The Vette is a big deal, but these
trucks carry GM’s future.
These trucks are Wall Street’s Corvette. To
investors, the Chevrolet Silverado and the GMC Sierra are General Motors’ most
important launches since the 2009 bankruptcy because of their sales and profit
margins. And Wall Street appears unimpressed with the vehicles’ lack of breakthrough
technology along the lines of Ford’s EcoBoost F-150 or Ram’s eight-speed
automatic and rear coil springs.
Chevrolet
Silverado
GMC
Sierra
GM’s new trucks begin production in the
second quarter with gasoline direct-injection, cylinder deactivation, and
variable valve timing across all three engines - 4.3-liter V-6 and 5.3- and
6.2-liter small-block V-8s. At launch, a six-speed automatic will be the only
transmission. GM previewed the trucks before the January Detroit show without
horsepower, torque, fuel efficiency, or towing numbers although GM says they
will be best-in-class on all accounts.
Chevrolet
Silverado’s design and interior
The ’14 trucks have new cab mounts for less
vibration. Rear leaf springs get new bushings, and dampers are better at low
speeds. Aluminum front suspension components and stiffer front springs are on
many versions. The trucks also have triple-sealed doors, bed-rail protectors
with built-in handholds, and inlaid doors that fit into the body. Extended cabs
come with a solid B-pillar and conventional rear doors. Crew cabs will be
available with a 6.5-foot bed. LED lighting is optional for inside the truck
beds.
A new cab-to-bed seal was designed for
better aerodynamics, and side view mirrors are smaller for the same reason.
Fully boxed frames are hydro formed in certain sections and are eleven to
twenty-two pounds lighter than the ’13 models’. Four-wheel disc brakes are
standard after several years’ absence. A novel step-in rear bumper, standard on
some models, makes it easier to climb into the bed, and optional front park
assist helps drivers with that long, tall hood, which now is aluminum.
Forward-collision alert and a lane-departure warning system that vibrates the
lower part of the driver’s seat will be options.
GMC
Sierra’s interior
GMC and Chevrolet have gone to considerable
lengths to make each brand’s pickups look more distinctive. They have different
interior designs, and the Sierra generally has higher standard content. A
high-zoot Sierra Denali is inevitable.
Despite Wall Street’s reservations, there’s
enough new about the ’14 Silverado/Sierra to stanch their market-share decline
and satisfy Chevy/GMC loyalists who are ready to trade in. By the time Ford
launches the next version of its F-series (within a year and a half), Chevy and
GMC may be ready to fight back with mid-cycle updates that should include an
eight-speed automatic and the next breakthrough in light-duty pickups, GM’s
long- awaited new 4.5-liter diesel V-8.
