GM News: GM To Continue Production of Outgoing Silverado/Sierra Till the End of Next Year

[William Maley]

General Motors took a page out Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' playbook by continuing the build the outgoing-generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra alongside the next-generation models in an effort to keep sales up. But sooner or later, the previous-generation models will end production. When is that?

During GM's third-quarter earnings call, CFO Dhivya Suryadevarat said the automaker would begin winding down production the K2 crew cab models early next year, followed by double cab and regular cab models beginning in "the early second half of next year." 

GM's Oshawa, Ontario plant has been helping with the production of the outgoing models. According to Automotive News, Oshawa receives unfinished Silverado and Sierra double cab bodies from the Fort Wayne, Indiana plant. Models are painted and undergo final assembly. Known as the "Oshawa shuttle," it started at the beginning of the year and would add heavy-duty pickups and a second production shift in the summer. GM spokeswoman Kim Carpenter told AN the program is expected to "run into late 2019 based on market demand."

Production of the next-generation (T1) pickups began in July at Fort Wayne, followed by double cab models last month. GM's Silao, Mexico plant will begin production of the regular and crew cab models in January. Unlike FCA, which experienced a number of problems with the launch of the next-generation Ram 1500, GM was able to deliver 45,000 next-generation pickups in the third-quarter.

The big question is what happens to the hourly workers building the trucks at Oshawa. GM declined to comment, but AN speculates they could be laid off or moved to other positions.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

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[daves87rs]

They will just be gone...

Not sure why they are not just focusing on one truck unless they plan heavy discounts on the other....

[riviera74]

Q: who wants to buy the last generation pickup truck when the new generation pickup is on sale on the same dealer lot?  Especially at MSRP?!

[balthazar]

• Firstly, GM has done this 'dual generation production' procedure numerous times in the past- predating any 'FCA playbook'. Malibu Classic comes to mind.
• Secondly, the 'classic' '18/'19s aren't moving at MSRP; GM has advertised a nice discount for numerous months now. Add in the price increases for the Nu '19s and the price difference is considerable.
• Thirdly, the vast bulk of Nu '19s being built so far seem to be Double Cab or Crew Cab/short beds; may well be a much wider body style selection on Ye Old '19s.

[ocnblu]

So the new style regular cab is being built in Mexico starting in January... hmmm...

[balthazar]

Seen any updates on a RC/SB style?
Just checked local GMC dealer inventory- all crew cab/short box except 1 double cab/standard box.

[riviera74]

12 hours ago, balthazar said:

• Firstly, GM has done this 'dual generation production' procedure numerous times in the past- predating any 'FCA playbook'. Malibu Classic comes to mind.
• Secondly, the 'classic' '18/'19s aren't moving at MSRP; GM has advertised a nice discount for numerous months now. Add in the price increases for the Nu '19s and the price difference is considerable.
• Thirdly, the vast bulk of Nu '19s being built so far seem to be Double Cab or Crew Cab/short beds; may well be a much wider body style selection on Ye Old '19s.

I stand corrected. Thank you.

[ccap41]

Yeah, they've all done it before.. I think the F150 has done it a couple of times as well. I think the first was 03 or 04..? and then again with the next gen..? 

[ocnblu]

10 hours ago, balthazar said:

Seen any updates on a RC/SB style?
Just checked local GMC dealer inventory- all crew cab/short box except 1 double cab/standard box.

Well the regular cab can be seen in the "commercial" section of Chevy's website under 2019 vehicle models.  There is only a diagram of it showing measurements, and it states "late availability" and that the regular cab "is a long bed".  At this point if I insist on a regular cab, it would, by necessity, be a WT with chrome package and long bed. 

[balthazar]

^ Right; I recall the white WT RC/LB. Reading comments elsewhere still wondering/hoping a RC/SB will also appear. 
I assume the RC/LB is limited to the W/T / Custom lines, and not available in the upper series Silverados.

[ocnblu]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

^ Right; I recall the white WT RC/LB. Reading comments elsewhere still wondering/hoping a RC/SB will also appear. 
I assume the RC/LB is limited to the W/T / Custom lines, and not available in the upper series Silverados.

Not even Custom, they've disassociated themselves with their shortbed/regular cab sport truck/Z71 customers entirely.  This time around, as far as I can tell, regular cab is strictly WT long bed only.  Funny that #1 truck maker Ford still takes the time to cover all the bases, by continuing to offer a regular cab 6.5' bed in XL (with Sport and Chrome packages available) and XLT trims for 2019.  I also recently saw a few Supercab long bed F-150's at the local dealer... another variation missing from GM's offerings.

[balthazar]

• To be clear, there's 3 beds at Chevy (Ford also??) : 5.5', 6.5' and 8'. I can work with a 6.5' bed, but a 5.5' is a deal breaker for me.

Frankly, the RC/5.5' always looks awkward to me. I don't find them 'sporty', they aren't built as 'sport trucks' (since the two SS versions anyway- the later of which I think wasn't available in a 5.5' bed), and they have that much less capacity.

Bill- despite both of these choices being vapor, would you be down with a RC/6.5'er or do you only want a RC/5.5'er?

• Yeah; there's a reason Ford is #1 in pickups for 50 years, they offer the most.

[ocnblu]

Well I've never seen a RC 5.5' bed, it has always been 6.5'.  The 5.5' is only on the CC.  Too short.  It's like the human space is horning in on the cargo space.  Which leads me to this -

CAFE has made cars crappy.  So naturally ppl want roomy comfortable vehicles, they've moved to pickups and SUVs.  For that reason alone CAFE is a failed policy.