The
GMT900 truck platform debuted at the 2006
North American International Auto ShowThe North American International Auto Show , is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
, as basis for the next generation of
General MotorsGeneral Motors Company, often known as simply GM, is a United States based automaker with headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. GM was the world's 18th largest corporate entity and third largest automaker as ranked by 2008 revenues on the Fortune Global 500. Ranked by global unit sales for 2008, it...
full-size pickups and SUVs, and replacements for the GMT800 vehicles. The first GMT900 vehicle introduced was the next-generation Chevrolet Tahoe.
GMT900 had been called a "
Hail Mary passA Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary play in American football is a term made famous when "Hail Mary" was used by the press to describe the game winning touchdown pass by Roger Staubach to Drew Pearson, in the 1975 wild card playoff...
" for the General Motors Corporation — the company needed the revenue from these large trucks to ensure their financial solvency.
The
GMT900 truck platform debuted at the 2006
North American International Auto ShowThe North American International Auto Show , is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
, as basis for the next generation of
General MotorsGeneral Motors Company, often known as simply GM, is a United States based automaker with headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. GM was the world's 18th largest corporate entity and third largest automaker as ranked by 2008 revenues on the Fortune Global 500. Ranked by global unit sales for 2008, it...
full-size pickups and SUVs, and replacements for the GMT800 vehicles. The first GMT900 vehicle introduced was the next-generation Chevrolet Tahoe.
GMT900 had been called a "
Hail Mary passA Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary play in American football is a term made famous when "Hail Mary" was used by the press to describe the game winning touchdown pass by Roger Staubach to Drew Pearson, in the 1975 wild card playoff...
" for the General Motors Corporation — the company needed the revenue from these large trucks to ensure their financial solvency. The company's resources were focused exclusively on GMT900 development through 2005, delaying other programs like the
GM Zeta platformZeta was the original name for General Motors' full-size rear-wheel drive automobile platform. The architecture was engineered by Holden of Australia and was most recently referred to as the "Global RWD Architecture". The GM Zeta replaced the Australian V-body and was considered as the replacement...
. With the 2005 spike in gasoline prices, some analysts have questioned the wisdom of "betting the company" on a line of large trucks. Sales were initially brisk, but later dropped off as the market moved to more fuel-efficient unibody vehicles.
The GMT900 series features standard vehicle stability control. Original plans called for
American AxleAmerican Axle & Manufacturing, Inc. , headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, is a manufacturer of automobile driveline and drivetrain components and systems.-History:...
's "I-Ride"
independent suspensionIndependent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of each other. This is contrasted with a beam axle, live axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked - movement on one side affects...
module in the rear, but this appears to have been cancelled.
Short wheelbase (
YukonThe GMC Yukon refers to the basic platform used in both long and short versions of the truck chassis. Its main articles are here:*Chevrolet Tahoe *Chevrolet Suburban formerly GMC Suburban...
/
TahoeThe Chevrolet Tahoe are full-size SUV from General Motors. Chevrolet and GMC sold two different-sized SUVs under their Blazer/Jimmy model names through the early 1990s. This situation changed when GMC rebadged the full-size Jimmy as the Yukon in 1992...
) GMT900 production began at GM's
Arlington AssemblyArlington Assembly is a General Motors automobile factory in Arlington, Texas. The plant has operated for more than 50 years, and today manufactures large SUVs based on GM's GMT900 platform:* Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon* Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XL...
plant in
Arlington, TexasArlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area. According to a U.S Census Bureau release, as of 2007 Arlington had an estimated population of 371,038...
on December 1, 2005, six weeks ahead of schedule. Production of the SWB versions began at
Janesville AssemblyJanesville Assembly Plant was an automobile factory owned by General Motors located in Janesville, Wisconsin. Opened in 1919, it was the oldest-operating GM plant when it ceased to operate in 2009.-History:...
in
Janesville, WisconsinJanesville is a city in southern Wisconsin, United States. It is the county seat of Rock County and the principal municipality of the Janesville, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 59,498.-History:...
in early 2006. Production of long wheelbase trucks (
SuburbanThe Chevrolet Suburban is a large sport utility vehicle from Chevrolet. It is the longest-lived continuous automobile nameplate still in production, dating from 1935. For most of its recent history, the Suburban has been a station wagon-bodied version of the Chevrolet pickup truck, including the...
/
Yukon XLThe GMC Yukon refers to the basic platform used in both long and short versions of the truck chassis. Its main articles are here:*Chevrolet Tahoe *Chevrolet Suburban formerly GMC Suburban...
) begins in Janesville and at Silao Assembly in
Silao, GuanajuatoSilao is a municipality in the west-central part of the state of Guanajuato in Mexico. Its seat is the city of the same name.This municipality lies adjacent to the west side of the municipality of Guanajuato, the state capital...
, in March. The
AvalancheThe Chevrolet Avalanche is a four-door, five or six passenger sport utility truck sharing GM's long-wheelbase chassis used on the Chevrolet Suburban and Cadillac Escalade EXT. Unlike the typical pickup truck, the open bed of the Avalanche opens to the back seat area via a folding panel and...
will be produced only in Silao, while the Escalade will be based in Arlington.
The SUVs began to show up at dealers in January 2006. Sales initially exceeded expectations, but by 2008, General Motors announced they were significantly cutting back production. GM has closed the SUV plant in
Janesville, WisconsinJanesville is a city in southern Wisconsin, United States. It is the county seat of Rock County and the principal municipality of the Janesville, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 59,498.-History:...
, consolidating SUV production in
Arlington, TexasArlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area. According to a U.S Census Bureau release, as of 2007 Arlington had an estimated population of 371,038...
.
The related
SilveradoThe Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...
and Sierra pickups started production in late 2006. The HUMMER H2 was meant to move to the new platform in the next few years, but has since been cancelled.
Future
Due to a long-lasting downturn in sales of full-size trucks and SUVs in the United States (up to a 30% down through the first nine months of 2008), General Motors cancelled the next-generation CXX truck program in May 2008. Along with it, the replacements for the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban and their siblings at GMC and Cadillac.
The automotive press has speculated that some GMT900 SUV models may move to the
GM Lambda platformLambda is General Motors' full-size crossover SUV automobile platform. A Buick Enclave concept car was previewed at the 2006 North American International Auto Show; the first Lambda vehicle on sale was the Saturn Outlook, introduced in April 2007 at the New York Auto Show...
.
Applications
| Basic platform | Years | Model | Notes | Code | Introduction | Production | Sale |
|---|
| GMT900 |
2007– |
Chevrolet SilveradoThe Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...
|
Regular Cab
Extended Cab
Crew Cab |
GMT901 |
August 2, 2006 at The Texas State Fair |
Silao
Fort Wayne
OshawaOshawa Truck Assembly was a General Motors Canada truck factory in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada that opened in 1965 and closed in 2009. The plant is part of the larger GM Autoplex, which includes Oshawa Car Assembly and a now-closed battery plant...
August-September 2006 |
Fall 2006 |
| 2007– |
GMC Sierra |
Regular Cab
Extended Cab
Crew Cab |
GMT902 |
| |
Chevrolet SilveradoThe Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...
|
HD |
GMT911 |
|
|
|
| |
GMC Sierra |
HD |
GMT912 |
|
| |
Hummer H2 The Hummer H2 is an SUV and SUT sold by General Motors under the Hummer brand. It is a large truck with room for six passengers...
|
Crew cab pickup |
GMT913 |
|
|
|
| GMT920 |
2007– |
Chevrolet TahoeThe Chevrolet Tahoe are full-size SUV from General Motors. Chevrolet and GMC sold two different-sized SUVs under their Blazer/Jimmy model names through the early 1990s. This situation changed when GMC rebadged the full-size Jimmy as the Yukon in 1992...
|
4-door SUV |
GMT921 |
NAIAS The North American International Auto Show , is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
January 2006 |
Arlington Arlington Assembly is a General Motors automobile factory in Arlington, Texas. The plant has operated for more than 50 years, and today manufactures large SUVs based on GM's GMT900 platform:* Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon* Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XL...
December 1 2005
JanesvilleJanesville Assembly Plant was an automobile factory owned by General Motors located in Janesville, Wisconsin. Opened in 1919, it was the oldest-operating GM plant when it ceased to operate in 2009.-History:...
early 2006 |
January 2006 |
| 2007– |
GMC Yukon The GMC Yukon refers to the basic platform used in both long and short versions of the truck chassis. Its main articles are here:*Chevrolet Tahoe *Chevrolet Suburban formerly GMC Suburban...
|
GMT922 |
| 2007– |
Cadillac EscaladeThe Cadillac Escalade is a full-size luxury sport utility vehicle sold by the General Motors luxury brand, Cadillac. It was the division's first major entry into the popular SUV market. The Escalade was introduced for the 1999 model year in response to German and Japanese competitors and to Ford's...
|
GMT926 |
Arlington Arlington Assembly is a General Motors automobile factory in Arlington, Texas. The plant has operated for more than 50 years, and today manufactures large SUVs based on GM's GMT900 platform:* Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon* Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XL...
January 1 2006 |
| GMT930 |
2007– |
Chevrolet SuburbanThe Chevrolet Suburban is a large sport utility vehicle from Chevrolet. It is the longest-lived continuous automobile nameplate still in production, dating from 1935. For most of its recent history, the Suburban has been a station wagon-bodied version of the Chevrolet pickup truck, including the...
|
4-door extended SUV |
GMT931 |
GLAAS January 2006 |
Janesville Janesville Assembly Plant was an automobile factory owned by General Motors located in Janesville, Wisconsin. Opened in 1919, it was the oldest-operating GM plant when it ceased to operate in 2009.-History:...
March 2006
Silao March 2006 |
April 2006 |
| 2007– |
GMC Yukon XL |
GMT932 |
| 2007– |
Cadillac Escalade ESV |
GMT936 |
|
Arlington Arlington Assembly is a General Motors automobile factory in Arlington, Texas. The plant has operated for more than 50 years, and today manufactures large SUVs based on GM's GMT900 platform:* Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon* Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XL...
March 2006 |
May 2006 |
| GMT940 |
2007– |
Chevrolet AvalancheThe Chevrolet Avalanche is a four-door, five or six passenger sport utility truck sharing GM's long-wheelbase chassis used on the Chevrolet Suburban and Cadillac Escalade EXT. Unlike the typical pickup truck, the open bed of the Avalanche opens to the back seat area via a folding panel and...
|
4-door pickup/SUV |
GMT941 |
CAS The Chicago Auto Show is held annually in February at Chicago's McCormick Placeconvention complex. At , with over 1,000 vehicles on display, it is the largest auto show in North America and the third largest in the world .The event, first produced in 1901, has been staged more times than any other...
February 2006 |
Silao |
|
| |
Cadillac Escalade EXT |
GMT946 |
|
Arlington Arlington Assembly is a General Motors automobile factory in Arlington, Texas. The plant has operated for more than 50 years, and today manufactures large SUVs based on GM's GMT900 platform:* Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon* Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XL...
March 2006 |
May 2006 |