GM Holds Off on Truck, SUV Redesigns

Facing an unfriendly market for big cars, GM announced it would delay the next generation of its full-size pickups and SUVs indefinitely. This slate of vehicles was scheduled to go into production in 2013, but instead GM will focus on improving current models that were redesigned in 2007.

The move will free up crucial engineering talent that the automaker will set to work on smaller, more fuel-efficient cars, including battery-powered vehicles and high-tech gasoline engines. It will also save the manufacturer between $250 and $300 million every year they put off the overhaul.

So when can you expect to see the next Chevy Silverado or GMC Yukon? Not before 2014, as a redesign usually takes four years and large trucks are typically the most complicated to redesign. It may be even longer than that depending on how gas prices fare in the next few years.

We want to know what you think: Does GM's move signal another nail in the coffin for gas-guzzlers? Say that, for some reason, GM never gets around to a new generation of its full-size pickups and SUVs — which model would you miss most?

GM Delays Truck Overhaul (Detroit News)

Comments

The Escalade...will become hip-hop folklore.

I just read a great article on the Volt in The Atlantic, and the shift that it's caused in the bureaucracy of GM. GM has acted this way in the past - with Saturn, only to see it fail. It was nice to read that they can still attempt to innovate even if their corporate culture eventually subsumes whatever great product they develop. Let's hope this time it's different for GM.

Refresh my memory, when did the current design Silverado come out? If the design stays the same for seven years, it sounds like business as usual for GM and the rest of the domestic brands. How long has the Cobalt been on road with no design change?

Don't get me wrong, I like the domestics (my last car was a 96 Cavalier and I will say I was pleased with it). However, sitting on designs for much too long has always been one of my major gripes with car manufactures and the Big Three seem to be the worst at not updating their vehicles often enough.

As someone who drives a small car (Mazda3), I can't say I will miss any large, slow moving vehicles regardless of manufacture.

Well, a wise move, GM ought to be investing heavily in fuel-efficient cars since that market is going to really heat up the next few years, given the previous post about Ford bringing over the Euro Focus stateside. the Big three shouldn't easily hand over the small car market to import manufacturers like they did during the 90s...

All I want to know is what the heck took so long?! Honda has been doing this ever since they first came out. I think it is sad that all these automakers have waited until it is too late to start thinking about fuel efficiency when Honda has been doing it forever even when gas was cheap. They were thinking about the environment BEFORE we were pushed into doing so.

Hey Happy - hate to break it to you but the imports already own the small car market. The Big 3 (really 2 because Chrysler doesn't compete) lost the market in the 1980s. They need to try and reclaim some portion of it, yes, but they don't have much to lose anymore.

Overoptioned and overpriced cars have had their last hurrah in most households. I refuse to get a second mortgage on a rapidly depreciating appliance to get me from point "A" to point "B".

The volt will be a 4 seater $100,000 car by the time it comes out or be like the EV-1 a high cost closed end lease.

Now they need to make the Cobalt at least as good as the Astra if not better.
Then the next thing is put the G5 on the chopping block. Duplicate models that are not good cars are just working against the company itself.

I think that GM is never with the market and that this is one of there moves towards fuel efficenybut there cars lack a lot like Quality!! my 2005 chevy trailblazer ext gets 13 MPG!!!!! and i have taken it to the deaeler 12 Times for repair !! P.S. i got rid of it in march for a toyota highlander

Some of GM's problems stem from their own short-sightedness regarding SUVs. Ignoring their best selling, most profitable vehicle at a time when there is increased competition from Toyota seems equally short-sighted. GM DEFINITELY needs much better small cars, and a major overhaul across their entire lineup. However I think they need to worry less about this quarter's numbers and develop a long term vision for their company that involves a balanced product lineup without redundancies.

GM should go ahead and kill off the Avalanche, Equinox, and many other unnecessary vehicles, but it's a bad idea to wait until they've lost a lot of market share to redesign their full-size trucks.

Lil'Tom

But killing off the Equinox, then they will be left with the Torrent and Vue as compact crossovers.

I really don't get why do they still keep the Avalanche though.

And, if they don't put more effort in the small cars business, they will soon be out of the game because that's where the competition shines.
(Please, no more 4AT)

J,
I believe they're discontinuing the Torrent, along with the Envoy, and creating a new GMC crossover. I certainly won't miss the Torrent; it really doesn't fit Pontiac's image.

The Vue is the right type of vehicle for Saturn, but the Outlook has to go. Especially if GM is rebadging it as a Chevy.

The Torrent shouldn't be made from the beginning to start with.
It was even more ridiculous that GM had decided to have a commercial to compare the Equinox to the Lexus RX.
The Envoy? Wow, finally. Why do they need the Bravada, Rainier, Envoy, Ascender, and the 9-7x; when they already have the TrailBlazer?
I think the Outlook is just to replace the Relay, but it is not even necessary.
Saturn should be kept as small and mid-size cars. With the Sky as an icon only.

I don't think people realize how bad of shape GM really is in. A recent Forbes article stated that Toyota is now worth 16x MORE than GM! I was shocked when I checked their stock prices: Toyota $97.71, Honda $33.66, GM $13.79. GM has lost a breathtaking 74% of its market value, some $43 billion, since spring of 2000! GM is still incapable of building attractive, reliable, durable, sought-after small cars. While Honda and Toyota can turn out a new car every three years, GM struggles just to refresh theirs in under five.
Later this year Honda is building a new plant in Indiana while GM looks to cut production at theirs. Take out fleet sales and it's easy to decipher that Toyota has easily surpassed GM in marketshare. The Volt will be another GM disappointment and that's if it actually ever materializes.

Clayton is right, But you do have to blame GM for building bad quailty, cheapo,unactractive cars!! they will probably end up bankrupt!! And toyota and honda offer qauilty, fuel efficency, attractive cars and offers/ incentives .i saved $1000 on my 2008 toyota hihglander that gets 24 mpg on highway compared to 15 on my old trailblazer which was crappy anyway my worst buy ever!!! I WOULD NEVER BUY GM AGAIN!!

But if Toyota and Honda completely dominated the market, it is not a good thing to happen too.

Don't you guys see Toyota's quality and reliability dropped recently?

It is a good thing for us as consumers that automakers have competition.

I RETIRED FROM FORD WITH 34 YEARS SERVICE.I WAS A UNION REP,A VP, AN SERVIAL OTHER POSITIONS. I THINK FORD SHOULD BRING ALL OF THERE PRODUCT.OVER HERE TO SHOW THE GENERAL PUBLIC THE HIGH QUALITY FORD .THAT FORD IS PUTTING OUT AN WILL CONTNUE TO PUT OUT.I FOR ONE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE KUGA AN THE FORD MONDEO.I SURE WOULD LIKE TO TALKE TO A FORD REP.YOU CAN REACH ME BY MY E-MAIL THANKS ABBY

SUv design is just great.