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2022 Chevy Silverado HD gains Multi-Flex tailgate as an option

GM is spreading the Multi-Pro Tailgate love around its truck lineup, and the Silverado HD is the latest pickup to gain the option. Just like the 2021 Silverado 1500, Chevy uses the “Multi-Flex” name for it in the HD, eschewing GMCÂ’s “Multi-Pro” branding for the bowtie vehicles. YouÂ’ll be able to option the tailgate on 2022 model year Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD models. ItÂ’ll be available optionally in every trim, so thereÂ’s no need to grab a more expensive trim to gain access to the trick tailgate — youÂ’re also not required to take it in higher trims. Functionality is the same as the standard Silverado and Sierra.  The primary gate opens and closes like any other tailgate out there. ThereÂ’s a primary gate load stopper that allows you to put the gate down and still keep things from flying out the back (it can also be arranged such that the load stopper is at a higher height by using the inner gateÂ’s stopper). The inner gate folds down perpendicular to the ground to allow closer access to the bed. A full-width step is available if you fold both “gates” down and pop out the inner panel. And lastly, the inner gate can be lowered to use it as a small work space. You can watch the short video above to get a quick run through of all the positions, or scroll through the gallery at the top of this post. Besides the tailgate, Chevy says the 2022 Silverado HD is gaining a new Greenstone Metallic exterior paint color. Other changes for 2022 were not detailed at this time, but Chevy says the trucks with this tailgate should be available sometime this summer. Related video:

Autoblog Podcast #327

New York Auto Show, Jim Farley interview, 2014 Chevrolet Silverado fuel economy, Ford fuel economy app challenge
Episode #327 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Zach Bowman and Jeff Ross talk about this year's New York Auto Show, Chevrolet's latest assault in the pickup truck fuel economy battle, and Ford's reward for developing a better fuel economy app. Dan also has an interview with Ford's Jim Farley about the future of Lincoln. We wrap with your questions and emails, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Keep reading for our Q&A module for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #327:

Foreign automakers pay from $38 to $65 per hour to non-union workers

As leaders for the United Auto Workers gather in Detroit for their Special Convention on Collective Bargaining to work out the negotiating stance for this year's new labor agreements with the Detroit 3 automakers, what they most want to do is figure out how to eliminate the two-tier wage scale. However, the lower Tier 2 wage has allowed the domestic automakers to reduce their labor costs, hire more workers, and compete better with their import competition. As it stands, per-hour labor rates including benefits are $58 at General Motors, $57 at Ford, and $48 at Fiat-Chrysler – a reflection of FCA's much greater number of Tier 2 workers. The Center for Automotive Research released a study of labor rates (including benefits) that put numbers to what the imports pay: Mercedes-Benz pays the most, at an average of $65 per hour, Volkswagen pays the least, at $38 per hour, and BMW is just a hair above that at $39 per hour. Among the Detroit competitors, Honda workers earn an average of $49 per hour, at Toyota it's $48 per hour, Nissan is $42 per hour, and Hyundai-Kia pays $41 per hour. The lower import wages are aided by their greater use of temporary workers compared to the domestics. Automotive News says the ten-dollar gap between those foreign camakers and the domestics turns out to about an extra $250 per car in labor, which adds up quickly when you're pumping out many millions of cars. That $250-per-car number is one that, come negotiating time, the Detroit 3 will want to reduce, as the UAW is trying to raise both Tier 1 and Tier 2 wages. Another wrinkle is that the domestic carmakers are considering the wide adoption of a third wage level lower than Tier 2. Some workers who do minor tasks like assembling parts trays kits and battery packs already make less than Tier 2, but the UAW will be quite wary about cementing yet another wage scale at the bottom of the system while it's trying to fight a bigger battle at the top. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req., BloombergImage Credit: AP Photo/Erik Schelzig Earnings/Financials UAW/Unions BMW Chevrolet Fiat Ford GM Honda Hyundai Kia Mercedes-Benz Nissan Toyota Volkswagen labor wages collective bargaining labor costs