Chevrolet News:Spying: Chevrolet Adds A Little Aluminum for 2017 Silverado

[William Maley]

With the new Ford F-150 selling and Nissan's next-generation Titan just around the corner, the pickup truck market is once again heating up. To get ready for the next onslaught, General Motors is readying a refresh of the full-size trucks. A spy photographer happen to get some shots of the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado.

The shots reveal that Chevrolet is planning some changes for the Silverado's front end with a new grille and headlights with LEDs like on the GMC Sierra. Also changing up front is a new hood design. GM is also looking to changing a few body panels to aluminum - the hood and front fenders being the likely ones.

Around back, expect new taillights, along with some change to the bed - a new lighting setup or new storage. The inside appears to be unchanged.

Mechanical changes are reported to be a new eight-speed automatic for the 5.3L V8 when the truck is launched later this year. 2017 will see a new ten-speed automatic that has been jointly developed with Ford.

Source: PickupTrucks.com

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[G. David Felt]

Very Cool, 8sp and 10sp transmissions should help with MPG. Aluminum is fine as I think they will do better with using bolt on body parts rather than the whole bed at this point. Should be a nice ride to replace the current.

[Drew Dowdell]

How much weight does that really save though?

 

I'm betting the new 8-speed will make a bigger difference to MPGs than the switch to aluminum will, but the aluminum will get most of the credit. 

 

I hope they make the 8-speed available on the V6 also.

[William Maley]

How much weight does that really save though?

 

I'm betting the new 8-speed will make a bigger difference to MPGs than the switch to aluminum will, but the aluminum will get most of the credit. 

 

I hope they make the 8-speed available on the V6 also.

 

I can say the new eight-speed does make quite the difference. I'm driving a GMC Sierra Denali with 6.2 V8 and eight-speed and seeing MPGs of 16 to 16.5. Compared to the 5.3 V8 and six-speed where I was doing around 15 MPG.

[regfootball]

chevy wanting to add alum to its trucks yet it just launched an advertising assault talking about how their trucks are all high strength steel.

[aurora97]

Ten speed automatics now.  Are we driving trucks or riding bikes?

[G. David Felt]

Ten speed automatics now.  Are we driving trucks or riding bikes?

Soon we will be like Semi's with 18 to 36 speeds. More is better.

[Drew Dowdell]

Ten speed automatics now.  Are we driving trucks or riding bikes?

After a certain point, there is no point to more gears beyond bragging rights.

[loki]

 

Ten speed automatics now.  Are we driving trucks or riding bikes?

After a certain point, there is no point to more gears beyond bragging rights.

 

yeah, or else going up steep long hills will require 3-4 upshifts to maintain speed.

 

i'd be interested in what the difference would an 8-speed make in my car, i can drive from my home town to my "work town", with a tailwind, and got 42+mpg over 95-96 mile trip yesterday.

[ocnblu]

I think the hoods are already aluminum on these.  How does Chris Doane know the fenders are aluminum... does he run up to the truck with a magnet?

[hyperv6]

 

Ten speed automatics now.  Are we driving trucks or riding bikes?

After a certain point, there is no point to more gears beyond bragging rights.

 

 

The hood on our 2015 is aluminum already if I am thinking right. My Father in law is out of state with it so I can not check it right now.

 

The pound are taken off a little here and there so it adds up. As for GM trucks they are not all the much heavier than Ford already.

 

GM has done it the hard way and engineered the weight out to keep the profits up and the price down. No matter what Ford claims repair will remain more expensive.

I expect GM to use more aluminum but they will use it carefully as they will try to retain the cost. Ford will do fine with the new truck but they will not be as profitable per unit in the long run when they have to do rebates at some point.

 

I think the GM is more a refresh as with the competitive segment the changes will come more often.

[William Maley]

I think the hoods are already aluminum on these.  How does Chris Doane know the fenders are aluminum... does he run up to the truck with a magnet?

 

I think Chris Doane is wise enough not to do that for the fear of being run over.

 

 

 

 

Ten speed automatics now.  Are we driving trucks or riding bikes?

After a certain point, there is no point to more gears beyond bragging rights.

 

 

The hood on our 2015 is aluminum already if I am thinking right. My Father in law is out of state with it so I can not check it right now.

 

 

I just checked on GM's media site and it says this,

 

An aluminum hood with twin power domes also enhances efficiency with lower weight than a steel hood.

 

So it could be an aluminum hood or it could be something else from Doane's sources.

[aurora97]

My comment it not limited to just being snarky.  The Government has the entire auto industry chasing its tail and being penny-ante with the MPG requirements that are MANDATORTY in 10 years.  Add two more gears in a transmission, put some aluminum in the vehicle to reduce weight, and maybe there will be enough MPG to make the Government happy.  If only you could legislate technological breakthroughs.  Maybe Congress should pass a law making cold fusion viable.  I see no change in the mass use of the internal combustion engine for the next 50 years.  Trucks are built to haul things and go off-road.  You can't properly quantify MPG on trucks when they are used for their proper ends.  Under those conditions, that MPG average is a moving target and you cannot hold the industry responsible for the consumer consumption of fuel.  Of course, the industry is just as guilty classifying certain cars as "trucks" to avoid the MPG stigma.

[G. David Felt]

What my Corvette is not designed for hauling?  

[aurora97]

Haulin' AAAAAASSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ZL-1]

It's just clever and logical of GM to start applying the lessons they learned form developing the Omega architecture to the place where CAFE hurts the most: big trucks.

[hyperv6]

My comment it not limited to just being snarky.  The Government has the entire auto industry chasing its tail and being penny-ante with the MPG requirements that are MANDATORTY in 10 years.  Add two more gears in a transmission, put some aluminum in the vehicle to reduce weight, and maybe there will be enough MPG to make the Government happy.  If only you could legislate technological breakthroughs.  Maybe Congress should pass a law making cold fusion viable.  I see no change in the mass use of the internal combustion engine for the next 50 years.  Trucks are built to haul things and go off-road.  You can't properly quantify MPG on trucks when they are used for their proper ends.  Under those conditions, that MPG average is a moving target and you cannot hold the industry responsible for the consumer consumption of fuel.  Of course, the industry is just as guilty classifying certain cars as "trucks" to avoid the MPG stigma.

 

This has been my beef for so long. You have legislators who don't drive or drive seldom making laws for cars that have no idea of the true technology available or the cost it will burden the industry in trying to meet the goals.

This is a deal where both sides need to work together and not the one with no clue making rules for the other.

 

The problem is the loop holes are closing fast and while the V8 and larger cars will remain they will be way out of the average buyers price range. The industry will let price regulate sales.

[hyperv6]

It's just clever and logical of GM to start applying the lessons they learned form developing the Omega architecture to the place where CAFE hurts the most: big trucks.

 

This started before on the Alpha where they look at every piece of the car and look for ways to eliminate weight. This is the harder way to do it but it also retains cost for the customer and GM. Anyone can go out and build a carbon fiber body or all aluminum body but few people can afford it or afford to repair it.

 

While this approach is not sexy or exciting it is a smart way to do it. Also you can always add more aluminum if you run out of other ways to eliminate weight if needed.

 

I still expect GM to try to move as many half ton sales to the Colorado and those who need a full size to the 3/4 ton that will not have as tight regulations. This will make them less dependent on the half ton as it gets more expensive to make and less profitable because of content.

 

GM will be ok with their trucks yet as they can still offer a rebate and still make a killing on price while Ford has less room to work now. No matter how their marketing spins it their trucks content price has risen much and they have hidden the prices in their options.

[Z-06]

To forward your point, to me, where material science know-how is concerned, GM is a far superior company than Ford and dare say even superior than many Germans.

 

GM's truck weights have increased by approx. 200 lbs from GMT800 to the K2XX despite of increased size, adding contents, increased rigidity and greater capabilities. Credit goes to the unseen and less sexy sounding stuff such as hydroforming and high strength steel usage and strategic usage of alloys including Aluminum. Disclaimer - I compared the LT 4x4 Short Bed Extended Cab models, which to me are middle of road in size hence should be middle of road in weight increase.

 

Other than the Corvette, which made substantial gains in weight (still <10%), most of the GM models introduced post-bankruptcy have been losing weight. Although not "sexily" perceived as Ford or Germans. Even then when journalist write about GM's attention to details to lose weight there is a hint of sarcasm when the results show on the scales. Ford's fallacy of 700 lbs loss was quietly slipped beneath the rug.

 

While Ford made progress under Mullaly, the main progress Mullaly really made is to create an aura of grandiose and good-will perception in the eyes of everyone. He was a master of splash and flash while hiding the chinks in Ford's armor. He came with credibility and "winning" perception from Boeing. GM really needs someone like him and/or like Bob Lutz. Not the latest hired buffoons in Cadillac that are already lacking credibility and have no successes underneath their belts.

[hyperv6]

Mullaly did many good things but he also has not fixed everything. He is one of the leaders who has wanted to kill Lincoln.

 

Where Ford has beaten GM and Beaten them well was at Marketing. They have taken things GM has had like Turbo DI engine for years and made it sound like they invented them. Just look at how they managed the Aluminum truck deal as they have made it sound like they accomplished the impossible while Industry has used Aluminum in truck beds, Dumps and box vans for years. The real trick is to control cost and repair cost and both are TBD.

 

Mark has tried to be Lutz but he is the Timid Lutz as he has not fully stepped out year. Say what you like about Johann but he did get GM to commit to Cadillac like no one since Harley Earl. I will give him credit as his a$$ is on the line so he will be either the hero or goat and no one else to blame. Not many people in this industry are willing to do this anymore. Because of this I will give the benefit of the doubt till the product shows up. For a guy

 

Johann has done in less than a year on the job more than anyone else. He has gotten $12 Billion, He has stated the cars are good but we need to do better. Tough thing to say but true. He showed how flawed the marketing has been and is now starting a new image building sequence of advertising around the CTS, ATSV and CT6. He also has been on top of social media to counter the false claims or miss reporting of some of the info coming out of GM. It is not arrogant if you tell the truth. I think he may be a strong leader we have not seen at a Division for years. Lets face it the past Cadillac leaders all blended in and vanished.

 

The way it was before he got there even Mark had to fight to get better door handles because of interference of the board. That should not be. I expect major changes in how Cadillac operates and I hope it trickles down to the other divisions if it works as planned.