Chevrolet Suburban marks 75 years of being big

Bradshaw Chevrolet in Greer congratulates the Suburban on 75 great years.  For the past 30 years Bradshaw Chevy has been your Suburban Headquarters in the Upstate.  Stop by today for our great selection of new and used cars and trucks.  You can shop 24/7 at http://www.bradshawgreer.com/. 

For some reason, today we're celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Chevrolet Suburban. We know -- you'd go out tonight to whoop it up, but you're afraid all the restaurants are booked.

To us, the fact that the Suburban has been around all that time doesn't matter much. What does matter is the outsize importance it played in the SUV surge a decade ago. The Suburban truly was the National Car of Texas.

GM sees significance in the Suburban being the first vehicle to be continuously produced for 75 years. Well, okay.

The original Suburban could seat eight, while removable seats provided a large cargo area. The 2010 Suburban seats up to nine, showing how little progress we've made over the past 75 years.

GM says the idea for the Suburban was born of a need for a heavier-duty, truck-based wagon. Through the early 1930s, most manufacturers offered car-based wagons for professional use. Open models with windows and rear seating were known as depot hacks, and were used to ferry passengers and their cargo around train stations and boat docks. They were made with wood sides and canvas tops. Suburban, by contrast, had an all-steel wagon body.

GM put together this dandy will timeline of all-things Suburban, starting with its introduction in 1935 and ending with that anniversary edition seen in the photo above, unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show earlier this year. Here it is:

1935: Suburban Carryall introduced with a signature two-door body style that would last through 1967. Power came from Chevrolet's stalwart "Stovebolt" inline-six that produced 60 horsepower for the half-ton chassis.

1937: New, streamlined exterior styling carried Art Deco cues, and horsepower from the Stovebolt six increased to 79.

1942: Production of almost all civilian cars and trucks halted during America's involvement in World War II, although many Chevy trucks – including the Suburban's body style – were pressed into military duty.

1947: The first significant redesign of the Chevrolet's truck line – including Suburban – since before the war.

1950: Suburban models are offered with either a tailgate/top-opening rear window configuration or conventional "barn doors" at the rear.

1955: Revolutionary new styling is introduced midway through the model year. Known as the "second series" design, it features a wraparound windshield and the elimination of running boards – the body is flush with the fenders for the first time. The second series model also introduces the ubiquitous small-block V-8.

1957: Factory-installed four-wheel drive is offered for the first time.

1960: Chevrolet institutes the C/K designations to denote models with two-wheel drive (C) and four-wheel drive (K). Front-end styling is also new.

1967: All-new styling of Chevy's half-ton trucks is introduced, including Suburban. It carries a unique three-door arrangement with a single door on the driver's side and front and rear doors on the passenger side. This configuration makes the Suburban popular with ambulance companies.

1973: A new generation of Chevy trucks is launched, with Suburban offered in a conventional four-door body style introduced for the first time.

1975: Increased focus on interior comfort and amenities in the 1973 models bring more customers to Suburban for use as a personal vehicle. Chevrolet responds with more comfortable seats and greater amenities, including simulated buffalo hide vinyl upholstery, wood grain dash inserts, fully trimmed door panels and more.

1981: Updated styling brings stacked rectangular headlamps for the 1980s. The four-wheel drive system adds automatic locking hubs and the 454 cubic-inch big-block is still offered, giving customers great towing capability.

1987: Electronically controlled fuel injection and a four-speed overdrive transmission bring greater efficiency.

1992: An all-new Suburban features sleek styling with flush glass and composite headlamps. The 5.7-liter small-block V-8 powers 1500 models, while the 454 engine is still available in the 2500 series. Other updates include four-wheel anti-lock brakes, Insta-Trac on four-wheel-drive models and a suspension system designed to provide a more carlike ride.

1998: OnStar and the full-time AutoTrac all-wheel-drive system are added. In Australia, right-hand-drive versions of the Suburban are offered through GM's Holden brand.

2000: Launched in 1999 as a 2000 model, the next-generation Suburban brings new styling, new interiors and new powertrains.

2007: The latest generation of the Suburban is introduced, featuring a wind tunnel-shaped exterior and the elimination of traditional chrome front and rear bumpers. More efficient, comfortable and capable than ever, the Suburban continues to offer customers of all walks of life uncompromising capability and versatility.

2010: The 75th anniversary is marked with a limited-edition model, the 75th Anniversary Diamond Edition Suburban.

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GM March sales up 21 pct as incentives draw buyers

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By TOM KRISHER (AP)

DETROIT — Sales of General Motors Co. cars and trucks rose 21 percent last month compared with a dismal March last year, a sign that U.S. auto sales are benefiting from an incentive war touched off by Toyota.

GM said Thursday sales of its four core brands — Buick, GMC, Chevrolet and Cadillac — rose 43 percent on strong demand for redesigned vehicles like the Chevrolet Equinox midsize crossover and Buick LaCrosse luxury sedan.

Meanwhile, Hyundai's sales rose 15 percent to 47,000 vehicles, propelled by sharply higher demand for its newly released Sonata sedan and its Tucson small SUV.

It's likely that higher incentives from GM and other automakers drove traffic to showrooms. Toyota Motor Corp. raised its rebates and low-interest financing deals last month to counter publicity about safety-related recalls, and other automakers were forced to respond.

GM says it sold 188,546 vehicles last month, up from the 156,380 it sold in March of 2009 as it was receiving government aid and heading into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The company, which is shedding Pontiac, Saturn, Saab and Hummer, sold just over 27,000 vehicles from those brands in March of last year, but that dropped to about 3,100 last month because few cars and trucks remain on dealer lots.

Last month Toyota boosted interest-free financing, low-priced leasing and free maintenance in an effort to bring customers into showrooms as it dealt with the recall of more than 8 million cars and trucks around the world.

Toyota has been forced to recall cars and trucks mainly due to reports of unintended acceleration. The company is fixing gas pedals and floor mats in many of its top sellers including the Camry midsize sedan, a top-selling car in the U.S.

A top Toyota executive said on Wednesday that the automaker's sales would rise 40 percent in March and that some of those deals would extend into the spring. The company's sales fell 9 percent in February, before it launched its aggressive incentives. The broader industry's sales climbed 13 percent that month.

The automaker is to update its incentives on Monday.

Toyota's March surge likely outpaced the U.S. industry. Sales of new vehicles as a whole climbed 23 percent in March, according to market research firm J.D. Power and Associates.

Although auto sales have been steadily recovering, automakers have been raising their spending on incentives due to the shaky economy. Automakers are spending less on incentives now than they did a year ago, according to data from the auto Web site Edmunds.com.

Sales tanked in March of last year as the economy slowed, layoffs rose and GM and Chrysler headed into bankruptcy protection. Last March was among the worst auto sales months in decades.

AP Auto Writers Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit and Dan Strumpf in New York contributed to this report.

Chevy Equinox, an example of GM's promise

If General Motors Co. is going to climb out of the hole, repay taxpayers and get on the move again, it needs more cars like the 2010 Chevy Equinox.

This compact SUV looks a little like a Lexus, but at $28,000 for the top-of-the-line LTZ model, it has a much lower base price. The style is American all the way, with plenty of chrome, a spacious leather interior, a six-speed automatic and a peppy-yet-gas-friendly four-cylinder engine.

"The bottom line is to give the customer astonishing amounts of value," said GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz. "This looks and feels like a way more expensive car."

After one of the worst years in a century of domestic automotive manufacturing, GM is desperate for a win. Its biggest financial problems have been solved, courtesy of bankruptcy court and $53 billion in federal aid. Now America's No. 1 automaker has to perform.

Its financial results this week showed progress. The company -- your company, because it is after all 61 percent owned by U.S. taxpayers -- generated a surprising $3.3 billion in cash during a truncated third quarter. It floated plans to begin repaying its loans early, and raise billions through an initial public offering next year.

But even as it's hitting the gas pedal, it's leaving a trail of parts behind. Employment fell 17 percent in the previous 12 months, to 209,000 worldwide. The U.S. hourly work force took a brutal 25 percent whack. Between June and the end of next year, GM expects to shrink its dealer network by 1,900 -- a scary thought given the nation's rising jobless rate.

GM is trying to speed along the things that traditionally take it forever. "Things like sales programs, changes in direction in advertising or modifying the product plan," Lutz said. "Things that used to be put on a monthly schedule are now on a twice-weekly schedule. We don't drown ourselves in a sea of numbers. We don't need in-depth studies if we all agree this is what we're going to do."

And now that the government has invested so much, it wants results -- and not only financial results. Bailing out GM was supposed to save U.S. jobs by preserving a bedrock U.S. industry.

Yet GM's latest numbers suggest that it will be selling a lot more Wuling microvans through a joint venture in China than SUVs at home. Even the definition of an American car has gotten squishy: GM made its test model of the Equinox in a Canadian assembly plant, sourcing 30 percent of the parts from outside North America, including a South Korean transmission.

Further, the government vision of a small-car fleet with triple-digit fuel economy runs up against long-standing American preferences. The Equinox may be a "compact" SUV, but it's not compact in the same way a jumbo shrimp is still a shrimp.

It feels big, and though it advertises combined fuel economy of 26 miles per gallon -- outstanding for its class -- a cold-weather drive around the city unmasks its SUV heart.

GM says the Equinox can more than make it from Chicago to Kansas City, Mo., or roughly 600 miles, on a tank of gas, and do it in style. For GM, that alone represents a step toward survival.

To see the All New Equinox for your self; stop by Bradshaw Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, GMC, Pontiac in Greer. Visit anytime at http://www.bradshawgreer.com/.

Clunkermania officially began Friday.

The federal government finally released the rules that dealers and their customers have to follow to participate in the much-discussed "cash for clunkers" program, which can provide consumers with up to $4,500 when they trade in an older vehicle and buy a newer, more fuel-efficient model from a participating dealer.
Cash For Clunkers Bill

See If You're Eligible for a Trade In Voucher & Estimate Your Savings!http://www.cashforclunkerscarolinas.com/
$4500 For Your Clunker?

Up To $4500 For Your Old Car From U.S. Govt. Do You Qualify? Find Out
The law creating the $1-billion program went into effect July 1, but many dealers were reluctant to participate until they got a look at the rules. The arrival of the 100-plus-page document Friday morning sparked a registration rush that overwhelmed the government's computers, resulting in waits of two hours or more, the National Automobile Dealers Assn. reported.

The program is also exciting a fair amount of interest among consumers. Online auto information provider Edmunds .com said its traffic has been at record levels in recent weeks. Part of that comes from what may be the beginnings of a rebound in car sales, but the clunkers program is helping.

"We've clearly had traffic coming in that's being driven by 'cash for clunkers,' " said Marc Cannon, spokesman for AutoNation Inc., which owns 77 dealerships in California, including Power Chevrolet lots in Valencia, Hawthorne and Irvine. "We started doing deals early this morning."

Automakers are also jumping on the bandwagon. General Motors and Chrysler ran full-page ads in Friday's Times touting the program, and several manufacturers are offering special incentives.

The government estimates that the program will generate sales of 250,000 new cars, although Edmunds.com Chief Executive Jeremy Anwyl figures that about 200,000 of those sales would have happened anyway as part of the natural retirement rate of old vehicles.

Anwyl also notes that the rules are fiendishly complicated. Much of that is a result of the government's effort to prevent fraud. For instance, the program requires trade-ins to be junked, and the rules include elaborate procedures that dealers must follow to permanently disable the engines of clunker trade-ins so they can't be resold. (Part of the idea behind the law was to get older, less-fuel-efficient vehicles off the road.)

Shoppers may also be in for some frustration, above and beyond the tight restrictions they need to meet to qualify (read on for details on how the program works). For example, buyers must show proof of one year's insurance -- which would be recorded on their policy but may not be reflected on the insurance card they carry in their wallet.

Consumers should also be wary of official-looking clunkers websites that have sprung up, many of them asking for personal information. The official government website for the programs is http://www.cars.gov/ . The government has also set up a hotline at (866) 227-7891. You can also get official information from Saturn of Greenville, Saturn of Asheville, or Saturn of Spartanburg.

Kelley Blue Book (http://www.kbb.com/ ) and http://www.edmunds.com/ offer online calculators to help buyers decide whether a particular deal makes sense under the clunkers program.

Here are some questions and answers about the program.

How do I know if my trade-in vehicle is eligible for the program?

It must have been manufactured in 1984 or later and have a combined city-highway fuel economy rated at 18 miles per gallon or less. The program is advantageous only if the trade-in value is less than the minimum $3,500 offered by the government.

Can the credit be applied to any new vehicle?

All imports and domestics with a list price under $45,000 are eligible, as long as they meet fuel economy standards of at least 22 mpg for cars; 18 mpg for SUVs, small pickups and minivans; and 15 mpg for large vans and trucks. The new vehicle's fuel economy must exceed the trade-in's by at least 4 mpg for cars, 2 mpg for SUVs and 1 mpg for large trucks to qualify for the $3,500 rebate. The full $4,500 rebate kicks in at an increase of 10 mpg, 5 mpg and 2 mpg, respectively.

Remember, the mileage numbers are based on combined city-highway driving mileage as measured by the federal government -- not the mileage you actually get. The fuel economy numbers can be found at http://www.fueleconomy.gov/ .

What happens to the clunkers after the trade-in? Can they be resold?

The Car Allowance Rebate System requires that the trade-in be crushed or shredded so that it will not be resold. The wrecking yard is allowed to salvage some parts for resale, excluding the engine and drivetrain.

Can I game the system by going to a junkyard and buying a wreck to use as a trade-in?

No, the program requires the vehicle be in drivable condition, continuously insured and registered to the same owner for at least a year before the trade-in.

I have several clunkers in my garage. Can I trade them all in?

There is a limit of one trade-in per owner under the program, with the credit applying to the lease or purchase of a single new vehicle.

How long does the program last?

Until Nov. 1 or until the $1 billion is spent, whichever comes first.

U.S. Used-Vehicle Prices Rise for Sixth Month in Row

By Doron Levin
July 7 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. used-vehicle prices rose for the sixth straight month, as slumping sales of new cars and trucks reduce the supply, according to Manheim Consulting.

The Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index, which measures wholesale prices at auctions, increased 5.8 percent in June from a year earlier, the Atlanta-based data provider said today in a statement. The biggest gains were for pickup trucks and sport- utility vehicles, after demand tumbled in mid-2008 as gasoline prices soared to a record high.

The index has risen each month this year, reaching 114.1 in June after ending last year at 98. The gain reflects “the significant reduction in potential supply available,” Manheim said. Fewer used vehicles are available as trade-ins decline because of the drop in sales of new cars and trucks.

“I would hesitate to say that retail demand for used vehicles is high,” Tom Webb, Manheim Consulting’s chief economist, said on a conference call with reporters and analysts. “There are fewer cars from rental fleets, fewer consigned from dealers.”

The rise in used-vehicle prices doesn’t indicate growing demand for new cars and trucks, Webb said. Increased prices for used autos often set the stage for stronger demand for new vehicles and, eventually, a boost in production.

“The used vehicles of tomorrow aren’t being produced today,” Webb said in the statement. The diminishing supply eventually will put pressure on auto retailers and wholesalers to boost the number of transactions, which “would go against the grain of a multidecade trend.”

The drop in gasoline prices from a year earlier contributed to price increases of 27 percent for used pickups and 26 percent for SUVs, Manheim said. Prices for compact cars declined 9.9 percent. U.S. consumers paid an average $2.60 a gallon for gasoline yesterday, compared with $4.11 a year earlier, according to motorist group AAA.