General Motors Corp., which has been the most reticent major carmaker when it came to the prospects for hybrid vehicles, intends to offer some form of hybrid electric power on five of its major models over the next four production years, according to people briefed on the plan, the New York Times has reported. GM's plan, which will be announced next month at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, is a surprising endorsement of the fledgling hybrid technology, which improves gasoline mileage by supplementing the internal combustion engine with electric power, the Times said. GM, the largest automaker, will offer several versions of the hybrid technology, according to the Times. The most advanced will be on the Saturn Vue sport utility vehicle, while less advanced versions will be available on the GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado pickup trucks, a coming Chevrolet pickup called the Equinox and the Chevrolet Malibu. The development is a sign that the Big Three are growing increasingly serious about the technology as a business threat from overseas, according to the Times.