GM to Shut 20 Factories Temporarily

This story was updated at 4:15 p.m. EST.

By DAN STRUMPF
AP Auto Writer

NEW YORK -- General Motors (GM Quote) said Friday it will temporarily close 20 factories across North America and make sweeping cuts to its vehicle production as it tries to adjust to dramatically weaker automobile demand.

GM said it will cut 250,000 vehicles from its production schedule for the first quarter of 2009, which includes a cut of 60,000 vehicles announced last week. Normal production would be around 750,000 cars and trucks for the quarter, spokesman Tony Sapienza said. ...