Zac Quinn 
General Motors has strategically scheduled three downweeks at its Fort Wayne, Indiana, assembly plant. These downtime periods, set for April 29, June 24, and July 8, are crucial as they mark the preparation phase for the production of the highly anticipated next-generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickups. The well-spaced timing of these weeks is a testament to the company’s meticulous planning, ensuring that the anticipated downtime won’t hinder vehicle production to meet customer demand.
The Detroit News reports that the renovations underway at the Fort Wayne plant are not isolated events. They are part of a larger-scale operation that will also affect other General Motors plants, including Grand Rapids Operations, Marion Metal Center, Lansing Grand River Stamping, and Parma Metal Center, all of which support Fort Wayne. Each of these locations will undergo retooling in preparation for the arrival of the next-generation pickups, although specific downtime dates for these factories are yet to be announced.
Next-Gen Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra: What To Expect
The next-generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra were originally due in 2025, but The Detroit Free Press reports an updated timeline for 2026. This could be in part to GM’s decision to introduce plug-in hybrid variants of the pickups, which was likely not part of the original plan. But thanks to EV sales not panning out, the automaker will have to achieve EPA compliance some other way. At the same time, Ford already has a hybrid truck on the market, and Ram is set to launch a version of the Ram Revolution electric truck with a V6-powered range extender. But there’s something that GM will have that continues to be a waning commodity: V8 engines.
Where Stellantis is turning from V8 engines entirely in favor of its new inline-six Hurricane in the Ram 1500, we can expect that General Motors will continue to offer V8 power for the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, with a near-$1 billion investment towards producing its Gen VI Small Block V8.
We’ll know more on the next-generation GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado pickups soon enough, so be sure to check in with MC&T for the latest updates on these future GM trucks.
