Your Ad Here

April 28, 2008

Exhaust Note #9: Kerkorian is Back

Tracinda Corporation Buying Into Ford Motor Company
Kirk Kerkorian, the incredibly wealthy 90-year-old investor and businessman, has long been well known among auto-industry watchers. He was first involved with Chrysler, back in the days when Lee Iacocca was turning things around. Later, his takeover attempt also sparked the notion of merging the company with another, which ultimately led to the creation of DaimlerChrysler. There are few today, other some who retired well off the deal, who would say that was a merger that was beneficial for either company, equals or not.

After eventually getting out of the Chrysler business, Tracinda bought enough of General Motors to get a seat on the board. Company man Jerry York held that seat and pushed for a GM-Renault-Nissan tie-up. Bound by duty to stockholders to explore the option instead of dismissing it outright, Rick Wagoner and GM staff worked with Renault-Nissan for a few months to prove what we all seemed to know in the first place: A Renault-GM tie-up didn't make much sense. Kerkorian's Tracinda sold off its GM stake and went home. The end of that story, right?

FordOval_RGB.jpg

Well, yes and no. Whether by the "third time's a charm" or "try, try again" schools of thought, Tracinda has been accumulating shares of Ford Motor Company since April 2, 2008, and offered today to buy more. And by more we mean enough to give Tracinda 5.6% of FoMoCo. But what does Tracinda really want? Does the company want take over a Detroit car company, no matter which? It does seem that Kerkorian is obsessed with making a major, direct impact on the automotive industry. His efforts so far have succeeded in shaking things up, often when it can be most disruptive, but not in improving the business overall.

Continue reading "Exhaust Note #9: Kerkorian is Back" »


February 04, 2008

Exhaust Note #2: GM’s Comeback Trail

Much has been made of the recent onslaught of really great cars and trucks from General Motors. It’s particularly amazing for me, an automotive analyst in his thirties, to witness. You see, until very recently, GM – for my whole life – has always been the perpetual underachieving giant; in many ways a symbol of everything wrong with Detroit. I grew up in the 1970s and 1980s – a time when more and more of my generation’s Baby Boomer parents were abandoning GM clunkers in favor of far higher quality imports. Even throughout my adult years, GM hardly represented the “Mark of Excellence” its corporate slogan claimed. As long as I could remember, GM products (large trucks excepted) were rarely world class; in my mind, price and patriotism were the only real reasons to buy them.

For the last year and a half, however, I’ve been forced to rethink this notion that had been one of the true constants in my life. Beautifully rendered and engineered vehicles that truly needed no excuses began to trickle from GM factories. Truly drool-worthy GM cars began showing up in real dealerships, not just the auto show turntables. It has truly been an amazing experience to witness all this happen before my eyes.

cadillac_08_CTS_1.jpg

Continue reading "Exhaust Note #2: GM’s Comeback Trail" »


January 17, 2008

The Greenest Detroit Auto Show Ever

Ethanol.jpg

In some ways, the 2008 North American Automobile Show was like most other recent major auto shows. Once again, automakers went out of their way to show us how hard they are trying to protect the environment and reduce our dependent for foreign oil.

General Motors and Toyota lead the rhetoric. Each claims to have a broad spectrum of programs that range from alternate fuels for internal combustion engines to full electric vehicles. I have to weigh in on this issue, because I’m seeing two strategies that are very different and tell you a lot about the companies they come from.

General Motors spent a lot of time talking about Ethanol, and is clearly lobbying for greater distribution outlets for the fuel. Has GM chosen to expend their efforts in a political battle to increase the availability of Ethanol as their primary tool to solve this issue? Ethanol-capable vehicle conversion is inexpensive, but the end result may leave consumers unsatisfied. Surprisingly, Rick Wagoner, GM's Chairman, advocated Federal regulations mandating ethanol distribution across the country (won't Iowa be proud?).

Continue reading "The Greenest Detroit Auto Show Ever" »


July 27, 2007

2007 Motorist Choice Awards Announced

2007 MCA Logo.jpg

The Motorist Choice Award is in its second year and is a collaboration between AutoPacific and IntelliChoice.com. AutoPacific, widely known for its industry expertise and research, and IntelliChoice, known for its comprehensive cost of ownership information, designed the Motorist Choice Award to help consumers identify the most satisfying cars and trucks that are also the least expensive to own.

Using data from AutoPacific's national Vehicle Satisfaction research and the IntelliChoice Best Overall Value information, AutoPacific and IntelliChoice have developed a unique tool that can be used by consumers to help them sort through the myriad of choices in today's automotive marketplace.

Here are the 2007 Winners of the 25 individual segment awards:

SEGMENT - Winner

Aspirational Luxury Car - Lexus IS
Compact Car - Mazda3
Compact Crossover SUV - Chevrolet HHR
Compact Pickup - Toyota Tacoma
Compact Sport Utility/ORV - Toyota Tacoma
Economy Car - Honda Fit
Image Compact Car - Volkswagen GTi
Large Car - Toyota Avalon
Large Heavy Duty Pickup - Chevrolet Silverado HD
Large Light Duty Pickup - Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Large Luxury Car - Cadillac DTS
Large Sport Utility - GMC Yukon XL
Luxury Crossover SUV - Acura MDX
Luxury Mid-Size Car - Nissan Maxima
Luxury Sport Utility - Land Rover Range Rover Sport
Mid-Size Car - Volkswagen Jetta
Mid-Size Crossover SUV - Honda CR-V
Mid-Size Sport Utility - Toyota 4Runner
Minivan - Honda Odyssey
Premium Luxury Car - Lexus LS
Premium Mid-Size Car - Nissan Altima
Premium Mid-Size Crossover SUV - Nissan Murano
Premium Sports Car - Lexus SC
Sports Car - Porsche Boxster
Sporty Car - Scion tC

The press release can be found below the fold.

• • • • •

Continue reading "2007 Motorist Choice Awards Announced" »


May 27, 2007

2008 Buick Enclave - Top Line GM Lambda Crossover SUV

General Motors has now completed the launch of its Lambda platform Large Crossover SUVs. The Lambda platform includes vehicles from Saturn - the Outlook, GMC - the Acadia (not ARcadia) and Buick - the Enclave). Eventually, a Chevrolet version will be added as well.

These are the landmark vehicles that represent the end of the classic body-on-frame V8 powered SUV. They are that good.

I just returned from a driving event for the recently introduced Buick Enclave in St. Louis, Missouri. When I got into the office there was a Saturn Outlook in the parking lot for the AutoPacific and VehicleVoice staff to evaluate. Great opportunity for a back to back comparison of two Lambda crossovers. This story will concentrate on the Enclave - a future story will showcase the Outlook.

Buick_Enclave_08_Lineup_Blog.jpg

Buick Enclave - First Drive

First, lets talk about the Buick. This is a vehicle that I have been waiting to drive for two years now. I think I have been to three events where Enclave was a featured subject, but this was the first opportunity I have had to drive it. Why was I looking forward to the Enclave? From my perspective it is a good size, has expressive styling inside and out, and is an example of the latest General Motors platform architecture.

Was it what I was expecting? Yeah, I guess so. First, I had to calibrate myself to the fact that the Enclave is a BUICK and what General Motors was attempting to achieve when they developed the vehicle. They wanted a vehicle with Buick ambiance - expressive, upscale styling inside and out. They wanted a spacious crossover capable of seating seven or eight passengers in three rows of seats. It was to have excellent ergonomics and be very pleasant to drive. It was to be very quiet. Check the boxes and the Lambda design and development team appears to have achieved their objectives.

Buick_Enclave_08_F34_Blog.jpg

Continue reading "2008 Buick Enclave - Top Line GM Lambda Crossover SUV" »


May 25, 2007

2007 Saturn Outlook - Lambda Crossover SUV

The Saturn Outlook is a large Crossover SUV based on the General Motors' Lambda platform. The Lambda platform is shared with the Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia and also with an upcoming Chevrolet large Crossover.

Saturn_Outlook_F34_Blog.jpg

Has GM Nailed Crossover SUV Execution?

First, you might be asking "what is a Crossover SUV"? For years, we at VehicleVoice have been avoiding using the "crossover" word because, frankly, our research shows that consumers are not yet using the term widely. In our eyes, an SUV is an SUV is an SUV. Our chief industry oracle, Jim Hall, always referred to Crossovers as "mongrelhalfbreedbastards". But, with vehicles like the Outlook hitting the market we've decided to use the Crossover moniker.

Basically, a Crossover SUV takes the basic SUV theme and civilizes it. SUV drivers have for decades been asking for more maneuverable, more economical, more easy to live with SUVs. Crossover SUVs are the answer and the GM Lambda vehicles are the latest examples of Crossover SUV design and execution. We think GM has pretty well nailed it.

Pricing Makes Outlook a Persuasive Proposition

The Saturn Outlook XR that we evaluated is a mid-priced model listing at about $33,250. When you check the boxes you really want - like all wheel drive and a navigation system the price slips over $41,000. When you check ALL the boxes and add a moonroof and rear seat entertainment system you can touch $45,000. For a Saturn!

While you might think that is a high price, the base, base, base price of the FWD Outlook XE (the lower model) is about $28,000 including destination. This puts it mid-way between the base price of a Ford Explorer and Expedition. Given that Outlook is about the size of a Chevrolet Tahoe - priced about $4,000 more with a V8, the Saturn looks like a good deal.

Continue reading "2007 Saturn Outlook - Lambda Crossover SUV" »


May 10, 2007

GM Performance Parts - General Motors at Willow Springs Raceway

VehicleVoice being invited to Willow Springs International Motorsports Park by GM’s Performance Parts Division is almost like Cold War Soviets being invited to Area 51 by Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect… but I made sure I brought my camera!

350solstaceTrack.jpg

Willow Springs is a historic track with the first race being held 54 years ago and now recognized by the State of California as an official Point of Historical Interest. The main track is a challenging 2.5-mile long road course with other adjacent facilities like the one rented for our GM event: The Horse Thief Mile.

The Horse Thief Mile is a tight, bare-knuckle course tucked up against the side of a mountain. Most of the track is either burning up the side of the mountain at a steep incline or snapping back on the descent. It offers hairpin turns, a short front straight away and a chance for GM to show us what they’re made of.

Continue reading "GM Performance Parts - General Motors at Willow Springs Raceway" »


April 24, 2007

Toyota Global Sales Top GM in 1st Quarter 2007

Toyota sold more cars and trucks globally during 1st Quarter 2007 than General Motors. For the first time in 79 years General Motors' global sales have been topped by a major competitor.

GM's Global Sales Leadership Crown in Jeopardy

During the 1st Quarter Toyota sold 2.35 million vehicles compared with 2.26 million vehicles for General Motors. This shift had been forecast to occur during the 2007 calendar year, but not as early as the 1st Quarter.

Toyota sells Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles in the USA. Major stakes in Daihatsu and Subaru are not included in the global sales totals. General Motors sales includes Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Saturn, HUMMER, Saab, Opel, and Vauxhall.

VehicleVoice Research Indicates Toyota will Continue to Gain on General Motors in USA

In VehicleVoice brand image and consideration research reported on April 16, 2007, positive consideration for Toyota in the USA was 54% compared with 42% for General Motors as a whole. Consideration for Ford Motor Company products was 44% and Honda products was 53% in the same study. While Toyota continues to be a distant second or third to General Motors in the USA, this continuing level of strong positive consideration indicates that Toyota should be able to continue to close the gap year-by-year.

New Products in USA Bolster Toyota's Position

In 2006 and early 2007 Toyota launched or renewed a slew of vehicles in the USA. The new Yaris small car replaced the under-performing and unfortunately styled Echo. The FJ Cruiser was launched to rave reviews and strong sales. The Camry was all new and earned the Motor Trend 2007 Car of the Year Award. The all new Lexus LS460 has arguably established a new luxury car benchmark in the premium luxury car market in the USA. And we can't forget the launch of the all-new Toyota Tundra full size pickup. Tundra finally becomes a fully-competitive half-ton pickup for 2007. While still lacking 3/4 and 1 Ton models, the Tundra should give its half ton competition a run for the money.

Can GM Hold off Toyota?

While the annual global sales figures are still months away, Toyota may, indeed, be able to wrest the global sales crown from GM this year. General Motors is moving aggressively to add capacity and sales in China. If this comes on stream quickly enough, GM may be able to parry the threat.

Stay tuned.


April 17, 2007

VehicleVoice Panelists' Opinion of Manufacturers

During the last week of March 2007, 1,254 VehicleVoice panelists responded to an Internet survey concerning their opinion of major automakers in the USA. VehicleVoice asked these questions because the opinion of buyers and their attitudes towards various aspects of a manufacturer's image are critically important. Managing image and opinion plus understanding what is driving that opinion can influence whether a person will positively consider or reject a brand next time they are in the market.

The key question in the VehicleVoice survey was whether the respondent's opinion of a manufacturer had changed since this time last year. If their opinion had changed, the panel member was given the chance to explain why their opinion had changed. We received over 5,000 comments concerning these manufacturers. Some were as short one word. Some were as long as a page of 10-point type. Folks really had a lot to say and their comments were fascinating.

Net Opinion.jpg

Discussion for each of the brands is below the fold.

Continue reading "VehicleVoice Panelists' Opinion of Manufacturers" »


February 12, 2007

VehicleVoice#62 - The 2007 Toyota Tundra and the Future of Minivans








Watch Podcast



Subscribe via RSS


Subscribe via iTunes





Most of you already know that Jim Hossack is AutoPacific's expert on a lot of things - fuel prices, powertrains, trucks. But did you know that he's also an expert in minivans? For the past several years, when we're covering the big auto shows, Jim's assignments have always been about the new truck models and minivan breakthroughs. But recently, there hasn't been a lot of news surrounding minivans. Ford and GM have been clear that they think the segment is dying, and their exit strategy is uncomplicated. They're just getting out. But Jim was in the Chrysler booth to check out the new 2007 Town & Country, aka Dodge Caravan, and he says, "not so fast" Ford and GM. There's still a healthy segment here.

In this podcast, we've got Jim doing double duty at the Toyota booth. The Japanese manufacturer is taking it's (first, second, third) fourth carefully planned step into the full-sized truck market with the new 2007 Tundra. And according to Jim, Toyota's latest try is right on the money.

New Vehicle Reviews -
Dodge Caravan
Toyota Tundra



Show Runtime - 6:02



December 06, 2006

LA Auto Show - GM Joins Alternative Powertrain War

The Alternative Powertrain Wars

It's not clear to me that hybrids really are the answer to a maiden's prayer. But the Toyota product and Public Relations machine has made this an important battlefield. For a long time the domestic three downplayed the issue. In a technical sense, they may yet be proven right. But in a PR sense, Toyota (and to a degree Honda) have seized the high ground of public opinion and are way ahead.

There are many possible routes to the next generation of automotive powertrains, including improved spark ignition (gas) engines, improved compression ignition (Diesel) engines, pure electrics, hybrids of various kinds, hydrogen fueled engines and fuel cells of several different kinds. It isn't at all clear to me which is going to prove to be the winner, and when. And I don't think it is clear to the auto manufacturers either!

FuelCellGM.jpg

Manufacturers Must Cover Their Bets

In that environment, AutoPacific and VehicleVoice staffers agree there is only one thing to do: cover your bets. Pursue several promising routes to the future and let time sort them out. That's an expensive and workload-intensive strategy, but I don't see any other way.

General Motors got off to any early lead in the race with the EV1 pure electric car. It was a premature and a very costly endeavor (maybe $1 billion in round numbers), and I don't think GM ever received proper credit for the effort. After that, GM seemed to back off, and Toyota seized the lead, ran with it, and achieved a significant public relations (and perhaps technical) advantage as a result.

FuelCellHydro.jpg
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Chevrolet Equinox

But at the LA Auto Show Rick Wagoner, General Motors' CEO, made it clear that GM has the bit in its teeth with respect to alternative powertrain technology and is going full bore on several different alternatives. Among them:

GMC Yukon Hybrid - a two-mode Hybrid developed with BMW and DaimlerChrysler, and expected to be on the market in the 4th quarter of 2007. Read GM's Press Release Here.

Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid - A relatively low priced hybrid, with production planned for March, 2007. Read GM's Press Release Here.

Saturn VUE Green Line plug-in hybrid - introduction date TBD - technology TBD. Read GM's Press Release Here.

100 unit Chevrolet Equinox Hydrogen Fuel Cell test fleet

Vue350.jpg
Next Generation Saturn VUE

All this in addition to GM's already well known E85 program, and Diesel-engined light truck program. Looks to me like GM's got the message and is blasting forward wide-open-throttle on the full range of powertrain technologies likely to play a significant role at least in the near future.

It is unclear if Ford has the financial or technical depth to be fully competitive with this massive GM thrust. And it appears that Chrysler is largely banking on Daimler's Diesel expertise. Just as time sorted out the gasoline vs electric vs steam alternatives 100 years ago, only time will make it clear what the winning strategies are for the U.S. auto market in the 21st century.


November 27, 2006

GM and Ford Quit the Minivan Business

OK, so Minivans aren't sexy. For many people they have a negative image... the ultimate mom mobile used only for schlepping kids to Little League and soccer. Sales volumes are down - about 10% down this year, but still roughly a million units per year. Neither GM nor Ford ever had a successful Minivan. Tried for 20 odd years, never got it right. So both have recently announced they are taking the easy way out and focusing on other vehicle types - mainly "crossover vehicles". VehicleVoice correspondent and AutoPacific consultant Jim Hossack doesn't think they should move so fast.

07FordFreestar_03.jpg
Dying, Dying, Dead... Windstar/Freestar R.I.P
07ChevUplander Blog.jpg
GM Minivans Gone by End of Decade... Bye Uplander, Montana SV6, Relay, Terraza

Maybe good Crossover Sport Utility Vehicles will take up some of the slack, but they will have sedan type doors and the utility of a sliding door Minivan is hard to beat. Only a million people a year like them enough to buy them, but those who like them love them, and may not switch so long as good Minivans are available.

Now the cream of the Minivan market are the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna. Guess Ford and GM just did not have the resources to keep up.

What good luck for those remaining standing! Back 15 or so years ago when I was the Chrysler Corp. Minivan General Product Manager, my biggest fear was that a competitor would just copy our product with higher quality. Took 10 years for it to happen. Now Chrysler (and Toyota, Honda, Hyundai/Kia) are the beneficiary of just plain good luck - GM and Ford are just giving away their volume and share. What a windfall for the others. It is really hard to gain share with better product. Possible, but tough. Good luck, well, that's hard to plan on, but it sure is welcome. Heck, Toyota and Honda may have to add Minivan capacity to handle the shortfall caused by the demise of the Ford and GM Minivans.

Continue reading "GM and Ford Quit the Minivan Business" »


November 09, 2006

Ten Worst Cars for 2006 - Truth About Cars

OK, on this one VehicleVoice is just the messenger. The Truth About Cars website has taken it on itself to identify the ten worst cars and trucks sold in the USA in 2006. Not really sure what their credentials are, but here is their press release... When we feel like commenting, see our notes following the press release writeup.

The Truth About Cars Website Names Its Ten Worst Automobiles for 2006

November 8, 2006 - PROVIDENCE, R.I.: The Truth About Cars website (TTAC) has revealed the ten winners of its first annual "Ten Worst Automobiles Today" awards. According to the site's readers, the very worst vehicles sold in America today are... GM's minivans.

For voting purposes, TTAC lumped all four of GM's virtually identical people movers together: the Chevrolet Uplander, Saturn Relay, Buick Terraza and Pontiac SV6.

In his description of the "winner," reviewer William C. Montgomery slated GM's minivans for their "antique engineering, woeful looks, cancerous effect on not one but four GM brands and their abject inability to hold a candle to their foreign-owned competition." In terms of dreadful driving dynamics, contemptible aesthetics and torturous ergonomics, no other vehicles sold in America can compete with these ridiculously-named 'Crossover Sport Vans.'"

The automotive website's readers voted the new Jeep Compass America's second worst vehicle: a lackluster vehicle that betrays its storied brand's heritage. According to TTAC's description, it's an "ugly, gangly, underpowered, mud-aversive half-breed" that "staggers into the light, turning all who see it-- or heaven forbid buy it-- into grotesque, bobble-headed morons." The Compass "stomps all over Jeep's reputation as America's purveyor of authentic off-road vehicles."

The rest of TTAC's Ten Worst are the Jeep Compass (2), Buick Rendezvous (3), Chrysler Aspen (4), Hummer H2 (5), Chevrolet Monte Carlo (6), Subaru B9 Tribeca (7), Saab 9-7x (8), Lincoln Mark LT (9) and Chevrolet Aveo (10). Capsule reviews are below.

To create the list, The Truth About Cars asked its 40k daily readers to nominate the worst vehicles for sale in the United States during the 2006 calendar year. A selection committee comprised of ten TTAC writers selected 20 finalists from the readers' nominations. Finalists were chosen for their crimes against aesthetics, engineering, ergonomics, driving dynamics and/or brand authenticity. The final ten "winners" were chosen by readers via an electronic poll.

Site publisher Robert Farago said his team created The Ten Worst awards as an antidote to the annual "love ins" provided by the mainstream automotive media. "The profusion of 'best of' automotive awards reflects the fact that the manufacturer-sponsored magazines and websites can't tell it like it is," Farago said. "TTAC is the home of take-no-prisoners automotive journalism. Our Ten Worst list says we're not afraid to tell the truth about cars."

Continue reading "Ten Worst Cars for 2006 - Truth About Cars" »


September 29, 2006

Is the Sky the Limit? - The 2007 GM Collection

General Motors hosted a two-day event in sunny Southern California showcasing quite a few of their 2007 makes and models. The event kicked off with a press conference at Saturn of Temecula with the first day’s events focusing on Saturn’s new lineup, followed by a ride and drive down to San Diego. Choices for the drive included the new Saturn Sky, Aura, and Vue. The second day of the event featured a broader spectrum of GM’s lineup ranging from a turbo charged Saab 9-5 to a Mid-Duty GMC Top-Kick towing a boat touting GM’s Vortec engine. With a handful of GM vehicles poised to attack the autocross course or engage in a ‘truck-pull’, at the end of the day the tough part would be deciding which models were the most note worthy.

I was at the event as VehicleVoice contributor and AutoPacific analyst.

350YellowSky.jpg

An obvious choice at the top of the list was the Saturn Sky, which breaks from the conservative styling cues typically found on every vehicle bearing the Saturn marque. With its more aggressive lines, pronounced fender peaks and menacing front end the Sky definitely makes a bold statement. Many may liken it to a miniature Corvette or GM’s version of Mazda’s MX-5 (Miata), but not many will call it boring.

Continue reading "Is the Sky the Limit? - The 2007 GM Collection" »


September 22, 2006

VehicleVoice #36 - Ford's New CEO, Dip in Fuel Prices, Roadtrips

Welcome to VehicleVoice - Episode #36


Listen to Podcast


Subscribe via RSS


Subscribe via iTunes



This week, our VehicleVoice audio podcast has host David Barrett sitting down with AutoPacific's Vice President and Senior Consultant Jim Hossack for a conversation about the state of the American Auto Industry.

Jim and David chat about dropping fuel prices and the sights seen from the window during a roadtrip through the Rockies, not to mention GM's new warranty, BMW's new hydrogen car (is it practical?), and how renting a Mustang convertible in the Yellowstone region is a lot easier than you might think. And that's just the beginning!


Show Runtime - 15:04


Show Rundown
00:28 GM's recent changes - Are they turning things around?

03:33 Ford's New CEO - Will an outsider make a difference?

07:29 Gas Prices - Why are they falling and will Americans start buying big cars again?

09:55 BMW's New Hydrogen Car - Will it sell?

11:38 Western Mountain Road Trip - What kind of cars can you see on the road in the Rockies?


August 09, 2006

GM's New Trucks

We Catch the Summer Reveal of All-New Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra

GM's leader Rick Wagoner took some time from his work on the turnaround project and the ongoing Renault-Nissan tie-up evaluation to introduce new products critical to GM's future profitability and success. VehicleVoice contributors Jim Hossack and Stephanie Brinley, from AutoPacific's Market Research and Industry Analysis offices, were on hand for a first look. Brinley helps with the overview, while long-time full-size truck owner Hossack tells us what's missing.

Silverado_reveal_bl_a.jpg

The current full-size Chevrolet Silverado (image here) and GMC Sierra, developed under GM's GMT800 program and first introduced for 1999MY, launched to strong reviews and well-deserved praise. Sales increased throughout the lifecycle and combined they outsold their rivals. Even in 2005, GM outsold the Ford F-series by about 80,000 units, according to AutoPacific's Sales Forecast Service.

The GMT900 pickups offer significant improvements to body, chassis, and powertrain. GM developed them with the eye to improving on every level an already successful truck. We saw them in pre-production form, but didn't get the chance to drive them. Based on our first look, the trucks will arrive boasting a best-in-class standing. The 1500 series gets to showrooms in November 2006. Heavy-duty (2500 and 3500) models arrive during the first quarter of 2007. Unlike the previous generation, which rolled out over two years, all versions of the GMT900 trucks roll out in five months.

TwoDozen_bl_a.jpg

The Good Stuff
On a bright, hot August morning, dozens of Silverado and Sierras drove up in front of us at the GM Milford, Michigan, proving grounds. Showing off their versatility and working natures, the display trucks towed boats and equipment, hauled hay and horse trailers. The message was clear: Choice and capability. Whatever you need these trucks to do, they can do it. Whatever form you need, they have it. Short beds, medium beds, long beds, crew cabs, regular cabs, extended cabs with a cool new 170-degree opening rear door, all are available from the GM trucks. It was a dizzying array, but all these options keep loyal buyers happy and to prove that GM is dedicated to full-size pickups.

TwoDozen_bl_b.jpg

Continue reading "GM's New Trucks" »