Ever notice this? After so many years of the 4x4 truck designated a k series, in 87 they changed it to "V", they changed the GMC Suburban to a "Yukon XL", in 95 the S-10 Blazer was now a "Blazer", the full-size Blazer was now a "Tahoe", and now their 1-ton truck is now a "2500HD". Only the dually is a "3500". What was their logic? to confuse the public? Ford stuck to the same format since forever.

 

To make you believe that you're buying a completely new concept, with a nice shiny new nameplate to go with it.. Marketing, ain't it great.

 

Well, the "K" designation for 4x4s was still the same up until 1998. The 88-98 trucks were still "C" or "K" just like they always were.

As far as your other questions....I'm just as confused as you are. In fact, I just posted a Chevy question similar to this in the SuperDuty forum today. Who knows what GM is thinking? After seeing the front end on the new trucks...they obviously are confused themselves.

 

What about the F-150 Ranger? They turned the Ranger name into a compact truck. Didn't Ford also use the Exlplorer name with the F-150? (may be wrong on that one)

 

Maybe they should change the name of the Avalanche to - UPPT (Ugly Plastic Psudo Truck)

 

"Ranger" and "Explorer" were option packages in the 70s only, (I think), and they waited about 15 years so most people would forget about them before giving the names to brand-new vehicles. The "V" designation was only used for 87, then switched back to "K" to further confuse the people.

 

Well sort of.. the Explorer was an F150 option up until '85 or '86, then the Exploder came out as a 91 model to replace the BII. The Ranger was last used as an F150 option around '79 and the compact truck came out in '83. So it was a few years between the name changes.

GM has done the same thing with the name changes, but they didn't waste anytime in confusion. The names for the large sport ute Tahoe (AKA "Big" Blazer) was an option package name on the ChEzY truck line a year or two prior to that. They call the trucks Silverados- again, another option package.

I thought it was funny when GM called that Toyota Corolla a "Nova." If you know spanish, the name fits perfectly - No Va = No Go. Then a Geo Prism? Now they have the little Malibu, too. It's fast enough to be a police cruiser, though.
I think they should quit resurrecting the names unless they come up with a car worthy of them... like the new T-bird... it wasn't really a dead name, having only been retired for a few years with the plan to bring it back on the roadster, but it makes my point. The car fits the classic styling it was named for.

I'm waiting for a "new" Granada .

-Kerry