Photo: GM Design/Instagram
General Motors is in a rather ungrateful position when it comes to pickup trucks. The full-size and HDs are under the Ford F-Series dominion, while the mid-size offerings have nothing on the best-selling Toyota Tacoma.
On the other hand, the Chevrolet Silverado and Silverado HD, plus the GMC Sierra and Sierra HD, are still a force to be reckoned with if the viewer treats them as an ensemble, or rather as two sides of the same coin. And the concept of doubling down on its efforts is also well represented with the mid-sized Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon. But what about compact pickup trucks?
Well, General Motors is a bit slow to react – probably surprised by the successful arrival of the Hyundai Santa Cruz on the U.S. market and the major steam caught by the Mexico-built Ford Maverick unibody compact pickup truck. Unfortunately, the only response from GM was the Chevy Montana – but the third generation, now also a four-door truck instead of a two-door Ute – which is not sold in North America.
Maybe GM fans would be better off hoping the company will finally give them a Chevrolet LUV (aka the Isuzu Faster, produced between 1972 and 2002) and Chevy S-10 (GMC S-15/Sonoma) successor? They should be, at least judging by the enthusiastic reaction to a recent GM Design Center tease seen in the form of an EV truck ideation sketch posted on social media. Curiously, this is just the latest in a rather long line of such SUV or pickup truck ideas.
As such, we recently saw a brilliantly colorful and playful-looking Chevy SUV that quickly ignited body-on-frame K5 Blazer revival desires, just like the two-door ‘Square Body’ SUV also triggered a massive debate before it. But wait, as there was something for pickup aficionados as well – a design idea that sure looked like the next-gen Silverado 1500 if the Detroit automaker decided to return to ‘Square Body’ styling! And now we have this, a “clean and simple” modular pickup truck with just two doors and what looks like battery power – note the closed grille, frunk-style hood, and open-top hints.
Naturally, according to GM Design’s aficionados, this is not just a truck for NPCs (non-playable characters) from a future video game, but also a potential spiritual successor for the Chevy LUV and Chevy S-10 heritage. Well, a compact pickup truck from GM would clearly make sense when trying to battle the Hyundai Santa Cruz and the popular Ford Maverick. And since the latter is already electrified and doing great, a full EV could be a great way to stand out in the expanding unibody compact pickup truck crowd.
Otherwise, GM should really stop with these ruses and cease giving false hopes to fans looking forward to all these cool nameplate revivals…
Well, General Motors is a bit slow to react – probably surprised by the successful arrival of the Hyundai Santa Cruz on the U.S. market and the major steam caught by the Mexico-built Ford Maverick unibody compact pickup truck. Unfortunately, the only response from GM was the Chevy Montana – but the third generation, now also a four-door truck instead of a two-door Ute – which is not sold in North America.
Maybe GM fans would be better off hoping the company will finally give them a Chevrolet LUV (aka the Isuzu Faster, produced between 1972 and 2002) and Chevy S-10 (GMC S-15/Sonoma) successor? They should be, at least judging by the enthusiastic reaction to a recent GM Design Center tease seen in the form of an EV truck ideation sketch posted on social media. Curiously, this is just the latest in a rather long line of such SUV or pickup truck ideas.
As such, we recently saw a brilliantly colorful and playful-looking Chevy SUV that quickly ignited body-on-frame K5 Blazer revival desires, just like the two-door ‘Square Body’ SUV also triggered a massive debate before it. But wait, as there was something for pickup aficionados as well – a design idea that sure looked like the next-gen Silverado 1500 if the Detroit automaker decided to return to ‘Square Body’ styling! And now we have this, a “clean and simple” modular pickup truck with just two doors and what looks like battery power – note the closed grille, frunk-style hood, and open-top hints.
Naturally, according to GM Design’s aficionados, this is not just a truck for NPCs (non-playable characters) from a future video game, but also a potential spiritual successor for the Chevy LUV and Chevy S-10 heritage. Well, a compact pickup truck from GM would clearly make sense when trying to battle the Hyundai Santa Cruz and the popular Ford Maverick. And since the latter is already electrified and doing great, a full EV could be a great way to stand out in the expanding unibody compact pickup truck crowd.
Otherwise, GM should really stop with these ruses and cease giving false hopes to fans looking forward to all these cool nameplate revivals…
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