2008 Equinox Sport

By the way I love my 06!

Cami shifts gears on SUV

General Motors Canada will assemble a new sport utility vehicle at its Ingersoll plant.
By NORMAN DE BONO, SUN MEDIA

General Motors Canada is scrapping the sport utility vehicles it makes at Cami Automotive to assemble a new GMC SUV -- and another new vehicle will be added to the plant, automotive industry officials say.

GM Canada announced last month the Ingersoll plant will get new investment and a new product in 2008, but was short on details. A picture is emerging of one new SUV and another new vehicle, which may be a hybrid.

"It's going to be a whole new generation vehicle, a whole new GMC SUV," replacing the Torrent and Equinox, said Bruce Kavelman, plant manager for Rieter Automotive in London, which supplies the Cami plant with carpeting and insulation for vehicle floors.

"They are also talking about a whole new vehicle, but that has not yet been identified. It may be a small car, but there has been no confirmation yet."

GM Canada spokesperson Stew Low said there will be a new vehicle for Cami, but it's not a car.

"It is a new program. I will not say what segment it is in, but it is not a car."

low declined comment on speculation it may be a hybrid.

"We are not giving any details as to what the future product will be at this point. I will say any news is several months away," he said.

As for its hybrid lineup, GM is moving aggressively into the hybrid market in 2008. It has the Saturn Vue sport utility vehicle, Aura car, Tahoe and Yukon sport utility vehicles, Cadillac Escalade, Malibu and trucks Silverado and Sierra.

Tim Carrie, president of the London and District Labour Council, has also heard Cami is getting a small, hybrid car.

"I just hope whatever it is, it is successful, that it gets the business. I think there is definitely a good future at Cami," Carrie said.

Mike Van Boekel, chairperson of CAW Local 88 representing Cami workers, hasn't heard details of what the new product is.

"They are keeping it very tight-lipped here," he said.

Whatever the product is, it is believed no new jobs will be added.

"I just want to keep what we have now," Van Boekel said.

Automotive consultant Dennis DesRosiers isn't surprised GM is being secretive, saying competition is fierce and it wouldn't take a competitor long to respond if the details are known.

"When they talk product, they never want to let the details out. It is the closest-guarded secret. They have to keep competitors guessing," he said.

Cami now makes the Chevrolet Equinox, Pontiac Torrent and Suzuki XL7 sport utility vehicles. Cami employs about 2,700 workers, 2,100 of whom are CAW members. Last year, it made about 170,000 vehicles.

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