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GM readying aluminum-body fullsize pickups

Ford's extensive use of aluminum in its 2015 F-150 is a big deal. A really big deal. Big enough, in fact, that General Motors is reportedly changing its fullsize pickup strategy. According to The Wall Street Journal, The General has locked in partnerships with Alcoa Inc. and Novelis Inc. - companies that will supply aluminum for the next-generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks.
"Ford's introduction of the 2015 F-150 pickup truck was a game changer, and it's the first, not the last, conversion of this type," Novelis spokesperson Charles Belbin told the Journal. The switch to aluminum has allowed Ford to shave roughly 700 pounds off its fullsize truck's curb weight. And while official mileage ratings have not been announced, the weight loss should go a long way for improving efficiency, especially when combined other efficiency-minded improvements including better aerodynamics and new, turbocharged V6 engines.
Of course, aluminum-bodied cars are nothing new. But extensive use of aluminum in a major, best-selling product like the Ford F-150 is expected to kick off widespread use of this weight-saving material as availability rises and cost decreases. The WSJ reports that GM had originally explored the idea of moving to aluminum pickups back in 2008, but abandoned the idea due to cost concerns amid economic woes.

2019 GMC Sierra Denali MultiPro tailgate and CarbonPro bed explained

When the 2019 Chevy Silverado debuted at the Detroit Auto Show in January, GM's Mark Reuss promised that the new 2019 GMC Sierra would have some significantly different styling and features than its corporate sibling. Previously, the Sierra has been little more than a Silverado with new front and rear fascias and some extra chrome inside and out. Well, Reuss was right. In addition to new sheetmetal, the Sierra exclusively gets the slick MultiPro tailgate and CarbonPro carbon-fiber bed box The tailgate really is trick. At the debut, GMC had multiple demonstrations, with engineers walking us through all six different configurations. Like all Sierra tailgates, the MultiPro version uses an aluminum skin to reduce weight. It's easy to tell which tailgate is which, as the MultiPro has a distinct cutout in the middle where it can fold down or extend. It can be used to extend the bed, drop to allow easier access, provide a sort of workbench, or be used as a step to help get into the bed. Yes, there's even a handle. Ford who? The step itself can support up to 375 pounds, 75 pounds more than Ford's similar tailgate step. This tailgate really is unique to the Sierra and is standard on SLT and Denali models. That said, the power-operated tailgate from the Silverado won't be coming to the GMC. Chevy gets its own exclusive, too. The Sierra's other big exclusive is the carbon-fiber reinforced plastic bed box. CFRP replaces steel inside the bed though not on the fenders. The bed uses four pieces; one for the bottom, one in the back and two along the sides. This isn't a CFRP. There is no steel hiding underneath these panels. Just take a peek underneath. The bed is a composite that uses 1-inch carbon-fiber threads, not a weave. Sheets of CFRP are molded and quenched — a process where the plastic coagulates and solidifies, locking in the carbon fiber — in just 60 seconds. That allows GMC's supplier to crank out these much more quickly. The finish looks like black fiberglass, though an engineer said that this wasn't the final production version. The final model will have different textures in order to improve grip and keep things from sliding around. GMC is touting the material's dent and corrosion resistance, though it remains to be seen how well it holds up to cracking. A video at the reveal showed people going after it with hammers and cinder blocks, but in-person demonstrations weren't available.

Detroit 3 to implement delayed unified towing standards for 2015

Car buyers have a responsibility to be well-informed consumers. That's not always a very simple task, but some guidelines are self-evident. If you live in a very snowy climate, you generally know a Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Camaro might not be as viable a vehicle choice as an all-wheel drive Explorer or Traverse, for example. If you want a fuel-efficient car, it's generally a good idea to know the difference between a diesel and a hybrid. But what if it's kind of tough to be an informed consumer? What if the information you need is more difficult to come by, or worse, based on different standards for each vehicle? Well, in that case, you might be a truck shopper.
For years, customers of light-duty pickups have had to suffer through different ratings of towing capacities for each brand. For 2015 model year trucks, though, that will no longer be a problem. According to Automotive News, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler Group have announced that starting with next year's models, a common standard will be used to measure towing capacity. The Detroit Three will join Toyota, which adopted the Society of Automotive Engineers' so-called SAE J2807 standards way back in 2011.
The standard was originally supposed to be in place for MY2013, but concerns that it would lower the overall stated capacity for trucks led Detroit automakers to pass. Ford originally passed, claiming it'd wait until its new F-150 was launched to adopt the new standards, leading GM and Ram to follow suit. Nissan, meanwhile, has said it will adopt the new standards as its vehicles are updated, meaning the company's next-generation Titan should adhere to the same tow ratings as its competitors.