Earlier this year, GM announced its new “Winning with Simplicity” strategy, laying out plans to reduce costs and manufacturing complexity through a significantly streamlined product approach. It’s estimated that this strategy will save General Motors upwards of $200 million during the course of the 2024 calendar year alone. Now, it sounds as though that strategy will extend to The General’s next-generation trucks and SUVs, as well.
During the recent GM Investor Day event, company president Mark Reuss touched on the automaker’s streamlined approach as it relates to the upcoming next-gen GM trucks and SUVs.
“Our next generation of full-size trucks and SUVs […] reduced trims by about 35 percent, selectable options by 60 percent, and buildable combinations by about 80 percent,” Reuss said. “Those are huge numbers. Overall, we reduced the part count by more than 1,000 parts. This will prove to be the rule, not the exception.”
This approach mirrors The General’s Winning with Simplicity strategy in other areas as well, with the automaker expected to reduce its design and engineering expenses, supplier costs, order complexity, buildable combinations, and manufacturing complexity across its portfolio, all in the name of reducing overall costs. The strategy was initially presented by company CEO Mary Barra during General Motors’ Q4 2023 earnings presentation.
“We are beginning to see savings from Winning with Simplicity, and all of our current and future programs have embraced this very important way of designing products,” Barra said during the Q4 2023 earnings presentation. “Each team is responsible for creating trim series that make vehicles easy to order, with the content customers want, and far fewer standalone options.”
The CEO went on to highlight the elimination of more than “1,000 selectable options” across the company’s current and near-term product programs.
As GM Authority was the first to report, General Motors’ next-generation trucks are expected to ride on an updated version of the GM T1 platform that underpins the automaker’s current-generation pickups. The new platform, known as T1-2, will essentially be an evolution of the current GM T1 platform, rather than a complete overhaul. The next-gen trucks are currently expected to launch during the 2026 calendar year for the 2027 model year.
Comments
So now GM is going back to the 80’s and 90’s where all brands will look the same except for a grill and emblem. Well we all know how this will turn out. Guess as they say history repeats itself
Honestly, I can’t believe it took this long, especially with how difficult it was to accurately forecast components when COVID was at its peak.
It sucks spending money on options you don’t want, but building vehicles as trim levels and packages, is just better for supply chain.
GM was really behind the ball on this one.
There doesn’t need to be a Custom and LT trail boss trim. Have just 1 trail boss trim and offer a luxury option package instead that adds interior features like leather, heated and cooled seats etc.
Ditto for the LT & RST trims. Make the RST standard at that price point and leave the LTZ/High Country for those that like flashy chrome.
You keep stealing my name, you aren’t fooling anyone. Not that difficult to come up with one your own, can be three characters or a whole name. Either way, you aren’t making headway in correcting people on my views or thoughts, you just look silly…
RST has painted bumpers, not everyone wants painted bumpers. After 5 years of driving a painted bumper on a turnpike in the snow with cinders flying around, those painted bumpers will be junk.
So GM is going to reduce the number of trim levels, reduce the number of colors available (down from the currently available 6?) and eliminate the number of available options? And this is going to be better for the buyer and entice more people to buy GM products? It just sounds to me like Mary’s trying to make the (highly profitable) trucks and SUV’s less desirable to buyers, so she can justify killing them off in hopes that people will buy her beloved EV’s instead.
Right on.
I’m not certain I reach the same conclusion as you – and I agree that the Silverado/Sierra lineup is perhaps the most complicated of the GM portfolio. Lets not forget why that is so. First, like all the GM products there are two SEPARATE brands being built on the same line. Some lines are building more 3-4 brands plus configurations.
Second, the customer base is VERY diverse more so than other lines. Fleet work trucks compared to a Denali Ultimate… Can’t very well have those being too similar.
Lastly, cab configuration, bed length, drivetrain induce inherent complexity. Are they going to eliminate those options? Which ones?
There are ways to reduce part count across the GM manufacturing plants. Examples being things like seat belt retractors, door lock actuators, back up lamp bulbs, power window regulators, lug nuts, fuse blocks…
Based on Mary’s comments to investors yesterday about cutting costs, maintaining profits and making an EV profit, what this means is that all Chevy trucks and SUVs will be High Countrys, and if you don’t like it, shop elsewhere. Taking gouging to the next level. Why not? They’re beyond arrogance at this point anyway.
I’ll buy a Ram before a Ford. Please forgive me for jumping ship.
I’d like to see four trim lines:
Base, Midlevel, Offroad, and Luxury = Custom, LT, Z71/ZR2, HighCountry.
I’ll take a HighCountry 4×4, 5.3, sterling grey metallic with the baseball glove leather interior and column shifter.
At least they are not like Ford. Mr Farley has been CROWING about how he will fix QC problems and he STILL has not done so yet. He must do so….simplified trim levels DO NOT help when QC still is pathetic.. Now I am not excusing GMC/Chevrolet from it also…but Ford is the WORST offender here, and is followed by Toyota with their engine replacements….
Again, I do NOT have time to respond to arguments…and your criticisms will not help.
but you always seem to have time to give us your opinion. Amazing how that happens. Your a “it’s my way or the highway kind of person”
You can check the number of recalls Ford has had by the way….
Yes, I am not denying issues for GMC/Chevrolet…but Ford seems to have gone too far….
Only 200 million? Terrain being a rebadged Nox must have saved significant cash. It’s a pity because GMC is the only brand positioned to rival Jeep yet GM fails to take advantage. They sell 150,000 units each quarter, nearly 200,000 including Buick, with room to grow
I always find the comments on these types of posts fascinating… I never knew so many brand development specialists existed. Kill model types, to piss off customers, to sell less of your largest profit vehicles, so your main form of payment (stock options) tanks, so you make less money. Genius, you guys must run multinational companies. Go buy some Tesla or Stellantis stock…
With the extra v8 fuel economy, they can get rid of all the 4 cylinders. There GM. I saved you a lot of money!
Can I get a Cheyenne truck k20 and a k5 Blazer. Base models roll down windows, no power anything ac heat, am and fm radio with auxiliary jack and sliding rear window. Crew cab with 6 speed manual 4×4, they would sell millions.
Just make sure you don’t fall into the
BADGE ENGINEERING rabbit hole.
Just make sure you don’t fall into the BADGE ENGINEERING rabbit hole.
Just make sure you don’t fall into the BADGE ENGINEERING rabbit hole.
Get the point!!!???