GM study attempts to predict future of SUV and pickups
2009 chevrolet traverse01 5
The General has now gone a step further and announced that it will conduct a research project into the state of pickup and SUV sales. GM's president of North America, Troy Clarke, has stated an internal study was in place seeking to determine the "structural impact" of the consumer shift away from pickups and SUVs. Product planners are looking to the long-term future and attempting to decide whether today's trend towards smaller cars will necessarily be tomorrow's prerogative, reports Automotive News.
April of 2008 represented an especially poor month for GM's pickup and SUV sales, compared to the same period last year. In just one year, the sale of full-sized pickups dropped 18.5%, while full-sized SUV's suffered a massive 31.5% loss in sales. Both figures are worrying for the General, who has previously seen these two segments as market strongholds and is now banking on increased sales of new crossover models like the new Chevrolet Traverse (pictured).
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Have an opinion?
C6R Posted: 5/19/2008 10:48am PDT
Small numbers will be still made for those who really need them.
Gus Posted: 5/19/2008 11:01am PDT
Those who tow, really have big families or need them for work will still be able to buy them, but the fact that people aren't buying them anymore as just another cool vehicle is a good thing...
I wonder how this will affect the recreation industry (like trailer boats and toy haulers) since many people who buy those toys can do so because they already had a vehilce that could tow them. I'll bet they will be hurting for a long time...
chris Posted: 5/19/2008 11:12am PDT
In the end I realyl believe the key here is higher quality steels. for the short term. and then liberal use of CF ASAP
Have an opinion?Join the conversation!