GM Rolls Out '03 Commercials
General Motors has revealed its 2003 facelifted Savana/Express vans and Sierra/Silverado pickups with features designed to appeal strongly to fleet and commercial users, as well as updates for its new mediums.
The new medium GMC Top Kick and Chevrolet Kodiak are the lynchpin for GM's commercial and fleet products, which contribute no less than 26% of GM's sales. The Top Kick/Kodiak range of Class 4 through medium Class 8 entered production with the lighter vehicles in late April. May should see the 4500/5500 "Family 2" GMC Top Kick and Chevy Kodiak models appearing at dealers.
Later in the year, production will start for the 6500, 7500 and 8500 models.
Updates for the Savana/Express vans include improved access to the rear compartment through a driver's-side 60/40 door. That's in addition to the conventional curbside access doors on the full-sized van. Flip-up side access panels are remotely opened using a key-fob transmitter. Vans equipped with these side access panels are identified as the Express Access and the Savana Pro.
Other improvements to the vans include four-wheel disc brakes for all van models, carried over from the big pickups; stiffer, boxed frames, and 16-inch wheels across the board. The light-duty 1500 gets power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering gear. There's more refinement and power from the Vortec gasoline engines and the addition of the 6600 Duramax diesel, available in the vans for the first time.
Another first for any production full-size van is the availability of all-wheel-drive, initially on the 1500 and 2500 vans.
For the Sierra and Silverado pickups, there are enhanced electricals, new sound systems and additional comfort with more supportive seating and dual zone HVAC.
The redesigned instrument panel includes a message center, which monitors up to 34 vehicle functions. Revisions to the air-bag supplementary restraint system now provide a two-level deployment depending on the severity of an accident, along with automatic front-seat passenger sensing.
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