GM's Newest Tweener Limps Out of the Gate

Your author can’t explain why his neighbor purchased a new Chevrolet Blazer Premier, but he can understand why General Motors felt the need to insert a new crossover between the Equinox and Traverse. CUV white space = $$$, I think the famous equation goes.

With this in mind, the existence of the new Chevrolet Trailblazer, slotted between the Trax and Equinox, is equally understandable. Boasting a brace of three-bangers and more space and MPGs than a Trax, the decidedly non-BOF Trailblazer serves as a larger stepping stone to the Chevy brand.

Timing, however, was not the Trailblazer’s strong suit.

Having just barely reached its on-sale date, the model’s manufacturer, GM Korea, has announced a production cut. Guess the reason. Could it be that the automaker smells deep-sixed demand?

You bet. Per documents seen by Reuters, GM Korea claims it will operate its BP1 plant in Incheon for just seven days in May, citing both reduced demand from overseas customers and a supply chain disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. Just how much the latter issue factors into the plant’s tepid output remains unknown; however, the company did mention difficulty in procuring wiring harnesses from its Phillipines-based supplier.

A company spokesperson told Reuters that this month’s production plan could change. Trailblazer assembly kicked off in January, just in time for a string of pandemic woes. Examples of the new model have made it to the U.S., where the little tweener is officially on the market. A Chevrolet spokesperson clarified GM Korea’s remarks about U.S. sales, telling Roadshow that Trailblazers are on sale stateside, and that the automaker is “working closely with our global manufacturing teams and key suppliers to address production and logistical challenges resulting from COVID-19.”

Given the state of the new vehicle market in the U.S., many minty 2021 Trailblazers found on Cars.com are already advertised with discounts.

[Images: General Motors]