In the fight between Chevrolet and Ford pickup trucks, there seems to be a new winner:
Ram.
No, Ram trucks didn’t become number one with a bullet, but they did manage to become number two and outsell the Chevrolet Silverado for the first time since 1999.
It may be a surprise to you to learn this isn’t the first time that Ram (née Dodge trucks) has beaten Chevrolet. According to Automotive News, Ram sold 42,532 pickups in March, up 26 percent, while Chevrolet Silverado sales were up seven percent to 42,247 units. Ford, in contrast, sold 70,940 F-series trucks, an increase of five percent.
GM spokesman Jim Cain dismissed the bad news, telling Automotive News, “The 1980s called. They want their marketing strategy back. It’s really easy to deeply discount your truck, mine the subprime market and offer cheap lease deals to buy market share.”
This isn’t great news for General Motors, whose redesigned Silverado was named 2014 North American Truck of the Year at the Detroit Auto Show but has struggled in the market since its introduction last summer. Its sales have also been impacted by a potential transmission fluid line leak that resulted in a sales freeze towards the end of March.
Comments
How has the Ram 1500 diesel been selling?
Better than they expected, not sure on actual numbers, but it’s enough to make GM wake-up and put a diesel in more than just the 2016 Colorado/Canyon.
The first run of 8,000 diesel Rams sold out in orders over the course of a weekend. No test drives, just people paying full msrp sight unseen.
This isn’t rocket science, people have been asking for a half ton diesel for years. Better real world power AND mpg. The only ones surprised are the dimwits at GM who blew the chance to impress with a diesel at the 2014’s rollout.
Now the old design Ram is eating GM’s lunch. In fact, the “new” GMs already look more dated than the competition, from the outside, and under the hood.
I concur. Ram took advantage of an open door GM apparently didn’t believe would translate to better sales. This is what I like to see in the marketplace: more risks being taken. GM’s decision to stick too close tradition is so far a rather poor strategy to sell these “new trucks”. Ram simply out classes and has better appeal than GM’s new line of trucks.
How GM will respond to this is the big ticket question……And I believe it’ll take more than a new front fascia to undo the damage. Offering a diesel is one way.The new 9 or 10 speed transmissions would certainly benefit also. And how about more creative and innovative features for the cabin and bed while you’re at it…….
A higher price tag and a poor redesign killed this truck before it even had a chance. They will have to offer a deep discount on this truck before they sell. A quick redesign on the front end would also help sales, much like they did with the Malibu.
Another interesting angle on this is the sales performance of the GMC Sierra. While the Silverado is down for the year by about 9000 units, the Sierra is up a little. Obviously they are similar trucks, but the Sierra has styling that’s a little better and “less square” looking? Also, the ads for the Sierra are better. The ads show the truck, talk about the new features and fit with the whole “professional grade” theme. The Hoover dam one is good as is the submarine one.
Well looks like GM might have to bring those 10 and 9 speed transmissions sooner, possibly even dust off the old 4.5L duramax. Also, what’s with people complaining about the front end? The ’14 silverado front end looks better than any truck on the market.
Even though it wasn’t the best re-design GM could do, I agree the Silverado is the best looking truck on the market. However, they did not do a big enough change to the design to make outside of Chevrolet customers stand up and take notice. If they leave this design throughout the entire life of the truck, expect sales to continue to decline as the design will already look dated in the next year or two. Especially when the re-designed F-150 hits. I really hope they get a quick refresh on the front end. Something more akin to a bigger Colorado or a similar nose to the Tahoe.
The other problem is, a half ton truck no matter who makes it should be hitting 45K with a V6 and cloth interior. The prices are ridiculous when they get optioned out. For the prices their asking for these trucks, there needs to be a diesel option and they need to get those modern transmissions going.
Hey GM, I know you read these forums. Hear us fans of Chevrolet and all other GM products. We want to buy your vehicles, but you need to finally give us what we are asking for. Give us the diesel in our half ton, more value for our dollar and a modern design. Just like the HD’s with the Duramax – If you build it we will come. People I know, are willing to pay 4-5K more for the loaded up 2015 HD’s capability and design than they are for a 1/2 ton High Country with a 5.3.
Yes, thank you for not making an ignorant remark about the truck’s styling. But I agree, GM could have done better on the redesign in order to convince would-be customers that the truck is genuinely brand new, rather than heavily refreshed. However considering how bland previous generations were, this one looks like a step in the right direction.
As for the pricing, yes it’s ridiculous. Almost 50k for an lt double cab with 4wd? I understand GM is looking for more profitable sales, but this is a Chevy, everyone should be able to buy one without making so much as a peep about the price. Profit and image is what the high country and Denali are for.
The prices aside, GM played it safe. Ram has decided to bring in a diesel for the half ton, and ford has switched to aluminum and downsized their engines. Now some might argue that the ecoboost engines, and the aluminum body are just marketing gimmicks, however these gimmicks get the attention of the general public.
Right now, I see that GM doesn’t need give the customers what they wanted like ford and ram are doing right now. GM needs to give consumers something THEY NEVER KNEW THEY WANTED, if that makes any sense.
It has more to do with price than anything. The truck is not bad or it would not have done as well as it has in the reviews. Styling could have been advanced more as I have stated before but the similar styling has not sold bad in the past. If anything it has cleaned up a even more plain style of the past truck.
The real issue is the trucks have gotten very expensive and even the incentives they have offered were limited to many V6 models or not even much of an incentive. This is while the others have been offering larger incentives.
The entire market anymore is about price. Everyone complains about Walmart but nearly all of the complainers shop there because of Price.
The fact is the cost of living has increased and the income levels of most have dropped. When you jack up the price of a truck the average guy is going to balk. Now for the GMC doing better those who buy a Denali etc are generally in a better place to buy a new vehicle as they have more expendable income.
I expect GM to spice up the styling a little with some special models say like a sport model like they used to offer. Also look for value packages that will offer trucks with special packages that will be offered at a value price.
GM is going to be reluctant to offer rebates if they can keep inventories down and they will have to start on that now. Once the Colorado and Canyon arrive rebates on the large trucks will doom them no matter how good they are. If you offer the full size for the price of the smaller what do you think people will buy. Also keep in mind Fords prices will go up next year and they will not have incentives like they have this year.
As for the Diesel 1/2 ton and 8 speed it is coming and they would have them now if they were done. Well they are not ready yet and that is all they would need to do is rush them and have issues with them. Besides while the Diesel will help it is not going to solve the price issue on the V8 gas trucks.
I just saw GM is now offering up to $8100 on the some truck for truck month.
It did list some packages but I did not get the details.
It will be interesting to see the response. GM needs to cut inventory and this will be how they do it
1. Price!!! Knock off $10K across the line to start.
2. Exterior design (If not ugly, at least too conservative)
3. Interior design. Can we get a steering wheel that is centered on the driver’s seat?
4. Crew cabs made in Mexico (Yes, that IS a problem in pickup target audience)
5. Engines: No diesel, and the new gas engines have same displacements as the ones they replaced.
6. Transmission: Chrysler’s 8 speed really does shift that much better.
7. Get rid of the “built in a barn” quality issues.
The biggest one is price, though. Yikes. I actually can’t believe GM sold as many Silvys as they did this past month. A sucker is born every day, I suppose.
GM needs to implement these three changes by 2016 model year, even if not all at once, at least two at a time.
Get those 8 and 10-speeds on all your trucks by 2016 model year. However at least bring some change to the market by 2015.
The front fascia of the Silverado gives the truck too much square outdated look. At least GM should change the front fascia, similar to that of Colorado, to give the truck a more modern fresh look.
Also, GM needs to introduce that 4.5 V-8 diesel, which would allow the Silverado to compete more favorably in the market place. After all, the Titan is coming with a 5.0 diesel for2015. Hence, GM engineers really need to arrive at the party for once.
When these trucks came out I spoke frankly and honestly about what I believed would happen. Many on these very pages flamed me for it. And it seems flaming is still going on when others have also seen the light and are distancing themselves from this mockery. But I spoke out anyway, and will continue to do so. These trucks are NOT class leaders, no matter what GM tries to say. They spend more time trying to convince themselves that they didn’t screw it up than they do trying to convince others that it’s a winner. I predicted that Ram would overtake them. And not just because of the diesel. But because Ram is building the better looking, better performing truck. I also predicted that there would be a redesign within 365 days of the launch (a-la Malibu). I was surprised to hear John McElroy of Autoline Daily change his tune and agree with me on that very possibility. He originally downplayed the effect that the looks of these trucks would have on sales and said that they would “do just fine”. But months later he too is predicting that a styling change will occur. And I hope they don’t do silly things like repositioning the cupholders because people couldn’t figure out which was for the driver and which was for the passenger (a-la Malibu). When you start building cars and trucks to suit that kind of customer is when you will start to fall waaaay behind.
Give me a break… some of the comments about this truck are so asinine it’s becoming unbearable to read. Really, the steering wheel being an inch off-centre is the problem… which cup holder is the drivers/passengers? Are you kidding me? Anyone who says these trucks are not class leading obviously hasn’t driven one… these trucks are exceptional. Appearances are subjective. Price is the overwhelming factor here… and it’s an issue, however you all make it sound like nobody is buying the bloody truck! FYI, sales were up 7% from Mar/13 to Mar/14.
RAM is a good truck and FIAT/Chrysler is giving them away, the cash on the hood is ridiculous. As well, the intiial demand on the RAM 1500 diesel is a major factor… however, the fact that the 2014 Silverado and Sierra models on dealer lots could not be sold until the recall problem was rectified in the latter part of March was also a factor.
This K2XX-pickup bashing from the un-informed and ignorant has got to stop.
Ugly grill design did it!
I’m sorry but GM did a poor job on this redesign. I know the truck is better, but it does not “look” better. I have driven the new truck and while it does drive better it is uninspiring, It’s like eating vanilla ice cream, plus it’s WAY EXPENSIVE!!!
GM, This will sum up how I feel about your new truck, I just took my 12 GMC Sierra to an interior shop and had the interior switched from cloth to leather. I’m keeping my 12. Also, I am not a troll just criticizing for the heck of it. I am a total GM guy. I have an 06 Solstice, my 12 Sierra, a 12 Equinox, a13 Buick Lacrosse and am picking up a 14 Vette this weekend. Please listen and do a refresh early. You need more WOW with this truck, you did it with the Vette, so you can do it with the truck!. As someone else said, you need to show us something we didn’t know that we wanted.