GM News: Rumorpile: GM Puts Next-Generation Pickups On Rush

[William Maley]

General Motors has put a rush on the next-generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra to counter Ford's F-150. According to Reuters, GM has pushed up the launch date of their next-generation pickups, codenamed T1XX, by nine months to the fall of 2018. The new trucks will undergo a diet much like the new F-150. Full-size SUVs will follow a year after.

While this will trail the next F-150 by four years, supplier sources says GM has a lot in store for its next-generation trucks, including a ten-speed automatic being jointly developed with Ford, direct-injection, turbocharging, and auto stop/start technologies.

In the meantime, some of GM's current trucks and SUVs will get an eight-speed automatic.

Source: Reuters

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

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[G. David Felt]

Very cool to hear they are speeding up the rollout. I am very excited to see the 8 spd go into the SUV's. Escalade is delayed by 3-6 months which makes me wonder if they will go with a 9spd transmission for the Escalade to differentiate them from the Yukon and Tahoe line.

[Drew Dowdell]

Escalades have been spotted in the wild already... where did you hear that they are delayed?

[regfootball]

GM isn't leading in anything anymore.  They are just reacting.  Ford makes a light F150.  OK< we need to also.

 

Midsize sedans are larger and not ugly....ok we need to stretch the malibu out again and rush it to the market

 

3 series is kicking our ass, we need to make a new model the same size and hope it competes.

[smk4565]

Agreed with Reg, GM is always chasing.  They can rush the new Silverado, but it is still 4 years away, when the aluminum, Ecoboost F150 is here, the Ram diesel is here.  They didn't go far enough with the 2014 Silverado, when they redo it, you wonder if they will do enough to leapfrog the competition, or if they will just catch up to Ford's 2015 model and see the goalpost moved on them again.

[balthazar]

F-150 was HEAVIER than the Silvie; Ford 'reacted' on that count.

 

The truck market is very much different than the car market- for example; the German lux brands WISH they had loyalty stats anywhere close to domestic truck buyers.
 

[smk4565]

Well there are only 4 truck brands, unless Nissan still makes the Titan.  But it is GM, Ford, Ram or Toyota.  There are a dozen luxury car brands, and luxury car buyers needs may change more frequently, than those who just buy a pickup every time.  Luxury market is more like mid-size sedans, there are a dozen cars to pick from and people come and go from the segment.

 

I think the lack of competition lets pickup manufacturers get complacent, Toyota is so weak and they don't invest in new engines, they still have the 4.0 V6 from a 1999 4-runner, and that 5.7 liter V8 from 2007 with no improvement to horsepower or fuel economy in 7 years.  It is laughable, Ford is the only innovator in the segment, that is why they are the leader.

[balthazar]

No other segment of the auto industry has seen such leaping change over the last 30 years than trucks- there's no 'complacency'.

 

Aluminum skin remains to be seen AFA how it lasts under typical truck usage. It may be fine (likely) or the associated costs may turn many buyers away.

It's not that great a deal because it's a non-functional intangible- it's just lighter.

[Drew Dowdell]

Ford is the only innovator? That's a laugh. The current truck dates back a long time and all Ford did was swap out front clips. Until the announcement of the aluminum 150 their "big innovation" was a turbo v6.... big deal..

Chevy had a truck with a midgate.

Ram has 8 speed transmissions and height adjustable suspension.

[smk4565]

I do give credit to Ram for the diesel and 8-speed.  And the 90s Ram had the Kenworth truck look which was cool for the time.  Overall though pickups look about the same as they did 25 years ago, still using 5-5.7 liter V8s as they did 25 years ago, they swapped out 4-speed auto for 6 speed.  It isn't as bad as full size vans like the Econoline that went 25 years with one update, but I think other segments advance faster than trucks.

[G. David Felt]

Escalades have been spotted in the wild already... where did you hear that they are delayed?

Other news stories state the trucks and Yukon will get the 8sp first and then Cadillac will get it a few month behind them. It might have been automotive news that stated it or one of the other auto mags. That is what I read and how I interpret it.I would think they would move them all at the same time.

[G. David Felt]

Well there are only 4 truck brands, unless Nissan still makes the Titan.  But it is GM, Ford, Ram or Toyota.  There are a dozen luxury car brands, and luxury car buyers needs may change more frequently, than those who just buy a pickup every time.  Luxury market is more like mid-size sedans, there are a dozen cars to pick from and people come and go from the segment.

 

I think the lack of competition lets pickup manufacturers get complacent, Toyota is so weak and they don't invest in new engines, they still have the 4.0 V6 from a 1999 4-runner, and that 5.7 liter V8 from 2007 with no improvement to horsepower or fuel economy in 7 years.  It is laughable, Ford is the only innovator in the segment, that is why they are the leader.

Their Marketing has helped them be the sales leader, but their technology and what they do inside the trucks is heavily dated. The worst plastic old look I have ever seen with so few real innovations.

[Z-06]

No other segment of the auto industry has seen such leaping change over the last 30 years than trucks- there's no 'complacency'.

 

 

This, trucks have gone from utility mules to borderline luxury vehicles. There was time that people use to have "daily driver" and a truck. Now with trucks having the same ammenities as the Chevroletdes Benz or GMW of similar price, it is obvious to have truck as a daily driver. Yes, you see people riding trucks empty and ridicule of the waste. But would you rather have two car payments with slightly less fuel usage or one car payment with more fuel usage?

[Intrepidation]

I do give credit to Ram for the diesel and 8-speed.  And the 90s Ram had the Kenworth truck look which was cool for the time.  Overall though pickups look about the same as they did 25 years ago, still using 5-5.7 liter V8s as they did 25 years ago, they swapped out 4-speed auto for 6 speed.  It isn't as bad as full size vans like the Econoline that went 25 years with one update, but I think other segments advance faster than trucks.

 

Wow not even close. The 5.7L was all new for 2003 (on Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 2003 through 2007, and again in 2009) and is completely unrelated to the LA engines it replaced.

 

As far as advancements go, in the current generation Ram alone we have the introduction of:

 

• Coil Spring rear suspension
• Air suspension
• 8-speed automatic
• Rotary shifter
• Small displacement diesel
• RamBox cargo management system

[smk4565]

I meant that Chevy had a 5.7 liter V8 back in the early 90s.  Now they have the 5.3, and Ram and Toyota have a 5.7.  But family sedans have basically cut engine size in half and increased power at the same time, while increasing fuel economy.  Interiors in everything has gotten better, I'd say small cars probably saw the most improvement, look at how bad a Cavalier was and they sold that in 2003, compared to the Cruze or a Focus now.

 

In 1994 the Silverado 4wd had a 4.3 liter V6 as the base engine, 14/18 mpg.  In 2014 the Silverado 4wd has a 4.3 liter V6 with 17/22 mpg, a 3.5 mpg increase in 20 years!  And from 4 gears to 6, and the transmission probably got them 2 of that 3.5 mpg.

 

As said I give Ram some credit for putting new things into their truck, it is what has helped the Ram pass the Silverado in sales.  But the diesel engine isn't a Chrysler innovation, Fiat made that engine and gave it to them.  The engine is made in Italy.  A smart move to use it, but without Fiat, the Ram pickup would still have a Chrysler engine from 2005 under the hood.

[William Maley]

 

Escalades have been spotted in the wild already... where did you hear that they are delayed?

Other news stories state the trucks and Yukon will get the 8sp first and then Cadillac will get it a few month behind them. It might have been automotive news that stated it or one of the other auto mags. That is what I read and how I interpret it.I would think they would move them all at the same time.

 

 

It was Automobile Magazine since I referenced them in my report a while back.. The Escalades are out now and selling at dealers. My guess is that the eight-speed will comes to the Escalade in the 2016 model year.

[Drew Dowdell]

I meant that Chevy had a 5.7 liter V8 back in the early 90s.  Now they have the 5.3, and Ram and Toyota have a 5.7.  But family sedans have basically cut engine size in half and increased power at the same time, while increasing fuel economy.  Interiors in everything has gotten better, I'd say small cars probably saw the most improvement, look at how bad a Cavalier was and they sold that in 2003, compared to the Cruze or a Focus now.

 

Erm... not really.

Back in 1988 the Camry had a 2.0 and a 2.5... today it has a 2.5 and a V6.

The 1991 Cutlass Calais had 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5 liters.  The 2.3 had 180 horsepower... which means it is slightly higher horsepower per liter than the current GM 2.5.  (yes it gagged me to type about horsepower per liter)

 

Yes, they are more powerful... but that's to be expected.  The 5.7 liter V8s are more powerful than the 5.7s from 20 years ago also.  The 5.0 in my Toronado weezes out 140hp on a good day... the 5.3 Ecotec produces 355hp on gas and 380 hp on E85.

 

There are plenty more examples where these came from.

[yougojay]

So, if you had a baby today...it would be in Kindergarten by the time you saw these pick-up trucks in a showroom?

Wait, just want to get this right...So, If I had a kid and they started college this September I may be able to buy one of these new generation pick-ups for a graduation present?

[SingleStylish]

The 1968 Chevrolet C/K 1500 P/U had coil over shock rear suspension.

The 1987 Chevrolet and GMC C/K 1500 & 2500 P/Us were the first to debut a mechanically locking diff.  The 2007 Silverado and Sierra to offer a electro-mechanically locking diff.

The 2000 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra had an available and nearly indestructible composite bed.

The 2001 Silverado and GMC Sierra had an available 4-wheel steer option.

The Gen III blocks had higher horsepower/liter than the Ford DOHC engines of the era.

GM was the first to introduce a spin-on transmission oil filter in the HD truck segment.

GM was the first automaker to comply with the Tier-2 Diesel emission standards with the ground-up design of the DuraMAXX which replaced a Detroit Diesel 350.

The first hybrid ever mass produced was a GM-Electromotive; the first and last hybrid full size truck was a Chevrolet Silverado.

 

I'd say GM has a track record of innovation in the truck segment.  Sometimes it is best to play poker with a good face; the current model trucks are a heavy refresh of the GMT-900s which is inexpensive all told and has sold well thus far.  The time and investment is best spent after letting Ford show their hand. Up the anty after their truck is to market and you again gain the advantage.

[Drew Dowdell]

Excellent Points SS

[daves87rs]

Should be just fine....thinking there will be a few tricks up their sleeve....