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Will GM plant do a pickup overhaul?

The 2013 model year’s changes are modest in GM’s pickup trucks, a company spokesman said last week.

But these tweaks could be just the lull before a blizzard of updates.

General Motors Co. is investing $275 million in equipment and construction to outfit its Allen County truck assembly plant to build the next-generation Silverado and Sierra. The Detroit-based automaker employs more than 3,600 on three production shifts here.

GM redesigns its models every few years. New equipment must be installed to accommodate those changes.

Although GM has said the next-generation Silverado and Sierra will start production in 2013, officials aren’t saying whether the pickups will be the 2014 models – even though that is a typical pattern.

“To keep the competitors as off balance as possible, we are saying as little as possible,” spokesman Tom Wilkinson said in an email.

Changes for 2013 include:

SILVERADO: Powertrain-grade braking is now included in all six-speed automatic transmissions. The feature helps reduce brake wear. Exterior colors now include deep ruby metallic and blue topaz metallic.

SILVERADO HD: The heavy-duty version of the pickup now offers options for a bi-fuel compressed natural gas fuel system and 6.0L V-8 bi-fuel engine on the 2500HD extended cab model. Bi-fuel systems run on both compressed natural gas and gasoline. Some customers prefer the alternative fuel because it burns cleanly and is produced in the U.S., a GM official said previously. The 3500HD model offers Duramax 6.6L V-8 turbo-diesel with 397 horsepower (296 kW) and 765 pound per foot (1,037 Nm) of torque. Exterior colors now include deep ruby metallic and blue topaz metallic.

SIERRA: Powertrain-grade braking is now available in normal transmission mode. The feature helps reduce brake wear. Exterior colors now include Sonoma red metallic and heritage blue metallic (not available on the Denali model).

SIERRA HD: The heavy-duty version of the pickup now offers options for a bi-fuel compressed natural gas fuel system and 6.0L V-8 bi-fuel engine on the 2500HD extended cab model. Powertrain-grade braking is now available in normal transmission mode (6.0L V-8). Exterior colors now include Sonoma red metallic and heritage blue metallic (not available on the Denali model).

sslater@jg.net

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