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Exclusive: GM moves next version of big pickups ahead by nine months - sources

16K views 139 replies 62 participants last post by  Citation84 
#1 ·
Exclusive: GM moves next version of big pickups ahead by nine months - sources
By Paul Lienert and Ben Klayman
Reuters/Yahoo.com
July 28, 2014


DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Co has pushed forward the launch of its next-generation full-size pickups by about nine months to fall 2018, hoping to narrow rival Ford Motor Co's still-sizable lead in meeting future U.S. fuel-economy standards, supplier sources said on Monday.

Redesigned versions of GM's full-size sport-utility vehicles are expected to follow about a year later, the two sources said.

GM officials declined to comment on future product plans.

Like Ford with its all-new 2015 F-150, GM is dramatically lightening the next versions of its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups, which are being developed under a program known to suppliers as T1XX, or T1 for short.

The first versions of the current redesigned pickups debuted last year, and GM is introducing SUVs based on that platform this year.

Despite the accelerated schedule, the new GM trucks still will not reach U.S. dealers until about four years after the F-150, whose design keeps the pickup's weight down through intensive use of aluminum. U.S. and Canadian dealers on Monday began ordering the Ford truck, which is expected to hit showrooms this fall.

More at link: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-gm-moves-next-version-175834900.html
 
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#3 ·
Well, this will show Ford that they can't mess around with GM and win......
Haven't they already won?

Personally, I see this as a victory for Ford.
 
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#14 ·
Uh maybe or maybe not.

The one that did the push is Ram both LD and HD.

Both have been eating into GM and Ford since 2013 at the very least.
 
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#5 ·
This is good News that GM is moving faster on the next geneation truck. I'm convinced more than ever that Colorado and Canyon will blunt the effect of the new Ford in the Market place and GM will attract some former import truck customers. I think GM should also move up the introduction of smaller Diesel engines for the Chevrolet and GMC 1500 series truck as well as for the Colorado and Canyon to addrress the challenge from Dodge...er uh... Ram.
 
#17 ·
Maybe good news for the future potential profit potential for GM that they can move up the full size redesign, but bad news for many of us who don't drive pickups. Yet GM lets the Equinox, Cruze, Sonic all go on with current designs and often pushes BACK their redesigns---uses the same 2.4 engine in many of their models, has had a 1.6t available for over a year now yet it seems as if it is going to be at least another 2 years before they see fit to put it in some of their high volume US models. I know they can't update EVERY car ALL the time, but it just seems that the CARS that I am interested in always linger just a year or two too long without updates----or their redesigns are pushed back. (only moved up in cases like the Malibu where the initial re-design was deemed a failure by many)
 
#7 ·
Nine months isn't a big window. They will still be many years behind. GM just needs to remember to be proactive, not reactive. They need to check Ford's playbook, replicate what they did right, & make sure that they don't have any major issues with bad parts that could derail that plan.
 
#63 ·
I think that it is premature to christen Ford king in the full-size truck wars. The F-150 has not been launched yet, and several questions have to be answered:

1) Will truck buyers go for the menu of smaller engines on the F-150 roster with the largest one being a 5.0 Litre V-8?
2) How efficient and trouble free will the manufacturing process be once things are going full speed?
3) What will the "insurance tax" be for an all-aluminum truck?
4) How many potential buyers will be turned off by an aluminum-bodied truck?

I think that too many people are praising the new F-150 because it is aluminum and not looking at other factors such as styling, features, etc. I have to admit, I still find the GM twins and the Ram more attractive trucks than the F-150, and the fact the latter has an aluminum body and/or is lighter has ZERO bearing as to if I would buy an F-150 or not.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Four years is a long time away, don't press the panic button just yet. I still like the new Silverado l think it will still hold it ground against the F-Series both will stay at the top.

Dodge Ram looks the biggest threat to both Ford and GM, it seem to be winning over brand loyal conquest sales. That to me is more of a worry.
 
#10 ·
Wait...GM believes they've fallen so far back in truck segment that they are telling us what we'll have in over 4 years from now? AKA what we'll not be getting in the next 4 years? Just to quickly add "GM officials declined to comment on future product plans." Just odd.

There is a reason that Ford does very well in this segment and RAM is gaining ground. GM has really turned around in a lot of areas, but their bread and butter has been left languishing.
 
#15 ·
I wouldn't worry too much about Ram, especially if VW gets ahold of Fiat/Chrysler.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Yeah sure........ to both.

Ram's the one with the 'easiest' mpg potential ( did he really say that ? ) - or one could go ahead and count them out like so many have done from 2007 forward.

Btw, how's that working out now - ?

Especially with these kinda' trucks ????


Some seem to overlook it is Jeep and Ram that are covering not only the losses @ Dodge and Chrysler but also providing all the gains for the whole group.


FCA is the great disruptor in this biz....... and there is no sign they are letting up.

Quite the contrary.


They are really...... just gettin' started.
 
#20 ·
What is the big hoopla about? Ford cut 500-700 pound from the 1/2 ton truck, right? So after a bazillion years ford is lighter than GM. But not by the 500-700 lbs, it is more like 200-400 lbs. And this is based on fords magic dust numbers, we may find out that fords weight reduction is like their towing numbers, a bunch of hog wash.

Ford claims the new powerstroke has 440 hp, and 860 lb ft torque, yet the Duramax is holding its own, and even beating it with just 397, and 765.
Wasn't it ford that claims the f450 is now a class 3 truck by removing seats, tires, and jacks to make weight? (hell even the center console is fair game.)
 
#23 ·
Ed...... I'd be careful about all that.....


You know, someday..... maybe somebody will write and or post something useful about ZF's automatic transmission 'relationships' with Ford...... and GM.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Doesn't anyone remember that the previous generation of pickups was 'pulled forward' as well. At the time this was put forward by GM as the reason why we 'couldn't have nice things' like Zeta big cars.

It's funny they'd worry about CAFE before we even know if the diesel Colorado will be a success. These aren't even on sale yet.

Other thing I keep thinking: Do we really think this market is so sensitive to gas mileage? People are buying the current eb v6 because it has lots of power. The smaller eb won't have that advantage as it will have less power than the V8.
 
#26 ·
What a crock - the 2014 Chevrolet/GMC Disaster was pulled ahead - we have seen how bad this decision was - the version before this was also RUSHED to market and it was a typical half-baked reskin with not much to offer. You'd have to go back to the 1990's before you would find a new GM pickup.

While this dishonest, murderous, taxpayer cheating company rushes its products to market, Ford leads and sets the new standard. RAM is the only true competitor to Ford and this is a shame - there was a time when it was apparent that GM gave a damn about building good trucks - now it just is sitting on its bum and offering third rate, sorry trucks.

Shame on you, Government Motors. Once again you prove that you are GM with fewer divisions to screw up, but you now have more people to do it!
 
#27 ·
I missed it the first time....

FALL 2018?

Does Government Motors think that Ford isn't primed to launch its own MCE right at a time when the next fake new Government Motors truck comes out? By this time Ford will have had three years and millions of units sold with aluminum bodies in mass production and Total Recall Motors will still be on its training wheels.

This is too funny. By 2018 Ford's entire full-sized truck production will be all aluminum - and by this time Ford will be amortizing development costs to redesigns of its passenger cars. When you stop and think how far behind Total Recall Motors is, this is incredible.

I also suspect that the five cylinder turbo diesel in the Transit will be in the full-sized ford pickups and you can bet that another generation of eco-boost will be ready to take on the disaster in waiting 2018 Garbage Motors trucks.
 
#29 ·
They could also make them smaller. I am sure that a centimetre here and there could take a kilograms off the weight of these vehicles.
Still bringing the programme forward nine months gives them time to overlook faulty ignition switches and others things that may be identified during that nine months of development.
 
#32 ·
Instead of trying to manipulate, by a matter of months, a deadline four years in the future, GM should do the following:
  1. Get together an engine option to challenge Ford's 2.7L Ecoboost (diesel is fine if the final price is comparable).
  2. Pull forward a refresh to the front end and select interior bits to make the trucks stand out as decidedly new about a year after the F150 hits dealers.
  3. Keep working on the 2018 trucks to the best of GM's engineering ability, not based on a corporate calendar.
 
#44 · (Edited)
Your posting discipline is to be applauded eb110.

Chevy could improve mpg simply with lower ride height, narrower tires and lighter wheels, lighter gauge frame (Ford just did that, so its fair game) and reasonably sized mirrors. I bet a standard bed cover would mean 1mpg. The k2x were IMO 'over built' and a brake/axle lightening won't hurt them a bit.

I think the capabilities have been way overbuilt on 1/2 tons and Dodge's secret is sort of ignoring payload. I'd like to see if the "SFE" Ford 150 is a kind of "F-100" in terms of payload. If you cut payload you can cut brakes, driveline and frame weight substantially.

It'd be interesting to see Chevy do a Silverado "C10" with a lower curb weight and 1000lb payload. I'd love something like that myself. Keep the 325 V8 but set up for more predominant V4 operation - maybe like 1/2 throttle for all 8. It could use a V6 axle with some torque mgmt ECM tweaks. I could also see them doing a hi-po 376 version set up to run mostly as a V4 maybe with a 3.73 axle. Then when you punch it, look out. It has the same effect as the 'turbo' where the car feels unleashed. I think these are simple 'bolt on' parts swaps they can rival Ford 214 and 165cid ebs economy while selling the soft ride and big engine people now buy in the Dodge Ram.

I think Chevy needs a softer riding version like the Ram - that's who's eating Chevy's lunch now, not Ford.
 
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