By John Stewart
Three OEMs chose the State Fair of Texas in Dallas to announce details about notable fullsize pickups. Because of their high-volume numbers and broad applications, these trucks are likely to become significant raw material for SEMA-member companies.
 The ’16 Silverado 1500 features a fully boxed high-strength steel frame and a body structure. | |
The New ’16 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
The ’16 Silverado 1500 features a fully boxed high-strength steel frame and a body structure that not only makes extensive use of high-strength steels, but also roll-formed steel beds, which are stronger and lighter than conventional steel.
Customers can choose from three advanced EcoTec3 engines. All three feature direct fuel injection, continuously variable valve timing and cylinder deactivation, also known as Active Fuel Management, for improved power and efficiency. All switch to four-cylinder mode under light load conditions. Silverado’s standard 4.3L V6 is SAE certified at 285 hp and 305 lb.-ft. of torque—the most torque of any standard V6.
The 5.3L V8 is certified at 355 hp and 383 lb.-ft. of torque. Offering an EPA highway estimate of 23 mpg, it is the most fuel-efficient V8 in any pickup.
Silverado’s available 6.2L V8 is certified at 420 hp and 460 lb.-ft. of torque—the most power and torque of any light-duty pickup. This engine also offers the highest towing of any V8 light-duty pickup—up to 12,000 lbs.
For 2016, the new eight-speed automatic transmission that is standard on 6.2L-equipped Silverados will be standard on LTZ, LTZ/Z71 and High Country Silverados with the 5.3L V8.
The new eight-speed provides a numerically higher first-gear ratio to help drivers start off more confidently with a heavy load or when trailering. Its wider overall gear ratio spread also enables numerically lower rear-axle ratios, which reduce engine RPM on the highway.
Recent growth in Silverado sales have been accompanied by a strong Colorado launch, which has made Colorado the fastest-selling pickup in America. Colorado sales so far this year have passed the 59,000 mark in the United States alone.
 The ’17 Ford Super Duty will be built at Kentucky Truck Plant and goes on sale late next year. | |
’17 Ford Super Duty
Also revealed in Dallas, the all-new ’17 F-Series Super Duty pickup and chassis cab will use advanced materials to reduce weight and offer all-new technology to help increase customer productivity, comfort and convenience.
There will be five models in the Super Duty lineup: XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum. The new Super Duty will be built at Kentucky truck plant and goes on sale late next year.
The backbone is an all-new, fully boxed frame comprised of more than 95% high-strength steel—up to 24 times stiffer than the previous frame—enabling the most towing and hauling capability ever delivered by Super Duty. The new truck line features heavier-duty four-wheel-drive components, driveline, axles and towing hardware.
For the first time, the Super Duty body uses high-strength, military-grade aluminum alloy, which is more dent- and ding-resistant than the outgoing steel body and not subject to red-rust corrosion.
Together, high-strength steel and high-strength aluminum alloy help reduce weight by up to 350 lbs. to give customers more towing and hauling capability.
Super Duty chassis cab features an all-new, high-strength steel frame with an open-C-channel design behind the cab to enable easy aftermarket body upfit and modification.
All-new advanced coaching and camera technology makes conventional and gooseneck/fifth-wheel towing easier and more efficient than ever. As many as seven cameras help customers see more angles and monitor conditions surrounding the truck, and provide better trailering than ever before.
The 6.2L V8 gasoline engine comes equipped with the new TorqShift-G transmission for the F-250 pickup, allowing for improved capability. The Super Duty chassis cab lineup offers a choice of 6.7L Power Stroke V8 diesel, 6.8L V10 gasoline or 6.2L V8 gasoline engines.
All three cabs—Regular Cab, SuperCab and Crew Cab—are longer and feature a new interior design, including a dual compartment glove box, overhead console-mounted auxiliary switches to operate aftermarket equipment and completely flat SuperCab and Crew Cab second-row floors that make loading large items in the cab easy. Vital controls are close at hand, with the integrated trailer brake controller switch located even closer to the driver.
 The ’16 Nissan Titan XD will be powered by a new Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel engine. | |
Nissan Titan XD
Nissan kicked off its biggest presence ever at the State Fair of Texas by displaying the all-new ’16 Nissan Titan XD fullsize pickup.
The XD is powered by a new Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel engine rated at 555 lb.-ft. of torque and is set to go on sale at Nissan dealers nationwide in December. The new Titan features a maximum towing capacity of more than 12,000 lbs. when properly equipped and will later be available in a total of three cab configurations, three bed lengths, two frame sizes, 4x4 and 4x2 drive and five grade levels.
"The key attributes of Titan XD is that it offers increased towing stability, along with more torque than a traditional half-ton pickup without the sacrifices of a harsh ride, unnecessary capability and higher price of a ¾-ton truck," said Fred Diaz, senior vice president, sales & marketing and operations, U.S.A., Nissan North America Inc.
Features include an integrated trailer brake controller, Trailer Sway Control (TSC), Tow/Haul Mode with Downhill Speed Control and a Trailer Light Check system that allows one-person hook-up operation, including checking turn signals, brake lights and running/clearance lights.
Also assisting trailer hook-ups is the Titan's RearView Monitor with Trailer Guides, while the available Around View Monitor (AVM) provides a virtual 360-degree “bird's-eye” view of the surrounding area from front, rear and side cameras to help with parking and pulling in and out of tight spaces. The system also includes Moving Object Detection (MOD), which helps detect moving objects, such as vehicles, shopping carts or other large objects near the vehicle when backing out via an on-screen notification and warning chime.
Helping Titan XD owners take advantage of towing power are two available hitches, including an integrated gooseneck hitch engineered into the frame and easily accessible in the bed.
The ’16 Titan XD was planned in Tennessee, designed in California, engineered in Michigan, tested in Arizona and assembled in Mississippi. Nissan currently employs more than 1,000 people in Texas at the Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation (NMAC), Nissan Central Region and a parts distribution center.