Why Do Some Trucks Still Use Whip Antennae?
Photo: Chevrolet
It used to be standard for cars to have long, metal whip antennae, but like many other automotive design tropes, they’ve fallen by the wayside. Nowadays, most vehicles sport low-profile shark-fin antennae except for trucks like the GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado, which don both types of receivers. Here’s why GM is holding on to this mostly forgotten feature.
The benefits of a whip antenna
Photo: GMC
Although the Sierra and Silverado are built on the same platform as other GM models, including the Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon, and Chevy Suburban, these trucks still sport whip antennae. GM Authority reached out to Tim Herrick, GM Vice President of global product programs, to find out why.
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The latest Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks ride on the GM T1 platform, the same basic architecture shared with General Motors’ line of next-generation full-size SUVs, including the 2021 Chevy Tahoe, 2021 Chevy Suburban, 2021 GMC Yukon, and 2021 Cadillac Escalade. However, the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra are still equipped with whip-style antennas, whereas the new SUVs are not, leading many
GM Authority readers to wonder why. Now, we have the inside scoop from GM Vice President of global product programs, Tim Herrick.
Chevy Silverado 1500
In a recent interview with
GM Authority executive editor Alex Luft, Herrick provided some insight into the antenna discrepancy between the Chevy Silverado / GMC Sierra and GM’s full-size SUVs.
DBusiness Magazine
GM Defense Names New President as North Carolina Facility Opens
Steve duMont has been named president of GM Defense, a division of Detroit’s General Motors Co., the company announced today.
Steve duMont has been named president of GM Defense, and a new manufacturing facility in North Carolina is pumping out infantry squad vehicles for the U.S. Army. // Photo courtesy of General Motors Co.
Steve duMont has been named president of GM Defense, a division of Detroit’s General Motors Co., the company announced today.
In the role, duMont will be in charge of bringing GM’s manufacturing, design, engineering, and commercial innovation abilities to defense and government customers. His announcement comes on the same day that the division opened a new production facility in Concord, N.C., to manufacture a troop carrier vehicle for the U.S. Army.
By KALEA HALL | The Detroit News | Published: May 4, 2021 DETROIT (Tribune News Service) GM Defense LLC, a subsidiary of General Motors Co., named Steve duMont its new president Tuesday as it celebrated the opening of a new production facility in Concord, North Carolina. DuMont, from Raytheon Intelligence & Space, a business of Raytheon Technologies, is joining GM Defense as it prepares to begin manufacturing its Infantry Squad Vehicle, a light and agile all-terrain troop carrier to fulfill a $214.3 million U.S. Army contract the first major defense contract for GM Defense since its 2017 inception. GM Defense will manufacture 649 Infantry Squad Vehicles, based on the Chevrolet Colorado midsize pickup, for the five-year contract. It will support additional production of up to 2,065 vehicles if authorized over an eight-year period.
GM Defense has a new chief engineer March 10
GM Defense was awarded a contract to produce the Army s new Infantry Squad Vehicle and has appointed a new chief engineer to help lead the business into next-generation combat vehicle development efforts in the defense sector. (Photo courtesy of GM Defense) WASHINGTON GM Defense has brought on Rick Kewley as its new executive chief engineer, who will be in charge of all engineering and program execution at the General Motors subsidiary, according to a March 10 company statement. Kewley has a long history at GM a 27-year career and most recently served as GM’s executive director of Global Product Development Quality.