Guest Commentary: Gary White v.p., GM North America and vehicle line executive for full-size trucks and Terry Woychowski, executive director--vehicle systems and global vehicle chief engineer, full-size trucks.
As trucks have become part of everyday life, we at General Motors have gotten to know pickup-truck customers and used that knowledge to create our new Silverado and Sierra. You're independent, hard-working, and focused individuals who don't mind lending a hand or a pickup bed--even if it's for moving a brother-in-law's furniture for the umpteenth time. You're the "shut up and do it" kind of folks and expect the same from your truck.
Gary White v.p., GM North America
While our recently launched Silverado and Sierra (and upcoming heavy-duty models) deliver more performance and capability than the vehicles they replaced, there was much more to creating this new generation than just improving performance. The trucks are the result of a comprehensive, strategic process based on a six-pillar philosophy that identified why they should be redesigned, not merely how to ratchet up the towing capacity and add another cupholder.
This philosophy gave everyone involved a more thorough understanding of the individuality and independence of our truck customers, thus allowing for more intuitive designs and features. Our six pillars: exterior design, interior craftsmanship, driving experience, comprehensive safety, quality/dependability, and depth and breadth of the lineup.
The new trucks speak to modern needs and expectations. For example, we increased the opening of rear-access doors on extended cabs to 170 degrees, also incorporating power-dropping glass. They open as far as possible without hitting the box sides. For those climbing into the rear seat while parked next to another vehicle (or for those who have to load something bulky into the rear-seat area), the 170-degree opening is a godsend.
Also, the split rear seats fold up with one hand, opening up a large, flat storage area. For do-it-yourselfers, it's a highly functional feature of which we're extremely proud. The same goes for the double glovebox and lockable underseat storage that includes a power outlet. Such items may not sound as exciting as a more powerful engine, but the first time you need to stow a laptop or a bunch of valuable tools, they immediately become invaluable.
We've got more powerful engines, though the six-pillar approach didn't just dictate the addition of power, but how and where to offer it. From an economical six-cylinder in Work Truck models, to a slew of gas V-8s and one of the industry's most renowned diesels, there's a combination for just about any job or recreational activity. The new trucks' powertrains are efficient, too. Our heavy-duty models feature fuel-saving six-speed transmissions, some of our gas V-8s are equipped with Active Fuel Management, and we've got the only V-8 that delivers over 300 horsepower and more than 20 mpg.