NEW VANS, UPDATED SHEETMETAL AND AN ENTRY IN THE MEDIUM-TRUCK TOWING MARKET

After several years of Ford dominance in the field, GM has launched its entries in the medium-truck towing market. The company's new C4500 and C5500 Chevrolet Kodiak and GMC TopKick trucks look like they can give those who own heavy trailers another choice in a tow rig that's more than a pickup but less than a Class 5 commercial rig.

In addition, GM has completely redesigned its full-size Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans with new sheetmetal, a new chassis and an interesting variety of new drivetrain, door and access options. All-wheel drive (AWD) is yet another piece of exciting van news from GM.

New front-clip sheetmetal and interior upgrades for the 2500 and 3500 series GM pickups are also on tap for 2003, and the GM Hummer H2 brings a new definition to SUV

MEDIUM-DUTY PROWESS

GM's C4500 and C5500 trucks are aimed squarely at the tow-vehicle market segment occupied solely by Ford's F-450 and F-550 Super Duty trucks. The GM products feature familiar powertrains guaranteed to please a GM pickup fan searching for something more substantial in a tow rig.

The C4500 series has a 16,000pound gross vehicle weight rating (gvwr), and the C5500 is available in 18,000- and 19,500-pound gvwr. The trucks can handle a gross combination weight (gcw) of 24,000 and 26,000 pounds respectively.

Standard cab, crew cab and motorhome cutaway chassis are available, so in addition to the tow rigs, it's likely we'll be seeing Class C motorhomes based on the same chassis platform as well. Wheelbases start at 128 inches for the standard cab and 169 inches for the crew cab.

Power-plant options include the venerable 8. 1-liter V-8 gas engine rated with as much as 325 hp at 4,000 rpm and 450 lb-ft of torque at 2,800 rpm and the Duramax 6.6-L V-8 diesel rated at 300 hp at 3,100 rpm and 520 lb-ft at 1,800 rpm. The Allison 1000 five-speed automatic and a ZF six-speed manual transmission are optionally available, and four-wheel drive (4WD) will be available later in the model year.

Leaf springs and solid axles make up the trucks' time-proven suspension system. Variable-ratio recirculating-ball power steering and four-wheel power disc brakes with anti-lock braking system (ABS) are standard. A 53-degree steering angle and set-back front axle combine for a class-leading turning-circle diameter.