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Chevrolet Shows Us Why High-Strength Steel Is A Necessity: Ad Break

Just today we told you of how the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu utilizes high-strength steel in only the most vital areas of the car. But now, we’re bringing you the flip side of that equation. Chevrolet wants to show us why it even uses high-strength steel in applications, particularly on the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado.

The latest ad features a Major League Baseball scenario, where the fast pitch is tipped off the bat during the lean-in and swing. As the ball crashes against the high-strength catcher’s mask, Chevrolet draws the comparisons to the Silverado. If the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado uses the material, its more than good enough for a catcher’s mask. And those pitches are coming at over 100 mph sometimes.

The 2015 Chevrolet Silverado benefits good stuff all throughout the truck. The cabin is made up of roughly two-thirds high-strength steel, while the rocker panels and underbody also benefit from even heavier duty “ultra high-strength steel.” The Silverado also features a roll-form steel pickup box, which is not only sturdy, but very light.

You can check out the latest ad for the Silverado in the video provided right down below.

Former GM Authority staff writer.

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Comments

  1. What happens when they switch to aluminum in a couple years? It’s coming. Chevrolet was going to aluminum to beef up the material thickness before GM went into bk so it got pushed back. Look at the material thickness of those bars on the helmet. Material thickness is paper thin on the truck. It’s not even a fair comparison. The 90’s Chevy trucks (Like A Rock) era had commercials of guys sitting on the hoods and massive weight loads of rock being dumped into the beds. The hoods, beds, overall trucks held up like tanks. They were steel too. But they were thick panels. Just like those old steel bumpers on those Chevy’s. Thick and tough as nails. You could push a car with them and not have a dent. Not so with the new paper thin steel bumpers. I get Chevy is trying to buy time here but I can’t wait for thick durable material panels on Chevy trucks again. And going aluminum will make the thick panels light. Best of both worlds. Say goodbye to premature rusting too.

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  2. Lou, are you an engineer? LOL

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  3. Sure, steel must be a necessity if Ford is switching to aluminum entirely, even with the new Super Duty. And we all know Ford doesn’t know the first thing about building trucks. That’s why they have a hard time selling them.

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  4. Chevy must know something Ford missed as their steel truck is nearly the same weight as The Foad.

    I am getting the felling GM is not going aluminum.

    Lower profit margines and repair cost still major factors.

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    2. Scott3. And weight with identical configuration is NOT nearly the same.

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  5. This is called misinformation. Used when a competitor is so far ahead that it will take years to catch up. In this case GM is at least 6 years behind Ford and has no other choice but to spread false information and to mislead the public. As everybody knows, GMs credibility is at all time lows with the current and past fiascos so Ford will have the Edge in their current marketing.

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    1. Talk of mid information Mayfair you are a prime example.

      If I work for GM you had better tell them to send me a pay check.

      The info is out there and most here know the truth.

      The Ford was the heaviest and even in one test the magazine said Ford just caught up.

      Also it is common knowledge that simple thing like paintless dent repair is not able to be used on aluminum because it has no memory and is prone to cracking.

      General repair is panel replacement as there are few options for simple repair.

      You may disagree but don’t lie.

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    2. Folks you want misinformation right here Mayfair has provided a perfect example in his own post.

      Who here thinks GM credibility is at a all time low? Anyone thinks GM is 6 years behind? They are behind in some product catching up from the bail out but that is only because Ford has their financial crisis first when loans were available and they leveraged their plants to cover them. Today they still are paying these off as well as the loan multi billion dollar loan from the Department of Energy. See everyone has had a crisis here and they all are still sorting it out. Full disclosure helps.

      He states that I am a GM employee. No I have never worked for the General in any capacity. Do I know some people from there yes and Do I know how things work in the industry yes I have the basics of how things work or do not work at times.

      The fact is Ford was way behind on their trucks and their marketing people have touted they lost 700 pounds but only from their own heavy past truck. GM was already lighter and while it does vary from model to model most weight differences are anywhere from 300 pounds to as little as 33 pounds I think that Motor Trend has in their comparison test.

      Both trucks are very good trucks and will remain competitive with each other and hopefully continue to drive the market. The wild car is the mid size trucks as If they take off and continue as they have we may have a new segment back in truck as Ford will surly come back with the Ranger. As of now the Aluminum and Turbo V6 is still not enough for future regulations.

      Note study up on Aluminum repair. For the most part in most cases the panel has to be replaced as you just don’t pop these panels back with out doing damage or easily get them back in form as Aluminum has no memory like steel does.

      I really do wonder with the GM statements if they will remain with steel to retain cost and profits. Fords trucks will not be as profitable and rebates will be tougher to do later on.

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  6. As a salesman with 32 years of experience, and a member of the Chevy family since birth, I’ve always wondered why the Bowtie has been content with 40 years of Ford dominance in the sales race on trucks. Marketing 101 tells me that to gain market share, offer the same content for a lower price, or more content at the same price. Thinking folks know Ford produces 2000 trucks a day, 60k a month and sells 3/4 of a million of them a year, so it is a great product historically. My humble, know-nothing opinion is the General is satisfied with being second because profits trump trophies. Some opinions put the GM profit on full sized trucks at up to 10k per copy. Retail to the dealer, who wholesales them to the customer…

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