The Design and Development of the 2003 Chevrolet Kodiak and GMC TopKick Medium Duty Trucks 2002-01-3100

For model year 2003, the General Motors Corporation is introducing new medium duty trucks - the Chevrolet Kodiak and GMC TopKick. These new trucks replace the previous versions of the Kodiak and TopKick medium duty trucks that were introduced in 1989 and the Chevrolet and GMC 3500HD that debuted in the 1991 model year. This new series of trucks marks a clear change in General Motors' strategy in the medium duty marketplace. It emphasizes General Motors' strong commitment to the medium duty market, as well as a strong focus on customer needs, vehicle quality and reliability. This paper describes the General Motors strategy in the medium duty market, along with the history of the design and development of these new products. Finally, this paper will discuss performance to program objectives.