Dec. 20, 2017—The upcoming Detroit auto show, scheduled for Jan. 13-28, is set to be dominated by the full-size pickup truck, according to a freep.com report.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is expected to unveil the 2019 Ram 1500 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and GM has suggested it will at least speak about the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado.
Chevrolet sources recently allowed that their Silverado might eventually feature a carbon-fiber reinforced bed, which would reduce weight and, as a result, boost fuel economy.
The average selling price for full-size pickups was $47,393 in November, up roughly $400 from a year prior.
Citigroup research in 2016 indicated that each GM pickup generates a profit of roughly $11,000, while the automaker makes roughly $500-$1,000 on a typical SUV and loses hundreds on an average passenger car.
Without the immense profitability of pickups, GM and Ford would find it difficult to fund for vehicle features such as sensors and artificial intelligence, the Detroit Free Press report noted.
The newspaper report also indicated that the Silverado will have semi-autonomous technologies like automatic braking and lane departure warning.
Pickups are expected to account for 16 percent of the total new vehicle market this year, according to Kelley Blue Book research, representing the highest share since 2007.
