I want to delve a little deeper into how the Silverado could be updated to look like the truck of the future, not past the truck.
The way I see it, Chevrolet has two routes to go: they can keep the traditional camp, or they can join the competition and move forward with their vision of the future. Chevrolet Trucks in the past, including the current Chevy Silverado, tended to take the traditional route. The Chevrolet Silverado 2009, with its stacked square headlights and wide grille plate, like the Chevy vans of the 90s, the 80s, and 70s (maybe even the 60s, too). If you take the bow-ties and labels out of the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado and had to go back in time to show the owners of pickup truck in 1972, I'm pretty sure they would be able to identify it. (I think the Dodge Ram 2009 will be identified too, actually.)
So goes the next generation truck, the Chevrolet Silverado 2012, follow this trend? I think so. Perhaps some interesting front end and hood heights and contours will surface, as with the 2009 Toyota Tundra. And maybe live stacked headlights, but with a modern telescope, or the overall shape. The large grille is likely to remain so, but may change in height. Is the fender flares interesting Chevrolet Silverado 2007-2009 stay? They are quite distinctive, so maybe they'll stick as an identifier added. Perhaps the tail becomes more interesting, with clusters distinctive tail lamps. I do not really know. After all, truck buyers are very traditional group.
I do not think Chevy will really go overboard with one major difference, or try to jump too far in the future (this place scary). Models like the Chevy Avalanche auxiliary, and compact trucks like the Chevrolet Colorado, is the proper place to design bravado. These trucks are less rooted in (or stuck in?) Tradition and can showcase the talents of the design in Detroit. The Chevrolet Silverado is unlikely to be based on a grid slope, or car-like lights, or anything too radical. But maybe they'll surprise us.
It's a risky business, messing with tradition. If you change the truck too, you will have the wrath of loyalists, if you do not change enough, you will lose the guys who want the best truck, or younger who have not yet found their mark. I just hope Chevy is right.
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