Marketing mid-sized pickups could be tricky
 

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Now that General Motors has announced Chevrolet will market a mid-sized pickup, the next step is making it appealing to buyers, especially those who prefer full-sized trucks.

It may require some tough tactics.

Last week GM announced that the Colorado pickup will be redesigned and get bigger. The rumor had been circulating Detroit for months

Specifically, production of today's Colorado, a slow-selling compact pickup, will end in the 2012 model year, and it will be replaced by a wider and longer mid-sized pickup, GM calls it.

Last week GM showed journalists in Detroit the mid-sized Colorado, a very attractive pickup concept. Specifications were not revealed.

The next-generation Colorado is a response to proposed CAFE regulations that require an overall light-duty vehicle average of 54.5 mpg by 2025. Under the proposal, cars are required to improve fuel economy by 5 percent annually, while trucks require a 3.5 percent improvement. The final regulations will be announced next year. The 2012 model year regulation calls for an overall mpg standard of 30.1 mpg.

The mid-sized Colorado pickup will be lighter and more fuel efficient than today's full-sized pickups, serving as an alternative if fuel prices climb to a level not been seen before. Details were not revealed.

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