Why a big, light pickup didn't make sense to GM

I didn't think so.

But General Motors seriously considered developing such a truck in an effort to boost the fuel economy of its pickups.

"We have studied this extensively," Mark Reuss, GM's president of North America, said on the sidelines of the Detroit auto show last week. The key was "light-weighting," using lighter materials.

It seemed like a workable idea: Simply engineer some light-duty, full-sized pickup models using materials that reduce weight. The idea was discussed years ago as GM began development of its redesigned Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 pickups. The redesigned pickups will be available in dealer showrooms next year.