Early last month, General Motors introduced the production-ready 2021 Chevrolet Silverado HD Carhartt Edition at the 2019 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The new special edition pickup hit the scene as a follow-up to the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado Carhartt Edition Concept first introduced at the 2016 SEMA Show, but unlike the preceding concept, the production version doesn’t come with the signature Carhartt Duck Fabric technology.
GM Authority executive editor, Alex Luft, spoke with Chevrolet Silverado marketing manager, Hugh Milne, about the new Carhartt Edition pickup. During the interview, Milne provided insight into the truck’s development.
“We worked closely with Carhartt and tried to keep [the production truck] as true to the concept as possible,” Milne said.
“The hard part, and what we couldn’t do, is that the concept used the Duck Fabric that Carhartt is known for,” Milne explained. “It had it on the tonneau cover and on parts of the seats. But wherein on a Carhartt jacket, the right of passage is breaking it in, not so much on a vehicle.”
As such, in the transition to the final production truck, the Chevrolet Silverado Carhartt Edition went a different direction for the upholstery.
“What happens is on the seats – [GM’s] stuff is validated – the leathers and cloths from an entire wear usage standpoint, but [Carhartt’s] is part of the break-in process, so we actually were able to match [Carhartt’s] color with a leather that we had, so this is a unique seat for the Carthartt Edition,” Milne said.
The new material and color can be found on the seats and in the embroidered Carhartt logo in the headrests. The color is also found in the upholstery stitching on the dash, center console, and armrest.
However, the new color doesn’t carry over to the doors, which keeps the traditional black stitching and upholstery finish. We asked Milne why the doors didn’t receive the same treatment as the seats:
“To do stuff like that requires a lot more parts and expense,” Milne said. “So what we were able to do is deliver a very unique look, very Carhartt, very upscale, without driving a ton of extra expense.”
“So it’s really not going to be that expensive of a package,” he added.
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Comments
Once again don’t give the customer what you showed them, or what they want, do to the same old GM line !
Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money !
Cheap, Cheap, Cheap, Cheap, Cheap, Cheap, Cheap !
GM says :
” Look, Look customer, look at we can do. This will be for sale in the next 3 to 5 years ”
Customer says in 3 to 5 years :
” That’s not what we waited to buy. We wanted what you told us you were making, that thing was nice and we really wanted it. ”
GM says :
” Yeah trust us, that great thing we showed you, just cost to much to make. We think you should be happy with this. ”
As the customer is buying the competition says :
” Don’t tell me what you think I like, I liked what you showed me you were going to do. Now I waited all that time and still have to buy what I like from someone else ”
But that’s just my opinion.
Customer has expectations of content and price, often which together are not possible. GM has to pick one.
Additionally, price was not the stated reason for not including the unique fabric. Customer expectations for how a seat should wear was the reason for not including it. People expect a Carhartt jacket to fade and look worn, people don’t expect their seats in their $60k truck to look like that.
Says Ryan the GM rep of the day.
Ryan how come GM never says, here’s something better than we showed you we were going to do ?
How come its ” ALWAYS ” we show you the moon and deliver ” Good Enough ”
Why did GM show the truck in the first place with the other material ?
Aren’t those same people who said this material will wear out, working for the same company who put out the first one to entice the customer ?
Why do we always get something that looks great and sounds great from GM then for some ” GM ” reason GM can’t deliver it ?
Who are ” They ” and why weren’t ” they ” in the room when ” they ” made the decision to present the first one ?
” O ” it will be like this !!!
” O ” it will be great !!
” O ” we really cant do it like that and it will NOT be great !!
Money, Money, Money, Money, Money !
Cheap, Cheap, Cheap, Cheap !!!!
But again just one persons opinion of the CHEAPNESS of the GM ” Good Enough “.
lifelong – you’re not following what’s going on here whatsoever. Slow down… breathe… and let what’s actually going on here sink in.
So, they showed one thing in the concept vehicle. Concepts are not a promise of things to come.
Concepts exist to gauge reactions, to explore possibilities, to see what works and what doesn’t.
So that one thing (the material) did not make sense to have in a production vehicle, especially a truck… so they delivered something that does make sense – a different material that’s more sturdy and wear-proof.
So it’s not about not being able to deliver. Instead, it’s about not making sense… and in this case, having the original material on the concept did not make sense to have on a vehicle.
Now you say “cheap” based on some subjective stuff in your head. I’ll give you an example based on actual objective items. The concept Carhartt truck used a soft badge for the Carhatt branding on the doors and tailgate. The production version replaced it with a hard badge that not only looks better, but that will also hold up better over time. That’s one example that turns your entire rant/theory of “cheap, cheap, cheap, cheap” on its head.
Sorry Alex !
I am also sorry that you view my opinion as a rant.
But the Cheap, Cheap, Cheap, is not even a theory of mine, its just my opinion.
My blood is not boiling or anything like that, its just the way I try to express my opinion, that’s it, nothing more.
Did the hard badge cost any more than the soft ?
Or was the switch to the hard, just a wash in cost ?
It appears to me that GM has an easy time making a change if the cost is a wash, but heaven forbid adding a cent to the cost.
And concepts are a unique animal to me, and all automakers do it. But why do they put forth a concept to show you the capabilities, but then release nothing close to the concept. Is this not wasting the very cash GM so loves to make as a capitalistic company ?
Any way sorry you disagree with my opinion.
Its not a rant/theory, its just my opinion that GM vehicles have become Cheap and ” Good Enough “.
Just my opinion !
Are they asking you to cut me off again ?
They are the cheapest!
Proud GM owner for 30+ years.
Tired of automobile manufacturers telling us what we want or need.
Tired of finding the truck I want, but have to get the options GM says that I need.
Tired of GM thinking that I want leather bucket seats with a center console, when I would love a LTZ or LT with heated leather bench seats, better quality leather on dash, better quality materials on the doors so that their easier to clean an not stain and a larger fuel tank for long trips.
The new eight and ten speed transmissions they’ve came out with suck in my opinion.
Wish GM would get away from the active fuel management.
Just my opinion on GM trucks.
Did you fix all the things wrong with the Chevy’s had the motor, tranny, brake system and electronics all go out under 60,000 in my 2016 just to find out y’all knew there were problems but said we’ll just let the customer figure it out? and didn’t back up warranties shame on you Chevy bet this mugs no better than a paper wait!
Sooooooo what you are saying is,
I have to buy Carhartt seat covers online for my special edition Carhartt truck?
Might as well buy a cheaper model and slap Carhartt stickers on it. Basically what you did anyway.
It’s too bad U.S. customers are not demanding more affordable cars and fall in love with over priced trucks like this.
i wouldnt worry to much …it will be on recall soon after it hits the streets…
What I want is a Chevy SS 454 short bed pick up.or a 79 blazer where the top comes off
Ha ha ha. GM is such a joke. They are loosing customers quick with there failing 10 speed transmissions saying it’s how it supposed to be. So you’re telling a customer who has driven since the age 16 that all the cars and trucks they have driven transmissions where operating wrong. Ha ha ha. I have bought m y last GM truck. It looks like RAM is doing a better job. Ever thought I would buy a Mopar but it’s next in line to purchase