AUTOS

GM Confirms Delays: The auto maker said it has slowed its schedules for several major new-vehicle programs, a tacit acknowledgment that it has not been able to carve as much time as it would like from the product development process. The models affected include replacements for the Pontiac Grand Am, Oldsmobile Achieva and Buick Skylark, and also for GM’s next generation of minivans, all expected for the 1997 model year. General Motors Corp. would not release specifics about the adjustments, but a spokeswoman said a Wall Street Journal article that first reported the changes Friday overstated their effect. The Journal said production of several models had been pushed back six months.