A body-on-frame SUV is reportedly in the works as GM seeks a new audience
Thanks to positively retro gas prices, SUVs are back in vogue -- and not just the ones that have been pickled since the gas crises of the early 2000s. Detroit automakers, which have focused on small luxury crossovers, are suddenly finding their lineups of old-fashioned SUVs too thin for the demand.
Automotive News reports that GMC is likely planning a Jeep rival that would make use of existing body-on-frame hardware developed for the current Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon.
"I do think GMC has got the brand equity and brand character in many respects to give customers a really good alternative to Jeep products," GMC chief Duncan Aldred told Automotive News.
The new SUV could be based on the next-gen Chevrolet Trailblazer, which is not sold in the U.S.
The SUV is believed to be in the very early planning stages and not expected to hit the market until 2020, by which time the Canyon and Colorado will have been updated. But the growing demand for SUVs underscores the fact that GMC long ago stopped chasing Jeep Wrangler buyers, instead focusing on an extensive lineup of pickup trucks and large SUVs that lean toward luxury, sharing many components with Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac vehicles. The brand's current strategy doesn't include a small or midsize sport utility in the spirit of the Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
"Jeep is on such a growth path. GMC is the obvious one to go after them," Sam Fiorani, vice president of vehicle forecasting for AutoForecast Solutions, told Automotive News. "A body-on-frame sport utility is a prime candidate."
