GM light truck platforms are and will mainly still be built in Flint MI, Ft Wayne IN, and Arlington TX. The Avalanche trucks and some Suburbans/full size SUVs were built in Silao, Mexico due to the other 3 assembly line capacity limits having been reached. The Avalanche was discontinued after the 2013 year production and the Silao, Mexico assembly line then began the conversion to produce 1500 pickups mainly for the Mexican and Central American market and also provide some additional 1500 pickup backup build capacity for the Southern USA when needed. With the other 3 plants still working at capacity on the 2013 models, GM wasn't able to convert them over to the 2014 models until the end of the 2013 model year production run. The Silao plant however had been in retool mode for the 2014 1500 model year pickup build and was the only assembly line ready to actually build the 2014 model year 1500's to date and that's why the GM shootout trucks were built in Silao, Mexico.
The whole story and the plan of action has been on the Internet for over a year now! GM is spending 928 million on the 3 American plant retooling and 300 million to convert the Silao, Mexico plant for 1500 production. 120 million goes to the San Luis Potosi, Mexico plant for the Aveo/Sonic based new Trax crossover vehicle which will launch at the Paris Motor Show in September and will go on sale in 140 countries early next year.
