Suburban, Escalade ESV set to move to Lambda
GMI source says move to come by 2014
Caravan to move to Lambda if GM acquires Chrysler
GMI has just learned this evening from a reputable source that the GM Global Product Board greenlighted the next Suburban and Cadillac Escalade ESV to move to the Lambda platform.
There were no votes against the move by board members.
The vote also would call for a contingency move if GM should acquire or merge with Chrysler, LLC. If that were to happen, GM's board has also stated that the next Dodge Caravan will also move to Lambda, while a Chevrolet version of the Minivan would also debut.
By these estimations, the GMT-900 Suburban will last until the 2014 model year.
The reasons behind the move are thought to be aimed squarely at CAFE standards, reducing the number of existing platforms utilized within the corporation, and a shift in general consumer tastes toward lighter unibody vehicles.
GMI presumes that this shift also means that GM has either overcome any limitation in allowing for the FWD-based Lambda architecture to tow higher weight or that the corporation will look solely to their pickup truck lineup (which is slated to remain on a traditional body-on-frame architecture) for customers who need to tow higher-weighted trailers.
GMI will bring you more information as it becomes available.