Published reports are indicating that General Motors will move up the production of their updated line of GMC and Chevrolet pick up trucks by three months with the new models making their debut in October 2006. Some are calling this move an act of desperation on the part of GM which has been socked by extensive criticism over its product line, while others are hailing it as a bold, strategic initiative. Regardless, this is an unusual move for the world’s number one automaker, one that could help the company get back on its feet. Let’s take a look at the new trucks and what they will offer to you, the consumer.
High gas prices, quality problems, and a perception that the company offers products that no one wants has been plaguing General Motors for much of the past year. With plant closures coming, layoffs pending, and market share decreasing, little good news has been focused on “the general” by the automobile press. Fortunately, GM is battling back with fresh models set to be released including SUVs and trucks, which are the “bread and butter” vehicles of the company. Here is what you can expect to see when the new trucks enter the market in Autumn 2006:
If you own a pickup truck or SUV chances are your vehicle looks quite a bit different than from the day that you bought it home from the dealership. I’m not talking about wear and tear, scratches or dings, or any other thing that may have happened to it over the course of time. Rather, I am suggesting that you have customized it to look the way you want it to look. Let’s take a peek at some popular accessories on the market for pickups as well as for SUVs.
There are literally hundreds of after market parts and accessories available for trucks and SUVs. The following list is an alphabetical example [well, almost] of add-ons for your consideration:
In the 1970’s, General Motors entered the RV market. Drawing on the exuberance of the times, the company set out to create the ultimate American Motor home. Their aim was to produce a top-of the-line vehicle with cutting-edge design and construction, not just another competitor in the already crowded vacation vehicle market. The common design in this era was a boxy, ungainly and top-heavy unit on a truck chassis. The GMC vehicle was intended to be a completely new design in every way. Design work began in 1970, with the market introduction planned for 1973. “Doesn’t look like a box or ride like a truck” was the GMC ad slogan.
The new vehicle would be unusual for this era in several ways. First of all, it was to have a front wheel drive, a rare concept in cars of that day and unheard-of in mobile homes. The drive train and suspension were taken from the design of the Oldsmobile Toronado. The 265 horsepower 455 cubic inch Oldsmobile engine was attached to a Turbohydramatic 425 transmission with torsion bar suspension. The rear suspension was a product of GM’s bus design, using dual swing arms, one leading and one trailing, with a single air spring on each side. Instead of a autobody steel, the body was to be made of lightweight aluminum and molded fiberglass-reinforced plastic such as was used in the Chevrolet Corvette.