It's like, how much more grill could there be? and the answer is none. None more grill.

 About the time I started thinking Ford finally is thinking ahead with some aero-stying on their trucks around 1997, the Rams come out with the mini-Semi-truck look. Now, although I'm sure there's been some wind tunnel testing on these things, how efficient can they be with what looks like a 4X8 sheet of plywood with some holes on the front?

I just don't get it.

...and can *anyone* tell me why the beds have to be so high as to (almost) need a ladder to just look in the bed. The bed has to match the front height I guess. 

"BIG"

In reply to stan :

To quote Consumer Reports: "Offers a commanding view of the road."

It's become an arms race at this point.

stan said:

 

...and can *anyone* tell me why the beds have to be so high as to (almost) need a ladder to just look in the bed. The bed has to match the front height I guess. 

To make it as difficult as possible to use it as a hauling device?

I am going to lower my Avalanche simply because I cannot reach a gas can in the bed from the outside. I am a freaking 6' tall long armed adult. I shouldn't have to drop the tailgate and crawl into the bed to get something out of it!

Ever had to load a hide-a-bed sofa into one of these lifted trucks? It is an absolute nightmare.

I think part of the grille size is for the massive cooling requirements of the newer diesels.  As power goes up, cooling requirements go up.  And the newer emissions stuff puts more heat into the coolant too.  

Wonder if the Chevy proactive lay-offs coincide with the first of these rolling off the line?  It's like they took one look and knew. Buh-ttugly.

Also, screw the Lexus Predatorface....worst styling language ever.

NickD said:

If you flip the front end upside down, it's actually much more tolerable.

While this looks better, Chevy’s signature Crossbar needs to be in the middle of the grille. That’s where they put them for 30 years, why change it now? I see one and go “Hey that’s a Chevy” not “WTF IS THAT THING???” 

NickD said:

If you flip the front end upside down, it's actually much more tolerable.

I actually kinda like that. 

I knew Chevy was prankin' it, knew it. Photoshop FTW.

They were prankin', right? 

... nevermind 

GCrites80s said:

In addition to being None More Black the truck also looks like a Shark Sandwich.

That grill goes to 11.

They screwed up the Camaro grill, too, but quickly changed it.  I miss Bob Lutz.  

Let's hope the GMC is better looking.

NickD said:

I actually really like the LC500 front end. As well as the rest of it. Saw one in person and it's a great-looking car. 

I think the LC500 is a good looking car, but it would look even better with a lot less grill.

I actually kind of like it.  Like the bedsteps the most, but I can deal with the front end styling.

Gearheadotaku said:

Let's hope the GMC is better looking.

That’s what I’m hoping. 

RealMiniNoMore said:

This just confirms what I've thought I was seeing.  Look at how much of the 2019 bumper is visible under the older grill/bumper pasted on.  All of the big truck makers are raising the hood/bed height and keeping the bumpers low, making these things massive and out of proportion.  I thought I must have been seeing things. Nope. let's just splice 4" of height right into the middle of the whole body and then just fill it all in... 

And even worse with this new gen, it seems like they decided to make the hood line TALLER then the bed line....

"What? It looks great to us!"

NickD said:

Maybe with that big grille, it won't blow the engine up when you put a plow on the front of the diesels. For those not in the know, when the L5P variant of the DuraMax arrived in 2017, you could no longer put a plow on the front end and operate over 45mph or it set a check engine light for charge air cooler lack of efficiency. Talking to GM Technical Assistance Center revealed that they had had a number of cases of trucks blowing up their engine due to extended operation with the plow on.

Airflow is a big problem on all the big trucks.

50 years ago we were doing Mach 3 in a A-12 Blackbird. You can't tell me that in 50 years, aerodynamicists/thermodynamasits cannot design a smaller frontal area that cools adequately. Ben Rich and Kelly Johnson weep.

Confirms my opinion: the GMT400 was the zenith of truck design.  I love my '93.  

In reply to volvoclearinghouse :

You spelled square body wrong.

In reply to Nick Comstock :

My wife has a '91, and my first vehicle was a '77.  I love me some square body, but the 400 was a giant leap forward for just about everything.  

The 4x4 hd rams are so tall because the cummins is huge and the oil pan has to clear an equally gigantic solid front axle.  So at least there is a powertrain packaging reason for the height.  2wd ones are comically lower as are 1500’s.  It is indeed a B that the tailgate is so high, which is why i carry a 2’ step ladder.  Otherwise i’m not getting up there.  I really need to put a rake in the bed so i can reach all the crap that slides to the front for a year between full cleanouts.   I don’t know what i would do with the abyss that forms at the front of a 8’ bed with a cap.  

My vortec heads for the Wartburg are still in the bed because I don’t feet like sliding them out at that uncomfortable load height right now, or for the last month.  

I’m also onboard with the gmt400 being pinnacle of pickup design from a looks standpoint.  For the longest time i wanted a crew cab with a shortened chassis to a shortbed with a 6bt swap, but in the end it was just easier to buy a cummins with a truck wrapped around it that was built in a factory with a warranty 

I've been browsing various sites, looking at new and used vehicles because my old Astro appears to be terminally ill. My wife has been pushing me to dump "vehicles" (note the plural, she's including the MINI and Miata) and buy something new that seats at least four adults and can tow my car trailer. Then she ads "but not one of those trucks you rented last year". I rented an F250 crew cab to tow down to the 2017 Challenge. She looked at it, but couldn't get into it as she's 5'2" and the truck floor was 32" from the driveway ! To get in I had to haul myself up by grabbing the steering wheel. She couldn't reach the grab handle on the passenger side. While the height does give you the sensation of piloting a river boat from the wheelhouse, it also makes judging how close you are to obstacles more difficult. I have to drive my Miata pretty defensively whenever I'm next to modern trucks and SUVs simply because the driver can't see a low vehicle to their right. I asked a salesman at the local Ford dealer if they had a F150, crew cab, RWD truck in stock because I wanted to see the height of one. Special order was the best he could do, they don't carry anything but 4wd in stock.

  I know a crew cab pickup is probably the best available tool for the job, but driving a 7000 pound vehicle for a DD seems silly for my situation. I'm looking at 2wd Tahoes/Suburbans/Expeditions as an alternative and have been searching for a good Econoline, too. I keep thinking the upcoming Ranger might be the ticket.

DeadSkunk said:

I've been browsing various sites, looking at new and used vehicles because my old Astro appears to be terminally ill. My wife has been pushing me to dump "vehicles" (note the plural, she's including the MINI and Miata) and buy something new that seats at least four adults and can tow my car trailer. Then she ads "but not one of those trucks you rented last year". I rented an F250 crew cab to tow down to the 2017 Challenge. She looked at it, but couldn't get into it as she's 5'2" and the truck floor was 32" from the driveway ! To get in I had to haul myself up by grabbing the steering wheel. She couldn't reach the grab handle on the passenger side. While the height does give you the sensation of piloting a river boat from the wheelhouse, it also makes judging how close you are to obstacles more difficult. I have to drive my Miata pretty defensively whenever I'm next to modern trucks and SUVs simply because the driver can't see a low vehicle to their right. I asked a salesman at the local Ford dealer if they had a F150, crew cab, RWD truck in stock because I wanted to see the height of one. Special order was the best he could do, they don't carry anything but 4wd in stock.

  I know a crew cab pickup is probably the best available tool for the job, but driving a 7000 pound vehicle for a DD seems silly for my situation. I'm looking at 2wd Tahoes/Suburbans/Expeditions as an alternative and have been searching for a good Econoline, too. I keep thinking the upcoming Ranger might be the ticket.

You could always use that poor dusty VW to drive on nice days 

and sell me your miata

I've been wondering lately if the reason why we can't get the AWD Transit here is because of the sales it would rob from the pickups. I know in my case that the day they become available I will be ordering one and getting rid of most of my other trucks.