Chevy-Workhorse Class C chassis sales on the rise

UNION CITY, Ind. — The Chevy-Workhorse Class C chassis grew its market share 10 percent from February 2006 to February 2007. Officials from GM and Workhorse Custom Chassis expect that share will continue to rise in 2007. The co-branded cutaway chassis was launched in November 2004 as a 14,050 lb. GVWR vehicle. That transition went well enough that General Motors and Workhorse announced a year later that 9,600 and 12,300 lb. GVWR models would also become Chevy-Workhorse vehicles.

The Chevy-Workhorse partnerships has translated into a leap from a 9.6 percent to 19.9 percent market share for the cutaway chassis during the above time frame, based on vehicle registration data compiled by Statistical Surveys, Inc., of Grand Rapids, Mich.

Presently, the Chevy-Workhorse chassis is powered by the GM Vortec 6.0L V8 gasoline engine with 300 horsepower and 385 lb.-ft. torque and mated to a Hydra-matic four-speed automatic transmission. The chassis features a coil spring independent front suspension and a rear leaf spring suspension with heavy-duty stabilizer bar. It has four-wheel disc brakes with ABS.

The cutaway platforms have gross combined weight ratings (for motor home with vehicle/trailer in tow) of 16,000 lbs. for the 9,600 and 12,300 lb. GVWR chassis, and 17,600 lbs. for the 14,050 lb. GVWR chassis.