Whether or not General Motors decides to keep any of the vehicles built at those three locations, building them in other spots around North America, we can expect to see more money invested in the trucks and utility vehicles across the company’s lineup. This includes increased resources for the plants that build the bigger vehicles, but it could also mean more money for research and development of the hottest-selling models from GMC, Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac.
The extra money invested in the truck and SUV plants will likely lead to smoother, more efficient production and less problems along the way. That will lead to reduced costs and with less cost to the company comes less cost to the customer and greater profits for the automaker. On the R&D side of things, the extra money should lead to new advancements in vehicle technology inside, outside and under the hood.
If GM is taking money away from the development of new cars, the trucks and SUVs from Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac could quickly rise to be among the best-outfitted in their segments, ranging from improved interior gadgetry to new, more-powerful drivetrains that will also be more efficient.
Right now, this news from General Motors focuses on the fact that there are facility closures, layoffs and models being discontinued, but in the long term, this should lead to better corporate positioning from a financial standpoint along with shaping their vehicle lineup to better suit the demands of the U.S. market.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
