Not really sure where to post this, mods feel free to move this thread if need be.

Well here we are...The 2014 Chevrolet Silverado uncoverd.

Gotta say I love that Wagon Queen style quad headlight setup! (sarcasm)

Honestly this is pretty sad IMO...I'm not just being critical of it because its a GM product, but also because it looks essentially the same to me. The exterior is hidious IMO, though im sure someone will love it. The Interior is AWFUL...Looks like the same cheap matieral that GM's been using in their trucks for the past 15 years. And whats up with the driver steering wheel? Anyone notice how it sits off center to the driver seat location? Also is it just me? Or does it look like the dashboard is giving birth to the navagation system? I've heard several complaints about this in the current model of GM trucks, figured they would have addressed this since they had a clean slate to start with.

The front end sits to close to the ground, But Ford is also guilty of this.

The square fender wells, Some love them, others hate them...Doesn't really seem to be any gray area here.

I am intrested to see what the new...''Or so GM says'', new engines bring to the table...They are the same displacement as the engines GM currently offers. 4.3L V6 5.3L V8 and 6.2L V8, which GM is now calling ''Ecotech'' guess Vortec was a little to 1990's for them. I'm really not a fan of this whole ''Eco'' movement. I don't even like that Ford calls the Ecoboost the Ecoboost. Lets get real...These trucks regaurdless of who manufactures them are not ''Eco'' type vehicles. So lets just cut out all this naming stuff ''Eco'' BS...I heard Ford was orignally going to call the Ecoboost the ''TwinForce'' which to me sounds much cooler.

GM hasn't relesed any power numbers for these engines yet, but I suspect it will go somthing like this...

4.3L vs 3.7L

5.3.L vs 5.0L & Ecoboost

6.2L vs 6.2L

I suspect GM will play a game of one upmanship, slightly outdoing all of Fords current offerings with their respective competitors.

Hard to beleive the 4.3L is still in service...Didn't this engine debut in 1980? Or somewhere therbouts?

Another thing I find commical is that GM now incorporates their own version of the ''Man Step'' an option that GM has poked at Ford for since it was introduced. GM just has theirs built into the rear bumper.

Can't honestly say there is much I like about the new GM truck. But then again there hasn't been a GM truck I thought looked good since the late 1990's.

Thougts? opinions?

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2012/12...-revealed.html

 

Looks like a current Silverado, just freshened up a bit. Another case study in attempting to polish a turd... polish all you want - still a turd.

 

All they have to do is put a "bowtie" on it. I thought it was just me that thought those things were butt ugly.

 

wow way less than impressed. its f.u.b.a.r.!
wounder if the goverment pick its looks or if thay let a little kid pick it's look?

 

so new headlights and updated dash. big deal still looks horrid

 

I am going to move this as someone will no doubt complain. I too have some comments.

I'm not seeing a huge redesign out side of the truck but I like it better than the current models.

The interior, well it's typical GM design to try and make a vehicle look like it's sophisticated and cutting edge. Truthfully, I'm no fan of Fords super loaded trucks either.

The bumper step as mentioned in the article is an Avalanche idea that should have stayed in the archives.

The highlight is the DI engines. The 4.3L has been a reliable workhorse for decades.

I'm certain Ford will watch the DI 5.3L and 6.2L engines closely. Can you all imagine the additional power that come from our 5.0L and 6.2L engines if Ford were to make them DI engines?

I think GM was smart to standby and watch how the ecoboost program unfolds over the years. Though I don't believe the ecoboost problems to be as wide spread as the internet would suggest, it's still enough of an issue to raise an eyebrow if one is already on the fence.

GM addressed adding larger axles to handle the power but they failed to address if the transmission is built to withstand the additional torque like our 6R80. Theirs may be the same only tailored for GM's use, IDK.

 

a turd still looks like a turd to me ......... i have owned bowties , and for the most part the only reason they were purchased is cause they were dirt cheap and i needed transportation . i wouldn't buy anything gm has to offer now or from the last 13 or 14 years . ugly styling and as i said ... a turd still performs like a turd .............

 

Styling is very subjective, and that is what sells to retail buyers who are not die-hard brand loyal. Im probably in the minority here on FTE, as Ive owned every major brand of light truck sold in the US except Nissan/Datsun, including VW. The GM styling was a few years old, so market share was dropping, hence the refresh, its that simple.

Technology-wise, the big three each claim "best in class fuel economy" in different ads. This is the trick. What "class" are Ford, GM and Ram talking about? The jury is out, but I'll take a pushrod DI engine over an OHC gas turbo in a truck. Turbo gets its efficiency from using waste exhaust heat to provide boost for "free". DI allows near-diesel compression ratios on regular gasoline by aiming the fuel directly at the spark plug and avoiding preigintion and detonation with no fuel on the compression stroke or at the edges of the combustion chamber at the start of the power stroke.

 

Not bad. The ugliest truck award still goes to the Titan.

The "bumper" step is a horrible idea. Imagine that thing plugging up with snow in the winter and your shins when your foot slips out of it...

GM has sunk ALOT of money into upcoming pushrod technology so it will interesting to see how they perform.

 

I think it looks really good, they made the side bulges look a million times better, they brought back a crease on the bottom on the sides, they also tucked the doors in at the top instead of on the roof, they added bigger hood groves and made the standard front end beefier looking. The motors may seem the same in size are actually all have been updated to the new Gen small blocks including the 4.3 which is all new from the ground up. The interior I am not sure about yet, in some pictures is looks horrible but in others it looks good hopefully the HD dashes blow me away. Overall I think GM did a really good job and played is safe and did more of a evolution instead of a revolution so I think the Silverado looks really good but the GMC still looks better.

 

The 4.3 V6 is essentially the old Chevy 350 V8 with two cylinders cut off. I had one for 10 years in an Astro. The SBC goes back to '55....but the 4.3 I'm sure has enjoyed many changes over the years. Very tough, reliable engine. Rarely plugged it in and it never failed me starting during 10 Winterpeg winters.

 

GM has been doing 90 degree pushrod V-6's since 1962 and seem to get it right. Its too bad the 60 degree GMC V-6 of the 1960's didnt stay in production. It was a true truck engine, but probably cost too much to put in light duty trucks, may have not been friendly to emissions tuning and diesels have taken over the medium duty classes.

GMC has been just a trim package on a Chevy for a long time now, but Buick dealers need a truck line to sell.

 

Not much is known about the new GM trucks at this point, other than what they look like. Ford is a bit concerned over them though. They will be showing the 2015 F-150 earlier than originally planned to try to keep the GM trucks from overshadowing it.