MY15 Chevrolet & GMC HD Pickup Trucks Pics Released

[2o6]

Look at the trucks again and tell me if you still think it's a joke. 

Giant, blocky, presumably work trucks.  No one is running these at the Ring.  What's the aerodynamic benefit in real terms?

Blocky does not always equal un-aerodynamic. Better aerodynamics = lower fuel consumption, better performance, pretty much everything.

[280Z Turbo]

Well, like I said, styling comes first. They could probably achieve significantly lower drag numbers if they lost the macho styling.

It's a compromise, of course.

[2o6]

You have drag numbers for the Silverado?

[280Z Turbo]

You have drag numbers for the Silverado?

Yup I do because I fucking care that much about winning on the Internet.

All car designs are aerodynamic compromises, but that doesn't mean they don't care.

[SVT666]

Its just the air damn, calm down.

The chrome bumper hangs down lower than the body alone, and then they add the air dam below that.  It looks stupid.

[Soup DeVille]

Look at the trucks again and tell me if you still think it's a joke. 

Giant, blocky, presumably work trucks.  No one is running these at the Ring.  What's the aerodynamic benefit in real terms?

Mileage.

[MX793]

Forget the air dam thing. Why do all of the manufacturers feel the need to style their HD trucks like over grown Tonka toys? And why have they gotten so tall? The latest HD Fords are at least half s foot taller than they were in the 90s.

[SVT666]

Forget the air dam thing. Why do all of the manufacturers feel the need to style their HD trucks like over grown Tonka toys? And why have they gotten so tall? The latest HD Fords are at least half s foot taller than they were in the 90s.

My dad had a '92 F-250 and the step in height was pretty damn high.  Running boards were pretty mandatory for getting in even for me at 6'1" tall.

[MX793]

My dad had a '92 F-250 and the step in height was pretty damn high.  Running boards were pretty mandatory for getting in even for me at 6'1" tall.

I know a guy with a pristine '96 F250 diesel and his truck doesn't look nearly as big as the latest crop.  Not saying the old ones weren't tall, but I looked up the specs for the 2012 F250 vs the '96, and the 2012 is 6" taller.

[TBR]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I wonder if it isn't more in the height of the actual body, as opposed to the ride height. I feel like the ride height of recent trucks actually looks lower, probably because of the mass of the body.

[MX793]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I wonder if it isn't more in the height of the actual body, as opposed to the ride height. I feel like the ride height of recent trucks actually looks lower, probably because of the mass of the body.

If that's the case, then the new trucks must have insane amounts of headroom since, depending on trim, they are 6-8 inches taller than the mid-90s models (which weren't exactly short on headroom).

[MrH]

Look at the trucks again and tell me if you still think it's a joke. 

Giant, blocky, presumably work trucks.  No one is running these at the Ring.  What's the aerodynamic benefit in real terms?

Gas mileage.  Wind noise.  Stability at highway speeds.

[TurboDan]

Meh. I say let 'em gussy up the phony-man-mobiles this year with low-riding accoutrements. It'll be that much more of a pleasure pulling them out of holes on the beach this fall with my lowly LR2.   

Mad homage to Jeep drivers. They usually know what they're doing out there. Pickup drivers... ouch...

[Raza]

Blocky does not always equal un-aerodynamic. Better aerodynamics = lower fuel consumption, better performance, pretty much everything.

Blocky is aerodynamic?  Yeah, that's why all those Formula 1 cars all have giant facades perpendicular to the ground.  For aerodynamics.  Oh wait, they don't, because that's stupid.

Yes, I agree that better aerodynamics better a lot of aspects, but I question the importance of those aspects in giant fucking pickup trucks. 

[Raza]

My dad had a '92 F-250 and the step in height was pretty damn high.  Running boards were pretty mandatory for getting in even for me at 6'1" tall.

I don't remember what kind of truck it was, but I got a ride from the car dealer where I bought my car to the credit union where I got the loan, and we went in some enormous truck.  I had to put one foot on the running board, then use the grab handle to swing myself in, and then parachute out when leaving.  I don't understand the appeal of these to people who don't use their truck capabilities.

[Raza]

Gas mileage.  Wind noise.  Stability at highway speeds.

You just listed stuff that's true of any car.  Skipped over the "real terms" part.  These benefits are all great, but they seem like they'd pretty marginal based on what I'm seeing of the truck. 

[SVT666]

I know a guy with a pristine '96 F250 diesel and his truck doesn't look nearly as big as the latest crop.  Not saying the old ones weren't tall, but I looked up the specs for the 2012 F250 vs the '96, and the 2012 is 6" taller.

That' s exactly it.  My parents had that '92 F-250 and I had a Ram 1500.  Parked next to each other the roof lines were pretty much at the same height, but the Ram' s body started much lower.

[Soup DeVille]

You just listed stuff that's true of any car.  Skipped over the "real terms" part.  These benefits are all great, but they seem like they'd pretty marginal based on what I'm seeing of the truck. 

Have you ever actually sat in a truck before?

[Raza]

Have you ever actually sat in a truck before?

I don't remember what kind of truck it was, but I got a ride from the car dealer where I bought my car to the credit union where I got the loan, and we went in some enormous truck.  I had to put one foot on the running board, then use the grab handle to swing myself in, and then parachute out when leaving.  I don't understand the appeal of these to people who don't use their truck capabilities.

[Soup DeVille]

And that's the entirety of your trucking experience?

Ok.

Go find an older truck and drive it around for a while. Even ten years ago, they were much noisier; and at speed, a lot of that was wind noise.

Can it all be aerodynamics? Probably not, but it all adds up.

[Raza]

And that's the entirety of your trucking experience?

Ok.

Go find an older truck and drive it around for a while. Even ten years ago, they were much noisier; and at speed, a lot of that was wind noise.

Can it all be aerodynamics? Probably not, but it all adds up.

I've been in an older truck too.  But it was a small one. 

[Soup DeVille]

I've been in an older truck too.  But it was a small one. 

Go drive a same year Kenworth T2000 and a Pete 359 back to back, then get back to me.

[Raza]

Go drive a same year Kenworth T2000 and a Pete 359 back to back, then get back to me.

You're telling me that the stupid looking low bumper is what is responsible for all refinement advances made in pickup trucks? 

[Soup DeVille]

You're telling me that the stupid looking low bumper is what is responsible for all refinement advances made in pickup trucks? 

No, this is where I ask you to read what I wrote once again.

[S204STi]

[Raza]

No, this is where I ask you to read what I wrote once again.

I'm beginning to lose interest in an argument about vehicles that belong to a segment I will never own, so this is where I decline to read what you wrote again. 

[93JC]

Blocky is aerodynamic?  Yeah, that's why all those Formula 1 cars all have giant facades perpendicular to the ground.  For aerodynamics.  Oh wait, they don't, because that's stupid.

Formula 1 cars actually have relatively high drag coefficients.

[Raza]

Formula 1 cars actually have relatively high drag coefficients.

Well yeah, due to spoilers and such, since they used downforce to create grip and all.  They still don't look like they're styled after warehouses.

[93JC]

Of course not, because they're designed to do one thing: go fast.

Whereas a pickup truck, to satisfy the sensibilities of the modern consumer, needs to be as fuel efficient and quiet as possible. And "looking like a warehouse" helps to accomplish that.

[SVT666]

Well yeah, due to spoilers and such, since they used downforce to create grip and all.  They still don't look like they're styled after warehouses.

Actually a good chunk of the drag is created by the tires.