Suppliers boast, GM secrets are toast

Published: July 16, 2012 6:00 am ET

Related to this story

Topics Automotive, Molds/Tooling

DETROIT (July 16, 11:45 a.m. ET) — Automakers are pretty good at keeping secrets about future products. But occasionally suppliers let cats out of bags unintentionally, and General Motors has been burned twice recently.

Oldcastle, Ontario-based toolmaker Omega Tool Corp. recently showed off its capabilities in a video on its Web site. In the process it inadvertently revealed the injection-molded bumper cover for the redesigned 2014 Corvette — a big deal among Vette devotees.

The car is to debut at the Detroit auto show in January, and Chevy is doing its best to keep the car under wraps. Omega yanked the video after its miscue gained fame on the Internet, but Corvette fans have sent it speeding around cyberspace.

And another GM supplier helped confirm plans for a redone GMC Canyon pickup, even though GM has not acknowledged the truck’s existence.

This is the last year for the current Canyon and Chevy Colorado pickups, and GM is winding down the plant that builds them. GM announced a redone Colorado but has been mum on plans for GMC.

But Rugged Liner Inc., of Owosso, Mich., has put out a release saying that it will supply bed liners for the 2015 Chevy Colorado — and GMC Canyon.


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Suppliers boast, GM secrets are toast

Published: July 16, 2012 6:00 am ET

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