10-Minute Interview: GM Boss Mark Reuss Talks Diesel Half-Tons, Cadillac, More

GM unveiled the 2015 GMC Sierra HD and Chevrolet Silverado HD pickups in Texas last week, and during a break in the action, we found ourselves in the unexpected company of GM’s president of American operations Mark Reuss. He fielded questions from a small group of journalists for about 10 minutes, offering candid and concise answers. Here are Reuss’s most-informative responses, as well as our short reactions to his replies:

Why does GM seem to be so hesitant to launch a diesel in the half-ton-pickup segment?

Mark Reuss: We’re not hesitant to commit to diesel, we just haven’t reported it to you.

While GM reps had no definitive news to add, they did say that they are bullish on diesel, and are keeping a close eye on the Cruze diesel’s performance in the marketplace.

What can you tell us about the soon-to-be-revealed GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado mid-size pickups?

MR: The GMC will be more focused on conquest activity, whereas Chevy will be more aimed at faithful customers, and we want it to become ubiquitous—kind of like the Tacoma is on the West Coast.

Dethroning the Tacoma on the West Coast is an admirable goal, but could prove to be challenging. Toyota’s all-conquering mid-size pickup is so abundant in beach communities, it’s almost as if residents are issued one on their 16th birthdays.

Is there any chance of GM building a direct competitor to the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor?

MR: I don’t think there are enough cool-sounding predatory dinosaur names left to choose from. Seriously, in the current truck market, we are focused on refinement and simply out-engineering our competitors.

A smart move, as any attempt to catch up now would require the truck to equal or better the Raptor in every measure, which would be no mean feat, lest the effort be branded too little too late.

• Comparison Test: 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 vs. 2013 Ford F-150, 2013 Ram 1500
• Comparison Test: 2014 Chevrolet Impala vs. 2013 Chrysler 300, 2013 Dodge Charger, 2013 Hyundai Azera, 2014 Kia Cadenza, 2013 Toyota Avalon
• Instrumented Test: 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z51

With the Corvette and large trucks and SUVs launched, what’s next?

MR: We need to fix the problems in Europe and fix the holes in the Cadillac lineup. Really, it’s just about getting the core right for all our products first and foremost.

Wise words that will pay off if the organization gets on board from top to bottom. Europe is a wild card because the market continues to sag, while models that are reasonably successful stateside aren’t exactly lighting up the Continent. Cadillac is on a roll of sorts, but needs to address the flagship question with a stronger product than the XTS. We’re hoping its replacement takes cues from the Elmiraj concept.

Were you surprised the 2014 Impala earned the “highest-rated sedan” accolade from Consumer Reports?

MR: Not at all.

The Impala also acquitted itself very well in our latest large-sedan comparo, finishing a close second. It’s said that confidence is contagious; let’s hope the rest of the GM lineup is starting to sniffle.

Source: CarAndDriver