What would you ask Jeff Luke or Kenn Bakowski?

[Zane]

Jeff Luke is the Executive Chief Engineer for GM's full-size trucks. Kenn Bakowski is the Marketing Manager for GM's full-size trucks.

 

These are the guys who are in charge of designing and marketing the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado & GMC Sierra. They know everything, including hows and whys.

 

I'll be sitting down with each of them for 15-minutes on Monday & Tuesday of next week and I can ask them anything related to the 2014 Silverado/Sierra.

 

I figure you guys would have no shortage of questions that I should ask them...

 

Please post your questions in this thread and I'll use the best ones next week!

 

I will try to record the interviews on video or audio if I can.

[music]

Modern crew cab trucks have become multi-function family haulers over the past decade, often replacing the family sedan. Considering that families haul everyone in their vehicle at once, and you have room for at least 5 people in the truck, why have you chosen to not put head restraints at all seating positions? (Note: Every other 1/2-ton truck has this...)

[Spurshot]

Mr Luke,

Are you going to fix the terrible ergonomics of the 4x4 rotating control of the GMT900 that: 1) is hidden behind the steering wheel, 2) has the identical tactile feel, shape, motion, etc of the headlight switch, 3) has no guard/interlock protection from inadvertant actuation, 4) has no visible (in the line of the driver's sight) indicator?

 

A person unfamiliar with the current design will often turn the 4wd control when looking for headlights and wipers. It happened to me when my wife drove my truck the other day and I proceeded to drive around for half a week in 4wd hi for days on the streets and freeways before I investigated abnormal driveline noise.

 

If you're going to stick with this current hidden layout and shape of knob, at least put a pushbutton interlock so the knob can't be rotated without depressing a button at the same time.

[sk]

I have a simple question:

 

Why aren't LED taillights and HID headlights an option?

[tanked_darren]

1. Are the head light bulbs easier to change than a GMT 900

 

Minor maintenance being easy is important to me.

 

Sent from my Nokia 5190 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[C/K Man]

I would ask if any consideration will be given to offering more capable and competitive chassis-cab models in the HD series. Chevy and GMC need to offer class 4 and 5 4500's and 5500's to compete with similar Ford and Ram models. GM's current chassis cab offerings are very limited and not competitive with regards to GVW and wheelbase (cab to axle) lengths. GM is loosing a lot of sales, and in addition the lack of commercial models is contributing to the current GM truck reputation of being more for personal and recreational use, not serious work trucks.

[kstruckcountry]

I would like to know about the new transmissions. I would also like to know what the powertrain options will be for the HD trucks.

[j-ten-ner]

I would like to know if GM addressed, acknowledged and solved the oil burning problem on the AFM engines.

 

And why is there still no handle on the driver side A-pillar. I'm not getting younger...

 

so long

j-ten-ner

[RyanbabZ71]

Stolen? Wow

 

 

Ryan

 

 

[j-ten-ner]

Stolen? Wow...

 

 

I guess he means "stolen". lol

 

so long

j-ten-ner

[SILVERADOSC540]

Is GM considering either a raptor type option for off road enthusiasts or an SS option for street performance? Smaller displacement 1500 diesel? Stainless steel body panels and a flux capacitor? OK, skip the last one..

[MikeNH]

The K2 has a lot of styling cues that were stolen from the Ford & Dodge. Why did GM not choose to be more agressive and create a style of their own that others would want to copy in their next generation truck instead?

 

Nothing was stolen. Things like the doors not curving up into the roof are done for aero reasons because every tenth of a MPG counts. When one manufacturer discovers a trick like that its only a matter of time before the others utilize it too. GM was I believe the first to use active grill shutters on their cars and now the 2013 Ram has that- because it works.

 

GM trucks, new or old will never be mistaken for anything else, same for the other two brands. No one has stolen anything.

[cracked_up]

Why does it seem GM waits on everyone else instead of being an industry leader and making something totally new first?

 

With the exception of rear steer, composite beds and the avalanche all of which are now or soon to be discontinued I haven't really seen many firsts?

[8.1HD/ALLISON]

Where do they stand on getting diesels into the 1/2 tons, tahoes and suburbans? I know there are a ton of people out there that would love to have a smaller diesel in a half ton.

[RyanbabZ71]

Can you ask how much market research was done and how this site has contributed to the new model.

 

Just as an example over on camaro5 they have people from gm time to time asking opinions and such. Don't really see that hear maybe its undercover?

 

 

Ryan