Chevy's new mini truck

[ocnblu]

Yeah... tiny, eh?

http://blogs.cars.com/.a/6a00d83451b3c669e2017ee79d9cda970d-800wi

[Camino LS6]

Hmmm.

[Blake Noble]

Buying a Chevy truck soon is going to be like buying Budweiser.

I can see the dealer training video now. "For a less filling truck that will allow your prospects to finish their meal with a possible mild buzz, recommend the new Silverado Lite for 2014. If your prospects want to wind up in the ER shitfaced as hell and puking up enchiladas, recommend they purchase the Silverado Diesel, also new for 2014."

Edited January 27, 2013 by black-knight

[G. David Felt]

I was hoping for a New Chevy Luv type truck.

[ocnblu]

Well, hyper will be happy, that's gotta be a full 6' bed on that crew cab. And since we're talking about the new Grand Cherokee diesel in another thread, and how much Chrysler is going to try to rape customers with their $4500 price premium for the option to save money at the pump eventually after 37 years, I wonder if GM is going to bring the diesel version of this truck to the U.S., and if so... what's it going to cost us?

I'm predicting a big 4 (probably not any of the current car engines, based on their strategy with the fullsize exclusive truck engines), and the 4.3 will be needed. Diesel is a wild card. We've heard from GM that one of the primary goals was to make this new truck very inexpensive to run. But purchase price plays a role in that equation.

[Camino LS6]

Still think this should have been S-10 sized.

[ocnblu]

Certainly leaves room for something smaller beneath it... hello GM? Instead of the "two-truck strategy" you spoke of at the '14 fullsize intro in reference to the new midsize trucks, how about a 3-pronged approach?

That Granite pickup would have made a sweet little hauler, too bad it died.

I hope this thing has a good looking front end for the U.S. - I am a little concerned, looking at the tautness of the canvas, it appears this one has the same bumper as the international version...

Edited January 27, 2013 by ocnblu

[G. David Felt]

Saw today on the way home a PT Cruiser that they had turned into a pickup truck.

Dodge is advertising base level full size Pickup trucks here with V8 engine starting at $14,999. This sort of pricing on a base level truck makes it hard to build and sell small mini trucks at the same price point.

[Robert Hall]

Saw today on the way home a PT Cruiser that they had turned into a pickup truck.

Dodge is advertising base level full size Pickup trucks here with V8 engine starting at $14,999. This sort of pricing on a base level truck makes it hard to build and sell small mini trucks at the same price point.

There is something seriously screwed up when a full size truck w/ v8 is that cheap yet the cheapest RWD V8 cars are more than twice that..

[Camino LS6]

Agreed, Cubitar.

[hyperv6]

I am please to see they put a larger bed on it.

As of yet I am not sold on this truck. Not sure what it is but it is either going to be too large or it may be the styling I have yet to see in person.

I too would rather have a S 10 sized truck.

[Robert Hall]

How large is it compared to the competition..i.e. the Tacoma and Frontier?

[ocnblu]

Well I think the Frontier has a new optional 6-foot bed with their crewcab this year. I am not sure if Yota has a 5- or 6-foot bed with their crew. It seems like this new GM truck will match the Japanese trucks in size... I just hope they get better fuel mileage than the Datsun, at least. The Frontier has horrible ratings for a "small" truck (14/19???). I have faith these new ones will continue GM's tradition of best-in-class real world MPG... the 4.3 should be ideal with all the improvements and 6-speed transmissions.

Oh how I long for the days of Li'l Hustler, LUV, Courier, D-50 and Truck (Toyota's creative model name back then, IIRC).

[balthazar]

That certainly looks far too large/close to the Silverado.

I agree that an S-10-sized truck would be very appealing to many, but to make it a functional truck, I don't think the bells/whistles will enable it to get down to that size again. The bulk will (unfortunately) be crew cabs, because you know- everyone has to haul 5 people at all times, so there's another 30" of wheelbase right there. Regular cabs will be 10% of this segment at best, too. I have no doubt this will be too large, and intentionally creating a larger 'small' truck JUST to "make room" for a 3rd (if that's what's being done here) is more of that same that spreads resources much too thin. It's the same with the SUVs; too many too close in size. In order to nail this program, it should absolutely be closer to an S-10 than a SIlverado, leaving more funding to make each that much better/innovative.

[Camino LS6]

Yep, they've blown a chance to lead rather than follow.

[hyperv6]

I still suspect something is up at Chevy and Ford.

Could we be seeing the 1/2 tons moving to a heavier weight class and a little larger to take advantage of the CAFE loop holes while the little smaller trucks will take the 1/2 ton class with better MPG?

I read a while back a story on how the CAFE rules were could lead to larger trucks to take advantage on the loop holes. They said the goverments rules would backfire.

The Ranger could be here real easy and GM is not far from the Colorado as it is.

If there is no other plan of some kind where is the sense in this truck? As it is now I would buy a full size for nearly the same price as a loaded Colorado now. Just little value in the present Colorado vs the full size truck.

[G. David Felt]

Wonder if GM thinks they could do a Dodge and have the mid and full size trucks like the Dakota and Ram?

Course having everything Heavy Duty to take advantage of loop holes will just be a silly small step as they will end up shutting it down eventually and too many people have no clue on how to drive a large truck let alone a mid size auto. It amazes me how much body damage I see on small commuter cars from people that cannot seem to gauge space and size around them.

[Robert Hall]

Wonder if GM thinks they could do a Dodge and have the mid and full size trucks like the Dakota and Ram?

Well the Dakota has been gone for a while, so I think it's closer to the midsize and fullsize approach Toyota and Nissan have.. the new Colorado is still not as big as the Dakota, Frontier, or Tacoma, though...if these dimensionsfrom Wikipedia are accurate:

Wheelbase 3,096 mm (121.9 in) Length 5,367 mm (211.3 in) Width 2,132 mm (83.9 in) Height 1,785 mm (70.3 in)

Edited January 29, 2013 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[balthazar]

^ if thats the new colorado, it's too large. Interesting they included the sideviews in the overall width- uncommon. The Dakota was too large, too - small & large is all thats neccessary, so-called mid-size is just a distraction.

[G. David Felt]

^ if thats the new colorado, it's too large. Interesting they included the sideviews in the overall width- uncommon. The Dakota was too large, too - small & large is all thats neccessary, so-called mid-size is just a distraction.

Having owned a Dakota for 12yr's before giving it to the wifes side of the family as a member needed something that was dependable since I take care of my auto's with all the scheduled maintenance it still goes and for larger folks like me, While my first truck was a Luv Series 5 1976 that I still wish I had, it was small and truly a 2 person only short drive truck. Yet the Dakota could get 3 snug and you could go on long trips. It was a nice truck and I think many people liked them as my sister bought a crew cab version of the dakota before they stopped making them and loves it as it is not as big as a full size, but bigger than all the small trucks. Great trucks, not distractions at all.

Yet in todays day of high fuel costs, I can see the need as there has always been a need for small trucks. Who ever brings in the mini truck again will win with innter city folks who want a truck and for suburban folks who would like a 1/2ton or stiff 1 ton mini to haul the occasional weekend house project.

[G. David Felt]

Intersting read from Car and Driver on the new trucks:

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2014-chevrolet-silverado-gmc-sierra-spy-photos-future-cars

Here is a report with spy shots on what they call the Ford Ranger replacement and GM's Mini truck with photo's. The Ford does look smaller than the GM truck.

http://www.fordpartsbans.com/blog/2010/05/spy-shots-next-gen-ford-ranger-and-chevy-colorado-replacements-spotted-in-the-u-s-but-where-will-they-end-up/

[G. David Felt]

Well I guess this kind of texture designed body is get more popularity in customers because people like this thing. I think this will be the best selling truck for Chevy's. BUt waiting for its launching because without see anything can't take any good decision. But they have build a good drive. Thanks for sharing.

any comment..?

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