General Motors is in talks over the sale of the Detroit automaker’s medium-duty truck line – the GMC TopKick and Chevrolet Kodiak – to Isuzu Motors Ltd. in order to comply with the $13.4 billion federal aid package. GM would sell Isuzu the trucks as well as the Flint, Michigan, plant, which employs about 525 workers and produces about 22,000 commercial trucks annually.
GM had tried to work out an agreement with Navistar International but that plan would have moved the plant away from Flint. A sale to Isuzu would apparently keep the factory in Michigan.
“I think it’s great news,” Mark Hawkins, chairman of UAW Local 598, told the Detroit News.
The automaker wouldn’t comment on details of the possible sale.
“While GM is assessing various strategic options for the business, no decisions have been reached and there are no details to share at this time,” GM said in a statement.
GM has said it intends to raise $5 billion in capital by selling off its assets. With little success in selling off some of its mainstream consumer lines - namely Hummer, Saab and Saturn, the automaker is aggressively looking at its other lines. The paper says that GM could announce the deal with Isuzu near the February 17 federal deadline – when plans detailing GM’s viability must be presented – to aggressively show the automaker’s attempts to raise capital.
02/03, 9:18 AM
posted by:
A4
id totally drive a kodiak if i had the money, i could laugh at people in excursions and F350’s.
02/03, 9:19 AM
posted by:
1c3d0g
Sad to see the GM TopKick go to foreign hands.
02/03, 9:31 AM
posted by:
Zcarsales
Neat truck, but who in the world bought these things.
02/03, 9:43 AM
posted by:
carstuff
Moving companies, lumber yards, most anyone who needs to carry big stuff.
02/03, 9:49 AM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
Does NMOFGM work at a GM truck plant? Can’t wait to see him quit and not be a hypocrite once that paycheck is signed in Kanji.
02/03, 10:05 AM
posted by:
AnonymousCoward
NMOFGM is an alter ego for Putz. After dinner, he sneak down in the basement and surf the net trying to spread some goodwill about GM.
02/03, 10:05 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
So your next presidential limo is going to be based on an Isuzu? Well your VP’s first name is Joe.
02/03, 10:26 AM
posted by:
AnonymousCoward
Well, the next presidential helicopter (Marine One) is going to be a British-Italian AgustaWestland. Guess you Americans just have to accept the state of your industry.
02/03, 10:35 AM
posted by:
Zcarsales
Anonymous Coward, the reason for that is that the current fleet of Marine One’s is aging. The best suitable replacement is the MH-60. Which for a head of state is extremely uncomfortable. Not enough headroom.
02/03, 10:46 AM
posted by:
idrinorbarsaku
that truck is the GOD of all trucks! GO KODIAK!!! FNCK ISUZU!!!!!!!
02/03, 10:47 AM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
It’s cool that GM is trying there best to keep everyone employed and the plant open, but what is Ironhide the GMC Kodiak Truck from Transformers going to do?
It’s funny when the 1st movie came out our General Manager at the time ordered 5 tricked out Kodiak’s.
At $80K sticker no mark-up, we still have 4 truck and a new General Manager…
Hay Don. if you read this, we don’t miss you….
02/03, 10:57 AM
posted by:
Blakkarr
Commercial trucks are not at issue. This is a bad move, long term. Dragging your feet or just refusing to bring, clearly winning product to market is the problem.
WHY DO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR 10 YEARS FOR THE GOOD STUFF TO COME OUT IF IT EVER DOES?
Stop jerking us around and build the good stuff already! Even a 5 year old concept car, which most of your homework is done on, would be at least a couple of years ahead of the curve when it is out.
I WANT MY ULTRA WTCC!
02/03, 11:50 AM
posted by:
A4
zcarsales you do realize that probably 90% of these werent in pickup form, and of the ones that were, 95% of those were used by necessity, to tow horse trailers, car transports, 5th wheel trailers, etc. They use these chassis’ for anything from moving vans, to RV’s, to dump trucks, to flatbeds and towtrucks, and just about anything you see a Ford F550-F650 doing (and previous generation F450’s).
02/03, 11:58 AM
posted by:
Zcarsales
A4, I understand the usefulness of the truck. Its also rightly styled. I guess I’m not seeing the value, because I have no need for this vehicle. However, I did see a version of this jacked up monster-truck style, and I dreamed I had that kind of money.
02/03, 1:08 PM
posted by:
Fit19
How would that work with the existing 525 workers? Does the UAW already have a contract with Isuzu?
02/03, 2:21 PM
posted by:
Borat
I think UAW has contract with Isuzu. Isuzu had manufacturing facilities in US. Otherwise they will take 50K cash and 25K voucher for new car and work as hourly employees (well the rest of the country).
02/03, 7:38 PM
posted by:
tyler_is_aero_tt
Hahahaha NMOFGM looks like you’re oh so great company just handed it’s balls to the Japanese.
02/04, 4:02 AM
posted by:
fan
why dont they make a GM “Roundhouse Kick”, to top the “Topkick”?