Wild-Ass Rumor Of The Day: GM Re-Committing To Compact Pickup Market?
If you’ve been reading TTAC regularly, you might have noticed that many of us have something of a soft spot for compact pickup trucks. And what started for me as an innate affinity for all forms of cheap, honest, rugged transportation has become full-blown affection on the strength of several months driving a ’92 Toyota with four-cylinders, four-wheel-drive and a manual transmission. Of course, all auto writers struggle with the disconnect between their personal taste and that of the buying public, and cheap full-sized trucks seem to have eliminated all chances of a re-investment in the segment. Ford, for one, has said that it plans on “replacing” its aged Ranger (which dies next year) with Ecoboost-powered F150 options and its Focus hatchback. Dodge, or Ram, or whoever builds the trucks in Auburn Hills is said to be considering an unibody Dakota replacement, but hasn’t made a peep about it in months. Meanwhile, GM is shutting down Canyon/Colorado production at its Shreveport plant by 2012, ending its half-hearted competition in the segment. But, according to Pickuptrucks.com (which is usually one of the best at breaking these kinds of stories), GM is considering a new entry into the otherwise neglected segment.
GM is said to be working on a new compact runabout that’s reminiscent of the original Chevrolet S-10, according to our sources… The key elements of success for GM’s future small truck would be fuel economy that’s greater than its full-size pickups and a window sticker that’s significantly less. It would also be a completely different and smaller platform than the planned next-generation overseas version of the Colorado that will be built in Thailand.
According to the report, the fact that other automakers are neglecting the segment, and the recent growth in the size of the Toyota Tacoma have “opened the door” for a possible neo-S-10. Color us intrigued.
More by Edward Niedermeyer
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Just sold my '94 Ranger 4WD automatic, 4.0 V-6. Had it since '96. Will miss it great little truck, but it was nickle and diming us. Just before I sold it had it in for shocks and oil change and A/C recharge, only it needed a new condenser too, total to the tune of $620! Before that it had been another condenser, spring brackets, all the brake lines, master cylinder, three starters, alternator, valve cover, valve cover gaskets (never did solve the oil leaking however) and various and sundry little pieces and parts. I guy in the market for one saw it at the shop, the mechanic knew I was going to sell it, he offered me $3000 cash and I took it. Have an '05 Silverado 2500HD Crew cab now to tow a livestock trailer and run around town in (In my rural area NO ONE gives you the stink-eye for driving a full size P/U or SUV).
I'm having a terrible time wrapping my brain around the phrase "built in Thailand."