Plenty of issues blowing around the auto industry are going to create significant changes in direction, not the least of which are the evolving landscapes of geopolitics, new governmental fuel-economy requirements, and plain old shifting tastes. But building car-based pretend pickups in the name of platform-sharing is not the solution to our problems.
Like many other hard lessons we've had to learn in the auto industry, we seem hell-bent on having to repeat this one over and over again. Recently, at the Chicago auto show, GMC came out with a unique-looking Denali XT (on the cover of this very issue). The platform is from a stretched Australian-built Holden Commodore chassis, which currently underpins the U.S.'s new Pontiac G8 sedan (and next Chevy Camaro) and will soon be under the Pontiac G8 ST, unveiled at this year's New York auto show. In its favor, the Denali XT has some new powertrain technology (story on page 42) and a lightweight car chassis, both of which mean it'll get strong fuel-economy numbers. Those are good features, but it seems silly to call the Denali XT a truck. This chassis has an advertised payload of 1000 pounds and a towing capacity of 3500. Not stellar numbers by any stretch, even for a midsize, light-duty SUV.
What's happening here? I blame Honda. Always on the cutting edge of new technology, its engineers found a way to beef up and modify Honda's highly successful minivan platform into something that would support a fairly strong pickup-truck body. The Ridgeline has a lot to offer: a bed, tailgate (one that swings open in two directions), and a storage trunk in the bed large enough to stow a full-size cooler. Truth be told, the Ridgeline is a huge problem solver for a lot of people.
The problem? Real truck guys don't care about it. It doesn't look like a full-size. It doesn't drive like a full-size. And it doesn't carry or haul a load like a full-size. That doesn't even count the sideways engine, independent rear suspension, or unibody chassis. But (and there's always a but) car (and minivan) people are blown away by the extra function, extra storage, and extra flat-out fun they can have with this new type of heavy-duty minivan. What we're witnessing in this modern auto age is the birth and growth of the "truck" for car guys. With more of my peers questioning the existence of any vehicle that doesn't get stellar fuel-economy numbers, the workhorse SUV and full-size pickup truck are easy targets for those who don't understand them. As a result, these auto writers seem to be pushing every designer, public-relations person, and corporate figure they can get an audience with to abandon these grossly irresponsible vehicles in the name of national security, environmental salvation, or human decency.
Just so you know, these are usually the same guys who are always clamoring for another high-performance version of the next big sports car. They wonder why an American company can't make a Porsche-beater or offer anything equivalent to a Ferrari. It seems perfectly okay, even natural, for them to push automakers to make high-dollar, exclusive, two-seat, low-work-rated sports cars--but strong, heavy, capable trucks need to go to the waste bin. I don't get it. What I do get is that a lot of automakers are searching for that next big segment in the truck (pretend truck?) market. Recently, this year in particular, I'm seeing the first return salvos to what Honda did with the Ridgeline.
Two years ago, Dodge showed the Rampage (below); this year we've seen Toyota's response in the futuristic looking, almost Scion-ish, A-BAT (Advanced Breakthrough Aero Truck), and GMC showed the Denali XT. All three are looking to push traditional definitions and shake up the light-duty truck segment. These types of vehicles will resonate with certain buyers, namely car people who don't like or wouldn't be caught dead in a pickup truck. This is what happens when you let car guys create trucks.
No doubt Corporate Average Fuel Economy targets are weighing heavily on the minds of all the manufacturers, but I suggest some caution here. Before we continue to let the car guys design trucks, it's time to take a step back. The designers need to make sure they know who they're making those vehicles for and what those folks like to do at the worksite and on the weekend. Make no mistake, if car guys are building trucks, then car people will be attracted to them. It's no surprise the Honda Ridgeline is being bought by Honda people who have never owned a pickup before. We're guessing the same will happen when the Pontiac G8 ST comes out or any other SUT or SUP or crossover pickup comes out. Haven't we already seen all this play out on the SUV side? Let's be careful here.