUVs that offer better fuel efficiency than ever before without sacrificing the features and functionality they've come to expect," GM Manufacturing Manager Larry Zahner said Thursday. "We remain committed … Read more

Sprint's rugged Sanyo Taho

Sprint added another rugged phone to its stable today with the Sanyo Taho E4100. Made by Kyocera but marketed under the Sanyo name, the Taho is built to the usual military-grade standards.

The flip phone shows a tough shell with rubber sidings that's made to withstand dust, shock, vibration, extreme temperatures, blowing rain, and a 30-minute dunking in 3.28 feet (1 meter) of water. It's not pretty by any means, but durable models don't have to be.

Features are squarely midrange and functional. You'll find a 2-megapixel camera with flash, a microSD card slot, GPS … Read more

General Motors recalls 1.5 million vehicles

General Motors today announced its recalling 1.5 million 2007-2009 model cars, trucks, and crossovers to disable a heated washer fluid system module that could pose a fire risk. Because the feature will be disabled, GM will make a voluntary payment of $100 to the owner or lessee of each vehicle.

There are no known injuries or crashes related to the condition, according to a GM news release.

"While our analysis shows the number of incidents is very small compared with the number of vehicles on the road, we want our customers to have complete peace of mind," … Read more

New Chevys offer fuel-saving, six-speed automatic transmissions

In an effort to increase fuel economy, General Motors announced that the Chevrolet Cruze will be available with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. With either choice, the Cruze will deliver impressive fuel economy and performance, the company said in a press release.

The Cruze Eco model is expected to accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 10 seconds and deliver a class-leading 40 miles per gallon on the highway when equipped with the manual transmission (estimates for the Cruze Eco with an automatic transmission will be available closer to launch).

"Our advanced six-speed … Read more

Photos: GM's 2-Mode 2008 Yukon Hybrid

Full hybrids have to date been almost synonymous with Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) system, which, in addition to being the technology behind all Toyota and Lexus hybrids, is licensed by Nissan for its Altima Hybrid and is used in a modified version by Ford in the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner hybrids. This hybrid monopoly is about to change, however, as GM readies its 2-Mode hybrid system for introduction later this year in the Yukon Hybrid and Tahoe Hybrid SUVs. Like HSD, GM's 2-Mode system enables cars to run just on electricity, just on gasoline, or a … Read more

Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon go hybrid

General Motors is banking on the increasing demand for fuel-efficient cars by launching hybrid versions of two of its full-size SUVs: the GMC Yukon and the Chevy Tahoe. And although the cars aren't slated to go on sale until this fall, GM is already busy building buzz.

The new models, available in both two- and four-wheel drive, use a "two-mode" powertrain designed jointly by GM with BMW and Daimler-Chrysler. This Hybrid Operating System (HOS) allows the car to operate either on electricity or gasoline, depending on the power needs of the car.

Allocation of electric power versus … Read more

Arnie tells carmakers to get on the train to alternative fuels

Arnold Schwarzenegger kicked off the second day of the LA Auto Show here today by telling carmakers that clean energy is the future of the auto industry. Surrounded by a collection of alternative-fuel vehicles, including BMW's Hydrogen7, Tesla's electric-powered roadster, and Honda's hydrogen fuel cell-powered FCX Concept, the California governor said that it was time for automakers to "get on the train" to alternative energy.

He also thanked car manufacturers for what they have done to date in their efforts to produce vehicles that run on alternatives to gasoline. A troupe of automotive executives joined … Read more