Dmax Tim
06-21-2004, 04:53 AM
From GM website
When General Motors Corp. begins replacing its line of full-size trucks in early 2006, it will start with sport-utility vehicles, including all-new versions of the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Envoy, the Free Press has learned.
Those new SUVs, along with an all-new version of the popular Cadillac Escalade and others, will be assembled at GM's assembly plants in Arlington, Texas, and Janesville, Wis.
As part of this next generation of GM's full-size truck line, a major $175-million investment already has been announced for Janesville and an announcement could be coming soon for Arlington, say GM officials, supplier officials and other people familiar with GM's plan.
GM's big trucks are North America's largest and the automaker's most important, vehicle line.
Unlike the rollout of the current line of heavy-duty GM trucks that were unveiled in 1998 and 1999, GM will introduce its new SUVs first, probably around March 2006. This next generation of full-size trucks, code-named GMT 900 within the automaker, will eventually produce at least 1.6 million vehicles a year at seven assembly plants, say insiders.
A lot will be riding on this new line, because its job will be to slowly replace the current generation of full-size GM trucks, which is code-named GMT 800 and has been wildly successful for GM, allowing it to earn multibillion-dollar profits in 2000- 03 while its crosstown rivals at Ford Motor Co. and the Chrysler Group struggled with red ink and restructuring.
Last year, about 1.85 million vehicles were built off the GMT 800 platform, making it the largest vehicle platform in North America and perhaps the world.
"We don't want to take any chances with this. The numbers are so large and the financial impact is so great that we research every step of what we do," said a GM insider who asked not to be named.
After the new SUVs roll out in 2006, GM will then wait about a year to replace its full-size pickup trucks, the popular Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra. The launch of the new pickup trucks will start at GM's Oshawa, Ontario, assembly plant in early to mid-2007, followed later by rollouts at Ft. Wayne, Ind., Pontiac and Flint.
"The SUVs will go into production first. SUVs are much a more fashion-conscious and profitable part of the market than pickups, so it makes sense to get them on the road first," said Jim Hall, vice president of auto analysis in the Southfield office of consultant AutoPacific.
When the current full-size truck lineup debuted in 1998, GM put the pickups in production first, kicking off with the Oshawa plant. According to GM insiders and others, then-GM chairman Jack Smith asked why SUVs weren't being done first.
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When General Motors Corp. begins replacing its line of full-size trucks in early 2006, it will start with sport-utility vehicles, including all-new versions of the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Envoy, the Free Press has learned.
Those new SUVs, along with an all-new version of the popular Cadillac Escalade and others, will be assembled at GM's assembly plants in Arlington, Texas, and Janesville, Wis.
As part of this next generation of GM's full-size truck line, a major $175-million investment already has been announced for Janesville and an announcement could be coming soon for Arlington, say GM officials, supplier officials and other people familiar with GM's plan.
GM's big trucks are North America's largest and the automaker's most important, vehicle line.
Unlike the rollout of the current line of heavy-duty GM trucks that were unveiled in 1998 and 1999, GM will introduce its new SUVs first, probably around March 2006. This next generation of full-size trucks, code-named GMT 900 within the automaker, will eventually produce at least 1.6 million vehicles a year at seven assembly plants, say insiders.
A lot will be riding on this new line, because its job will be to slowly replace the current generation of full-size GM trucks, which is code-named GMT 800 and has been wildly successful for GM, allowing it to earn multibillion-dollar profits in 2000- 03 while its crosstown rivals at Ford Motor Co. and the Chrysler Group struggled with red ink and restructuring.
Last year, about 1.85 million vehicles were built off the GMT 800 platform, making it the largest vehicle platform in North America and perhaps the world.
"We don't want to take any chances with this. The numbers are so large and the financial impact is so great that we research every step of what we do," said a GM insider who asked not to be named.
After the new SUVs roll out in 2006, GM will then wait about a year to replace its full-size pickup trucks, the popular Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra. The launch of the new pickup trucks will start at GM's Oshawa, Ontario, assembly plant in early to mid-2007, followed later by rollouts at Ft. Wayne, Ind., Pontiac and Flint.
"The SUVs will go into production first. SUVs are much a more fashion-conscious and profitable part of the market than pickups, so it makes sense to get them on the road first," said Jim Hall, vice president of auto analysis in the Southfield office of consultant AutoPacific.
When the current full-size truck lineup debuted in 1998, GM put the pickups in production first, kicking off with the Oshawa plant. According to GM insiders and others, then-GM chairman Jack Smith asked why SUVs weren't being done first.
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