Let's also look at sales numbers: GM midsized trucks sold 116,998 in 2022 and 93,539 in 2023. Ford's Ranger only sold 57,005 and 32,334 respectively. GM just spent over a billion dollars on retooling their factories for the Colorado/Canyon twins and don't want to risk cannibalizing those sales, and potentially higher profits, to a subcompact pickup that will require even more money to retool a factory and all the engineering to add in all the safety features required by the NHTSA that aren't required in South American countries. Ford's Maverick sold 94,058 units in 2023. Just 519 units more than the Colorado/Canyon in 2023. Then you need to look at the factories GM has in Canada, United States, and Mexico. Which ones that build the G.E.M. platform and have the room to add another vehicle to it without taking product from other markets in their lineup. (The Chevy Trax gets lauded by many automotive reviewers and has good sales.) That being said, I can see GM bringing in a US version of the Montana in two or three years. Ram is bringing out their version, Toyota is rumored to have their version out as soon as 2025. No way GM let's this market slip past them.
GM specializes in making dumb market decisions! No surprise that they would not see an emerging subcompact truck market and as usual they will wait to the end to do anything. In the 2010s there was a huge demand for a 1/2 ton diesel pickup. They had developed a V6 diesel that they later scrapped, eventually they came out with a I6 just in time for the market interest to wane for diesels in general between high fuel costs, complicated problem prone emissions and skyrocketing vehicle costs. So as usual they have a platform available to build a high demand vehicle and of course that makes for definite dumb decision to be made by GM!
Oh well, it has way too many frigin' doors anyway...sour grapes! I'm holding out for a proper 2 door El Camino made right here in the USA. If CAFE restrictions mandate that it have 4 doors if it burns gas...fine...make a 4 door gas and a 2 door electric version that gets all the EV tax credits. Chevy will sell a billion!!!
Don't forget the Chevy Trax along with the Encore
Let's also look at sales numbers:
GM midsized trucks sold 116,998 in 2022 and 93,539 in 2023.
Ford's Ranger only sold 57,005 and 32,334 respectively.
GM just spent over a billion dollars on retooling their factories for the Colorado/Canyon twins and don't want to risk cannibalizing those sales, and potentially higher profits, to a subcompact pickup that will require even more money to retool a factory and all the engineering to add in all the safety features required by the NHTSA that aren't required in South American countries.
Ford's Maverick sold 94,058 units in 2023. Just 519 units more than the Colorado/Canyon in 2023.
Then you need to look at the factories GM has in Canada, United States, and Mexico. Which ones that build the G.E.M. platform and have the room to add another vehicle to it without taking product from other markets in their lineup. (The Chevy Trax gets lauded by many automotive reviewers and has good sales.)
That being said, I can see GM bringing in a US version of the Montana in two or three years. Ram is bringing out their version, Toyota is rumored to have their version out as soon as 2025. No way GM let's this market slip past them.
GM specializes in making dumb market decisions! No surprise that they would not see an emerging subcompact truck market and as usual they will wait to the end to do anything.
In the 2010s there was a huge demand for a 1/2 ton diesel pickup. They had developed a V6 diesel that they later scrapped, eventually they came out with a I6 just in time for the market interest to wane for diesels in general between high fuel costs, complicated problem prone emissions and skyrocketing vehicle costs. So as usual they have a platform available to build a high demand vehicle and of course that makes for definite dumb decision to be made by GM!
Oh well, it has way too many frigin' doors anyway...sour grapes! I'm holding out for a proper 2 door El Camino made right here in the USA. If CAFE restrictions mandate that it have 4 doors if it burns gas...fine...make a 4 door gas and a 2 door electric version that gets all the EV tax credits. Chevy will sell a billion!!!