How much does it cost to restyle the interior of a vehicle? Why doesn't/didn't GM do this with the GMT-800 trucks and the TrailBlazer to keep them fresh and current with the competition? The exterior is great on GM SUVs and pickups (silverado non-SS is just ok), but the interiors are nothing special. Since they aren't getting replaced for a few more years why not re-do the interiors like they did in 1995 with the fullsizes and 1998 with the Blazer/S-10? Seems like even if it cost $100million that would be cheaper than higher rebates and more advertising. Interiors play a big part in perceived quality.

 

Sounds like a PacerX question to me.

It can't be too much. Ford does it pretty often in it's cars. Both the current Crown Vic/Grand Marquis, Taurus/Sable, prior F150s, the current Ranger, even the Town Car has had numerous changes since their last exterior design. Even the Lincoln LS got a revised dash a year or so ago.

 

I remember at Memphis 97, one of the F-Body engineers was there to unveil pictures of the new 98 cars. She was asked about why the hump in the passenger wheel well wasn't fixed. She said it would have cost several million dollars to get that changed. That's why it stayed for 20 years.

I would imagine it costs a ton of money to redesign an interior also.

 

Anytime a change is done to a major structural part like the floor pan (even to remove something as simple as a floor hump) it has to go through all types of testing (including crash & durability) all over again.

The interior on the other hand basically involves not much more than designing, setting specications, and getting bids. Alot cheaper & easier than creating a new floor pan.

 

they need a massive restyle and reengineer though.. totally new materials, new designs, new styles, etc.. They can't just get away with remolding the same plastic slightly differently and calling it a day. Then it get recertified for crash testing.. and interiors needs safety and durability testing too! and get in spun in to actual production..

 

Incorrect, boy wonder. They also have to do crash testing. Your glove box and the area under your steering wheel are designed to absorb knee impact and must meet federal standards. One such example is that your glovebox can't open on impact. If you change ANYTHING on or near the airbags you'll have to test again. You've also got Head Impact (HIC) requirements that you have to meet. A change to the door panels can have a negative (or positive) impact on side impact government tests (don't want to lose that 5 star rating...). You'll also have to do lots of squeak and rattle and temparature testing, to make sure you'll be quiet and maintain integrity over time.

Easier than a new floor pan? Probably, but it still can require lots of testing. Basically everything requires lots of testing.

 

Yep...

 

The main "structure" of all but Taurus/Sable and maybe Town Car have had NO major changes. The cluster is a simple change. Ranger is running on a 10 year old design as well as the Crown Vic (It has had some tweaks for the double DIN radio) 97-03(04 heritage) 150 never changed..

Not beating you up, I just know alot about this topic.

 

Yes, but there is a big difference. The F150 got a complete redesign after 7 model years. It will be 9 for the Silverado/Sierra.

In todays marketplace, where redesign times are getting shorter and shorter, 9 years just isn't acceptable.

Word is the F150 will get a major refreshening for MY 2007 also. So, the F150 will get a complete redesign, and a refreshening before the GM pickups even have a redesign.

Re-doing the interior, while costing money (the word that comes to mind is AWWWWW), would go a long way towards keeping the trucks fresh till their redo. It is either that, or just keep piling more and more cash on the hood.

 

2007 the F150 Expedition and Navigator are all getting "overhauled" again. Mainly the chassis. It is kinda like the 06 Explorer, It has a platform name change but it is basicly the same platform under a 02.

 

OK, I'm not the expert here. I'm just guessing.

 

LOL. I am just trying to help out guionM. You help out alot here.