Your Next Work Truck

Truck manufacturers are seeing a lot of interest in trucks that fulfill both personal and professional needs. In addition, remodelers are looking for good towing capability and hauling capacity — the main reason they buy trucks. They’re also looking for interior amenities like media capabilities, sound systems, navigation systems and the ability to integrate their existing audio equipment into the mix. In some cases, buyers are looking for options that promise enhanced off-road capability or, conversely, enhanced street performance. Overall, though, truck shoppers are seriously concerned with value.

Manufacturers are striving to match the demands of truck buyers with their latest model offerings, keeping in mind that some buyers want a vehicle that can serve both their personal recreational needs and work-related purposes. These buyers may not have a lot of discretionary income, so they want to make their dollars go as far as possible. For these buyers, truck makers are offering packages that satisfy basic needs, offer some amenities, but keep extra-cost items to a minimum.
Other buyers may have a little extra cash to spend, but they’re still concerned about paying a fair price for conveniences and features.

“I think remodelers are asking for pretty much what they have always been asking for — the capabilities that pickups provide for contractors, like the payload, the towing, and the flexibility of the cab and box configuration,” says Tony Truelove, marketing manager for the Chevy Silverado. “Some guys want a long box and some guys want the secure lockability of crew cabs. We haven’t seen significant change in option penetrations or cab configurations over the last couple of years.”

If you look at the pickup truck market as a whole, about two-thirds are light-duty trucks, and the other one-third of the market is heavy duty trucks. Brian Rathsburg, Ford F-Series SuperDuty marketing manager, says the heavy-duty person is looking for three things. First, in general, is the improved capability in towing and payload plus the ability to go off-road if they are in a construction market. The second one is a constant interest in the improved fuel economy, especially in the diesel subsection of the heavy-duty market. That’s about 60 percent of the buyers. The third trend is improvement to technology and that’s basically to make their lives easier and efficient.

“Their truck is also their mobile office,” says Rathsburg. “They’re living in it, they’re operating out of it, and anything that technology can do to make their lives more efficient inside the truck is important to them.”

New offerings

The biggest news with Ford Trucks is its all-new 2011 F-Series SuperDuty. Going on sale in the spring, it highlights the brand-new Ford-built powertrains, and it speaks to that first trend of customers wanting improved capability. For the first time ever, Ford will be building its own all-new gas and diesel engines and Ford built and designed six-speed transmission. Although performance numbers will be available closer to the launch, it expects class-leading performance in terms of the key attributes of towing, payload and fuel economy.

For the 2010 Silverado, GM focused its improvements in a couple of areas — fuel economy and safety. Last year Chevy had the segment-tying leadership of 21 mpg. This year it was able to improve that through the use of a 3.08 rear axle ratio, a six-speed transmission and a fuel saver mode in its active fuel management system which actually shuts down four cylinders when not needed, plus a 5.3-liter V-8. These changes get the Silverado up to 22 mpg. In the areas of safety, it introduced seat-mounted air bags for the front driver and passenger seats and made the roof rail mounted air bags standard, increasing crash ratings and overall occupancy safety.