It was a pretty big deal when it launched last year. Chevrolet utterly called out Ford and the F-150 to try and show it wasn’t built as tough as many may think it is. The ad featured Chevrolet’s “real people, not actors” ad campaign and showed various items dropped in the beds of both trucks.
The F-150’s aluminum body fairs worse—never mind both beds are unlined. Chevrolet said the ad was not an attack on aluminum, but it seems it hasn’t reaped any sort of reward. Ford Authority highlighted JD Power sales data following the release of the steel vs aluminum ad, and the numbers speak for themselves: the Silverado sold 156,186 units to the Ford F-150’s 203,540 in a three month period following the ad’s release.
Although Chevrolet’s full-size pickup truck market share held steady, Ford’s actually climbed 1.2 percent between December 2016 and February 2017. Furthermore, Silverado sales slowed big time in May—126,368 units of Silverado were sold compared to 228,014 units of F-150. Ford holds 38.9 percent of the market, while Chevy’s dropped to 21.6 percent.
We already highlighted additional trouble from Chevrolet in the form of Ram. Ram has eclipsed Chevrolet through the first five months of this year and has become increasingly competitive with not only Chevrolet but Ford, too. Ram has gained 2.2 percent market share during the last three months.
The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado will hopefully swing things back in the bowtie brand’s favor. In the meantime, Chevrolet is also the only U.S. brand that offers a mid-size pickup truck in the Chevy Colorado. The gamble to reintroduce the Colorado has certainly paid off.
Comments
Saw this coming, as the ad was just silly!
A better comparison would be total pickup sales by GM, including The full size and smaller size Chev plus GMC, along with compatible sales for other corporations. Sean – can you give us those figures, which would tell us which corporation is really winning the total pickup market?
Sean,
You are going to compare the sales numbers of a truck going into its fourth year of production to one that is a brand new design? (bold of you)! In doing so you also single it out? (bold of you again)!
You have so conveniently chosen not include the Sierra sales numbers in your “bashing” (again) of GM. Even thou the combined numbers have previously been posted on this site.
http://gmauthority.com/blog/gm/general-motors-sales-numbers/chevrolet-silverado-gmc-sierra-sales-numbers/
We all know GM sells four iterations of trucks, no matter which GM truck one chooses, It’s is still a truck sale for GM!
Ford F-150 sales 203,540
Sierra/Silverado sales 194,969
Three month period following the ad’s release. There’s your numbers, remove your Fleeties and republish!
Also, should we add in all the full size SUV’s as well? pretty much the same platform!
I really do not think the ad backfired on GM. The aluminum ads are just stupid.
It is sad that Dodge is outselling Chevrolet. It is a long time until the 2019 model hit the market.
This is a metric that can be measured six ways to a Sunday where any idiot can make a point.
The truth is GM is lowest on fleet sales. Generally higher on ATP. GMC holds the lead on ATP.
As it stands GM is making as much or more on the trucks than Ford pushing fleet sales.
The new truck coming will only add more sales volume to efficient sales they have now.
High or increasing volumes are only a part of this but it must be balanced against how much per unit is collected on each sale.
Ram is not doing great with the $15k incentives. The Ford fleets move trucks but bring little profits.
As for the bed commercial it was great and drove home a point. And don’t give that bed liner BS. The new GM truck will build on this with a aluminum/steel beds will hold up better.
since those DOHC turbo charged engines and aluminum bodies cost more that the OHV engines and steel GM uses their profit per truck has to be greater than fords. that is what it is all about profit.
@Jeff and @ Scott3
Well said, as I was stating to @Andrew
Gm needs to compete in price. The reason FORD has maintained there lead is due to the price at which you can pick up a FORD. Much cheaper the GM. Usually by 3 to 4 thousand dollars. Ram is starting to do the same. GM has never jumped out in innovation and they never will. They could do so much but won’t.
I love chevy, have owned one since I could drive. Just don’t expect much difference in the 19’s. Ten speed trans, and most panels made out of aluminum… would not be surprised if the 19’s bed breaks just like FORD’s did during the ad. Because why fix something they know would be a weak point. Oh’ they might through in a diesel engine but everything is following FORD’s lead.
Well, between Ford, GM and FCA, Ford does “lead” when you consider the amount of tooling work that is needed to be done to produce there truck engines. Only Toyota and Nissan are higher (lower volume)!
Innovation can be applied without a change in design, I.E. same number of parts, no increase in precision parts!
How many boats are powered by GM V8’s? I’ve never seen a phat boat at the river powered by an egoboost (or two) engine!
I agree that gm has one of the best V8’s on the market. Has for quite some time (decades). But GM needs to make a better truck and stop following FORD. They have the talent and the resources.
How is GM following Ford? Aluminum body? not the first vehicle to market, truck? maybe, but not innovation.
DOCH? Been around for a long time! Hybrid electric truck? GM tried that, no market acceptance thou I know someone who’s had one for a while. four wheel steering? GM tried that to! market acceptance?
Fleet sales to bolster sales numbers? Ford owns that one! Diesel in a light truck? Dodge, Ecodiesel GM, Colorado/Canyon! and for what it’s worth, OnStar/wifi!
The aluminum body ads backfired just like when GM advertised Ford’s tailgate step for Ford and sales took off.
You think the tailgate step lead to conquest sales? sounds like there’s a bunch of Nancy’s out there!
Innovation? that’s the CT6 mixed material manufacturing process, low volume but has resulted in a first class platform.
GM has the patents and Ford no doubt saw this coming and had only one card to play,
I’m sure we will see the mixed material manufacturing process it in the 2019 GM full size trucks!
Conquest isn’t the only kind of sale. I remember reading articles at the time where Ford was thanking GM for the GM ads running with Ford tailgate step and how the orders for tailgate steps were up.
The corner steps are much better than the sissy step.
No moving parts they work up or down on the gate.
I wager the Ford steps are used much less than the ever ready GM step.
Innovate, like having ac in the back seat that does not require the use of a center console or the requirement of having a near to the top of the line trim to get it. People who use trucks for a living aren’t going to be buying the most expensive trim. They get close to the bottom. Work crews would love to have a strong ac in the back instaed of the boss getting all of the good stuff. GM could use the same system that’s in the Tahoe. That way regardless of trim people would have a good ac back there and you wouldn’t freeze the people up front to do it. When a truck is popular with the crew and kids the people making the purchases will listen and would spend a little more to make them happy.
I have vents to the back seat in my Canyon and would wager they may be in the full size too.. my HHR had them as well as my .Terrain.
While the could be better under bot of my seats there are HVAC. They will direct heat or ac back there on floor or bi level.
Many GM products have these vents and no console or high level trim needed.
The real key also missed it GM has some if not highest resale and trade values. With the large discount Ram kills the resale for their customers.
GM has chosen to be king of the double cab market when the market wants Crew cab. Ford has completely redesigned its truck and updated since GM has held on to its old style. Let’s be clear and even their CEO said it at the time “really we waited 7 years for this” it wasn’t much different than the 2013. GM keeps saying for 4 years now Ram can’t continue to lease their Big Horn crew cabs at this price? Ford wins the battle based on exterior and the best interior of any truck. Sad for me to say because i am a GMC guy
GM clearly offers both cabs. There is no hindering the customer and the extra cab could go away in the next truck.
They hedged their bet and hind sight is 20/20. Too often many hit GM god not taking the risk.
As for styling it is subjective. I really hold no love for the massive chrome Ford noses and dated body style.
Only the Raptor broke new ground in styling.
Moral of the story is GM should focus on building a better product rather than thrashing the competition.
And everybody knows GM is behind the 8 ball and will be going aluminium in the next generation. Lol So credibility is zero.
Thrashing the competition is part of advertising, my money is no aluminum bed floor unless it’s coated or covered. Possibly with a variation of the CSP that is being used in the corvette or a more traditional urethane coating.
Obviously GM has done some testing on aluminum bed floors and didn’t like what they found, ya think?
Some aluminum, some high strength steel, some magnesium, some plastics, some other materials.
GM is using a multi material approach per it is better for durability, for pricing for the customer, for better profits.
There is no reason for all the drama as we all know what is coming and it is not years not months away.
While sales are not as good as they should be profits are still great and the are not putting $15k on the hood off MSRP.
Chevrolet needs to integrate the advanced engineering technique used in Cadillac’s CT6 then throw in the usage of aluminum for the design to the next generation Silverado so the new truck will leapfrog Ford’s F-150 which for all it promises isn’t significantly lighter than the old steel model nor is it extremely fuel efficient as this is the F-150’s weakness and something Chevy can try exploiting.. imagine stripping off 700-900 lbs of weight from the Silverado and the entry engine could be Chevy’s LTG 275 hp 2.0L DOHC-4v 4-cyl turbo.
With all that said the fact is GM Trucks are lacking in some areas they shouldnt be. If they fix those things and put out some good ads about the strength of their product the may gain some momentum in the sales race. When I say strength I mean how well you compare to your competition. Things like gas milage,ride and handling,load carrying,tow rating,quality of material,fit and finish ,equipment comparison and last but not least price compareson. There is an Old saying that when you get more or a better product for your money the chance of buyers choosing your product greatly increase.Putting out negative ads about the competion sometimes have a negative effect.
so sick of people saying , why can’t we wrap all GM sales on trucks together? Then Sell ONE darn Truck. Quit selling under 2 names and more dealerships. Make a Silverado and call it a day. Truth is, there are still idiots out there who believe they are actually 2 different trucks. It’s 2 looks, 2 interiors etc. therefore there are more options for those who don’t like the sliverado / Sierra look. Quit acting butt hurt because of some darn sales number. Why not just sell one “brand” because they will lose sales. Period. Sad thing is, the 2019 Chevy’s are giving up their square wheel wells and chasing for the Ford look. I guess, if you can’t beat um, join um
What time is it? I think I know what you really wanted to say!
“The 2019 Chevy’s are giving up their square wheel wells and chasing for the Ford look. I guess, if you can’t beat um, join um”,
um, (again), maybe they are chasing Dodge. Ever think of that? Funny thing is, all three have switched back and forth over the years. Try Googling “_____ truck generations” and select pictures!
Sean does think the round wheel wells are modern looking!
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2018/01/2019-silverado-design-sketches-show-what-designers-aimed-for-with-chevys-full-size-pickup/
Just say’in!
Whatever, that was there design for the last 20+ years and now they’ve just made it more like the other 2 IMO. again, if you can’t beat um, keep migrating towards the competition.. And I really hate both the look and the ability to use the rear bumper steps. I used the Ford step many times and there is just no comparison as to the ease. Sure, 20yr olds will get by, but if you really have to get in and out many times, you’d pick the tailgate step all day long. it’s just easy. BTW, don’t try using the bumper step in the snow / ice… it’s just sux.
Just like their ads, they have to keep trying to dis the competition, instead of just saying look what we have! Yes, they all have a had, and will continue to have comparisons, etc. GM – REAL PEOPLE, Not Actors…. commercials are a JOKE! Why not say, Real People, with a script…. not actors. Just show the truck, it’s features and quit trying to discount the aluminum which they already have, and will continue to migrate too additionally. Basically, they are catching up to the competition, and not innovating. Maybe their steel bed will have less dents than the competition, but it will still rust in the end. What’s better, don’t know, but regardless, spray in bed liners are here to stay, and steel or not, I’ll always have one…
So your saying gluing and riveting together aluminum panels is innovating?
Well they could pay a license fee to use (copy) GM’s patented process of spot welding those panels together.
http://www.autonews.com/article/20141124/OEM06/311249975/as-ford-spends-big-gm-joins-aluminum-with-simple-welds
But Ford doesn’t copy, they innovented the aluminum body and the riveglue process (not)!
Good luck with your rivets!
As far as “dissing the competition in ads, instead of just saying look what we have”!
Do you remember the Ford ad where their truck buyer in a press conference setting stated
“I wanted to buy a truck from a company that stands on it’s own feet without taking a government bailout”?
Lies!
http://www.chevyhardcore.com/news/editorial-did-ford-take-bailout-money-too-yes-they-did/
How did Ford and The Obama administration do with there plan on having a million electric cars on the road by 2015? Lets exclude the others (in the article) and keep our focus on Ford, since you believe GM is always copying them. They simply put turbo chargers on smaller engines, WOW, innovative. That never been done before!
All that (TALF) “bailout” money and Ford is still way behind on EV’s and autonomous cars!
We’ll apparently, the moderators on this site are only going to display what they want to display. Might as well call it CNN or any other liberal biased abc network related site. I provided ample examples with links and rebuttals to you biased statements, they sat for moderators review for days, and now apparently have been deleted.
That’s just proves how much more, they only want to hear what they want hear.