I concur. IMO the new Colorado looks bad-***!
How much are those?

 

To correct myself from earlier I think a truck based on the Dodge Nitro would be just what the doctor ordered. I don't know how big the Nitro is, other than it is Liberty based, but it is BOF and has a longitudinal engine mounting so RWD/4WD would be a used rather than FWD/AWD, which makes more sense to me. Give it the CRD V6 and I think it would do VERY well in the compact pickup segment, though it would not come in at $10K.

 

The problem I see is that by the time a micro-truck gets put through design clinics and etc it will be made larger with more luxury features and when it got released it would no longer have a $9,995.00 base price.

Lutz kept his promise of a sub-$20,000 base price for the Solstice, even though a 'real world' Solstice with popular features is around $23,000 (no dealer adjustment of course). The same could be true with a base $9,995.00 micro truck, but a 'loaded' one would be closer to $13,000 and slightly cheaper then a base Tacoma or Colorado.

GM could make it very customizable with a vast array of different interior colors and options and offer different bed designs ranging from a traditional open bed, a closed bed, or a completely enclosed shell.

The whole idea is that a $9,995 would be it's big selling feature, but knowing that GM/Chevy would make the high-margin profits on all the options and add-ons that people would go nuts over.

 

I was just thinking how a tiny 4cyl Aveo-base micro-truck could really help GM with the new CAFE standards by averaging out MPG's for their truck-line (like the HHR already does and the PT cruiser for Chrylser).

 

Could the Solstice's Kappa platform be stretched a wee-bit, OR maybe not at all, and work as a two seat micro-truck (albeit with a heathy dose of rear overhang)?

 

That sounds pretty cool (like the Nomad concept but without a rear enclosure), but I would assume it would end up costing significantly more then $9,995.00.

 

Not gonig to lie. Didnt read this thread buuuuuuut.......SATURN.
I started a thread on C&G for a "show truck" Pick Up based off Saturn. We did this two years ago on C&G and the pick up that won was fantastic. Saturn is now the "everything" brand at GM and with the new wagon planned (oops) it seems like it's now more of the "everything" brand.

Saturn MUST have a "show" truck soon.

 

That it probably would. Plus, unless we tried a modern version of a convertable pickup (like the mid-80s Dakota), I think we/they could run into prohibitive costs to crash test and certify a hard top Kappa.

Using the Aveo platform (or another platform already in Deawoo's aresenal) would probably get you closest to that $10K mark.

 

this sounds like something Scion could handel.

 

I have to admit, if GM offered a $10,000 4-cylinder mini-truck, I would buy one today. With gas prices continuing northward, I've decided I need an economy commuter car. But there are times when I've needed a truck since I sold my '51 Chevy 8 years ago. I did a quick search on Autotrader over the weekend and found a used 2000 GMC with a 2.2 4-clinder for $5k, but it had almost 100k miles on it. Now something with a shortbed that seats two adults would be ideal for me. But I don't want to go spending 20K out the door as that'll cut into what I can spend on a new Camaro in a few more years.

 

I'm hoping either Saturn or Chevy could step up to the plate.

 

I'm still not getting it.

You get even less interior space of a sub compact car.
Worse driving dynamics (no weight in the back, suspension compromised for what little hauling it has to do)
questionable payload capacity (espeically if its FWD.. load up the back too much, and the front wheels that do everything get unloaded)

Will a truck that small even have enough room to keep a bike loaded up in the back?

Taking a FWD unibody car, and chopping out the back section to be an open bed, does not sound like a good idea.

 

They're fun and can be versatile.
Some of the downsides you pointed out remind of the F-body, but those are fun as hell right?

 

Yea, but why bother? Both GM and Ford were advertising full-size trucks recently for around $18K.

After visiting Korea last year, I think that Hyundai or Kia could wrap this market up if they had the desire. However, the import tariff on trucks is still very steep (25%), and I don't see Hyundai/Kia trying to tackle something like this when there's bigger fish to fry in the US (like full-size RWD sedans).

 

Or when the Truck Tariff from Thailand is pulled. The truck market would be wide open then.