Our friends at Jalopnik are reporting they’ve had some fruitful (and possibly off-the-record) conversations with GM engineers who have discussed the likelihood of a small Chevrolet LUV-type compact pickup truck — like the long-running Chevy Montana LUV that’s made in Brazil — making it to U.S. shores.
Clearly a micro-truck like this would help GM’s corporate average fuel economy totals and help offset some of the more MPG-challenged vehicles such as its heavy-duty pickups and full-size SUVs. Depending on the pricing, this could be a great way for GM to take some pickup leadership.
Some criticized the 2014 half-tons from Chevy and GMC for not going far enough in their redesign and power train technology, but GM took a big risk by creating a new pair of midsize pickups for a shrinking segment — the first in decades. Taking risks, again depending on pricing, could be another opportunity for GM to show some courage.
Whether any of these rumors bear fruit or future product decisions veer in a different direction for any reason, remains to be seen.
