Class-C Chassis

[HarleyEarl]

General Motors and Workhorse Expand Class-C Chassis Portfolio More choices for RV owners; Turbo-diesel engine available Louisville, KY - Offering the comfort and power of a full-size SUV or pickup truck, General Motors announces the availability of the 6.6-liter Duramax turbo-diesel engine for the 12,300-pound Class-C chassis. In addition to the 14,050-pound chassis, General Motors has also announced that it will co-brand its 12,300-pound and 9,600-pound GVWR chassis with Workhouse Custom Chassis. All three chassis come standard with the Vortec 6.0 V-8 engine. "Adding the Duramax turbo-diesel engine to our chassis portfolio demonstrates GM's dedication to meeting the needs and desires of the RV customer," said Ross Hendrix, General Motors Marketing Director of Vans and Trucks. "We believe our chassis for the Chevy Express van delivers exactly what motor home customers want from their RV - exceptional capability, durability and power, with the comfort and convenience they've come to appreciate from GM vehicles." RV Equals Comfort With the Chevrolet/Workhorse Class-C Chassis, comfort and relaxation begins with the driving experience. The independent short/long-arm (SLA) front suspension provides both ride quality and long-term durability. The chassis' sharp turning radius allows the driver to maneuver in and out of tight spots with ease, adding to driver comfort. Inside, the chassis delivers more legroom and interior space for the driver and passenger than comparable competitive products, including larger step pads and wider footwells. There's also more functional storage, including deep and wide door storage pockets. "We're extremely pleased to expand the Chevy/Workhorse chassis portfolio with General Motors," said Bob Wert, Workhorse Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Product Planning. "The partnership between Workhorse and General Motors makes perfect sense because it allows two companies who truly understand the RVers needs for comfort to collaborate and offer outstanding motor home choices." POWERTRAIN The Chevrolet/Workhorse Class-C 12,300 chassis can now be powered by a Duramax turbo-diesel engine that delivers a class-leading 250-hp and 460-lbs-ft. torque run through a 4L85-E heavy-duty four speed transmission. All three chassis - the 14,050, the 12,300-pound and the 9,600-pound - are perfectly matched to the four-speed electronically controlled automatic transmissions with a 300-hp Vortec 6.0L V-8 engine. With just the right ratio of power to weight, the 6.6Duramax turbo-diesel engine gets the job done. Braking performance is provided by the standard four-wheel disc anti-lock brake system with Dynamic Rear Proportioning (DRP). DRP adjusts brake pressure toward the front or rear of the vehicle; therefore, optimizing front and rear brake performance under varying loads and road surfaces. With the Duramax turbo-diesel engine, the 12,300-pound GVWR chassis provides the power an RV customer will need to quickly merge into traffic or climb a steep grade. General Motors builds all of the Class-C chassis at its Wentzville Assembly Center in Missouri. Production is expected to begin in January 2006 and motor homes should arrive in dealer lots in early Spring 2006.

[V6powerr]

Are their any pictures available?

[haypops]

here is your picture

and just for fun

the super sport option

Seriously, workhorse has done a great job getting Chevy back into the RV field and eating into Ford's lead.

[chevyman62]

4 speed tranny!? <_< ...... come on GM, you gotta start putting 5 speeds in your vehicles. Edited December 2, 2005 by chevyman62

[Sixty8panther]

4 speed tranny!? <_< ...... come on GM, you gotta start putting 5 speeds in your vehicles.

[post="51403"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

It's a truck not a "vehicle" :P

Seriously it's designed for durrability over all else.

[haypops]

In other types of vehicles more speeds in the transmission help with fuel consumption and keeping the engine at max torque. The wind resistance of these vehicles negates the advantages of the first issue and the torque characteristics of the 8.1 l engine takes care of the second. I drove my motor home all over the Southern California and and found the need for a good jake break more than another gear.

[91z4me]

I live in Louisville and have never heard of a GM facility here. The only truck type plant I have heard of is a semi trailer manufacturer that is litterally within U of L's campus. Where is this being built? BTW I found out that Cummins was started in Louisville, KY the other day. My mother-in-law knew the owner's daughter shortly before the family sold it.

[haypops]

I live in Louisville and have never heard of a GM facility here.  The only truck type plant I have heard of is a semi trailer manufacturer that is litterally within U of L's campus.  Where is this being built?

[post="51747"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

from here

"General Motors builds all of the Class-C chassis at its Wentzville Assembly Center in Missouri. Production is expected to begin in January 2006."

and from the warkhorse web site

The Company



Workhorse Custom Chassis was formed in 1998 as a manufacturer of Class A motor home, commercial step van, school bus and European motor home chassis.
Manufacturing facilities are located in Union City, Indiana; Sales and service offices are near Detroit.
The Focus



Workhorse Custom Chassis is the only chassis manufacturer who only manufactures chassis. Workhorse does not produce automobiles, trucks, vans, SUV's, RV's or any other type of vehicle.
This single focus means 100% of all Workhorse resources go into the design, production and support of chassis.

The Plant



At 209,000 square feet, the state-of-the-art Union City plant is the largest strip chassis manufacturing facility in the world.
The plant operates on a four-day, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. schedule Monday through Thursday.
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Botom line - I don't know what this has to do with Louisville either?

[91z4me]

from here

"General Motors builds all of the Class-C chassis at its Wentzville Assembly Center in Missouri. Production is expected to begin in January 2006."

and from the warkhorse web site

The Company
Workhorse Custom Chassis was formed in 1998 as a manufacturer of Class A motor home, commercial step van, school bus and European motor home chassis.
Manufacturing facilities are located in Union City, Indiana; Sales and service offices are near Detroit.
The Focus
Workhorse Custom Chassis is the only chassis manufacturer who only manufactures chassis. Workhorse does not produce automobiles, trucks, vans, SUV's, RV's or any other type of vehicle.
This single focus means 100% of all Workhorse resources go into the design, production and support of chassis.

The Plant
At 209,000 square feet, the state-of-the-art Union City plant is the largest strip chassis manufacturing facility in the world.
The plant operates on a four-day, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. schedule Monday through Thursday.
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Botom line - I don't know what this has to do with Louisville either?

[post="51786"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Yeah kinda confusing. :blink:

[rlchv70]

Also, interestingly, Workhorse is now owned by International:

http://www.nav-international.com/site_layo...tail.asp?id=662

[haypops]

That is interesting. It means that that the RV and other business went from GM to Worhorse to International. When I was a young man International made direct competitors to what we now call the Silverado, the Surburban, and arguably the Hummer H3. In a way this parrales what happened with Detroit Diesel. GM sold the diesel engine builder to Penske Automotive who made it proftiable and then resold it to Freightliner (owned by Dailmer Chryler). Again a business unit's sale was "laundered" prior to sale to a direct competitor.