GM scraps plans for unibody pickup, Denali XT

[PeteM143]

Originally Posted by usa1

Dumb move. There IS a market for a fuel efficient uni-body truck with the flexibility of an Avalanche in a 7/8th scale (195" or less in length) package. The Colorado is an indicator that there isn't much of a market for a compact BOF truck when a full size is available. People that tow will get the full sized. A unibody small truck with a 4 cylinder would be a great addition to the GM product line and fill the needs of MOST truck owners.

Oh yeah, the Ridgeline is mediocre sales wise because it's ugly as sin and offer nothing from a fuel economy perspective.

Mark

Your biggest problem with the Colorado is cost.. It's at a price point too high compared to a Silverado. For some reason, maybe economies of scale, the new Silverado came out and the price difference shrank... a lot.

When I bought my Colorado in '04, it was a step ahead of the Silverado and the Tacoma. There was a reasonable difference in price between the two. I liked the I-5 and it's really been a very solid truck. I was coming from an S-10, and I honestly prefer the Colorado's roominess and utility better.They just didn't do a good enough job of keeping the mid sizer updated and never really put the price where it belonged, much less than a full size.

Now, that said, the Colorado with an H3 like interior and better drivetrain choices, it'd be every bit as good or better than the Tacoma. There would be nothing wrong with extracting some weight from this platform and there is nothing really wrong with a smaller truck below the Colorado. Maybe a Cruze variant like Colbalt/HHR? Cheap with limited capabilities for the weekend warrior...

[Slideways]

Colorados are not much bigger than a Ranger in any dimension other than length, which is good for be because I'm tall. Everyone seems to think that that Colorado is mid-size, but it isn't, look at the numbers instead of jumping on the bandwagon. They are actually narrower and shorter than a Ranger on external dimensions but with just a bit more head, hip, and leg room. Colorado was also the #1 selling compact truck for a while, but GM ignored them and didn't give them the updates they needed to stay competitive.

[GMJoe]

I agree money would be better spent giving the Colorado and Canyon a total refresh inside and out.

They are decent trucks hindered primarily by cheap looking interiors. Make the interiors class leading ,and I bet sales will jump 30-40%.

[GMJoe]

Originally Posted by PeteM143

Your biggest problem with the Colorado is cost.. It's at a price point too high compared to a Silverado. For some reason, maybe economies of scale, the new Silverado came out and the price difference shrank... a lot.

When I bought my Colorado in '04, it was a step ahead of the Silverado and the Tacoma. There was a reasonable difference in price between the two. I liked the I-5 and it's really been a very solid truck. I was coming from an S-10, and I honestly prefer the Colorado's roominess and utility better.They just didn't do a good enough job of keeping the mid sizer updated and never really put the price where it belonged, much less than a full size.

Now, that said, the Colorado with an H3 like interior and better drivetrain choices, it'd be every bit as good or better than the Tacoma. There would be nothing wrong with extracting some weight from this platform and there is nothing really wrong with a smaller truck below the Colorado. Maybe a Cruze variant like Colbalt/HHR? Cheap with limited capabilities for the weekend warrior...

And GM has such a small truck that woud fit the bill being produced in Brazil.

[Chaz_23]

Good. Now make a decent small size truck that can compete with the fishTacoma. Why is it that all American car makers decided as if on schedule to hand this segment to the Japanese? The current Colorado/Canyon have no business in the newGM. Come up with something good already. It shouldn't take that long.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by Ambalanche

So does that mean GMC's Concept truck from last year is out? Sounds like it.

I may be wrong, but I think this unibody truck was supposed to go on Lambda?

The Holden Ute brought over for GMC would work better IMO.

Edit: Looks like it was supposed to go on EpII...

[Orbit]

Here are a few images of the 2006 Dodge Rampage concept, a unibody, Ridgeline-type-but-with-style-truck with rear sliding doors and stow-n-go seating for all seats except the driver's. This is about the only attractive such truck there is/was/maybe woulda coulda been if, ah, whatever:

[bone]

If the Ridgeline was a smart looking vehicle with far better sales than now, many would think more positively about a unibody truck. You can bet every truck manufacturer would have a competitor in the market.

[sigma]

Or GM could get creative and put it on Zeta just like they do in Australia. There is no reason with the promise of higher fuel costs, they couldn't try to bring back the El Camino (and whatever the GMC rebadge of the El Camino was)

[Chaz_23]

Cool truck and cool name.

Originally Posted by Orbit

Here are a few images of the 2006 Dodge Rampage concept, a unibody, Ridgeline-type-but-with-style-truck with rear sliding doors and stow-n-go seating for all seats except the driver's. This is about the only attractive such truck there is/was/maybe woulda coulda been if, ah, whatever:

[benroethig]

Originally Posted by usa1

Dumb move. There IS a market for a fuel efficient uni-body truck with the flexibility of an Avalanche in a 7/8th scale (195" or less in length) package. The Colorado is an indicator that there isn't much of a market for a compact BOF truck when a full size is available. People that tow will get the full sized. A unibody small truck with a 4 cylinder would be a great addition to the GM product line and fill the needs of MOST truck owners.

Oh yeah, the Ridgeline is mediocre sales wise because it's ugly as sin and offer nothing from a fuel economy perspective.

Mark

The machine they were developing wasn't that all all, but more or less a production version the GMC Denali XT concept or more or less an american ute crossman. What you're thinking of is more alongs the line of a theta or lambda SUT.

[V8GMT360 Guy]

Originally Posted by driver

The fullsize pickups are TOO big for some people regardless of what the fuel economy is. Garages and parking spaces seem to get smaller every year and you just can't fit a fullsize truck.

Damn straight! There are some places I litterally CAN'T take my Sierra Crew Cab because it's so hulking. It's great for road trips and hauling things, but for parking in normal lots and ramps, it SUCKS.

However, I am definitely glad they've dropped the unibody truck idea. If they'd been able to pull it off, I'm sure they would also have stopped selling half-ton full-size trucks and forced all of us to go 3/4 ton or go home.

[hrcslam]

Originally Posted by Michael_S

You're comparing a Silverado Crew Cab work truck to a Ridgeline. The base Silverado Crew Cab 4WD lacks the following features you get on the base Ridgeline: locking rear differential, rear seat power outlet, CD player, MP3-compatible, rear HVAC ducts, cruise control, storage box in the bed, power windows.

The Ridgeline has better crash ratings in one test and equal ratings in all the rest - but of course, that's partly or totally offset by the Silverado's 850 pound weight advantage.

The Ridgeline also has a four wheel independent suspension, which makes it less rugged for heavy towing than the Silverado, but gives it superior handling and ride quality on the road.

And your Silverado's tow rating is only 5500 pounds.

To get a Silverado with power windows, you need to move up to the next trim level. Throw in a locking rear differential, CD player, cruise control, and a 7000 pound tow rating, and the price difference between it and a Ridgeline widens to about $2500. And your $29,200 price and the $31,700 price are with current discounts on the Silverado. At MSRP, the price gap is far wider.

On my commute every day I pass dozens of guys in business suits driving crew cab pickup trucks with empty beds. The trucks look brand new and don't have a single scratch in the bed. Plenty of people drive trucks just because they like trucks. For them, the differences between a Silverado and a Ridgeline just don't matter.

My OP was in response to actual FE gains if GM were to build one. The rest is just further comparison. I get where you're coming from though. That is why I said that a Equinox/Terrain based truck would be a good idea for those that like trucks, but don't ever need or use one.

[johnnyl321]

Originally Posted by TheWraith

i think this is a good call - in regards to a FWD unibody pickup. RWD, i could still see a potential market for - there was definite hype about the G8 ST, and the GMC Denali XT concept had a some features people were interested in.

but either way, they're trying to fix the wrong problem...it's absolutely possible to get far better gas mileage out of a body on frame vehicle.

even with the GMT900's, the 6 speed transmissions were a good move, but they didn't change axle ratios so they aren't squeezing the most out of it.

i believe with the XFE models, the ratio is 3.08. plus the 6 spd and 5.3 active fuel mgmt

[Michael_S]

Originally Posted by hrcslam

My OP was in response to actual FE gains if GM were to build one. The rest is just further comparison. I get where you're coming from though. That is why I said that a Equinox/Terrain based truck would be a good idea for those that like trucks, but don't ever need or use one.

Sorry I went off on a tangent there. When the Ridgeline was introduced, there were a hoard of threads here calling it the worst idea ever. I got defensive. It's absolutely less capable than a body-on-frame crew cab half ton pickup, but there are millions of Americans who use their crew cab pickup as a day driver and nothing more. For them, the fact that a Ridgeline is a minivan with a bed, AWD, locking rear diff, and slightly higher tow rating than the Odyssey is perfectly fine.

Like you said, a Terrain-based unibody pickup for people that don't need the Silverado's capabilities would be good.