Pickup wars begin with debut of 2007 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra
So they're here, what do you think?
click on any image to enlarge
This morning marked what could be a monumental moment in the turnaround of General Motors. The world's largest automaker officially introduced its new GMT900 pickups, the 2007 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra. After a nice buzz had been built up over early spy shots and strategically released information, the two trucks have arrived and GM is hoping for a positive reaction from consumers when they go on sale later this year. And it appears as if GM's new trucks have sent at least some of their competition back to the drawing board.
For its part, Ford has decided on what front it will fight the new GMT900s, and that's maximum tow rating. In addition to announcing the 2007 F-150 will have its price slashed by up to $1,400, the Blue Oval announced today that the truck's maximum tow rating will be increased to 10,500 lbs., which matches that of the GMT900 pickups from GM. The 2006 Dodge Ram 1500, meanwhile, can tow up to 8,850 lbs. according to its website, though any changes to the truck for 2007 have yet to be announced. The 2006 Nissan Titan tops the Dodge with a max tow rating of 9,500 lbs., but both obviously now fall short of the competition from GM and Ford. And remember that 10,000 maximum tow rating that Toyota announced for its upcoming Tundra? Doesn't sound too intimidating anymore.
Why has a pickup's maximum tow rating become so important? One reason might be that automakers realize higher gas prices are beginning to scare away truck customers who aren't planning to use their pickups to do hardcore work like towing and hauling. As the pool of potential truck consumers shrinks, those left will be the blue-collar customers that consider a truck's tow rating more important than its choice of seat fabric.
So GM has claimed first strike and Ford has bitten back. Who knows which truckmaker will make the next move, but you can bet it will be a big one.
(Follow the jump for all of GM's official pics of the new GMT900s in all their high resolution glory)
[Source: GM]
2007 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Extended Cab
2007 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Extended Cab
2007 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ interior
2007 Chevrolet Silverado LT, Z71 Crew Cab
2007 Chevrolet Silverado LT, Z71 Crew Cab
2007 GMC Sierra SLE Extended Cab
2007 GMC Sierra SLT Crew Cab
2007 GMC Sierra SLT Crew Cab
2007 GMC Sierra Denali interior
2007 GMC Sierra SLE Extended Cab
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
mike 11:08PM (8/02/2006)
Ford is done!!! When they lose truck sales it will cripple them. These new trucks will hurt Ford BAD!!!
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Naijai 11:16PM (8/02/2006)
If these are all new why does the back of the Silverado look close to that of a NIssan Titan
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Ryan 11:18PM (8/02/2006)
"1. Ford is done!!! When they lose truck sales it will cripple them. These new trucks will hurt Ford BAD!!!
Posted at 11:08PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by mike 0 stars"
-Yeah, yeah, GM fans have been saying that for how many generations of the Silverado?! The F-150 is the truck to have. I'm pumped I just ordered 5 new F-350 utility body trucks for my company. They will be wonderful and at 33k a pop WITH the utility body, it's a bargain. My technicians will love the fact that ford threw in a CD player also.
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Ryan 11:20PM (8/02/2006)
Are those Impala dash boards in a pickup?! That looks pretty good though.
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TriShield 11:24PM (8/02/2006)
Like I commented previously, the styling of GM's new trucks leaves an incredible amount to be desired. If it wasn't for the HUGE logos on the grilles they would be completely anonymous. I expect styling this bad from Toyota, but GM? I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.
The lower model interior looks like it's still from the 1980s while the upper model interior looks more at home in a Buick instead of a Chevrolet truck (why not aluminum-look swaths instead of wood? Why is Barf even offered as an interior color?)
What really hurts is all of them but the Denali will still have GM's dinosaur-era 4-speed automatic. Chrysler and Nissan both have had modern 5-speed designs in their trucks for years now. Every GM truck model should have their 6-speed standard, and the 400hp V8 should be optional on each model as well.
The GMT900s aren't the clear homerun effort needed for the vehicle that will "save" GM.
In contrast the 2007 Tundra has an aggressive looking style and thoroughly modern interior design. Not only does it look to have everything that would appeal to people who still want trucks as personal transportation, it now has the specs that will appeal to blue-collar workers as well. Just like Nissan's Titan.
Toyota is the world's wealthiest automaker and can afford to play the fullsize truck game indefinitely, conquesting one Big Three buyer at a time. GM doesn't have that kind of cash on hand, or the time to blow these trucks as they did. Or any other new vehicle launch for that matter.
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TT 11:32PM (8/02/2006)
Why is the roof antenna off center? That looks like a mistake. Ruins the symmetry.
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Petey 11:45PM (8/02/2006)
Those are seriously tiny buttons on the radio hvac controls. And, is that a touch screen lcd? In a work truck?
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gtluis 11:47PM (8/02/2006)
The release of these new trucks is important to compete with Ford's offerings. Lets be honest, that's the real competition, not the Tundra and Titan.
Truck consumers are not like most customers, because they have fierce brand loyalty. I don't expect anything to change this time around, no matter what the transplants have out or soon to be. The demographic that will probably buy the Toyota initially instead of the domestics will be the hispanic population in the South. The others will be the laggards that Toyota has already conquested.
The road ahead for Toyota is a tough one, because I don't really see definitive holes in the domestic offerings to conquest die-hard domestic customers. This is just opinion, but I think that's how it will play out.
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Rob 11:47PM (8/02/2006)
Are you serious Mike? A) it looks like a Titan B)it still doesnt have an interior better than than the F-150, all the trucks are playing catch up in that department C) as long as Ford, GM and Dodge continue to rely on their trucks and SUVs to turn around their companies the longer they will continue to post huge losses. Im guessing the sales of these (or lack of) will hurt GM more than Ford. Why is Toyota so successful? A great line of cars. How many other cars are built off the Camry platform? How many off the Impala (W-body)? The lack of efficiency in GM and their product line is whats keeping them from making money. That and I'm guessing the Camry's platform also not going into its 19th year as well. (enter sarcasm) Yey Ford! Put the 5.8 hurricane v-8 in the f-150! Worse milage! Great! Gas is cheap! Dont update the Focus to the euro one! The current model can easily compete with the new Civic and upcoming Corolla! Don't release hybrids, no one will buy them! I dont understand how sales are down and they arent making money!(exit sarcasm) The domestic companies make me sick, and I own a Ford and an Oldsmobile. And that 'sarcasm' above is what I think the planners for these companies really think. How about instead of cutting the jobs of the people you pay 35 grand a year you cut the jobs of the guys you pay 2 million a year to run the company into the ground.
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chewy 12:11AM (8/03/2006)
Gas guzzler tax is needed on pickups and SUVs, cars with bad fuel economy already pay it.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/info.shtml#guzzler
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Jeff Banks 12:26AM (8/03/2006)
If gas is such a key factor, why bother making it tow more? Couldn't they just make it more efficient instead of making it more powerful? I'm not an engineer, though, but i'm just wondering.
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Rastus 12:29AM (8/03/2006)
These trucks from GM are the Brokeback Mountains of the truck world. I can see it now...two "gentlemen" going at it hot and heavy (enough to make a straight guy vomit) in the back of a crew cab.
Seriously folks, these queers of the pick-'em-up world are left for the gay pride festivals. No real MAN would be seen in one of these feather dusters.
Queens..I can see Freddie Mercury driving on of these BIG BOYS!!!
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Angus Podgorny 12:33AM (8/03/2006)
It's sad to me that each new generation of American vehicle looks like a half-hearted imitation of the last-generation Japanese equivalent. I mean, that interior. Would Toyota or Honda put out anything so routine-looking? Never.
What's happened to our imagination? Our innovation? Our know-how? Why aren't we in this country producing things anymore that make you go, "Wow!" What's the problem?
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Robert 12:34AM (8/03/2006)
Why such fussy interiors? The center dash is right out of a Lucerne. Can't imagine using those tiny controls with work gloves.
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Robert 12:39AM (8/03/2006)
"These trucks from GM are the Brokeback Mountains of the truck world."
In your dreams big boy.
Rev. Phelps
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Koba 12:42AM (8/03/2006)
I dunno about many on this board, but I still haven't met too many of these DIEHARD fans. Yes, they exist in droves, but most that I know drive older trucks bought used. On the other hand, I know tons of middle class men who buy trucks to haul a few 2x4s every other month, and a frickin John boat once a month. I live in the rural midwest, and I hate to break it to GM or Ford, but the Diehards just aren't new car buyers. I think GM has made a smart move in offering an upscale interior as well as a work centered one, the nicer of the two will help in selling the truck to all the suburban cowboys.
And about the new and improved towing capacity, it's only 200 pounds greater than the 06 1500HD, so wow, now they're selling HD springs as standard. And also, these capacities are nice on paper, but anyone who has pushed a full size truck to it's limits knows that they are BS. Towing exactly 10,500 pounds in an 07 silverado for any meaningful period of time will earn you a nice new pile of scrap steel, that the General will claim as abuse.
But again, kudos for the nice interior. It looks like crap in the Cadillac, but in a truck, it really is sweet.
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Lithous 1:06AM (8/03/2006)
"What's happened to our imagination? Our innovation? Our know-how? Why aren't we in this country producing things anymore that make you go, "Wow!" What's the problem?"
I don't know Angus, get off your whinny ass and design and sell a vehicle Americans want. Is there something wrong with you that you can't do anything (but complain)? I'm not sure that God ordained GM and Ford the only Americans to be allowed to produce vehicles. But I see you do have imagination, between naps you arm chair quarterback what GM and Ford do wrong.
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kjmiller 1:11AM (8/03/2006)
My first impression of these trucks was not a good one. But then I realized I pretty much have hated all new trucks when they first come out. Actually, I don't think I've thought any year/make of truck looks good in stock form (I think some Titans almost look good stock :). I then started visualizing these trucks with a few mods, the types dealers usually do (at least here in so cal). I pictured the brown chevy with a mild lift to level it out with nice wheels and big tires. I pictured the gunmetal gmc with a billet grill and lowered a reasonable amount. Thats when I realized that I think I will like the looks of these things, and if tweaked the right way it might just replace the Titan on the top of my best looking trucks list - as long as you can get it without that hideous fake wood interior trim.
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John 1:24AM (8/03/2006)
I was really looking forward towards the new silverado. But ill wait for the new tundra to come out. Very disapointed with GM. Toyota should just buy out gm already, clean up thier mess.
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UH2L 1:40AM (8/03/2006)
How can any of you be disappointed with the designs of these trucks? The proportions are great, the details are clean and there's only so much you can do with a pick-up truck design in the first place. In this modern age, designs are differentiated with subtleties. The interiors look very nice too, and as for the comments about small buttons in a work truck, I would say a large percentage of these trucks won't be used for work. And for those that are, they won't be equipped with the high end infotainment equipment, and the HVAC controls aren't that small.
I think these trucks will do very well in the marketplace especially since they will probably have best-in-class fuel economy for people that are buying full-size trucks anyway and are not cross-shopping with small cars.
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