The Chevrolet Silverado took second place with 370,135 units, or some 158,000 less than the F-Series. Sales of GM's pickup truck were up 16,9 per cent from the previous year. Despite Toyota's recall debacle, the Camry finished third overall earning the title of the best-selling passenger car in the States with 327,804 units, posting an 8.1 per cent drop from 2009. The Honda Accord and Toyota Corolla followed in fourth and fifth positions respectively. Read more »
Until 2016, when the new mandates take effect, manufacturers must reach an average fleet economy of 35.5 mpg (6.63 lt/100 km), while light trucks will have to return around 30 mpg or 7.84 lt/100 km. Given that around 50 per cent of vehicles sold in the U.S. in the first 11 months of the year were light trucks, it’s clear that the likes of Ford and GM have to act fast.
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General Motors is recalling close to 100,000 vehicles in two separate campaigns. In a posting with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA], GM said the first recall affects almost 96,000 Cadillac CTS sedans from the 2005-2007 model years over concerns that some of the vehicles have a condition in which repeated flexing of the passenger sensing system mat in the passenger seat may break the connection. The company said that if this occurs, the sensor may not detect the presence of a front seat passenger and will disable the air bag.
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The refreshed Silverado HD will be offered in work truck, LT and LTZ trim levels, with production set to start in May. First deliveries are expected in early June, 2010.
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Featuring the same mechanical tweaks as the latest Silverado, the GMC Sierra enters the 2011 model year with a new 6.6L Duramax turbo diesel, suspension and brake upgrades as well as a new Denali version.
We already knew about the 6.6-liter V8 diesel from the Silverado, but GM has now released output figures for the new engine that delivers 397 horsepower at 3,000 rpm and 765 lb.-ft. of torque (1,037 Nm) at 1,600 rpm.
The most significant change to the 2011 Silverado is the all-new, fully-boxed frame assembly. GM says that the bending and beaming stiffness of the frame is increased 92 percent and 20 percent, respectively, with the fully boxed sections enhancing torsional stiffness by a factor of five.
There's also a redesigned independent front suspension system that offers up to a 25-percent greater front axle weight rating – up to 6,000 pounds (2,721 kg) front gross axle weight rating (FGAWR), while at the back, there's new, larger asymmetrical leaf-spring design.
The standard four-wheel disc system has also been upgraded with a set of larger 14-inch front and rear rotors while Duramax-equipped models now get a new exhaust brake system.
Under the hood, GM re-engineered the Duramax 6.6-liter V8 diesel delivering more power and torque along with an 11 percent increase in fuel economy on the highway.
The Duramax is linked to an Allison 1000 six-speed automatic transmission that has been strengthened to handle the higher torque capability of the improved diesel engine.
The company said that with the Duramax/Allison combination, preliminary testing showed 0-60 mph times of less than 9 seconds and quarter-mile times of less than 16 seconds in 2500HD models. That's about 0.3-second and 0.5-second quicker, respectively, than previous models.
For those that prefer gasoline fuel, the Vortec 6.0-liter V8 with variable valve timing returns to the new heavy-duty trucks, along with a strengthened version of the Hydra-Matic 6L90 six-speed automatic transmission.
Detailed specifications on both engines are to be released at a later date.
So what does all this mean in terms of towing and payload capability? According to GM, the maximum conventional (ball hitch) towing rating has been increased to 16,000 pounds (7,257 kg), while the 3500HD crew cab/long box can tow up to 20,000 pounds (9,091 kg) with a fifth-wheel hitch. The maximum payload capability for the 3500HD is 6,335 pounds (2,873 kg).
As for the styling updates, most will find it hard to spot the differences as they are limited on the outside to a power dome-style hood with a new, louvered design, restyled grille and full-width chrome steel front bumper plus a new lineup of 17-, 18- and 20-inch wheel/tire combinations.
The new Silverado will go on sale in the States this summer.
Another one bites the dust; this time General Motors has decided to place on indefinite hold its previously announced plan to add the highly anticipated, all-new Duramax 4.5-liter V8 diesel engine in 2010 to its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra light-duty trucks. "We remain optimistic that the Duramax 4.5L V-8 diesel may be a viable option in its future portfolio," said the company in a statement.For the time being -and who knows for how long- Chevrolet and GMC will continue to offer a Duramax 6.6-liter V-8 diesel in their heavy duty pickup trucks. Recently, GM launched 2-Mode hybrid versions of the Silverado and Sierra that received an EPA estimate of 21mpg in the city and 22mpg on the highway (2WD versions). With the new 4.5-liter V8 diesel, it was estimated that the trucks would have achieved a fuel economy in the high 20s mpg.
