Last week, General Motors revealed new details of the next-generation Chevy Montana, the first unibody compact pickup in Chevrolet’s history that will debut next year in South America. At the same time, the automaker launched a web series dedicated to the model with an episode in which the company shares how and where the prototypes of the next Chevy Montana were created.
The engineering team from the Development Center of GM’s South American subsidiary in Brazil decided to share the next-generation Chevy Montana’s final stage of development, revealing the process of creating the prototypes used for validation tests. This is one of the most exciting phases in the creation of a totally new vehicle, because it takes between three and four years to complete the process from conception to commercial launch.
GM South America operates a facility specially dedicated to creating prototypes of future models such as the next generation Chevy Montana. This factory is located inside the Technical Center of the GM São Caetano do Sul plant, where the engineers hand-built the Montana prototypes following the specific characteristics of the model sketched by the designers.
“GM has a factory specializing in prototypes. To assemble each one, it can take more than six months and 50 people involved,” said Senior Manager Experimental Engineering of GM South America, Dulio Freitas. “Building a hand-made car with the same level of performance and strength as a series model amounts to more than 20 times the price of a traditional car,” he added.
While GM prepared the São Caetano do Sul plant to mass-produce the upcoming model, validation prototypes of the next-generation Chevy Montana were built using special tools such as 3D printers. The design and trim details of these vehicles such as the headlamps, tailliamps, wheels, and dashboard have only a functional role, not a visual one.
In addition, the process of creating future model prototypes also includes the camouflage design, created to hide the specific details and final appearance until the official reveal. As we know, the next-generation Chevy Montana is expected to be revealed in early 2023 in Brazil, the only place confirmed so far where this vehicle will be manufactured.
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Comments
…. it is not anymore like my time at GMB, 25 years ago, seem a vehicle never comes, or better saying just at the Luis Inacio da Silva, 3rd time President of Brazil, would vote in him, protest against Brazilians who put him in jail injustice to be background, who love to kill animals and Forests and put wood in everything. So a car for maybe 2024, 2025.. etc. not like BMW, at time made projects, each 2 years some new cars… Chevrolet do Brasil today is slow… they also put out of menu in their website the Equinox, seems not selling over there anymore, and put Equinox, Bolt and Camaro as `soon` so a soon it never appears, so just 3 cars with 2 versions, 1 pickup, 1 van… yeah GM is really dieing… slow but it is a company which do not know if survives until next century, Regards MK Projects now are rare !
You probably looking in the wrong place. I see 4 cars (Onix, Cruze, Camaro, Bolt), 3 SUV (Spin, Tracker, Trailblazer) and 1 pickup (S-10). Almost similar to the 2001 lineup.
Compare to BMW? Really? Or are you just a troll?
.. well u are stupid first of all, because in Brasil the Camaros and Bolt are not offered in their chevrolet com br page since a couple of years… really an ignorant, you are. Worked for BMW between 1997 2007 in several E60, E63 E64 E70 etc BMW Projects, simple concept either. At München FIZ had interesting time and at GMB as employee doing Blue Macaw Celta in 1995 to 1997 or S10, or Corsa Opel Derivative Pick Up had great moments as well. Regards. You as a street and guetho guy did nothing compared. Spin is not a SUV, it is a Wagon car a little bit tall, most taxi
And meanwhile in the USA…….nothing but crickets about a unibody competitor to the popular Ford Maverick.
Nor for that matter, a rival for the Bronco Sport and Bronco.
The people running GM into the ground today; aside from the Corvette engineering group, know nothing at all, nor respect, the model nameplates that drove people to seek out Chevrolet back in the good ole days.
Well the maverick competitor while currently popular they are waiting (rightfully so) that it isn’t just a fad of new sales and that it holds a sustainable share. They have already seen the Santa Fe not sell in massive numbers.
As for the Bronco, nothing is needed there, those sales are mostly fad. So many people buy them because it looks cool and are the new hype thing to buy, then sell later when they realize how poor they are for daily driving and it doesn’t work for their needs. If you don’t use it off road (most still don’t in this market though it is much higher than the other SUV’s and even trucks) it is rubbish as a daily driver. So no, they don’t need a Bronco fighter or a Raptor fighter (someone was bound to bring it up) as those are niche markets and you don’t saturate those. Instead you look for new markets or those under utilized. Currently they are looking at the electric off road market that things are heading towards. Once Bronco sales normalize past the whole two years of pre-order sales they won’t be as impressive (similar to the Gladiator, look where its sales are now trending after the early years).
You mean Santa Cruz instead of Santa Fe?
So, when I move to Brazil, I will care. Until then, don’t care at all.
oh … better not moving to Brasil… SP is a city, where the car is produced, with no beach. The metro city with 20 million Individuos and much Favelas has no Beach. The unique Beach is Masp Avenue Paulista or Minhocao Viaduct on Sundays. If then, go to Fortaleza, there has good beaches but the criminality is high too. Better staying in USA, mainly California or Florida, in Florida the roads and houses are pretty nice with a good cruise ocean drive beach too. So why needing a GMB Chevrolet Montana, if has plenty crossovers, Trax, Tahoe, Silverado etc…
I expect the Maverick sales to settle down after the initial rush and people find it is not the Ranger of old.
The Ridgeline took off big at first now sells just over 30K units a year. Not good.
Though Ford is doing one thing smart. They are working on a sporty version of the Maverick. That is something never tried. and could do well but still low volume.
I would rather see a short ZR2 platform Colorado based Wrangler challenger. Odds it will not happen but the Jeep and Bronco market is going crazy right now as people love to take off the top and add bigger wheels and suspension upgrades to avoid emissions issues. This segment is growing bigger than the Mustang and Camaro segment.
GM has the parts but will they ever put them together? The coming Colorado platform will really be the one to do this with.
Bring the MONTANA to the U.S.!
.. if Brasil GM in S. Caetano can not deliver in time, neither finish the development, not the installment of new press in S. Caetano plant, neither finish the services with robots, etc… do not expect that much. Buy a Fiat Toro similar, it is still produced by couple of years.