GM to drop 20 percent of current models DETROIT, Dec. 19 (UPI) - General Motors is saying so long to about 20 percent of its current models by 2004 to cut costs and move new products into dealer showrooms. A week after announcing plans to phase out of the 103-year-old Oldsmobile division, GM Tuesday indicated it will drop more familiar vehicles. Eliminating Oldsmobile will doom the Aurora, Alero and Intrigue passenger cars, the Silhouette minivan and the critically acclaimed Bravada sport-utility vehicle which was restyled as 2002 model. Industry analysts tell the Detroit News three Chevrolets may be next to go -- the full-sized Lumina sedan, the subcompact Metro and the Prizm, GM's version of a Corolla produced in a joint venture with Toyota at the New United Motor Manufacturing plant in Fremont, Calif. The Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird muscle cars, Cadillac Eldorado, Pontiac Sunfire, Chevrolet Astro van, GMC Safari SUV and Buick Park Avenue could all cease to exist by 2003. "We're eliminating where we have overlap in the product portfolio. It's not that we've suddenly decided to trim future product plans," GM spokesman Brian Akre told the Detroit News. GM also wants shift more engineering work to Mexico because of its wage advantage over Detroit. GM previously announced a 10 percent cut in its salaried staff and production cuts and plant closings that will cut about 15,000 jobs in North America and Europe. (c) 2000 UPI All rights reserved. -0- Copyright 2000 by United Press International.

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-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), December 19, 2000