Chevy Pokes Fun at Ford Aluminum Truck

[Redneck in training]

Next frontier in truck design is aerodynamics. Present pickups have aerodynamics of a pizza box. There will be trucks designed specifically for pulling and trucks designed for hauling and pulling. I think you will see some weird looking machines in the future. I mean weird by today's standards. Also engines turbocharging is going to change. The technology is already used in racing. The turbo-expander in exhaust runs a generator charging battery that in turn supplies electric motor that runs air turbo-compressor (there is no power lag) and excess energy is used for drive electric motors.

 

[Egon]

Why do the jealous always have to chime in with some "they got theirs" my truck is better than your BMW fake story. HS

Facts are facts.

Have I mentioned how my little Zuzuki made out at the stoplight get go's?

 

[lilranch2001]

Surprise! GM putting aluminum in next-gen pickups

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.

 

[lilranch2001]

Oh and by the way, The Fort Wayne plant has a project going on for about the same dollar amount, it started a month or two ago........

Oh, and by the way the Fort Wayne plant was built back in the 80's for ~ 500 mill

 

[Redneck in training]

Aluminum beds are popular in Australia. Seems to me most pickups had them. Welcome to Ute Ltd - Manufacturers of Tough Aluminum Pick-up Truck Beds

 

[DarkBlack]

Let me know when they make the frame from aluminum.

 

[TomSeller]

Good for GM. They have always made a good product and now it will be keeping with the times.

 

[Garandman]

Next frontier in truck design is aerodynamics. Present pickups have aerodynamics of a pizza box. There will be trucks designed specifically for pulling and trucks designed for hauling and pulling. I think you will see some weird looking machines in the future. I mean weird by today's standards. Also engines turbocharging is going to change. The technology is already used in racing. The turbo-expander in exhaust runs a generator charging battery that in turn supplies electric motor that runs air turbo-compressor (there is no power lag) and excess energy is used for drive electric motors.

Seriously doubt it. Truck fashion is dictated by what sells, and the trend has been to massive front grills that appeal to the buyer.

This article was written in 2000 explaining why some parents buy SUV's even though a minivan would be a far more practical choice for their families.

Mr. Bostwick of DaimlerChrysler and other auto market researchers said they had been greatly influenced by Dr. Clotaire Rapaille, a French-born medical anthropologist who has worked as a consultant to DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors.

Dr. Rapaille looks at the intellectual, emotional and ''reptilian,'' or instinctual, reasons why people buy consumer products. He said sport utilities are designed to be masculine and assertive, often with hoods that resemble those on 18-wheel trucks, vertical metal slats across the grilles to give the appearance of a jungle cat's teeth and flared wheel wells and fenders that suggest the bulging muscles in a clenched jaw.

Sport utilities are designed to appeal to Americans' deepest fears of violence and crime, Dr. Rapaille said. People's earliest associations with sport utilities are wartime Jeeps with machine guns mounted on the back, he explained. Sport utilities are ''weapons'' and ''armored cars for the battlefield,'' he said.

''The big, powerful S.U.V.'s with a message of 'don't mess with me' are going to be around for some time, because American culture is not going to change,'' he said. ''The reptilian always wins.''

If you don't believe this, pull up the pictures of 2000 trucks and compare the grilles to those of the current models.

The EPA ratings are at low enough speeds that aero doesn't matter too much.

The "highway" program, on the other hand, is created to emulate rural and interstate freeway driving with a warmed-up engine, making no stops (both of which ensure maximum fuel economy). The vehicle is driven for 10 miles over a period of 12.5 minutes with an average speed of 48 mph and a top speed of 60 mph. Both fuel economy tests are performed with the vehicle's air conditioning and other accessories turned off.

Chevrolet's "Eco" models and the Cruze Turbodiesel use many of the latest aero tricks. At 70mph in a Cruze diesel all you hear is some tire noise and the air flowing over the passenger cabin.

 

[aczlan]

This article was written in 2000 explaining why some parents buy SUV's even though a minivan would be a far more practical choice for their families.

Trust me, as someone who went from a Caravan to a Suburban, looks had nothing to do with it. It had more to do with lower repair bills (nothing like dropping $2500 over the last 3 years on a 2006 Caravan with 140k miles on it) and a vehicle that will hold up for longer (200k miles with no major issues is fairly common).
The 2002 Caravan with ~130k miles that was replaced was starting to have a weird feel to the 2-3 shift and it had 3" wide by 2' long holes in the rocker panels going back from the front wheelwell and forward from the rear wheelwell.
We looked at getting another Caravan, but it wasn't worth the risk of problems and the resale value on a 15-20 year old Suburban with 200-250k miles is a lot better than a 10-15 year old Caravan with 150-200k miles.

Aaron Z

 

[ray66v]

Good for GM. They have always made a good product

Having owned many GM cars, if you take the word "good" out of that sentience, I would agree with you.