Surprise! GM putting aluminum in next-gen pickups

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

Last month, General Motors launched a series of ads touting the benefits of steel over aluminum – specifically, with regard to the Chevy Silverado versus the Ford F-150. (Kind of. We're not sure what a grizzly bear has to do with anything.) We took issue with the ads, with editor in chief Mike Austin saying they "reek of insecurity, and distract from the Silverado's strengths that could be used for positive advertising." But what bothers us more, is that yet another report surfaced claiming anti-aluminum GM will indeed use the weight-saving material in its next-generation fullsize trucks.

 

 

On Tuesday, GM announced a $877-million investment for its truck plant in Flint, MI. But Reuters says that huge overhaul is because the trucks will use "substantially different equipment than the tools GM uses today." The report specifically states, "People familiar with the company's plans say GM's next-generation pickups and SUVs will make use of various materials, including aluminum and lightweight steel, to shed weight and gain fuel efficiency to meet tougher federal standards."

 

 

The Silverado already uses a few aluminum components in the engine and hood, and if more widespread use will help GM build its best fullsize trucks ever, then that's great. Honestly, we have no reason to doubt that aluminum will be used in the next Silverado and GMC Sierra. We just hope GM remembers that nothing is ever truly deleted from the bowels of the Internet when it launches the subsequent "look how great aluminum is!" campaign.

 

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/08/05/gm-fullsize-trucks-aluminum/?icid=autoblog|trend|gm-aluminum-pickups

 

 

This news is actually a few days old.

[El Kabong]

I have every confidence that GM's execution of this program will be superior to that of the competition.

[G. David Felt]

This is good, I can see an Aluminum exterior shell but a steel inner one that is actually used for the loads.Be interesting to see how GM implements the aluminum into the next generation SUV's and Trucks. Be interesting to see how they hold up in work and off road.

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

This is good, I can see an Aluminum exterior shell but a steel inner one that is actually used for the loads.Be interesting to see how GM implements the aluminum into the next generation SUV's and Trucks. Be interesting to see how they hold up in work and off road.

 

Loads? are you referring to the bed, because the current and only aluminum truck on the market has double the load capacity of the competition.

[G. David Felt]

 

This is good, I can see an Aluminum exterior shell but a steel inner one that is actually used for the loads.Be interesting to see how GM implements the aluminum into the next generation SUV's and Trucks. Be interesting to see how they hold up in work and off road.

 

Loads? are you referring to the bed, because the current and only aluminum truck on the market has double the load capacity of the competition.

 

Yes, my experience with aluminum box's and beds on trucks is they wear out faster than steel. As such, I could see the inner liner of the bed being high strength steel but the outer shell being aluminum.

[El Kabong]

And yet they can't build a frame for the thing.

Pity

[El Kabong]

It is also instructive to note the tone of GM's ads, which was, how you say?... tongue-in-cheek. Not something you normally find in truck ads, because it is a pretty competitive segment.

But after putting the Ford on the scales, doubtless GM execs were feeling unusually chipper. Besides, after years of listening to Dennis Leary's smarm hocking the competition, they probably thought that the buying public would cheer giving them a nice wedgie.

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

 

 

This is good, I can see an Aluminum exterior shell but a steel inner one that is actually used for the loads.Be interesting to see how GM implements the aluminum into the next generation SUV's and Trucks. Be interesting to see how they hold up in work and off road.

 

Loads? are you referring to the bed, because the current and only aluminum truck on the market has double the load capacity of the competition.

 

Yes, my experience with aluminum box's and beds on trucks is they wear out faster than steel. As such, I could see the inner liner of the bed being high strength steel but the outer shell being aluminum.

 

You have past long term experience on aluminum bed trucks?

I would love to hear it.

I wonder how badly their bear cage commercial will come back to bite them in the butt.

 

It's bearly possible.

[El Kabong]

That's not that funny really

[G. David Felt]

 

 

 

This is good, I can see an Aluminum exterior shell but a steel inner one that is actually used for the loads.Be interesting to see how GM implements the aluminum into the next generation SUV's and Trucks. Be interesting to see how they hold up in work and off road.

 

Loads? are you referring to the bed, because the current and only aluminum truck on the market has double the load capacity of the competition.

 

Yes, my experience with aluminum box's and beds on trucks is they wear out faster than steel. As such, I could see the inner liner of the bed being high strength steel but the outer shell being aluminum.

 

You have past long term experience on aluminum bed trucks?

I would love to hear it.

I wonder how badly their bear cage commercial will come back to bite them in the butt.

 

It's bearly possible.

 

Working in college where trucks were bought and custom beds were installed, the Aluminum beds and box's never lasted as long as the steel units, but did contribute to far better MPG due to the lighter weight. Biggest issue seen with Aluminum beds and box's is that Aluminum fatigues much faster and you end up with Aluminum tears or rips especially when people drop stuff on it over and over. I expect the Pure Aluminum beds to wear out much faster. This is why I am wondering if GM will do a Steel inner bed with an Aluminum outer shell.

[Suaviloquent]

To quell the notion that Ford's hurting; it should be reminded to all that Hyundai overtook Ford many a years ago in volume in global sales. Ford's kicking butt in profit generation like they've done consistently for 7-8 years now. Hyundai isn't; despite being a huge conglomerate, definitely reaping the rewards of favourable inter-company transfer pricing.

 

Ford's got no reason to be worried when they've got money in their pockets; and when they're getting the rights sales mix. Heck, maybe selling Titaniums and Platinums is more profitable than Lincoln sales. They make money. From an investment standpoint or as a bean counter I may say; they look the healthy. Again, unit sales do not matter as much as they used to. Margins, and profit matter the most. Ford can chase volume when the new for now F150 gets old in the future relative to the competition. Heck, 2013/4 F150 sales were surging, and it was the oldest steel tub in the marketplace. It was all just the margins of selling a truck when all it's development costs were done and done.

 

Their liquidity is great; cash reserves are topped off; and receivables are ever rising in size and preferred quality. GM and FCA can't match that, despite having extensive product lines and so many great products, and getting more sales. Being a lean company helps Ford remarkably.

 

And I personally think it's awkward for GM to advertise the benefits of steel when they are definitely going to use even more aluminum for the body. It's not like they don't use enough already - I believe the hood, fenders and tailgate are aluminum. Perhaps's that is why GM is closer to the weight of F150 compared to RAM. I don't think GM is going to be doing a full transition to aluminum as much as just making the rest of the body aluminum.

 

I can say outright that GM will not have the weight savings that the F150 experienced. It's gonna be close. I think the Silverado will not weigh less than the F150 unless some compromise has to be made that lowers durability - or downsizes the foot print of the vehicle. We all know that the F150 ballooned in size this generation. But again, weight isn't everything. The RAM in the recent comparison with the F150 felt really buttoned down, while the substantial weight savings of the F150 made everything feel foreign in the way it drives.

 

That's just unavoidable for the up coming Silverado/Sierra as well. In that case, in that specific regard; the RAM 1500 might as well beat the Aluminum GM pickups as well. In the strive to make all vehicles lighter and more fuel -efficient, how much more can RAM extract from the diesel engine and transmission combination before weight loss becomes absolutely inevitable? It's a floating target that ever changes.

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

It comes down to bed design and gauge of metal.

Yeah, aluminum fatigues faster, but it takes a lot to eventually reach that point and it needs extreme bending too.  

 

Anyway, it seems to hold up to decades of service, in far more extreme repeated flexing conditions.....in fighter jets.

[El Kabong]

Ford has no worries AS LONG AS they have money in their pockets. I have no argument with this.

But this truck has taken a fair bit of money. And it has been put behind schedule in earnin it back. And this has helped the competition.

That is the extent of my argument as far as financial stuff goes. Deep coffers can help, but mistakes are mistakes.

It comes down to bed design and gauge of metal.

Yeah, aluminum fatigues faster, but it takes a lot to eventually reach that point and it needs extreme bending too.  

 

Anyway, it seems to hold up to decades of service, in far more extreme repeated flexing conditions.....in fighter jets.

Terrible analogy. Fighter jets are incredibly maintenance-intensive, airframes included.

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

^

 

Thanks, but, the topic I responded to was it's ability to handle repeated bending....and your mentioning service intervals has what to do with that?  They are not replacing air frames, for Pet's sake.

 

And Is bong really still going on about Ford's capital investment in the F150, many, many, months ago?

 

oy vey

Edited August 11, 2015 by Wings4Life

[El Kabong]

Still an awful analogy. Still poor spending by Ford.

Time does not change facts. But ignoring them makes them worse.

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

Any way, 

 

 

GM trucks......glad you are coming over to the dark side by adding Al.

The industry shift that will result will help all the players.

[Suaviloquent]

Still an awful analogy. Still poor spending by Ford.

Time does not change facts. But ignoring them makes them worse.

 

Still an awful analogy. Still poor spending by Ford.

Time does not change facts. But ignoring them makes them worse.

 

It may be poor spending, but it's suckered GM and maybe FCA to do it as well. 

[Suaviloquent]

Ford has no worries AS LONG AS they have money in their pockets. I have no argument with this.

But this truck has taken a fair bit of money. And it has been put behind schedule in earnin it back. And this has helped the competition.

That is the extent of my argument as far as financial stuff goes. Deep coffers can help, but mistakes are mistakes.

It comes down to bed design and gauge of metal.

Yeah, aluminum fatigues faster, but it takes a lot to eventually reach that point and it needs extreme bending too.  

 

Anyway, it seems to hold up to decades of service, in far more extreme repeated flexing conditions.....in fighter jets.

Terrible analogy. Fighter jets are incredibly maintenance-intensive, airframes included.

 

No, Ford didn't expect to have a record second quarter. They are earning it back faster than they thought; and a frames shortage is what is putting them behind. And it has helped the competition sales wise, but not profit-wise. Again, it's all about what Ford wanted. Did Ford want to make the most of the lucrative truck sales by sharply raising margins - or did they want to continue to be the best seller, but not the best profit generator?

 

GM can chase volume. Fine. But Ford's in it for the long haul. They are willing to lose sales; to make money. And sometimes, that's the only way it can happen. The increase in margin has the same effect of more sales- expect there's less wear and tear on facilities- for one.

 

I will drive this point into the dirt if I have to. Outright sales crowns do not matter. Ford doesn't care for them anymore. They want to make money to finance the D6 platform and pay for Ford performance branded products - and they want to pay down their debt. It's actually quite smart really. 

 

A business is not in business if it's whoring itself out and making no money. Ford figured that out atleast.

[El Kabong]

Still an awful analogy. Still poor spending by Ford.

Time does not change facts. But ignoring them makes them worse.

Still an awful analogy. Still poor spending by Ford.

Time does not change facts. But ignoring them makes them worse.

It may be poor spending, but it's suckered GM and maybe FCA to do it as well.

If GM screws up their supply chain as badly as Ford has, and the trucks deliver next to nothing in mileage gains like Ford has, I will gladly concede your point.

But they won't.

They have watched. They have learned. And they will continue to capitalize.

It's like the Omega chassis. They saw what worked and what didn't as far as the competition went, and applied the lessons to a platform that integrated aluminum both uniquely and efficiently.

Folks: it's not like GM is new to the watch-and-learn-and-improve game. It's not something unique to trucks, or to their rivalry with Ford.

Edited August 11, 2015 by El Kabong

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

This thread is still about the GM trucks following Ford's lead, right.

 

yuppers

 

Had to check

[El Kabong]

Nonsense.

This thread is about how GM is going to learn from Ford's massive screwups.

[Suaviloquent]

Bong, Ford didn't screw up when it came to Aluminum - because they're satisfied with their internal objectives. No amount of you asserting that notion will make it come true.

 

As an aside, don't drag this thread by bringing Ford down. 

[El Kabong]

Bong, Ford didn't screw up when it came to Aluminum - because they're satisfied with their internal objectives. No amount of you asserting that notion will make it come true.

 

As an aside, don't drag this thread by bringing Ford down.

If your internal objectives include being down eight percent year-over-year, massive vendor supply issues, and not actually getting much better mileage... then yes. They're dancing in the streets.

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

GM trucks, right.....

 

 

Topic I mean.....

[ccap41]

 

Bong, Ford didn't screw up when it came to Aluminum - because they're satisfied with their internal objectives. No amount of you asserting that notion will make it come true.

 

As an aside, don't drag this thread by bringing Ford down.

If your internal objectives include being down eight percent year-over-year, massive vendor supply issues, and not actually getting much better mileage... then yes. They're dancing in the streets.

 

sigh... Ignorance is bliss to some..

[Suaviloquent]

And if GM's internal objectives are to sell as many units as possible, built 3rd place trucks, be as efficient with their investment as possible and still not be able to touch the domestic industry leaders' profitability... then yes, they're raising champaign glasses to Ford's continued ability to surprise in unexpected ways.

[El Kabong]

GM and Ram are both gaining market share. They are both making money. They are doing it more or less in line with expectations, or perhaps a little better.

This is because they didn't screw up.

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

And if GM's internal objectives are to sell as many units as possible, built 3rd place trucks, be as efficient with their investment as possible and still not be able to touch the domestic industry leaders' profitability... then yes, they're raising champaign glasses to Ford's continued ability to surprise in unexpected ways.

 

 

Ouch

[Suaviloquent]

Actually, for the model year the Silverado initially debuted, it suffered critical sales losses and market share reductions at the hands of the surging F150 and Ram sales. GM's now catching up because they along with RAM maintain significantly lower transaction prices from Ford. GM gritted its teeth when it told its dealers it would not budge on incentives.

 

It's plain as day that Ford is attracting more affluent buyers, which should also implicate better credit worthiness and larger and healtheir receivables.

 

If you can't understand the business end Bong, don't shoot it down because of YOUR product preferences. I've already mentioned enough my dislike of this new F150.

Edited August 11, 2015 by Suaviloquent

[El Kabong]

And if GM's internal objectives are to sell as many units as possible, built 3rd place trucks, be as efficient with their investment as possible and still not be able to touch the domestic industry leaders' profitability... then yes, they're raising champaign glasses to Ford's continued ability to surprise in unexpected ways.

Perhaps you missed it in all the posting going on, but at no point did I say that Ford was going to go belly-up over this. Even in the comparo I posted I took care to point out that the Ford won by three points.

All I said was that this is an enormous screwup for Ford, which will cost them.

It is. It has. And it continues to.

[Suaviloquent]

No, it's not a screw up to me, to you, yes. To me, and quite a few people no. 

 

Ford got what it wanted. It's not their screw-up, it never was, it was a supplier failing to deliver promises made to Ford; and if anything it's going to put Ford further into the hunt for maximizing their earnings potential.

 

Now, back to GM!

 

What do I think? About half of the the body is already aluminum with the Sliverado. Making everything else won't do much on its own. Will they build an F150 Platinum/Limited or Ram Laramie Limited rivaling truck that porks it up despite an aluminum body? No, I think Denali would get that sort of treatment; but given press availability; would the three makes ever send tit for tat vehicles for comparison? 

 

Highly unlikely given the different agendas peddled by the three makes.

[El Kabong]

Question: whose fault is it that a vendor is unable to produce a component?

The answer: everyone's. The vendor, obviously, because they literally couldn't deliver the goods.

But the procurement guys should have seen this coming as well. The frame is a critical component, but the technology involved in making it hasn't changed much in fifteen years.

My guess is that they had to cut costs because of the cost of the program. And cheating out on the vendors was the way to go. And it's not just the frame: another poster said he thought the interior quality was lacking as well. As an OLD GM owner, I can believe that.

And unless you know something about the GM trucks I don't, I'm pretty sure they aren't half-aluminum in the body, yet.

[Suaviloquent]

The hood, fenders, parts of the doors, and tailgate are aluminum. That's a substantial amount of aluminum for the body, that Chevy doesn't really advertise. The only things missing are the canopy, bed and them some; but still there's plenty of aluminum and light weighting that Chevy has already done besides just the body.

 

And every automaker tries cheating out vendors. It ain't a Ford thing. I don't think the interior quality is lacking, so that's subjective. 

 

Wealthy buyers can't complain however, they're buying loaded larders for a whole lot of coin; and they couldn't give damn if there's a frame shortage - unless it comes in the way of them getting their eagerly anticipated truck.

Edited August 11, 2015 by Suaviloquent

[El Kabong]

Or, they could do what I did: get a Ram EcoDiesel.

...which underlies a point I made a couple of days ago when a certain someone had a complete breakdown and said that he posted responses to my stuff to counter my "negative PR campaign" against Ford:

I really don't take this posting stuff terribly seriously. I mean, I DO believe what I write, and there's some thought that goes into it. But anyone who thinks that what I write-what ANYONE writes-in a car forum has any real-world weight is probably a nutter.

I think GM has the better trucks. But I think Ram has the best for the most important demographic: me.

But for some, holding onto the delusion that their posts matter is paramount... and it leads to some truly amusing/creepy behaviour. Put it this way: a Psych major could probably write a pretty neat thesis about the behaviour of forum posters.

[ocnblu]

The hood, fenders, parts of the doors, and tailgate are aluminum. That's a substantial amount of aluminum for the body, that Chevy doesn't really advertise. The only things missing are the canopy, bed and them some; but still there's plenty of aluminum and light weighting that Chevy has already done besides just the body.

 

And every automaker tries cheating out vendors. It ain't a Ford thing. I don't think the interior quality is lacking, so that's subjective. 

 

Wealthy buyers can't complain however, they're buying loaded larders for a whole lot of coin; and they couldn't give damn if there's a frame shortage - unless it comes in the way of them getting their eagerly anticipated truck.

Where are you getting your information from regarding GM's use of aluminum in their current trucks?  Because it is wrong-o.

[El Kabong]

The hood, fenders, parts of the doors, and tailgate are aluminum. That's a substantial amount of aluminum for the body, that Chevy doesn't really advertise. The only things missing are the canopy, bed and them some; but still there's plenty of aluminum and light weighting that Chevy has already done besides just the body.

 

And every automaker tries cheating out vendors. It ain't a Ford thing. I don't think the interior quality is lacking, so that's subjective. 

 

Wealthy buyers can't complain however, they're buying loaded larders for a whole lot of coin; and they couldn't give damn if there's a frame shortage - unless it comes in the way of them getting their eagerly anticipated truck.

Where are you getting your information from regarding GM's use of aluminum in their current trucks?  Because it is wrong-o.

Without having anything in front of me to disprove him I held off on doing so. My best guess is that he got it from a news report on GM's upcoming plans. But as far as I know a magnet will stick onto nearly everything on my old man's Silverado.

[ocnblu]

He clearly believes the current truck is that way, based on his erroneous post.

[El Kabong]

He's probably just ticked off at me. I hear I have that effect on some folks

[smk4565]

Oh no, the Chevy truck won't be safe against bear attacks.  Love how Chevy makes ads about how aluminum is bad, while Cadillac uses it, and now Chevy will do it themselves.

[Suaviloquent]

Oh I'm not ticked off at all. I love great debate. But Ocnblu you are right, I am wrong; and you hit the nail on the head Bong; I confused what I read about the current trucks to the future one. For that, I apologize.

 

The only body element that the Silverado has that is aluminum is the hood.

 

Nevertheless, I still do not believe a weight loss on the magnitude of the F150 is possible. The F150 was far behind in almost every way; while the Silverado has already done a lot to shave weight from steel. 

 

To do the same level of shaving weight to Aluminum - while preserving durability; it's another proposition entirely. Ford's investment into the Dearborn plant and its sister plant in Kansas was just as much about bringing the F150 into the new decade as it was throughly redesigning the entire factories.

[El Kabong]

Oh I'm not ticked off at all. I love great debate. But Ocnblu you are right, I am wrong; and you hit the nail on the head Bong; I confused what I read about the current trucks to the future one. For that, I apologize.

The only body element that the Silverado has that is aluminum is the hood.

Nevertheless, I still do not believe a weight loss on the magnitude of the F150 is possible. The F150 was far behind in almost every way; while the Silverado has already done a lot to shave weight from steel.

To do the same level of shaving weight to Aluminum - while preserving durability; it's another proposition entirely. Ford's investment into the Dearborn plant and its sister plant in Kansas was just as much about bringing the F150 into the new decade as it was throughly redesigning the entire factories.

No apologies necessary, at least as far as I'm concerned.

It's possible that the modernization of those plants was necessary. I don't know how old they were before they were redone. The only firsthand frames of reference I have for that are Oshawa #1, #2, Flex, Truck, and (minus the paint shop) Bowling Green. If the body shop robots were that old then I can see your point. But I also know that body shop robots are pretty durable.

I do not expect to see the weight losses out of the GM trucks that Ford saw either, because GM has probably pushed the existing body and frame tech close to the limit. A loss of, say, 300-400 pounds is feasible, which would put a pimped-out Denali at about 5,200 pounds. More than acceptable, considering the class of vehicle. I would go so far as to say that they may skip right past aluminum and go to pre-preg carbon fibre for stuff like hoods. If they stick with rear leafs I could see those going composite too. Both of these items have been proven on the Corvette, the springs for several decades.

Edited August 12, 2015 by El Kabong

[Suaviloquent]

The next Silverado/Sierra could very well increase in size as the Colorado/Canyon are just a half step smaller.

 

Composite springs. Erm, I'd hesitate to use a Corvette example to demonstrate it's advantages for this application. A Corvette might get beaten around a track, but will it ever see the kind of rough and tumble some of these trucks actually see?

 

I'd be very nervous about having composite leaf springs in a truck.

[El Kabong]

There's a neat blurb in this link about longitudinal composite leafs. The tech is progressing...

http://www.compositesworld.com/articles/composite-leaf-springs-saving-weight-in-production-suspension-systems

[daves87rs]

I'm thinking GM will use close to what Ford uses for their trucks now....

 

 

Kinda no way around that if you want to be lighter.......

[Drew Dowdell]

The next Silverado/Sierra could very well increase in size as the Colorado/Canyon are just a half step smaller.

 

Composite springs. Erm, I'd hesitate to use a Corvette example to demonstrate it's advantages for this application. A Corvette might get beaten around a track, but will it ever see the kind of rough and tumble some of these trucks actually see?

 

I'd be very nervous about having composite leaf springs in a truck.

 

Why? Composite leaf springs are more durable than steel, they never rust, and they're "programmable" when they're built.    I would prefer a composite spring in a truck. 

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

^

Agreed.

Plus the reduced unsprung weight has a big influence on dynamics.

Truck springs are heaaaaaavy

Edited August 13, 2015 by Wings4Life

[ocnblu]

We had an old International 1850 10-wheeler with a steel grain body.  Unladen, that thing would go anywhere.  We also had a Ford Louisville 10-wheeler with an aluminum grain body.  It wouldn't go ANY.WHERE. unladen.  A dewy morning and it would be stuck on the grass.

[El Kabong]

The next Silverado/Sierra could very well increase in size as the Colorado/Canyon are just a half step smaller.

 

Composite springs. Erm, I'd hesitate to use a Corvette example to demonstrate it's advantages for this application. A Corvette might get beaten around a track, but will it ever see the kind of rough and tumble some of these trucks actually see?

 

I'd be very nervous about having composite leaf springs in a truck.

 

Why? Composite leaf springs are more durable than steel, they never rust, and they're "programmable" when they're built.    I would prefer a composite spring in a truck.

In some cases composites are vulnerable to structural failure due to seemingly superficial nicks and that kinda thing (ask any hockey fan whose seen a stick blow up during a slapshot attempt). Don't think it would happen here, but truck leafs are more exposed than a Corvette's.

[Drew Dowdell]

 

 

The next Silverado/Sierra could very well increase in size as the Colorado/Canyon are just a half step smaller.

 

Composite springs. Erm, I'd hesitate to use a Corvette example to demonstrate it's advantages for this application. A Corvette might get beaten around a track, but will it ever see the kind of rough and tumble some of these trucks actually see?

 

I'd be very nervous about having composite leaf springs in a truck.

 

Why? Composite leaf springs are more durable than steel, they never rust, and they're "programmable" when they're built.    I would prefer a composite spring in a truck.

In some cases composites are vulnerable to structural failure due to seemingly superficial nicks and that kinda thing (ask any hockey fan whose seen a stick blow up during a slapshot attempt). Don't think it would happen here, but truck leafs are more exposed than a Corvette's.

 

 

composite leaf springs are famously used in the Corvette, but GM used them in a fairly substantial number of main stream cars too with no issues.

 

All of the first generation W-Body coupes had them (Lumina, Grand Prix, Cutlass, Regal) and a few of the H-Body 2-doors (Lesabre, 88) ... not sure about the 98, Electra, and Coupe Deville.

 

The composite spring is literally the only thing that won't go wrong in these cars.

[Guest James Martyn]

The GM pick-ups have used aluminum for years... The current gen uses lots... as some readers have noticed,  but didn't need to replace every body panel to be light. The subject wouldn't be a 'surprise' to anyone that's done their homework.