The success of Asia carmaker to break into US market really makes the US company likes GM suffered.
So, in the era of expensive fuel, GM has no choice but to produce more fuel economy models for their truck to compete with Asian carmakers such as Honda and Toyota. That is why for the 2009 model; new fuel economy models for four of its biggest, thirstiest trucks, the Chevrolet Silverado and gmc Sierra pickups and the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon SUVs will be release.
Grouped under the moniker XFE, which Chevrolet has already used on a high-mpg version of the Cobalt small car, the trucks will return 15 mpg in the city and 21 on the highway. That fuel consumption will represents a single mile-per-gallon improvement for both city and highway, compared to non-XFE versions with the same 5.3-liter V8 engine.
Unlike the two-mode hybrid versions of the company’s big trucks, the XFE models use totally conventional means to achieve their improvements. All XFEs will use six-speed transmissions and a 3.08 axle ratio, and for the Chevy Silverado and Sierra XFEs get aluminum lower control arms for the front suspension, and an aluminum spare wheel and aluminum 17-inch wheels wearing low-rolling-resistance tires with higher recommended tire pressure to reduce dragging force that could increase the fuel consumption.
Furthermore, to improve aerodynamics, the pickups’ suspension has been lowered and the XFEs carry deeper front air dams and soft tonneau covers.
