Uncertainty Looms Over the Future of the New Gas-Powered Blazer
A recent report from GM Authority, citing sources familiar with the matter, suggests that Chevrolet, a GM-owned brand, plans to discontinue the gasoline-powered Blazer crossover from its U.S. lineup after 2025.
The Chevrolet Blazer was introduced to the U.S. market in 2019 and achieved its highest sales figures in 2020, a year heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, with nearly 95,000 units sold. However, it has struggled to maintain that momentum, experiencing a significant decline in demand over the past year, with sales dropping by 20% compared to 2023.
When approached for an official statement regarding the Blazer's future, a Chevrolet spokesperson declined to comment on the report, stating only that the company had no model updates to announce at this time.
For reference, Chevrolet manufactures the Blazer at its Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico, which also produces several GM electric vehicles, including the Chevrolet Blazer EV, Chevrolet Equinox EV, Cadillac Optique, and Honda Prologue. Automotive News recently reported that GM has reduced operations at this facility by cutting a production shift, leaving the plant running on just two shifts. This move reflects a downturn in new car sales, further complicated by higher tax rates imposed on vehicles built in Mexico when sold in the U.S. due to policies implemented during President Trump's administration. Notably, the Mexican Ministry of Economy announced via Twitter in January 2023 that GM intended to transition the Ramos Arizpe plant exclusively to electric vehicle production by 2024. However, that deadline has since passed without full implementation.
The Blazer shares its platform with the Cadillac XT5 and XT6, both of which, according to GM Authority, could also face discontinuation after 2025. While reports strongly indicate that Chevrolet may phase out the gas-powered Blazer, the all-electric variant remains a confirmed part of the company's future production plans. In September 2024, Chevrolet launched the high-performance Blazer SS 2025, an all-electric model delivering 595 horsepower. This EV is set to be available in global markets within the year, with a starting price of $61,995, approximately 232,481 Saudi riyals.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Asharq Al-Awsat
37 minutes ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Iran Says No Sanctions Relief in US Nuclear Proposal
Iran's parliament speaker said on Sunday that the latest US proposal for a nuclear deal does not include the lifting of sanctions, state media reported as negotiations appeared to have hit a roadblock. The two foes have held five rounds of Omani-mediated talks since April, seeking to replace a landmark agreement between Tehran and world powers that set restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief, before US President Donald Trump abandoned the accord in 2018 during his first term, said AFP. In a video aired on Iranian state TV, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that "the US plan does not even mention the lifting of sanctions". He called it a sign of dishonesty, accusing the Americans of seeking to impose a "unilateral" agreement that Tehran would not accept. "The delusional US president should know better and change his approach if he is really looking for a deal," Ghalibaf said. On May 31, after the fifth round of talks, Iran said it had received "elements" of a US proposal, with officials later taking issue with "ambiguities" in the draft text. The US and its Western allies have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, a charge Iran has consistently denied, insisting that its atomic program was solely for peaceful purposes. Key issues in the negotiations have been the removal of biting economic sanctions and uranium enrichment. Tehran says it has the right to enrich uranium under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, while the Trump administration has called any Iranian enrichment a "red line". Trump, who has revived his "maximum pressure" campaign of sanctions on Iran since taking office in January, has repeatedly said it will not be allowed any uranium enrichment under a potential deal. On Tuesday, Iran's top negotiator, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, said the country "will not ask anyone for permission to continue enriching uranium". IAEA meeting According to the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran is the only non-nuclear-weapon state in the world that enriches uranium up to 60 percent -- close to the 90 percent threshold needed for a nuclear warhead. Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei on Wednesday rejected the latest US proposal and said enrichment was "key" to Iran's nuclear program. The IAEA Board of Governors is scheduled to meet in Vienna starting Monday and discuss Iran's nuclear activities. On Sunday the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran warned it could reduce its level of cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog if it adopts a resolution against it. "Certainly, the IAEA should not expect the Islamic Republic of Iran to continue its broad and friendly cooperation," the Iranian agency's spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi told state TV. Araghchi on Friday accused European powers of "opting for malign action against Iran at the IAEA Board of Governors", warning on X that "Iran will react strongly against any violation of its rights". A quarterly report from the IAEA issued last week cited a "general lack of cooperation" from Iran and raised concerns over undeclared nuclear material. Tehran has rejected the report as politically motivated and based on "forged documents" it said had been provided by its arch foe Israel.
Asharq Al-Awsat
an hour ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Syria Says to be Relinked to SWIFT Payment System
Syria will be fully reconnected to the SWIFT international payment system "in a matter of weeks" after more than a decade of sanctions, central bank governor Abdelkader Husrieh told the Financial Times in an interview published on Monday. We 'aim to enhance the brand of the country as a financial hub given the expected foreign direct investment in rebuilding and infrastructure — this is crucial," Husrieh said. 'While significant progress has been made, there's still much work ahead.' Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa received a major boost last month when US President Donald Trump unexpectedly lifted sanctions. While that was a welcome step, 'a full policy shift is still needed', said Husrieh, who began his new job in April. 'So far, we've only seen license issuance and selective sanctions removal. Implementation must be comprehensive, not ad hoc.' According to the Financial Times, Husrieh has been working with the finance ministry on 'a six to 12 month stabilization plan.' This involves reforming banking laws and the central bank, and overhauling social security and housing financing to encourage Syrians in the diaspora to invest in the country, among other initiatives. Husrieh wants to end the Assad regime's interventionist legacy, and restore lending capabilities, transparency and trust. 'The central bank previously micromanaged the financial system, over-regulated lending, and restricted deposit withdrawals,' he said. 'We aim to reform the sector through recapitalization, deregulation and by re-establishing their role as financial intermediaries between households and businesses.' SWIFT's return will help encourage foreign trade, cut import costs and facilitate exports, he said. It would also bring much-needed foreign currency into the country, strengthen anti-money laundering efforts and ease the dependence on informal financial networks for cross-border trade. 'The plan is for all foreign trade to now be routed through the formal banking sector,' Husrieh said, thereby eradicating the role of money changers who would charge 40 cents of every dollar that came into Syria. He said banks and the central bank have been assigned Swift codes, and the 'remaining step is for correspondent banks to resume processing transfers.' Foreign investment will also be shored up by guarantees, he said. While the public banking sector is already fully backed by the government, Husrieh is looking to establish a state institution to guarantee private banks' deposits.
Al Arabiya
17 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Iran says no sanctions relief in US nuclear proposal
Iran's parliament speaker said on Sunday that the latest US proposal for a nuclear deal does not include the lifting of sanctions, state media reported as negotiations appear to have hit a roadblock. The two foes have held five rounds of Omani-mediated talks since April, seeking to replace a landmark agreement between Tehran and world powers that set restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief, before US President Donald Trump abandoned the accord during his first term in 2018. In a video aired on Iranian state TV, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that 'the US plan does not even mention the lifting of sanctions.' He called it a sign of dishonesty, accusing the Americans of seeking to impose a 'unilateral' agreement that Tehran would not accept. 'The delusional US president should know better and change his approach if he is really looking for a deal,' Ghalibaf said. On May 31, after the fifth round of talks, Iran said it had received 'elements' of a US proposal, with officials later taking issue with 'ambiguities' in the draft text. The US and its Western allies have long accused the Islamic Republic of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, a charge Iran has consistently denied, insisting that its atomic program was solely for peaceful purposes. Key issues in the negotiations have been the removal of biting economic sanctions and uranium enrichment. Tehran says it has the right to enrich uranium under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, while the Trump administration has called any Iranian enrichment a 'red line.' Trump, who has revived his 'maximum pressure' campaign of sanction on Iran since taking office in January, has repeatedly said it will not be allowed any uranium enrichment under a potential deal. On Tuesday, Iran's top negotiator, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, said the country 'will not ask anyone for permission to continue enriching uranium.' According to the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran is the only non-nuclear-weapon state in the world that enriches uranium up to 60 percent – still short of the 90 percent threshold needed for a nuclear warhead. Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Wednesday rejected the latest US proposal and said enrichment was 'key' to Iran's nuclear program. The IAEA Board of Governors is scheduled to meet in Vienna later this month and discuss Iran's nuclear activities.
