2015 Updates

GM's full-size pickups to get updates for '15 model year

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General Motors Co.’s full-size pickups will receive some updates for the 2015 model year, and a chief engineer said Wednesday that even more changes will follow for the trucks and full-size SUVs in future years.

GM’s Jeff Luke, executive chief engineer for pickups, said appearance enhancements and technology changes will be coming. The trucks likely will add some improvements to boost fuel economy — possibly transmissions with additional gears.

“You’ll see these kinds of technologies over the next few years, a whole array of neat, new technologies, some focused on fuel economy, some focused on capability,” Luke told reporters at an event.

Luke said GM is considering start-stop technology — which shuts off the engine at stoplights to save fuel — on pickups.

Details on changes for the 2015 model-year trucks are expected to be released within a few months; the trucks are slated to go on sale later this year. Analysts predict GM will have all-new pickups again in late 2018, and GM executives have said they plan to update the trucks regularly through their life cycle.

“You’ll see some neat updates on the trucks and SUVs, you’ll see them coming, I’d say in short order,” Luke said. “Then the year after that, the year after that, the year after that, you’ll see some neat things coming in a whole host of areas.”

Luke said GM has taken feedback from its customers on the pickups and also from consumers who have chosen not to buy one.

The Detroit automaker launched latest-generation Silverados and Sierras about a year ago. Sales haven’t been as strong as some analysts predicted. Brian Johnson of Barclays Capital Inc. in a late February 2014 research note called GM’s 2014 full-size pickup launch “arguably the least successful large pickup launch over the last 15 years in terms of share and pricing.”

GM has lost overall market share on full-size trucks, though it saw an uptick in market share to retail customers or consumers who buy pickups, in April. It also has significantly boosted average transaction prices as consumers increasingly choose higher trim levels and crew cabs. GM says 43 percent of 2014 GMC Sierra’s sold are uplevel SLT trims, compared to 13 percent SLT in 2013 trucks.

In the first quarter, average truck transaction prices rose nearly $5,000 compared to a year ago, GM said.

Earlier this year, GM launched refreshed 2015 heavy-duty pickups and is seeing 18 percent higher average transaction prices so far compared to the previous generation. The company’s new-generation full-size SUVs have gained 4 percentage points of market share so far this year through April compared to last year, with the redesigned Chevy Tahoe and Chevy Suburban sticking around on dealer lots for an average of just 17 and 10 days, respectively.

“We’re selling every one we can build,” said Rick Scheidt, GM’s vice president of truck strategy.

Ford Motor Co. will roll out its aluminum-body F-150 pickup later this year, while Chrysler Group LLC’s Ram Truck brand — which is gaining U.S. market share — is planning a redesigned light-duty pickup for 2017. This fall GM will begin selling the refreshed 2015 midsize pickups and in the second year will offer a diesel engine.

Detroit News

they are pretty much going to be like cell phones where new ones come out every year.

GM has a history of decontenting vehicles as they progress through their life cycle. So as they add stuff what will be removed?

Also GM made the claim after the BK that products would be updated throughout the life cycle and look at the Cruze. 5th year into its product cycle and it gets a simple front fascia change. Good product but like the Cobalt is left on the vine without updates.

Part of me says their scared to make changes to a successful product. Much like the Equinox, hasn't been touched outside of finally adding the 3.6 to the Nox. The Nox drives better than the Edge, the 2.4 powerplant is much to be desired.

The truck market is extremely competitive. Seems they're all making subtle changes more often to better the feature set in hopes to invest 5% to gain 10% at the peril of another manufacturer.

The 6.2 equipped trucks are getting the 8L90E eight speed transmission. No word yet if this will also include the Suburban, Yukon, Escalade with 6.2 for the '15 model year.