Dubai:
These pick-ups do more than just weather all sorts of terrain. So much so, they have become lifestyle choices of their owners much in the manner of a high-performance sportscar or a super-luxury prestige model.
And the new-age ‘lifestyle pick-ups’ — all of the leading models from the Big Three American manufacturers are currently in their new-generation avatars — are starting to give SUVs a serious run for their money. “Where earlier a buyer would still have opted for a SUV because of the many interior features and other bells-and-whistles, the current crop of lifestyle pick-ups have completely bridged that gap,” said Rajesh Krishnan, general manager for sales and marketing at Liberty Automobiles, which is all set to welcome the brand new Chevrolet Silverado over the coming days.
“It means that these trucks now have the same navigation and entertainment systems such as touchscreens and Bluetooth technology that are there in a certain grade of SUVs, which is what is attracting the young buyers.”
The UAE automotive retail market is estimated to account for around 3,000 units of these lifestyle pick-ups, while the overall pick-up category was around 9,000 units last year. This year could see another 3,000 odd units being sold, with the real momentum expected next year as both the Silverado and the GMC Sierra 1500 — launched regionally in September — from the General Motors’ stable will have full-year benefits.
Buyers certainly skew young and predominantly Emiratis. According to Krishnan, 80-85 per cent of buyers would answer this description, though in Dubai over the “recent past there are more expats buying now”.
General Motors has finetuned the likely buyer base for its GMC Sierra 1500 — its most powerful version yet — to perfection. “They are characterised as more affluent, more likely to be a professional — in attitude and approach — and willing to spend more for a pick-up that delivers superior capability, premium features and craftsmanship,” said a spokesperson at the manufacturer’s regional office.
“We expect the new Sierra to have a particular strong appeal to 25-35 year old males who are looking for social recognition and are happy to display signs of success. The vehicle will have strong appeal to our loyalists. However, we expect the new design and features to also appeal to customers who are not strongly brand loyal.”
The model — in both six- and eight- cylinder settings and sporting spanking new EcoTec3 engine — also gets to regional showrooms later in the month and priced between Dh107,983 to Dh198,392 (for the top-of-the-line Denali version). On the inside, there is the ‘IntelliLink’ platform operating a high-definition eight-inch colour touchscreen, Bluetooth phone features, and available navigation with new 3-D map displays.
“We have had a plan in place for more than a year to manage the sell-down of the previous generation pick-ups and ramp up the new models,” the General Motors’ spokesperson added.
With the Silverado too, there is an expanded engine line-up from the same EcoTec3 family, including a six-cylinder “work truck”, according to Krishnan. Prices start from Dh102,000 and go up to Dh195,000 for the top-notcher. “What it means is that there is a specification available that covers nearly all of the requirements of the target buyer,” said Krishnan. “When the buyer base is as dominated by the young as this category is, it pays to be offer all possible options and refinements.”
