Jump to content

2015 Chevy Colorado


Anthony

Recommended Posts

I have to disagree. First of all, just how expensive could it be to design/produce a conventional cab? From an engineering viewpoint, I would have to think you are building to a less stressful standard than either a super cab or a quad cab. And from a marketing viewpoint, doesn't it make sense to appeal to as broad a market as you can? Again, I'm basing this on my belief that the cost of producing a conventional cab is NOT a significant incremental cost factor. Tell me why I'm wrong. The only time my company would buy anything other than a standard cab was if the vehicle was being used by a supervisor and the super cab was a better alternative to a bed mounted box.

 

I would agree that most trucks in dealer inventories are super cabs or crew cabs. Most fleet buyers however are not buying from inventory.

You're not wrong about what buyers want or that a regular cab is cheaper to make. What you're not understanding is that these super cheap models don't make very much money for the mfrs. in some cases they take sales away from more expensive models. They may also force the mfr to lower the price of higher trims or add incentives which further reduces profit.

 

It takes a certain investment just to offer a regular cab - different wheelbase at least. Crash testing. Etc. if you're looking at profits instead of sales then it may not make sense to make a cheap regular cab version. More sales are not always better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Motor Trend is reporting prices ranging from 19K-32K. I was walking out of China Mart the other day and saw an older pre 97 Ford pickup and thought to myself that is the right sized pickukp. I wonder how the new Colly compares size wise to them. I know its too heavy already! 3950-4500 lbs is the estimate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

NOT a significant incremental cost factor. Tell me why I'm wrong.

It's not a significant *incremental* cost increase, but the tooling is different, and that's a hefty up-front cost. Doing separate stampings for the side, floor pan and roof for a vehicle that's going to be skimming above water because its target audience demands steep discounts (e.g. fleet buyers)---it doesn't make a lot of sense.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well in any case, we are lucky that the team that styled the Colorado did NOT do the new Silverado. Had that been the case we might have had a 150 competitor that did not have the grill of a 1960 Seeburg Jukebox! Talk about ugggly-at least to my eyes. I'm sure the Bowtie faithful however think it is a beautiful jukebox-or Tonka-grill.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At the very least it should settle the debate about the market for such a vehicle and whether it would simply cannibalize full-sized sales or not.

 

I have my doubts and given the amount of changes from the global model I have big doubts about it being a net positive for GM profit wise. But there is always a chance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're not wrong about what buyers want or that a regular cab is cheaper to make. What you're not understanding is that these super cheap models don't make very much money for the mfrs. in some cases they take sales away from more expensive models. They may also force the mfr to lower the price of higher trims or add incentives which further reduces profit.

 

It takes a certain investment just to offer a regular cab - different wheelbase at least. Crash testing. Etc. if you're looking at profits instead of sales then it may not make sense to make a cheap regular cab version. More sales are not always better.

 

 

Plus having a regular cab may also entail another wheelbase required (depending on what bed lengths are offered).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Tread Lightly

As exciting as it is to see innovation and fresh sheetmetal in a rather stagnant market segment, GM needs to tread lightly with the new 2015 Colorado to avoid competing against itself. We’re not just talking about the Colorado’s twin, the forthcoming 2015 GMC Canyon, which is due later in 2015 – we’re talking about stepping on the toes of the new 2014 Silverado itself. Though the Colorado is a bit smaller than the Silverado, that 6700-pound tow rating steps on the toes of base-grade 2014 Silverados built with the 4.3-liter V-6.

 

Will buyers simply jump ship to the larger truck once more, citing bang for the buck? GM doesn’t think so, suggesting there’s a pent-up demand for a modern pickup in a smaller form factor. Provided it can truly differentiate the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado from its larger competitors -- especially its larger in-house competitors...

 

http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/los_angeles/2013/1311_2015_chevrolet_colorado_revealed/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From an exterior style aspect, this truck actually looks kind of nice IMO, much better than the Silverado. Like the fact a new mid-size is hitting the market, but don't ever think I could purchase a Chevy.

 

Time for the Ranger mafia to put up (and buy the Colorado) or STFU once and for all.

I'd love for the new Ranger to hit the US market and would truly consider purchasing one. But as stated above, I don't think I could ever purchase a Chevy product unless we're talking old school like the '69 Camaro I owned in HS.

 

A couple more pics. I think it looks pretty good.

 

ku-xlarge.jpg

 

ku-xlarge.jpg

 

And there is one of the major factors why I couldn't purchase a Chevy, the interior. That dash and center console screams 90's GM plastic to me and is simply unappealing.

 

Looks serious-too bad they have that Toyota kick up on the rear door.

Agreed, that kick up on the rear doors to me is draw back on the exterior styling.

 

There is no compelling reason for loyal Tacoma and Frontier buyers to switch to the Chevy, until the diesel is available.

 

With this being a shrinking market, and with almost full assurance that this truck will only be a couple of thousand dollars less than the equal Silverado, I expect the vast majority of sales to be to potential GM fullsize truck buyers.

Unless those Tacoma/Frontier owners want a vehicle that has been updated within the last decade. The Frontier/Tacoma are still good trucks, but long in the tooth.

 

The former Colorado was a horrible truck, IMO, and many Chevy owners stated such. So if this new Colorado is a significant improvement over the prior model, I could see it attracting a lot of those people who moved to the Silverado for the sole purpose that the former Colorado was a POS.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At the very least it should settle the debate about the market for such a vehicle and whether it would simply cannibalize full-sized sales or not.

 

I have my doubts and given the amount of changes from the global model I have big doubts about it being a net positive for GM profit wise. But there is always a chance.

I agree it should settle, or at a minimum provide some comparison point, about the market for a mid-size truck. I would like to think there is a market, but that is based on my personal desires. I do think the lack of a modern mid-sized truck is a significant reason for a lack of sales. This should answer that. I do think it will cannibalize larger truck sales. This truck is not really that small so I think it will have enough capability to do what the vast majority of F150/1500 Silverado buyers need done. A price that's a bit less, a bit smaller, a bit better mileage and it still does everything, there's a lot to like about that. And it looks pretty good too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One reason Ranger is gone is all the loyal owners were going "I love mine, I bought it 15 years ago". If no trade ins, no business....

 

Then going on about wanting a new design, would the loyalists like the bigger versions from Thailand?, what is the point then?

 

I see the Colorado as a fleet queen, and Alamo/National having a 'rent a truck for price of a car' promotion!

Edited by 630land
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow GM is smart on taking control of the small pickup market again it's kind of a forgotten one.

It's like saying it's smarter to farm gerbil's because they are smaller than cows.

 

Except no one is buying gerbils. Everyone is buying cows.

 

And the F150 is a cash cow that Ford can sell at a profit. It will be difficult for GM to make a profit on their compact truck unless they can come up with a way to keep the costs down, or at least shared across multiple platforms. Something we have yet to see GM do all that well to begin with.

Edited by 92merc
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Colorado, Frontier, and Tacoma aren't like the "mini-trucking" fad vehicles of the 80s/90s. Too big, I think, and kids aren't into them at all.

 

So, again, i see GM's "mini-trucks" as fleet queens. The Tacoma sells since it has a following, but then the Tundra hardly rolls off dealer lots.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Colorado, Frontier, and Tacoma aren't like the "mini-trucking" fad vehicles of the 80s/90s. Too big, I think, and kids aren't into them at all.

 

So, again, i see GM's "mini-trucks" as fleet queens. The Tacoma sells since it has a following, but then the Tundra hardly rolls off dealer lots.

And you'd have to wonder how much of that is because the Tacoma is so successful for Toyota

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Frame: a completely new frame based on the Silverado to pass the crash tests and make it more stout for towing.

Interior: different and based off the Silverado.

Powertrains: different.

Front end: different.

Sides: doors are lade in and come from the 2014 Silverado and are different.

Rear: box was made taller to hold more cargo and to house their cargo management systems and corner step bumper is based off the Silverado.

 

Like PUTC stated, it is a completely different vehicle and only a bag of frame bolts and the roof is all that is shared with the global.

 

It probably wouldn't be as easy as some claim for Ford to just bring over the global Ranger and start selling.

The Ranger would have be completely revised if they wanted to sell it here.

Edited by Bryan1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Ford isn't biting.

 

Instead, the auto maker will coax shoppers to step up to its F-series. The move also means Ford is now selling only one truck while GM must spend time and advertising resources on marketing the Silverado, Sierra, Colorado and Canyon.

 

"The segment has declined dramatically," said Ford sales analyst Erich Merkle. "We don't think people are wedded to a smaller pickup truck. We find they are stepping up to the half-ton pickup truck."

 

Mr. Batey disagrees, saying there are people who want a small truck to support their recreational and working lifestyles.

 

"There are just some people out there that don't want or don't need a full-size pickup truck," Mr. Batey said. "This will attract those who are looking for something to haul their bicycles to the guy who is running a landscaping business."

 

In a direct contradiction to GM's overall plans, the Colorado isn't built on underpinnings shared by other vehicles. GM Chief Executive Dan Akerson is attempting to push the auto maker to follow Ford's steps and build more cars on similar architectures.

 

Mr. Batey, however, said the auto maker couldn't do it this time due to the U.S. consumer demands for this truck.

 

The underbody skeleton is essentially a scaled-down version of the bigger Chevrolet Silverado."

 

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303985504579208680066608674

 

GM built this truck to attract people who "haul bicycles."

Edited by Bryan1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For as much talk of the "Ranger-mafia" most comments here are the same Anti-Ranger comments recycled again and again and... Just to return the vitriol... If Chevy is successful and Toyota continues to be successful will you guys STFU? But in attempt to rise above the mud pit I just waded in...

 

I like V8-X don't know if I could buy a Chevy... Three generations of family working for Ford's makes it really hard. And it doesn't help that I don't particularly like the Chevy interiors when I rent them for work. But I will give the Colorado/Canyon a long look, as I did the Tahoe/Yukon/Acadia before we bought the Mountaineer. In saying that its now looking we might go another direction... As much as I love my little truck and want another one my lifestyle has gotten to evolving beyond it. We are more likely to keep the Mountaineer and replace the Volvo & Ranger with an Edge or similar as we drop down to 2 vehicles. This is not an indictment of a smaller truck, as I will never buy a full-sized truck for a multitude of reasons. But we want to replace the FWD Volvo with an AWD/4WD vehicle while the Mountaineer has proved itself to be more than capable as a truck replacement. With that in mind I think an Edge or similar would be a better fit as a "high" mileage vehicle for road trips. While the Mountaineer can continue to be our truck-like vehicle for outdoor activities for a bit... Giving time for the market to stabilize.

Edited by Kris Kolman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

and another

 

Colorado.jpg

 

 

Not bad. Best Chevy truck design I have seen so far. Light years ahead of the outgoing POS Colorado.

 

Two things though: The kick-up has to go and please round out the wheel wells. From an aesthetics standpoint, boxy wells always conflict with round wheels. Nissan did this with my Xterra, and it really bugs me.

 

Never thought I would say this, but I actually like the front-end of that Chevy truck.

 

Interior is still cheap though.

Edited by the_spaniard
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What should be concerning is that GM intends to deliver a variety of cab combinations and power trains so that the market can decide which ones it wants.

Add to that the radical design differences between this truck and the global design and this all adds up to a GM "Hail Mary", if you build it they will come.....

 

I can't help feeling that this is more about production and sales numbers to stay in front of Toyota and Ford in North America.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unless those Tacoma/Frontier owners want a vehicle that has been updated within the last decade. The Frontier/Tacoma are still good trucks, but long in the tooth.

 

Really, really, really long in the tooth. The Frontier has essentially remained the same since the 2005 redesign. I love the truck for what it is: perfect size, simple and powerful but a lot of folks won't appreciate the utilitarian nature. 261HP optioned with a 6-speed manual and 4WD are the high points....but it costs you. You have to get through an interior that is very usable, but very ugly. And if you want the automatic, you get a 5-speed auto which is fine, but not as slick as the newer stuff. Fuel economy is horrible too.

 

The next Titan is still a long ways out, so so is the next Frontier.

 

Chevy may be in a good position with this truck. The diesel will be the must-have option. It's growing on me, but is there a manual available?

Edited by the_spaniard
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...