Detroit pushing new heavy-duty pickups
DETROIT — Nicole Foster-beck asks a lot of the heavy-duty pickup truck she uses on her 43-acre horse farm east of Dallas.
Aside from the daily hauling, her 2015 GMC Sierra has to be powerful enough to pull a heavy eight-horse trailer to competitions, yet cushy enough to keep people comfortable on trips as far away as Kentucky.
She’s the customer that all three Detroit automakers will court this year when they roll out new or substantially updated heavy-duty versions of their trucks. It’s the first time in years that all three are revamping their heavy-duty trucks at the same time, which almost certainly will touch off a battle of ads and specifications.
Pickups from the Detroit automakers were the three top-selling vehicles in the U.S. last year, totaling more than 2 million in sales. Heavy-duty versions, with bigger frames, beds, interiors and engines, make up about 30 percent of that. They’re for those who need to tow and haul big things. Most buyers pull trailers with heavy items including boats, horses and recreational campers that can weigh around 10 tons. Many are used to pull trailers laden with equipment to job sites.
“Capability is really important for these folks,” said Sandor Piszar, truck marketing manager for General Motors’ Chevrolet brand. “They’re often times towing something that’s even more valuable than the truck itself. It enables what their lifestyle is.”
There’s a lot at stake for the automakers, who get most of their profits from trucks. Around 90 percent of heavy-duty buyers spend thousands extra for powerful diesel engines, and many go for pricey luxury and safety features, paying as much as $80,000 for a fully deckedout truck.
They also do their homework.
“Hauling a horse is not just like hauling around hay,” said Foster-beck, who trains show horses at Foster Farm 20 minutes from downtown Dallas. “Your ability to accelerate when you need to, your ability to brake gently. The Ford F-250 Super Duty Limited Edition pickup truck is among the new or upgraded heavy-duty pickup trucks being rolled out by Detroit automakers. Those things really matter.”
All three companies are offering cameras and other electronics to help with towing, backing up and viewing surrounding traffic.
Fiat Chrysler’s Ram brand started this year’s contest, unveiling a heavy-duty pickup in January. The 2019 Ram, which goes on sale in April, has an optional 400-horsepower, 6.7-liter six-cylinder diesel with 1,000 pound-feet of torque. The company says it can pull more than 35,000 pounds and carry 7,680 pounds in its bed. Torque, a measure of rotational force, is a big deal for buyers because it’s needed especially when pulling trailers up big hills.
General Motors’ GMC brand followed with the heavy-duty Sierra. Its 6.6-liter diesel has 445 horsepower and 910 poundfeet of torque. Phil Brook, GMC’S vice president of marketing, said the truck can tow more than 30,000 pounds.
Chevrolet has a new Silverado heavy-duty truck that is nearly the same as a Sierra but a little less posh. The Silverado comes out in the middle of the year and the Sierra in late summer.
Ford has a new Super Duty version of the F-series at the upcoming Chicago auto show. The model, due out in the fall, will offer the company’s highest-ever towing and payload ratings. Ford also added a larger 7.3-liter V-8 gasoline engine to its lineup, joining a smaller V-8 and a 6.7-liter diesel. The larger gasoline V-8 gives people more towing ability at a cost lower than a diesel does, said Todd Eckert, Ford’s truck marketing manager.
Prices haven’t been announced for any of the trucks.