Click above for more images of the 2007 Chevy Silverado

We have been covering the amazing decline of the pickup truck in America over the past few months, but General Motor's recent announcement that it will be cutting truck production by some three-hundred-thousand units by next year puts quite a cap on it. The General makes a hefty profit on each full-size truck it sells, and this production cut will have a huge impact on the bottom line of America's largest automaker. Of course, GM is probably quite pleased that it's not releasing a brand new model of its full-sizer this year like some other less fortunate competitors.

In addition to the production cuts, GM CEO Rick Wagoner has also announced that the company will delay the pending redesign of its largest trucks and SUVs. The automaker intends to save a whopping $7 billion by putting off its next truck and will also cut the development of V8 engines. A few years back, nothing seemed more American than V8 engines and great pickup trucks. While nobody expects these two icons to go the way of the Dodo, it's clear that development money is now much better spent elsewhere.

[Source: GM]

Click above for high-res gallery of the Piaggio MP3 400 and 500

Finding yourself stuck in a truck? Gas guzzling got you down? You are certainly not alone. Though the most obvious thing to do would be to ditch the fuel-inefficient vehicle for a cheaper to run model, Fox Business has other ideas. Keep in mind that the current value of pickups, especially full-sizers, has dropped nearly as dramatically as the fuel prices have risen, so you're not likely to get what you owe, assuming you are still making payments. That's why getting out from under your purchase could end up costing you more than its worth.

If you're stuck with a gas-hog, what are your money-saving options? Umm... drive less. No, seriously. Consider public transportation and carpooling if possible. Ride your bike when its practical and even *gasp* walk. Of course, it's not always possible to walk or ride a bike to get where we need to go. Fox ends by suggesting a scooter as a second vehicle. It's worked out for lots of people already, but be sure to count that cost too before making any rash decisions. We're cycle fans who recognize the fun and low-costs associated with scooters, but safety and practicality cannot be ignored. Whatever you do, get used to it, 'cause gas isn't likely to begin dropping back down any time soon.

[Source: Fox Business]

Click above for more high-res shots of the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid

It was only a few years ago that General Motors was bullish on the U.S. market for full-size, body-on-frame sport utility vehicles. Today? Not so much. These days, the bottom has fallen out of the big truck market, as even the once untouchable Ford F-150 has seen its perch atop the sales charts come to an abrupt halt. While there will always be a certain number of people who truly need the vast capabilities of the largest of trucks, that demographic is shrinking alarmingly quickly. In lieu of this fact, General Motors may begin phasing out its full-size SUVs. Because this may point to new SUVs from the General using unibody architecture, the future of family stalwarts such as the Suburban and flavor-of-the-day models such as the Cadillac Escalade are in doubt.

We don't expect GM to abandon the market totally, as sales, though down, are still strong enough to warrant the models' place on dealer lots. We do, however, expect that more fuel efficient gasoline engines, diesels and hybrids will join a lighter-weight structure as the long-term future unfolds.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Click the Tahoe hybrid for a high-res gallery

To go along with the advertising push that General Motors is planning on for its large hybrid SUVs is news that the automaker will increase incentives on its largest models, including its full-size hybrids for the first time ever. Current owners of a General Motors vehicle will get the largest savings, with as much as $6,000 off the price of non-hybrid Cadillac Escalades, Chevy Tahoes and GMC Yukons. Hybrid versions get a bit less off the top, coming in with $4,000 in total savings. Full-size pickups get in on the incentive game too with combined savings of up to $5,000.

Not long ago, General Motors announced that it would be cutting production of its pickup trucks and SUVs to be more in line with consumer demand. Four plants will be closed and the Hummer brand may even be put up for sale. GM is not the only automaker being hit by the slow truck market, as Ford and Dodge have trotted out incentives to move units as well. Honda, Toyota and Nissan have all shifted production from trucks to cars where possible.

[Source: Bloomberg]

It's no secret that the pickup truck market is shrinking, with high gas prices as one obvious culprit. In fact, Toyota's ridiculously popular Camry midsize sedan is nipping at the heels of full-size truck stalwarts such as the Chevy Silverado and Ford F-Series. So far this year, General Motors has seen an 18.5 percent decrease in full-size truck sales and a huge 31.5 percent decrease in full-size SUV sales compared to last year. These sobering statistics are forcing GM to reconsider their future product plans. Already testing the waters with its upcoming Pontiac car-based truck and concepts such as the Denali XT, General Motors needs to know just how large of a market will be left and what external forces will continue to impact that dwindling market share.

Mike DiGiovanni, executive director of global market and industry analysis for GM, is leading a research team deep within GM which is "keeping a close eye on full-sized trucks and asking ourselves how much more aggressively we want to enter the crossover space, given where the world is going." So far, his team has figured that the market for big trucks, though shrinking, will still be sizable, though he adds that "all bets are off if oil skyrockets." Hmm, isn't that exactly what oil's been doing lately?

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

The days of Americans migrating from cars to ever larger pickup trucks and SUVs may finally be behind us as a perfect storm seems to be hitting the big truck segment. The combination of high fuel prices and the implosion of the real estate bubble has led to full-size pickups dropping to an 11.7 percent market share. Even mighty Toyota is offering $5,000 rebates on the year-old Tundra. Unlike the SUV market, a much larger percentage of pickup sales are destined for commercial rather than personal use. With new home construction coming to a screeching halt in many areas, carpenters, plumbers, electricians and other contractors have stopped buying new trucks. Not only is that hurting the manufacturers, it's also hitting the second hand market. The depreciation on a three year old pickup has gone from $2,650 in 2006 to $4,200 this year. While GM and Dodge are both introducing hybrid versions of their pickup trucks in the next couple of years, they will likely do little to reverse this trend as they will be expensive and likely relatively low volume. The introduction of new light-duty diesel engines in 2009 may help, but if the price of diesel doesn't get closer to gasoline, any savings in efficiency could be lost to more expensive fuel.

[Source: BusinessWeek]

I can't believe that I missed this story, but somehow the fact that Scion might be considering a foray into the compact pickup segment was lost on me. Sometimes I'm just stuck in la-la (horrible!) land I guess. Anyway, check out the rendering that I found at PickupTruck.com for the possible truck. A while back, Autoblog ran a story lamenting that the Ford Ranger seems to just be left to die on it's own, leaving a gaping hole in its wake. The hole exists because, like most other auto-segments in America, the "compact" pickups have all outgrown the "compact" class and are now called "midsize" trucks. Our earlier post about fuel efficient pickups reminded me that since Dodge created the midsize class with the Dakota, the S10 was replaced by the Colorado; the El Camino and Ranchero are long-gone; the Rabbit pickup is history... and the list goes on. So, will Scion pick up the slack?

I suppose the the Subaru Baja could slot into this class, but it too is a four-door design and has limited capabilities. Something tells me that the Scion proposal probably doesn't include hauling and towing duties among its design priorities either. Which would be a shame, I think, because there are still buyers out there for the Ranger, old design and all.

[Source: PickupTruck.com]