View This Week’s Edition at http://TechCenterNews.com

Practical Truck ExperienceGuides Ram Engineers

Detroit’s Heavy Duty Pickup Trucks Go to Battle

Fans of GM Heavy Duty (HD)trucks now have another choice.

A month after GM introducedthe 2020 Sierra HD, Chevrolet hasdebuted the full lineup of its all-new 2020 Silverado HD – thestrongest, most capable Silvera-do HD ever.

The new truck was unveiled inFlint by General Motors Presi-dent Mark Reuss on Feb. 5.

The pickup will be built at the

Flint Assembly plant. The new2020 Silverado HD is longer,wider and taller than its prede-cessor with a wheelbase that’sbeen stretched 5.2 inches onCrew Cab models and is scaledfor HD customers, said GMspokesman Mike Ofiara. The Sil-verado HD will be available infive distinct trim levels – Work

GM Launches New HDPickup with Silverado

by Jim Stickford

Competition in the pickuptruck market has Detroit auto-makers tweaking their vehiclesfrom front to back.

To that end, Ram Truck has justunveiled a new multi- function tail-gate that “adds even greater util-ity to the truck industry’s cargo-man-agement and storage leader,said FCA spokesman Nick Cappa.

The Ram 1500 multifunctiontailgate feature is unique amongall pickups and offers customerscargo-access flexibility withoutcompromise, Cappa said. In ad-dition to retaining the capabili-ties of a fully dampened, drop-down tailgate with remote re-lease options, the Ram multi-function tailgate adds a first-of-

The Heavy Duty (HD) truckwars just got a little fiercer. Justweeks after GMC and Ram intro-duced their HD trucks, Ford hasunveiled the new 2020 F-SeriesSuper Duty pickup.

“Super Duty customers havedemanding and diverse needs –from towing heavy trailers to re-pairing critical infrastructure,”said Kumar Galhotra, Ford presi-dent, North America.

“Productivity is their lifebloodand their truck is their biggesttool. Our new Super Duty hasmore power, more payload andtowing capability and better tech-nology than ever to help thesecustomers build a better world.”

F-Series Super Duty had themost market share in industriessuch as government with morethan 60 percent share, petrole-um with 50 percent share andutility services with more than45 percent share, according toFord’s analysis of IHS Markit TIP-Net U.S. registration data, Janu-ary 2017 through November2018, said Ford spokeswomanDawn McKenzie.

Assembled in the UnitedStates, Ford’s F-Series SuperDuty is built with pride at bothKentucky Truck Plant inLouisville and Ohio AssemblyPlant in Avon Lake.

New F-Series Super Duty im-provements include new gas anddiesel engines, a new 10-speedautomatic transmission, chassisupgrades, exterior and interiordesign updates, and smart ad-vanced technology that raisesthe bar again in towing, payloadand connectivity.

A new Ford-designed andFord-built 7.3-liter V8 joins thestandard 6.2-liter V8 in Super Du-ty’s gas engine stable.

The Ford-designed and Ford-built third-generation 6.7-literPower Stroke diesel V8 is up-graded to deliver more powerand torque, McKenzie said.

Ford UnveilsSuper Duty

The 2020 Silverado HD joins the new GMC Sierra in the GM portfolio. The Ram 1500 tailgate now comes in many shapes and sizes.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

The numbers are in and someof Detroit automakers’ hourlyemployees will be receivingbonus checks higher than lastyear.

GM led the pack, with hourlyemployees receiving bonusesup to about $10,750.

On Feb. 6, GM officials statedthat, based on the 2018 full-yearresults for the company’s NorthAmerica business, more than46,500 eligible U.S. hourly em-ployees will receive the profit-sharing checks.

“When GM delivers good busi-ness results, our eligible hourlyemployees in the U.S. share inthe company’s success,” said

Mary Barra, GM’s CEO andchairman.

“To build on our performance,we must continue workingtogether to deliver strong safe-ty, quality and productivity re-sults.”

Since 2010, certain eligibleGM U.S. hourly workers haveearned more than $80,500 inprofit-sharing payments, saidGM spokesman Dan Flores.

Eligible employees are sched-uled to receive the payment intheir Feb. 22 paycheck.

The program is based on acontractually negotiated formu-la between General Motors andthe UAW.

In 2018, GM North Americaearned EBIT-adjusted income of$10.8 billion on increasing salesof GM’s newest crossovers, thelaunches of the full-size Chevro-let Silverado and GMC Sierrapickups, and disciplined costcontrol.

In late January, Ford reportedthat 2018 profit-sharing for eligi-ble hourly full-time UAW-repre-sented employees would be ap-proximately $7,600 on a full-yearbasis and will be paid on March14.

Ford CEO Jim Hackett told re-porters that the full year, net-income was $3.7 billion andcompany adjusted EBIT was $7

billion, driven by North Ameri-ca, with an EBIT margin of 7.9percent, and Ford Credit EBIT of$2.6 billion, its highest in eightyears.

While auto operations report-ed a lower EBIT than a yearago, driven by China and Eu-rope, all regions continued to fo-cus on improving operationalfitness while building on corecompany strengths, said Hack-ett.

In Europe, Ford postedrecord SUV sales, while Rangerwas the region’s best-sellingpickup, and Ford once again

Hourly Employees to Receive Profit-Sharing

Hinrichs shows off the vehicles that will be built at Ford Chicago Assembly after $1 billion in upgrades.

Building the future is an expen-sive proposition. But that hasn’tstopped Ford Motor Companyfrom making major investmentsin its infrastructure.

Ford will be investing $1 billionin Chicago Assembly and Stamp-ing Plants and adding 500 newjobs as it prepares to launchthree highly anticipated newSUVs that go on sale later thisyear, said Ford spokeswomanKelli Felker.

The transformation at theplant, which will begin in March,will expand capacity for the pro-duction of the new Ford Explorer– including the Explorer ST andExplorer Hybrid – the new PoliceInterceptor Utility and the all-new Lincoln Aviator, Felker said.

The work will be completed inthe spring. The additional 500full-time jobs bring total employ-

ment at the two plants to approx-imately 5,800.

With the Chicago investment,Ford is building a new body shopand paint shop at Chicago As-sembly, and making major modi-fications to the final assemblyarea. At Chicago Stamping, thecompany is adding a new stamp-ing line in preparation for the2020 Ford Explorer, Police Inter-ceptor Utility and Lincoln Avia-tor.

Advanced manufacturing tech-nologies at the plants include acollaborative robot with a cam-era that inspects electrical con-nections during the manufactur-ing process, Felker said. In addi-tion, he said, several 3D printedtools will be installed to help em-ployees build these vehicles with

Ford Upgrades Chicago PlantAt a Cost of $1 Billion

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

®TechCenterNews®

VOL. 44 NO. 22 FEBRUARY 11, 2019Covers the Tech Center and the Immediate Area

WARREN, MICHIGAN

info@techcenternews.com

TechCenterNews®

31201 Chicago Road SouthWarren, Michigan 48093

586-939-6800

Contact us:Info@TechCenterNews.com

Deadline: Thursday 5:00 p.m.for the next edition of Monday

William Springer II, publisherLisa A. Torretta, operationsJim Stickford, editorTech Center News is a registeredtrademark of Springer Publishing Co.

www.TechCenterNews.com

PAGE 2 FEBRUARY 11, 2019TECH CENTER NEWS - WARREN

INSURANCEMADE EASY!

Kristin Newsome,Agent.

INSURANCEMADE EASY!

INSURANCE SHOPPERS AGENCYPhone: 810.388.9200 | Fax: 810.400.6100

Email: knewsome@marysvilleisa.com

We Have Discounts for:Engineering, AccountingMedical/Dental Employees

its-kind 60-40 split, swing-awayfunctionality.“When you’re trying to attract

new customers to a truck brand,you need to be innovative,”Cappa said. “So finding newways to utilize the space in thetruck bed is pertinent and it’sour job.”And Ram has done that, Cap-

pa said. Features such as Ram’sBox Bedside Storage, MovableAnchor Points and its SystemBed Divider matter, he said.“If you’ve ever had to tie

something down in your truck,having anchor points thatare movable really helpbecause different items come indifferent sizes and shapes,”Cappa said. “And now our multi-functional gate puts us at thetop in terms of pickup bed uti-lization.”“Ram multifunction tailgate’s

dual side-hinged tailgate doorsfurther enhance the 1500’s bedaccess and utility,” said ReidBigland, head of Ram Brand –FCA. “Independent openingfeatures make curbside loadingeasier. Being able to accessthe bed closer to the bumpermakes stepping up easier;makes loading bulky itemseasier; makes unloading andwashout easier, and allows fork-lift loading.”Unlike other multi-element

tailgates, the Ram multifunctiontailgate is trailer-friendly anddoes not require that the trailerand hitch be removed beforeopening. With a 2,000-lb. loadrating, Ram multifunction tail-gate retains all of the traditionaltailgate’s capability.“The Ram multifunction tail-

gate is intuitive to operate andowners will find it immediatelyuseful,” said Bigland. “Combined

with Ram’s class-exclusive Ram-Box feature and new tailgatestep, we’re taking Ram’s cargomanagement and storage to thenext level.”Ram’s multifunction tailgate

has four configurations: openflat, open left door only, openright door only and open bothdoors. Each door swings open88 degrees and access can befurther enhanced via a re-tractable center-mounted stepoption.Among the 2019 Ram 1500’s

other innovative storage solu-tions are the RamBox cargomanagement system, Cappasaid.The RamBox system includes

versatile, weatherproof, lock-able, illuminated and drainablestorage bins built into the bedrails. RamBox bins also feature ahandy 115-volt, 400-watt outlet.Also available with RamBox is apickup bed divider/two-foot bedextender and cargo rail systemwith four sliding, adjustablecleats.Interior storage was also

high on the priority list forthe new Ram 1500, Bigland said.A reimagined center consolewith 12 different storageconfigurations offers never-

before-seen customization forthe most active interior real es-tate.“There are a number of auto-

motive technologies that cur-rently exist,” Cappa said. “Ramengineers have spent a lot oftime refining and extending thistechnology in trucks. For exam-ple, people these days prettymuch expect trucks to have tirepressure monitoring. But Ramhas extended that technology sodrivers can monitor the pres-sure of the tires of the trailersthey are towing.”The same goes for blind spot

monitoring technology, Cappasaid. Trucks these days comestandard with blind spot moni-toring, but Ram now extendsthat monitoring to trailers.In total, the Ram 1500 features

more than 151 liters of interiorstorage capacity – nearly 100percent more than the closestcompetitor, Cappa said.The multifunction tailgate will

be available across all seven2019 Ram 1500 models and willreach dealerships in the secondquarter of 2019. Manufacturer’sSuggested Retail Price is $995.The optional center step is $295.“All you need to redesign a

truck are a bunch of engineers

who use these vehicles in theireveryday life,” Cappa said. “Andthat is what we have at Ram.“Our engineers are truck users

themselves and they are alwaystalking about what features theyfind useful and what new fea-tures would be cool to have tomake their truck use even bet-ter.”

2019 Ram 1500’s New Tailgate Adds Flexibility

Doors open wide, not down Retractable center-mounted stepDual side-hinged tailgate

DETROIT (AP) – General Mo-tors started laying off about4,300 white-collar workersworldwide last week.In November, the company

said it wanted to cut 8,000salaried and contract workers soit can raise profit margins and in-vest more in autonomous andelectric vehicles.The company says 2,200

white-collar employees tookbuyouts, while another 1,500contract workers were let go.Many of the layoffs will hap-

pen at GM’s technical center inWarren. Most of those employ-ees work on components for in-ternal combustion engines anddiscontinued car models.GM also plans to close one

Canadian and four U.S. car facto-ries, shedding another 5,000jobs. But 2,700 U.S. workers willbe offered jobs at other facto-ries.GM says the layoffs are part of

a restructuring that will add upto $2.5 billion to its bottom linethis year.

GM BeginsWhite-Collar

Employee Layoffs

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

This year’s Academy Awardspresentation takes place on Sun-day, Feb. 24.To help commemorate the oc-

casion, the Warren public librarywill be holding an Oscar previewparty on Wednesday, Feb. 20, atthe Dorothy Busch branch of thelibrary, between 6 and 7:45 p.m.The party will be hosted by

film expert Greg Black, said War-ren librarian Jennifer Lund.Those attending can enter a bal-lot predicting the winners. Theperson with the most accuratepredictions will win a basket of“goodies.” Space is limited. Toreserve a spot, Lund said peopleshould call 586-353-0580.

Warren LibraryHosting OscarPreview Party

Truck, Custom, LT, LTZ and HighCountry – available across 22 cab,bed, chassis and driveline configu-rations.Max towing capability increases

an enormous 52 percent to anavailable 35,500 pounds. It’s alsothe third new Silverado in just 18months, each designed for differ-ent customers, said Ofiara.“We set out to make the best HD

trucks on the market, bar none,”said JaclynMcQuaid, chief engineer,SilveradoHD. “We increased towingcapabilities across the line, not justfor dually buyers.“We added class-leading tow-

ing technologies, such as 15 avail-able camera views, to make trai-lering more convenient, whetherpulling a large cargo trailer orfifth-wheel camper. And we madea host of changes to make taskseasier.”Ofiara said that about 1,000 em-

ployees will be added to Flint As-sembly to build the new SilveradoHD. An emphasis was made tochoose people who were laid offfrom recent GM plant closings.Customers can choose between

two new powertrains. The stan-dard engine is a new 6.6L V8 gaswith direct injectionmaking 401 hpand 464 lb.-ft. of torque mated to asix-speed automatic transmission.That’s an 11 percent increase inhorsepower and a 22 percent in-crease in peak torque, respectively,resulting in 18 percentmore towingcapability.Then there’s the Duramax 6.6L

Turbo-Diesel V8 engine making445 hp and 910 lb.-ft. of torquecoupled with a new Allison 10-speed automatic transmission.In addition, every component

between the transmission and thewheels has been upgraded.2020 Silverado HD highlights in-

clude a new, more powerful 6.6LV8 gas engine with direct injectionfor greater performance andstronger trailering capability with22 percent more torque and up to18 percent more towing compared

to the truck’s previous 6.0L gas en-gine, Ofiara said.A new Allison 10-speed automat-

ic transmission is matched withthe available Duramax 6.6L V8Turbo-Diesel engine for the in-crease in max towing.The Silverado HD comes with

Autotrac active two-speed transfercase on 4x4 models that electroni-cally controls “4 Auto” mode, al-lowing the truck to seamlessly shiftbetween two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive based on road condi-tions, Ofiara said.The in-vehicle trailering system

features an optional total of 15available camera views (requiresan installed accessory camera),such as HD Surround Vision andother unique views including atransparent trailer feature to helpprovide added confidence whentowing.This also features increased in-

tegration with the myChevroletmobile app, Ofiara said.The HD-exclusive sculpted ex-

terior design features the mostdifferentiation from the Silvera-

do 1500 ever – the roof is the on-ly shared sheet metal.Heavy-duty details are designed

to make work easier and more in-tuitive, including features such asan easy-access engine blockheater outlet, easy-to-fill diesel ex-haust fluid (DEF) tank with open-ing inside the fuel door, a more in-

tegrated snow plow prep packageand new, advanced trailering mir-rors with available spot lamps andmore.The BedStep feature and larger

CornerStepsmakes it easier to loador reach items in the cargo box,which is designed to hold a pair ofsize-12 boots and up to 500 pounds.

®TechCenterNews®

FEBRUARY 11, 2019 PAGE 3COVERS THE TECH CENTER AND THE IMMEDIATE AREA

Winter Fun Fest27th Annual Caseville Shanty Days

See Us On Facebook

February 15th-17th, 2019Sponsored by the Caseville Area Chamber of Commerce

• Winter Games • Polar Bear Dip• Ice Fishing Contest • Broom Ball• DJ • Beer Tent • Chili Cook-Off

• Antique/Vintage Snowmobile Show•Fireworks Saturday 8:30 p.m. Sponsored by

Bell Engineering LLC

Winter Fun Fest!BELLA VISTA INN - BOARDWALK GRILL & BAR

989-856-2650 www.bella-caseville.com

JAGER GIRLS, free giveaways, free pool and darts, games, DJ, dancing,dining, and no cover charge!

Caseville, MI Remodeled Rooms$79 per night

Shanty Days 2019Feb. 15th-17th

Jacuzzi Suitesfrom $179 per night

INDUSTRIAL FOOTWEARUSAMADE – All Widths and Sizes

CHOICES - Over 28 Brands and a Wide Selection of Men's and Women's StylesSAFETY, Non-Safety & MET GUARDSEH, ESD and CSA Approved Footwear

WE'RE A LOCAL Company and Located in the North Pointe Shopping Center30833Hoover Road (Hoover & 13Mile)Warren

Hours: Monday through Friday 10 am – 5 pm • Saturdays 9 am – 2 pm*Mobile Shoe Store Available For Company-Sponsored Shoe Programs

On Your Site - Your schedule!

586-578-0996

HouseRoyaltyBanquet Facility

Seating Accommodationsfor 80-1200

“Experience the Elegance with Royalty”(586) 264-8400www.royaltyhouse.com • royalty@royaltyhouse.com

ProudlyFamily

Owned for40 Years

GM Adds 2020 Silverado HD Pickup Truck to Lineup

The new Silverado HD may be strong, but it doesn’t stint on comfort.

was the best-selling commercialvehicle brand, Hackett said.In the Asia Pacific region, In-

dia and Thailand achievedrecord full-year sales, and Lin-coln set a new annual salesrecord for the fourth consecu-tive year in China.At FCA US, eligible UAW-rep-

resented employees will receiveaverage profit-sharing pay-ments of $6,000, based on thecompany’s 2018 financial per-formance, said FCA spokes-woman Jodi Tinson.Approximately 44,000 em-

ployees will receive the pay-ment on March 8.With this payment, FCA US

hourly employees have re-ceived on average more than$29,000 in profit-sharing since2009, Tinson said.As negotiated in the 2015 FCA

US-UAW Collective BargainingAgreement, the 2018 profit-sharing payment is based onthe adjusted Earnings Before In-terest and Taxes (EBIT) marginperformance of the NorthAmerican region reported inthe FCA N.V. financial resultsand on individual compensatedhours.In total, FCA has invested

more than $10 billion and cre-ated nearly 30,000 new jobsin the U.S. since 2009, Tinsonsaid.

Hourly EmployeesTo Receive

Profit-SharingCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

TOKYO (AP) – Toyota’s fiscalthird quarter profit plunged to180.9 billion yen ($12.6 billion),about a fifth of what the Japan-ese automaker earned the previ-ous year, despite relatively solidsales, the Japanese automakersaid Feb. 6.Toyota Motor Corp.’s October-

December profit in 2017 had to-taled 941.8 billion yen, helped byperks from U.S. tax reforms.Toyota, Japan’s No. 1 automak-

er, said that profit for the latestquarter was also hurt by unreal-ized gains and losses in equitysecurities.

Quarterly sales totaled 7.8 tril-lion yen ($71 billion), up nearly 3percent from 7.6 trillion the pre-vious year, according to the mak-er of the Camry sedan, Prius hy-brid and Lexus luxury models.Toyota lowered its profit for

the fiscal year through March to1.87 trillion yen ($17 billion),down from 2.5 trillion yen in theprevious fiscal year, and belowits earlier projection for 2.3 tril-lion yen ($21 billion) profit.Japanese rival Honda Motor

Co. Feb. 1 reported fiscal third-quarter profit fell 71 percentfrom a year earlier to 168 billion

yen ($1.5 billion) as growing in-centives, an unfavorable ex-change rate and flat vehiclesales offset gains from costcuts.Quarterly sales were un-

changed at 3.9 trillion yen ($36billion). At the time of this story,Nissan had not released its thirdquarter numbers.

Toyota, Honda Profits Drop in 3rd Quarter

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

PAGE 4 FEBRUARY 11, 2019TECH CENTER NEWS - WARREN

Arlington Manor ApartmentsMove In Incentives For GM Employees

Arlington Manor Apartments

586-294-6220

• Spacious one & two bedroom• Short & long term leases• Kitchens including:built-in microwave, dishwasher& frost free refrigerators• Central air and heating.• Washers & dryersin each building.• 11x15 foot storage unit

Ask forMary or

Lori

Arlington Manor ApartmentsMove In Incentives For GM Employees

Conveniently located 2 miles East of the GM Tech CenterArlington Manor Apartments31250 Schoenherr • Warren, MI

586-294-6220Leasing HoursLeasing Hours

M-F 9-5:30Sat 10-4Sun 12-4

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

A new Ford-designed and Ford-built 10-speed heavy-dutyTorqShift automatic transmissionis paired with the 7.3-liter V8 andthird-generation 6.7-liter PowerStroke diesel V8.

Ford is the only manufacturerto design and build all of itsheavy-duty engine and trans-mission combinations – ensur-ing the powertrain works seam-lessly with all chassis compo-nents and vehicle calibrations,said McKenzie.

“With the addition of the7.3-liter V8, upgrades to our6.7-liter and the debut of an all-new 10-speed transmission,we’re delivering the strongest,most capable Super Duty pow-ertrain offerings yet,” said MikePruitt, Ford Super Duty chief en-gineer.

The 7.3-liter gas V8 enginedelivers high performance in acompact package, Pruitt said.

“Based on decades of com-mercial engine experience, this7.3-liter is expected to be themost powerful gas V8 in itsclass – providing durability,ease of maintenance, and thetowing and payload capabilitycustomers want,” said Pruitt.

“It uses a new cam-in-block,overhead valve architecture withcast iron block and forged steelcrankshaft for maximum dura-bility.”

Port injection with variable-

valve timing optimizes the in-take and exhaust to match per-formance with workloads. Oiljets cool the pistons underheavy loads.

Super Duty’s third-generation6.7-liter Power Stroke includes anew 36,000-psi fuel injectionsystem with all-new injectorsthat precisely meter and sprayup to eight times per stroke tocontrol noise levels and opti-mize combustion.

This innovative inboard ex-haust diesel V8 features a re-designed electronic-actuatedvariable-geometry turbochargerthat provides improved pump-ing efficiency and throttle re-sponse. Structural enhance-ments increase the strength ofthe cylinder head, block, con-necting rods and bearings tohandle higher cylinder pressureand increased output.

New steel pistons providehigher firing pressure capabilityand less friction – meaning im-proved performance and morehorsepower and torque thanever, Pruitt said.

The truck’s standard 6.2-litergas V8 rounds out the three en-gine choices for Super Duty cus-tomers.

This workhorse offers heavy-duty truck customers provencapability at an affordable price,said McKenzie.

Ford is making its new 10-speed TorqShift automatictransmission available across

all three Super Duty engine of-ferings for the new 2020 model.This TorqShift features a widergear ratio span than the 6-speedand is designed for the harshesttowing conditions.

The heavy-duty transmissioncontinues to offer class-exclu-sive live-drive power takeoff,which allows the operator to en-gage industrial equipment andaccessories, such as snow-plows, with the truck in mo-tion, Pruitt said.

This electronically controlledtransmission has selectabledrive modes that include nor-mal, tow/haul, eco, slippery,and deep sand and snow.

The entire unit is so cleverlyengineered that – even with four

extra gears – it fits in the samespace as the 6-speed and weighsonly 3.5 pounds more, McKenziesaid.

Ford’s new 2020 F-Series Su-per Duty will start shipping todealers this fall.

Ford F-250 Aims to Win in Heavy Duty Arena

The F-250 HD truck aims to provide power and strength.

even higher quality for cus-tomers.

The production of three newSUVs will add to Ford’s output inthe United States.

Ford was the No. 1 producer ofvehicles in the U.S. and the lead-ing exporter of vehicles from theU.S., building nearly 2.4 million in2018, and employs the mosthourly U.S. autoworkers, saidFelker.

“We are proud to be America’stop producer of automobiles,”said Joe Hinrichs, president,Global Operations. “Today, weare furthering our commitmentto America with this billion dollarmanufacturing investment inChicago and 500 more good-pay-ing jobs.

“We reinvented the Explorerfrom the ground up, and this in-vestment will further strengthenFord’s SUV market leadership.”

“Ford’s announcement of 500additional jobs and over $1 bil-lion in plant investments is a tes-tament to the quality and hardwork of UAW Ford members,”said Rory Gamble, vice presi-dent of the UAW Ford Depart-ment.

“Every day, UAW Ford mem-bers head to work, proud of theproducts they build and thecraftsmanship required in vehi-cles like the Explorer, Aviator andPolice Interceptor. Ford’s invest-ment announcement demon-strates a commitment to the ded-ication of UAW members inChicago.”

Employee-related improve-ments to make the plant a betterplace to work total $40 millionand include a new LED lighting,cafeteria updates, new break ar-eas, and security upgrades in theparking lot, Felker said. The com-pany’s investment is supportedby Ford’s partnership with theUAW, along with federal, state,county and local government.

“As Chicago continues tostrengthen our diverse economy,Ford’s commitment to add 500jobs and infuse nearly a billiondollars into their Southeast Sideassembly plant is a vote of confi-dence in our people and ourfuture,” said Mayor RahmEmanuel.

Ford to UpgradeChicago Plant;Cost: $1 Billion

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

DELTA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP)– Authorities say a person is incustody after driving a stolen ce-ment truck through a lockedgate at a General Motors facilityin mid-Michigan and hitting sev-eral parked vehicles.

The Eaton County sheriff’s of-fice says no one was injured inthe collisions, which took placeearly in the morning in DeltaTownship, about 75 miles north-west of Detroit.

The sheriff’s office says the ce-ment truck had been stolen inneighboring Ingham County andlater was recovered by authori-ties in Ingham County.

The sheriff’s office didn’t saywhy the “male subject” drovethe truck to Detroit-based GM’sCustomer Care and Aftersales fa-cility.

The department is still investi-gating the incident.

General Motors spokeswomanErin Davis says in an email thatthat the truck caused some dam-age to the automaker’s propertyand the company has contactedlaw enforcement to learn aboutwhat happened.

Stolen TruckUsed to SmashCars in GM Lot

FEBRUARY 11, 2019 PAGE 5TECH CENTER NEWS - WARREN

HIBACHI BUFFETLUNCHBUFFET$8.99MMoonn--FFrrii •• 1111aamm--33::3300ppmm

Price Excludes Beverages

33431 Van Dyke at 14 Mile (Same Shopping Center as Walmart)

586-264-7000Fax: 586-264-8080

CCAALLLL FFOORR RREESSEERRVVAATTIIOONNSSCCAATTEERRIINNGG •• CCAARRRRYY--OOUUTT

WWee SSeerrvvee AAssiiaann && AAmmeerriiccaann CCuuiissiinnee

SSTTEEAAKK •• PPRRIIMMEE RRIIBBSSEEAAFFOOOODD •• CCRRAABB LLEEGGSS

HHIIBBAACCHHII GGRRIILLLLFFUULLLL SSUUSSHHII BBAARR

��������TTrryy OOuurr NNeeww BBuuffffeett RRAATTEEDD 44 SSTTAARR!!

RED WINGSWhere FitComesFirst…

RED WING SHOE STOREM-F 10-8; Sat. 10-5; Sun. 12-4

33289 Mound Rd.Just North of 14 Mile Rd. in Stober Plaza – on the west side of the street

586-264-4500

• Safety Toes

• ProfessionalFitting

• Wide WidthsIn Stock

The PreferredBrand

of Detroit’sAuto Industry

by TOM KRISHERAP Auto Writer

DETROIT (AP) – Cold tempera-tures can sap electric car batter-ies, temporarily reducing theirrange by more than 40 percentwhen interior heaters are used, anew study found.The study of five electric vehi-

cles by AAA also found that hightemperatures can cut into bat-tery range, but not nearly asmuch as the cold. The range re-turns to normal in more comfort-able temperatures.Many owners discovered the

range limitations last week whenmuch of the country was in thegrips of a polar vortex.Owners of vehicles made by

automobile manufacturers in-cluding Tesla, the top-sellingelectric vehicle company in theU.S., complained on social mediaabout reduced range and frozendoor handles during the coldsnap.“As long as drivers understand

that there are limitations whenoperating electric vehicles inmore extreme climates, they areless likely to be caught off guardby an unexpected drop in drivingrange,” Greg Brannon, AAA’s di-rector of automotive engineer-ing, said in a statement.AAA tested the BMW i3s,

Chevrolet Bolt and Nissan Leaffrom the 2018 model year, andthe 2017 Tesla Model S 75D andVolkswagen e-Golf. All have arange of at least 100 miles percharge.The batteries were tested on a

dynamometer, which is like atreadmill, in a climate-controlledcell.The automobile club tested

the cars at 20 degrees and 95 de-grees, comparing the range towhen they were tested at 75 de-grees Fahrenheit, according to areport on the study.At 20 degrees, the average

driving range fell by 12 percentwhen the car’s cabin heater wasnot used. When the heater wasturned on, the range dropped by41 percent, AAA said.At 95 degrees, range dropped 4

percent without use of air condi-tioning, and fell by 17 percentwhen the cabin was cooled, thestudy found.

For example, AAA’s testers de-termined that the Tesla’s rangewhen fully charged at 75 degreeswas 239 miles, but the mileagefigures fell approximately 91miles, or 38 percent, at 20 de-grees.In a statement, Tesla disputed

the AAA results. The companysaid that based on data collectedfrom its cars on the road, “the av-erage Model S customer doesn’texperience anywhere near thatdecrease in range.”The company said the range

dropped by roughly 1 percent at95 degrees, but it would not re-lease a percentage of electricpower loss for cold weather cir-cumstances.AAA said it followed test pro-

cedures drawn up by the Societyof Automotive Engineers, an autoengineering trade group that setsmany testing standards used byautomobile manufacturersacross the globe.When the temperature tum-

bled to 20 degrees last week inHickory, N.C., near Charlotte,Jason Hughes noticed the rangefall when he drove his Tesla Mod-el 3 on the commute from hometo work.“It would easily use double the

amount of power for that 15-miletrip,” said Hughes, who ownsfour Teslas and runs a businessthat refurbishes and sells sal-vaged Tesla parts to the public atlarge.The cars use energy to heat

the battery coolant in coldweather, as well as for heatingthe cabin, Hughes said. Rangewould take a hit mainly for shorttrips, and the decrease wouldn’tbe as large on longer trips oncethe battery and cabin are heated,Hughes said.“It’s definitely an issue,” he

said. “If you want to go some-where far in the cold, you’re go-ing to be using more power.”Range would be reduced fur-

ther by extreme cold in northernstates, he said.AAA recommends that drivers

with vehicles that use electricpower to heat or cool their carswhile still plugged in to a charg-ing station. It says electric carscan still be used in extremeclimates with a little extra plan-ning.

Extreme Cold Weather CanDrain Electric Car Power

To quote lyrics from the firstLEGO movie, everything is awe-some with the new Silverado1500 High Country pickup truck.Chevrolet introduced new tele-

vision, social media and movietheater ads featuring a LEGObrick replica of the 2019 Silvera-do 1500 High Country and char-acters from the new big-screenanimated adventure, “The LEGOMovie 2: The Second Part,” intheaters Feb. 8. said GM spokes-woman Afaf Farah.In the ads, Emmet and Lucy

(aka Wyldstyle) escape a myste-rious alien invader in a SatinSteel Metallic Silverado 1500High Country made of LEGObricks.Moviegoers can also see this

custom build of the SilveradoHigh Country in “The LEGOMovie 2: The Second Part.” Inthis sequel, Emmet, Lucy andtheir friends from the block-buster, “The LEGO Movie” re-unite to save their beloved cityfrom a new threat and journey tounexplored new worlds, Farahsaid.“From Emmet’s custom High

Country to the real-life Trail Bossthat inspired the full-size LEGObrick model, we have a Silveradofor everyone – both LEGO mini-figures and everyday drivers,”said Paul Edwards, U.S. vice pres-ident of Chevrolet marketing.“The new ads are a fun additionto our Silverado campaign andwill hopefully attract the nextgeneration of truck buyers toChevrolet.”Emmet, Lucy and the custom

LEGO mini-build High Countryare featured in similar social me-dia spots on Facebook, Twitterand Instagram. Unique to Insta-gram Stories, fans can build theirown LEGO Chevy Silverado onebrick at a time with a tap-to-assemble opportunity with thefilm’s characters, Farah said. The

30-second version will also run inSpanish in target markets.Chevrolet unveiled the full-size

LEGO Silverado at the NorthAmerican International Auto

Show last month. These new adsare part of the Silverado adver-tising and social media blitz thatcontinues through the first halfof 2019.

PAGE 6 FEBRUARY 11, 2019TECH CENTER NEWS - WARREN

#42333 #21552#44296

475 SUMMIT DRIVE • 248-292-2502 • 5825 HIGHLAND RD. (M59) • WATERFORD

CALLBRUCE LITVIN– 24/7 & 365 –

OVER 40 YEARSOF QUALITY SERVICE

CELL # 1-586-405-5175blitvin@lunghamer.com

1-888-665-5438

Please call with the vehicle you desireand you will be delighted with the payment.

TTHHAANNKKSSFFOORR TTHHEE AAWWEESSOOMMEEJJAANNUUAARRYY,,TTHHEE DDEEAALLSS WWEERREE

““GGRREEAATT””&& PPRROOGGRRAAMMSS RREEMMAAIINN

““GGRREEAATT””CCAALLLL FFOORR DDEETTAAIILLSS

Free shuttle service to home, office or shopping.

buff whelan chevroletWHERE THE DEALS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE, EVERY DAY SINCE 1970!

Van Dyke • South of 18 Mile • Sterling HeightsJeff Caul

586-274-0396PEP QUOTES BY PHONE OR EMAIL: JEFF CAUL AT JCAUL@BUFFWHELAN.COM

*See dealer for details. All Rebates/Incentives have been deducted from sale price/payment and are subject to change bymanufacturer without notice. All payments assume GM Employee Discount and GM Lease Loyalty. To qualify for GM LeaseLoyalty you must have a GM Lease in the household. All lease payments are based on 10,000 miles per year. 1st payment, tax, title and plate fee due at signing on allleases unless otherwise noted. All deals expire 02/28/2019.

��

VAN

DYKE

SCHO

ENHE

RR

MOU

ND

METRO PKWY.

18 MILE RD.

SINCE1989

CONVENIENT HOURS: MON. & THURS. 8:30AM-9PM / TUES., WED. & FRI. 8:30AM-6:30PM /

Thanks for making Buff Whelan Chevrolet the#1 DEALER IN THE U.S.A. 2 years in a row

OVER 1,000New Chevrolets

in Stock!

CALLJEFF CAUL

586-274-0396

2019 CHEVY TRAVERSE 1LTw/ Convenience and Confidence package

$351+TAX WITH$0DOWN

NO SECURITY DEPOSIT REQUIREDEquiped with Power Lift Gate, Remote Start, Heated Seats, Auto A/C, 8” Touch Screen Radio,Back Up Camera & More…

36 MTH LEASE10,000 MILES

2019 CHEVY MALIBU 1LT

36 MTH LEASE10,000 MILES

2019 CHEVY EQUINOX 1LT

$224+TAXWITH$0DOWN

NO SECURITY DEPOSIT REQUIREDEquiped with 1.5L Turbo Engine, 7” touch screen radio, Onstar, Bluetooth, Keyless Entry,Back Up Camera, Alum. Wheels, Deep Tinted Glass & More…

36 MTH LEASE10,000 MILES

$266+TAXWITH$0DOWN

NO SECURITY DEPOSIT REQUIREDEquiped with Power Locks, Power Windows, Keyless Entry, Remote Start, Back-Up CameraBluetooth, XM Radio, OnStar & More…

LEGO Movie Features Chevy Pickup Truck

DETROIT (AP) – Fiat Chrysleris recalling over 660,000 heavy-duty trucks worldwide because aloose nut can cause a loss ofsteering control.The recall covers Ram 3500

pickups from 2013 through 2017,as well as 2500 pickups and 3500Chassis cabs from 2014 through2017.The company says it’s aware

of eight crashes and one injurythat could be related.Fiat Chrysler doesn’t have a

date yet for owners to be noti-fied. Dealers will inspect a steer-ing linkage nut. If it’s properlytightened, it will be welded to asleeve to keep it in place. If it’sloose, a steering assembly will bereplaced.Most of the trucks are in the

U.S. and Canada.The recall comes after the U.S.

National Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration in December be-gan investigating steering fail-ures on some Ram trucks. Theagency opened the probe aftergetting two complaints fromowners that the linkage betweenthe steering box and the frontwheels can come apart.Owners with questions can

call (800) 853-1403 or go tomopar.com/en-us/my-vehicle/ re-calls/search.html to find out iftheir vehicles are included.The Ram brand also is recall-

ing nearly 194,000 light-dutytrucks in the U.S. because thebrake pedals can fall off.Covered are certain 2019 Ram

pickups with adjustable brakepedals. More than one-third arestill at dealers and will be fixedbefore they’re delivered. The2019 Ram Classic is not affected.

FCA Recalling 660K RamsChevy and LEGO have made an “awesome” partnership.

FEBRUARY 11, 2019 PAGE 7TECH CENTER NEWS - WARREN

Pictures may not represent actual sale vehicle. All applicable incentives including bonus cash, bonus tags, private offers, competitive brand, lease conquest and/or lease loyalty offers have been deducted from Sale Prices/Payments and are subject to change by the manufacturer without notice and are plus title, tax, plate, CVR fees and administrative fees (when applicable) and were valid at time of printing. GM Employee Discount required except where noted. Leases are 10,000 miles per year. Disposition fee may be required at lease turn in. $1000 over Kelley Blue Book offer is for 2007 – 2015 vehicles with clean Carfax minus reconditioning costs. No salvage or branded titles. Certain restrictions apply, see dealer for complete details on all incentives/offers. Sale ends 2/15/2019 @ 6:00PM.

2019 TAHOE 4WD “LS”

Sale Price: $45,599*Was $54,750

• Color Touch Screen Radio!• Remote Start and Entry!• Rear Vision Camera!• 8 Passenger Seating!• 20” Aluminum Wheels!• Bluetooth for Phone!Stock# K46241

$999 DownNO Security Deposit required. Tax, title and plate fees extra.

36 MONTH LEASE

$472*

ALL-SEASON PACKAGE

$999 DownNO Security Deposit required. Tax, title and plate fees extra.

36 MONTH LEASE

$321*

2019 “All New” SILVERADO 4WD CREW CAB

Sale Price: $33,804*Was $43,090

• 4.3L 285HP Engine!• GM Bed Liner INCLUDED!• Color Touch Screen Radio!• Trailering Package!• Remote Start and Entry!• 20” Bright Silver Aluminum Wheels! Stock# K48928

CUSTOM VALUE PACKAGE

$999 DownNO Security Deposit required. Tax, title and plate fees extra.

2019 CRUZE “LT”

$199*24 MONTH LEASE

Sale Price: $17,499*Was $22,670

• Color Touch Screen Radio!• Remote Keyless Entry and Start!• Rear Vision Camera!• USB Charging Port!• Aluminum Wheels!• Bluetooth for Phone!Stock# K48152

• Color Touch Screen Radio!• Keyless Start and Entry!• Rear Vision Camera!

• Heated Power Mirrors!• Aluminum Wheels!• Bluetooth for Phone!Stock# K48705

2019 EQUINOX “LS”

NO EMPLOYEE DISCOUNT REQUIRED!Sale Price: $21,729*Was $27,170 $999 Down

NO Security Deposit required. Tax, title and plate fees extra.

24 MONTH LEASE

$164*

$999 DownNO Security Deposit required. Tax, title and plate fees extra.

2019 MALIBU “LT”

$239*36 MONTH LEASE

Sale Price: $21,931*Was $27,415

• Color Touch Screen Radio!• Remote Keyless Entry and Start!• Rear Vision Camera!• USB Charging Port!• Aluminum Wheels!• Bluetooth for Phone!Stock# K47544

NOEMPLOYEEEDISCOUNT REQUIRED!

Use Your GM Card Earnings and Bonus Card Earnings to Save Even More!*

UQ2019 E• ercouch Solor TTouch SC• t andartss SleyeK• ision CameRear V

S”X “LUINOOX “Len Radio!e

y!rtd Ena!er

• od PetHea• Aluminum• htootBlue

8ck# K4otS

”s!orower Mirr

s!elhem Wor Phone!h f0578

NO EMPLas $27,1W

OUNEE DISCYYEE DISCOLeSale Pric017

UIRED!QNT REe: 291,7$2 *

NO cureS

4 MONTH2

$$999$999 Down

seee ftle and platx, tiad. TTaequiret rosiy Deptri

ASEH LEEASE

a.rtxe

20ourYYour GM Card Earnings and Bonus Card Earnings tUse

ZE “LUUZE “L019 CRGM Card Earn

”TLen Radio!ercouch STouch S

t!arty and Srtss Enleyee Kta!ision Camer

t!orging Phars!elheminum W

Cr V

moor T

nings and Bonu2019

us Card EarningT9 MALIBU “L

miC

r Vmo

C lor T

ee Evven More!o Savve Evgs t”T

en Radio!ercouch STTouch St!arty and Srtss Enleyee Kt

a!ision CamerVt!orging PharC

s!elhenum W

en More!*

$4 M2

7as $22,6W

NOEEEYYEEEOEMPL

OUNTDISCUIRED!QRE

ASEMONTH LEEASEe:Sale Pric $07 17,499*

s!elheor Phone!h ftoot2815# K4

eminum W

$36 MONTH

15as $27,4W

ASELEEASEe:Sale Pric $25

ot#

emi

1,9312 *

s!elhenum Wor Phone!h ftoo4754K4

All New2019 ““All New” SILCU

NO eS

$UIRED!QRE

O 4WADERVVERw” SILACKKAAUE PPAALOM VVALTTOM VUS

$999$999 Downs eeee ftle and platx, tiad. TTaequiret rosiy Deptcurie

ABW CCABWD CRE• 4.3L 285HP Engine!• d LinereGM B UDED!INCL• en Radio!ercouch Solor TC• e!agackailering PrT

GE

a.rtxe

2019 TTAHOE 4WD “LAL

NO ytcurieS

$AHOE 4WD “LTAHOE 4WD “L

o

Rear VRemo

GEACKKAAPPAASON L SEEASON

$999$999 Downa.rtxs eeee ftle and platx, tiad. TTaequiret rosiy Dep

S”Len Radio!ercouch Solor T

y!rtt and Enarte Stemoa!ision Camerear V

ting!eaer SengassP

36 MON

$Was $43,09

ASETH LEEASE90 $3Sale Price: *33,804

• e!agackailering PrT• y!rtt and Enarte StRemo• er Aluminumvt Silh20” Brig

s!elheW8928ck# K4otS

as $54,750W

36 MONTH

$e:

c

ASEH LEEASE

Bl0

8

$4Sale Pric 45,599*

ting!eaer SengassPs!elhe0” Aluminum W

or Phone!h ftootue14ck# K462

NO eS

$$999$999 Down

s eeee ftle and platx, tiad. TTaequiret rosiy Deptcurie a.rtxe NO ytcurieS

$$999$999 Down

a.rtxs eeee ftle and platx, tiad. TTaequiret rosiy Dep

PAGE 8 FEBRUARY 11, 2019TECH CENTER NEWS - WARREN

2019 BUICK ENCORE PREFERREDPURCHASE FOR

$17,519*

$169*PERMONTH

24MONTHS

$999DOWN

LEASE FORSTOCK# B591965

2019 BUICK ENCLAVE PREFERREDPURCHASE FOR

$33,999*

$339*PERMONTH

36MONTHS

$999DOWN

LEASE FORSTOCK# B592639

2019 BUICK ENVISION PREFERREDPURCHASE FOR

$27,419*

$249*PERMONTH

36MONTHS

$999DOWN

LEASE FORSTOCK # B591035

2019 BUICK REGAL PREFERREDPURCHASE FOR

$28,239*

$399*PERMONTH

36MONTHS

$999DOWN

LEASE FORSTOCK# B490146

2019 BUICK REGAL TOUR X PREFERREDPURCHASE FOR

$28,239*

$399*PERMONTH

39MONTHS

$999DOWN

LEASE FOR STOCK# B490016

2019 SIERRA LIMITED$239*PERMONTH 36MONTHS

LEASE FOR

$999DOWN

STOCK #G592455PURCHASE FOR

$32,329*

2019 GMCTERRAIN SLE1$179*PERMONTH 24MONTHS

LEASE FOR

$999DOWN

STOCK #G590424PURCHASE FOR

$24,919*2019 GMC ACADIA SLE1$249*PERMONTH 36MONTHS

LEASE FOR

$999DOWN

STOCK #G592305PURCHASE FOR

$26,309*

2019 GMC CANYON$189*PERMONTH 24MONTHS

LEASE FOR

$999DOWN

STOCK #G591193PURCHASE FOR

$38,819*

CREW CABDENALI

*All prices and payments include GM rebates. Pictures may not represent actual vehicle. Pricing subject to change per GM incentives. Prices and paymentsare inclusive of active GM employee discount (unless otherwise stated). Must have GM Employee discount and lease loyalty. All leases are 10,000 miles peryear with approved A Tier credit. All Vehicles shown are $999 down unless otherwise stated. Disposition Fee may be required at vehicle turn in. Must havelease loyalty or lease conquest vehicle in household on certain models. Prices and payments are plus tax, title, plate, doc fee, refundable security depositrequired on certain vehicles – to be determined by lender. **$3,500 trade in is valid on 2008 or newer vehicles w/ under 115k miles in drivable condition,no branded titles, reconditioning determined by appraiser. Certain restrictions may apply, see dealer for complete details. ** Exp date: 2/18/2019.

LEASE FOR

$189*

PURCHASE FOR

$33,869*

24MONTHS$999DOWN

*All prices and payments include GM rebates. Pictures may not represent actual vehicle. Pricing subject to change per GMincentives. Prices and payments are inclusive of active GM employee discount (unless otherwise stated). Must have GMEmployee discount and lease loyalty. All leases are 10,000 miles per year with approved A Tier credit. All Vehicles shown are$999 down unless otherwise stated. Disposition Fee may be required at vehicle turn in. Must have lease loyalty or leaseconquest vehicle in household on certain models. Prices and payments are plus tax, title, plate, doc fee, refundable securitydeposit required on certain vehicles – to be determined by lender. Tahoe is a former courtesy vehicle **$3,500 trade in is validon 2008 or newer vehicles w/ under 115k miles in drivable condition, no branded titles, reconditioning determined by appraiser.Certain restrictions may apply, see dealer for complete details. ** Exp date: 2/18/2019.

2019 CHEVROLETSILVERADO 1500LIMITED CUSTOM

DOUBLE CAB

LEASE FOR

$179*

PURCHASE FOR

$22,139*

36MONTHS$999DOWN

NO GM EMPLOYEE DISCOUNT REQUIRED • STOCK#WPCF3T

2019 CHEVROLETEQUINOXLS

LEASE FOR

$189*

PURCHASE FOR

$19,839*

36MONTHS$999DOWN

2019 CHEVROLETCOLORADO 4WDWTCREWCAB

LEASE FOR

$199*

PURCHASE FOR

$19,839*

36MONTHS$999DOWN

2019 CHEVROLETMALIBULS

PERMONTH

PERMONTH

PERMONTH

PERMONTH

LEASE FOR

$299*

PURCHASE FOR

$31,369*

36MONTHS$999DOWN

2019 CHEVROLETTRAVERSELS

PERMONTH

HURRY, OFFER ENDS 2/18/2019.

LEASE FOR

$129*

PURCHASE FOR

$16,319*

24MONTHS$999DOWN

2019 CHEVROLETTRAXLS

2018 GMC SIERRA$469*PERMONTH 36MONTHS

LEASE FOR

$999DOWN

STOCK #G585783PURCHASE FOR

$49,999*

CREW CABDENALI

LEASE FOR

$329*

PURCHASE FOR

$24,149*

36MONTHS$999DOWN

2019 CHEVROLETCAMARO1LT

PERMONTH

LEASE FOR

$429*

PURCHASE FOR

$43,789*

36MONTHS$999DOWN

2019 CHEVROLETTAHOELS • Courtesy Vehicle

PERMONTH

PERMONTH

ELEVATIONEDITION

2019 GMC YUKON SLE$459*PERMONTH 36MONTHS

LEASE FOR

$999DOWN

STOCK #WNMC2KPURCHASE FOR

$45,279*

ULTIMATEPACKAGE