Jump to content
News
Reviews
Discussons
Activity
Create New...
Close
  • William Maley
    William Maley

    By William Maley •

    Chevrolet Takes Aim At F-150's Aluminum In New Ad

      A New Silverado Ad Pokes Fun At the F-150's Aluminum

    The big news about the Ford F-150 is how it's constructed from aluminum which allows for improved fuel economy and massive weight loss. Chevrolet is going to be taking aim at this with a new social media campaign and ad.

    Automotive News reports that the ad features a focus group asked the question if a grizzly bear lumbers into the room, which cage would you take? The aluminum or steel one? Most of the group goes for the steel one.

    "Our trucks are built with high-strength steel. We think that's a tactical advantage and an important differentiator. We have a pretty healthy sense of humor about it," said Sandor Piszar, the marketing director for the Silverado.

    This ad brings the topic of the aluminum construction to the forefront - something Ford hasn't really mentioned in its ads for the F-150. But it also brings risks to both brands.

    For Ford, it could mean talking about the aluminum construction. This is something the brand has avoided talking about due to reports about higher costs for accident repairs. (Ford has said there isn't a significant difference between the repair costs for aluminum and steel).

    For Chevrolet, the ad could be hypocritical as they use aluminum for certain body parts of the Silverado - such as the hood. Also, rumors have been flying around the GM is planning to use more aluminum for the next-generation pickup.

    "If I'm a GM engineer working on the next truck, I'm scratching my head a little bit. They're probably telling the marketing people, 'Hey guys, you realize we're already lining up our aluminum suppliers, right?'" said Jim Sanfilippo, an independent marketing consultant.

    "Chevy's got a lot of good things to talk about right now. I'd stick to talking about the merits of their own product and not look like they're running from something."

    Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

     

    Go to articles

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments



    ccap41

     

      

     

     

    Gear dials....

     

    Everything is electronics now....there is no direct linkage...no mechanical direct linkage.

     

    So...Gear dials. Why not? It frees up the console for other stuff instead of having a clunky lever...

    Gear dials.... They look more elegant.

    Gear dials...they fit in better with the other dials that modern cars use...take a look at Ford's interior and see how outta place that shifter looks...look at GM's interior...its got all kinds of dials...they are in your face...and as much as I LOVE steering wheel shifters...man...that thing is clunky and MORE OUTTA place....and finally...look at the Mopar and see hw clean the interior looks...and more room for other stuff on the console....GM's console is also freed up...because shifter is on the steering wheel...but that is no place for a shifter anymore...not in 2016...and the thing looks like shyte...its fat and...shyte...at least steering wheel column shifters in the 1950s and 1960s were sleek pieces of metal.

    I completely agree Olds. If everything is going to be electronic might as well save space and just make it a dial. Aaaaand like 'Bong said with his being nice aluminum it probably doesn't have that cheap feeling to it like some actual shifters do.

    I had some time to think about that...but Scott Evans and Christian Seabaugh over at Motor Trend made me over come that status quo fear. Then I realized how stupid and clumsy an automatic gear shifter really looks like...especially when everything is electrics now-a-days...and yeah...like 'Bong saiys about the aluminium trim...

     

    However...as you know...because we feel the same way about it...I dont like push button start...because I like the feel of a V8 engine turning over and roaring to life from the key itself...

     

    You realize that even most twist to start keys are effectively push button also right? The computer controls the starting cycle and won't allow you to overstart or understart the car anymore.

     

    No no no.. Not that kind.. Not like the kind in my(formerly)'06 C350 where it was a key but you turn it an let it go and cycles. We're talking more like my(also formerly)  '03 Mach1 where the engine only turns over while you're actually turning it - old skool like!

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    oldshurst442

    You realize that even most twist to start keys are effectively push button also right? The computer controls the starting cycle and won't allow you to overstart or understart the car anymore

     

     

    Yeah. My wife's 2013 Fusion is that way.

     

    Hahaha I SO AGREE! :thumbsup: Too bad my escape is push button.. pretty lame. I don't understand how real car guys don't et that feeling of actually turning the key and feeling the engine turn over and fire up, as or short as you turn the key, with no electronics to run their own stupid cycle. And because it feels the best with a V8..which tend to have a little exhaust noise to them..and the engine revs a bit over idle..with a tad of cackle..OoOoOoOooooo! :cheers:

     

     

     

     

     

    And CCAP explained it better than I did....its because we had this conversation before him and I.

    I had one of my famous soap box moments :soapbox:  (another emoticon used...)  and we bonded yet another time. :closedeyes:

     

    So yeah, Drew. And I HATE those electronic twist to start keys MORE than I do push button start buttons. I find they are a worse of a tease, because the millisecond you twist, the cycle starts...Its like a fake orgasm....you just go through the motions...it might as well be a button....I prefer the button, there is no need to fake the process...

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    ccap41

    And gas pedals are just rheostats going to servo motors on the throttle bodies, and so are steering wheels mostly, and... :(

     

    EVERYBODY STOP TALKING ABOUT HOW CARS ARE ALL ELECTRONIC AND DISENGAGING NOW!

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    oldshurst442

     

     

      

     

     

    Gear dials....

     

    Everything is electronics now....there is no direct linkage...no mechanical direct linkage.

     

    So...Gear dials. Why not? It frees up the console for other stuff instead of having a clunky lever...

    Gear dials.... They look more elegant.

    Gear dials...they fit in better with the other dials that modern cars use...take a look at Ford's interior and see how outta place that shifter looks...look at GM's interior...its got all kinds of dials...they are in your face...and as much as I LOVE steering wheel shifters...man...that thing is clunky and MORE OUTTA place....and finally...look at the Mopar and see hw clean the interior looks...and more room for other stuff on the console....GM's console is also freed up...because shifter is on the steering wheel...but that is no place for a shifter anymore...not in 2016...and the thing looks like shyte...its fat and...shyte...at least steering wheel column shifters in the 1950s and 1960s were sleek pieces of metal.

    I completely agree Olds. If everything is going to be electronic might as well save space and just make it a dial. Aaaaand like 'Bong said with his being nice aluminum it probably doesn't have that cheap feeling to it like some actual shifters do.

    I had some time to think about that...but Scott Evans and Christian Seabaugh over at Motor Trend made me over come that status quo fear. Then I realized how stupid and clumsy an automatic gear shifter really looks like...especially when everything is electrics now-a-days...and yeah...like 'Bong saiys about the aluminium trim...

     

    However...as you know...because we feel the same way about it...I dont like push button start...because I like the feel of a V8 engine turning over and roaring to life from the key itself...

     

    You realize that even most twist to start keys are effectively push button also right? The computer controls the starting cycle and won't allow you to overstart or understart the car anymore.

     

    No no no.. Not that kind.. Not like the kind in my(formerly)'06 C350 where it was a key but you turn it an let it go and cycles. We're talking more like my(also formerly)  '03 Mach1 where the engine only turns over while you're actually turning it - old skool like!

     

    Yeah...Old skool like....electric bendix motor....that it is!!!

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Drew Dowdell

     

    And gas pedals are just rheostats going to servo motors on the throttle bodies, and so are steering wheels mostly, and... :(

     

    EVERYBODY STOP TALKING ABOUT HOW CARS ARE ALL ELECTRONIC AND DISENGAGING NOW!

     

     

    Mine isn't ;)

     

    [sharedmedia=garage:vehicles:70]
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    oldshurst442

     

    And gas pedals are just rheostats going to servo motors on the throttle bodies, and so are steering wheels mostly, and... :(

     

    EVERYBODY STOP TALKING ABOUT HOW CARS ARE ALL ELECTRONIC AND DISENGAGING NOW!

     

    Yes....stop with the very depressing ELECTRONIC talk and how cars today are...autonomous driving cars are ever so close...

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    smk4565

    Sounds like they are a bit desperate.  Interesting how aluminum in the Corvette or in Cadillacs is good and they tout weight loss and how it gives them the advantage over the competition.  But when a competitor uses aluminum, all of a sudden it is bad and steel is better.

    • Disagree 3
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    cletus8269

    Sounds like they are a bit desperate.  Interesting how aluminum in the Corvette or in Cadillacs is good and they tout weight loss and how it gives them the advantage over the competition.  But when a competitor uses aluminum, all of a sudden it is bad and steel is better.

     

    please tell me youre joking. while i have seen corvettes and cadillacs managing towing duties, lets not kid ourselves here. we are talking about trucks... doing work, getting dirty, getting fixed. when gm starts ragging ford for using aluminum in the new gt's then this statement will have validity. carry on. 

    • Agree 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    cletus8269

    personally while shopping for a new (to me) "recreational vehicle" with 4x4, manual shift 4wd was a mandatory. electric shift 4wd with all the bells and whistles are nice, but when i decided to go into the wild i dont want a button to be the deciding factor on if i get stuck walking or i make it back to the road. my sisters old 98 s10 is currently 2wd only due to the fact that the push button has malfunctioned or the vacuum actuated diaphragm is gone. apparently its a common problem for that style s10 and s10 blazer. a surgeon here at the hospital had issues with his tahoe recently because of the electronic parking brake. some stuff just doesnt need to be a button to me....

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Drew Dowdell

    Sounds like they are a bit desperate.  Interesting how aluminum in the Corvette or in Cadillacs is good and they tout weight loss and how it gives them the advantage over the competition.  But when a competitor uses aluminum, all of a sudden it is bad and steel is better.

     

    Haul a lot of bricks and stone in your Corvette lately?

    • Agree 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites


    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

    ×

  • google-news-icon.png



  • google-news-icon.png

  • Subscribe to Cheers & Gears

    Cheers and Gears Logo

    Since 2001 we've brought you real content and honest opinions, not AI-generated stuff with no feeling or opinions influenced by the manufacturers.

    Please consider subscribing. Subscriptions can be as little as $1.75 a month, and a paid subscription drops most ads.*
     

    You can view subscription options here.

    *a very limited number of ads contain special coupon deals for our members and will show

  • Similar Content

  • Posts

    • oldshurst442
      Beautiful Cars Appreciation Thread

      By oldshurst442 · Posted

    • trinacriabob
      Random Thoughts Thread

      By trinacriabob · Posted

      Argh.  This is a question I almost want to avoid. The A380 is incredible.  Yes, I had a roundtrip through AA on British.  They have a small economy section at the back, upstairs.  Then I flew a one way from Italy to New York-JFK on an Emirates "fifth freedom" flight segment.  They have economy taking the entire main level, with none upstairs. Economy seats are a little wider on the A380 ... definitely on Emirates, at least.  It was an outstanding flight because of that.  On British, I paid for an economy seat upstairs and the curvature of the exterior translates into windows that are too sloped and with an odd and bigger void in between the cabin and the exterior.  I will be sitting downstairs if there is a future flight on one. The 747-8 isn't as comfortable in economy because the seats are traditional economy width.  I feel more comfortable in one because I know it.  It's also much more photogenic all the way around.  You feel good when it pulls up to the gate and you see that beautiful and proportioned machine through the big glass windows. The humidification is good on both planes. It's really sad that no more passenger quadjets are being produced.  It's easier to get onto an A380 if Europe bound (British, Lufthansa, Emirates, and others via connections, with Air France holding back).  For a 747-8, Lufthansa is the only choice and I am grateful to them for that.
    • Robert Hall
      Random Thoughts Thread

      By Robert Hall · Posted

      My car has a supposed 525 mile highway crusing range on a full tank (19.5 gallons).   I haven't fully tested that since I tend to fill up at 1/2 tank when on road trips..but I have recorded averages of 29.5 and 30 mpg on road trips, which is pretty good for a comfortable 4200lb AWD sedan..
    • Robert Hall
      Random Thoughts Thread

      By Robert Hall · Posted

      @trinacriabob in your flying in recent years, have you had a trip on an A380?    If so, how does it compare to the larger Boeings? 
    • trinacriabob
      Random Thoughts Thread

      By trinacriabob · Posted

      Right.  It's not the aircraft themselves, but the haste and sloppiness.  ("Haste makes waste.")  This 777 X is ambitious and the folding wingtips are novel.  They will be very late with delivering this plane.  I now like some Boeing and some Airbus.  It's a mix.  In the recent past, I took a ride on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner and I definitely like it more than the Airbus 350 (even though the Airbus 350 has that photogenic curved winglets).  The cabin fatigue from flying is much reduced on the Dreamliner. Yesterday, I was on two domestic Boeing 737 Max 8 segments back to back on Southwest.  I like its newer features - ambient lighting, larger bins, a little quieter.  So, if it's working, it's a very nice rendition of the 737.  It's too bad that their newest version of this storied workhorse had to be tainted.  I get on and sigh.  If it keeps a clean track record going forward, people may be less weirded out as the statistics may become better. It is.  However, I'm not a fan of the leg design, which is also now popular on sofas.  The biggest turnoff for me in sofas - when I bought a sleeper for another room with the last stimulus money - was the amount of product that had nailheads all over the place.

  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online

  • My Clubs

×
×
  • Create New...

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

I've whitelisted
Continue without support

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search