2018 pickup Updates or redesigns are coming to all of Detroit's top half-ton pickup trucks

2018 pickup Updates or redesigns are coming to all of Detroit's top half-ton pickup trucks

"The pickup truck segment has reached into a hypercompetitive mode, and consumers are benefiting from more power, improved fuel economy and increased comfort," said Dave Sullivan, senior analyst at AutoPacific. "What's interesting is that all three pickups are really deviating from each other. They are all going their own way when it comes to materials, powertrains and drivetrains."

The full-size pickup segment has grown 5.5 percent through November, while the overall light-truck market — which includes crossovers and SUVs — is up 4.7 percent, according to the Automotive News Data Center. Those hot segments stick out in a U.S. market off 1.4 percent this year, mainly because of much weaker car demand.

But regardless of roiling segments, there is no doubt that pickups are the U.S. kings: The Ford F series has been the nation's top-selling vehicle for nearly four decades, with the Silverado now at No. 2, followed by the Ram pickup.

Sales of the F series have risen 10 percent through November, while Ram sales are up 3.2 percent. Silverado sales have slipped 0.5 percent from a year ago and the GMC Sierra has fallen 3.5 percent.

Mixed materials

GM's slippage in the segment this year may have been motivation to lift the veil early on its redesigned Silverado this month, nearly a year ahead of its planned production. Chevrolet said it would use mixed materials to shed weight, boost fuel economy and enhance functionality of its twin pickups.

Chevrolet did not specify how much steel and aluminum will be used on the new truck, but it's expected to be a mix of both materials and other lightweight components.

GM said changes in engineering and materials will result in "a significant reduction in total vehicle weight" and "improved performance in many measures." Eventually, the company is expected to offer a pickup bed that uses carbon fiber.

Alan Batey, president of GM's North America operations, said the automaker's next-generation pickup will have "a stronger, roll-formed steel alloy for the bed and floor, contributing to a cargo box that is both lighter and even more functional than ever before."

A History of the Classic Pickup Truck 1970 -2018

A History of the Classic Pickup Truck 1970 -2018

Chevy Trucks - Earlier than Ford?

Although Ford gets credit for designing the first bona fide pickup truck, Chevrolet made an effort that predates the Ford model. Chevy's Model 490 was available in 1918 and designed to go head-to-head with Ford. The 490 was named for its price tag, $490. These Chevy vehicles were offered with the frame only: Buyers had to purchase the cab, bed, and body for the frame to complete the vehicle. These parts were often made of wood during this era, and drivers usually purchased these parts from independent companies. Billed as light delivery vehicles, these pickups were rated as half-ton, and they shared many features with cars. Chevrolet also offered a sturdier one-ton model designed for commercial service. Both of these vehicles were produced through 1922.The original Ford Model T Runabout With Pickup Body had a bed that was 56 inches long and 40 inches wide. Ford added extra leaf springs in the rear of the vehicles for extra stability. It featured a 40-horsepower engine with four cylinders, and it drew plenty of notice; the Ford company sold nearly 34,000 of these vehicles during the first year. To keep up with demand in subsequent years, Ford implemented the game-changing assembly line that has become an automotive industry standard.Luxury pickups hold a place of dominance in today's pickup lines. These sporty vehicles feature massive grilles, reshaped bodies, and every feature that discerning drivers could want inside, including on-board entertainment systems, in-dash touch-screen consoles, heated and cooled seats, backup cameras, collision-alert systems, and navigation systems. Newer crossover vehicles also combine the standard pickup features with SUV style, giving drivers the best of both worlds. No longer relegated to the farm or the construction site, pickups sit proudly in the garages and driveways of many urban and suburban drivers.

designed a pickup truck for motorcycle owners by Yamaha

designed a pickup truck for motorcycle owners by Yamaha

The layout is functional as it allows for a tapered rear wall that makes enough room to fit a motorcycle diagonally in the otherwise short bed, that has a small bar for a tailgate that also extends the bed floor when it is opened..

The Yamaha Cross Hub concept unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show features a diamond-shaped seating arrangement that puts the driver’s seat front and center in the cabin, a passenger seat directly behind it and one on each side, midway between them.

 If I were to design one I would get rid of the extended cab concept entirely and reclaim a foot from the cab for the bed and get a 6 foot bed in the length that would today accommodate a 5 foot bed and extended cab. Create a custom bed for that chassis with a full size ramp integrated into the tailgate and add removable locking storage compartments on either side of the bed that are accessible from the ground by the driver side and passenger side doors.

Not at all what I was expecting. I thought it would have a long, low bed with integrated tiedowns and a tailgate that can double as a ramp.

But I guess that's what trailers are for.