2006 Chevrolet Kodiak C4500 Pickup by Monroe Truck Equipment review

Chevrolet Kodiak C4500 Pickup by Monroe Truck Equipment review:

A luxury exterior finish, a liberal use of stainless steel and other premium appointments, and a high-end entertainment system bring heavy-duty panache to a Chevrolet Kodiak C4500 pickup specially upfitted by Monroe Truck Equipment. The truck will be shown for the first time at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

“Not only do our upfitted medium-duty trucks provide the strength and capability to get the job done, an increasing number of customers are choosing these trucks because of the element of comfort and luxury they provide,” said Ross Hendrix, General Motors director of marketing for commercial trucks and vans.

“For this special Detroit vehicle, Monroe Truck Equipment has included a number of interior and exterior features that are certain to make this a crowd favorite.”

Work and play in style

Whether at work or at play, the Kodiak show vehicle delivers a truckload of premium style. It begins with three coats of White Diamond Pearlcoat custom paint with matching outside mirrors, door handles and grille. White Diamond Pearlcoat is the same paint found on Cadillacs.

Enhancing the shimmering aspect of the White Diamond Pearlcoat paint is the liberal use of stainless steel (on the tube grille, bed rails, steps to the Crew Cab and cargo box, front and rear wheel covers, and pintle plate cover) and chrome (fuel door, hood latches, front light bar and rear tube bumper).

Inside, the Chevrolet Kodiak C4500 pickup by MTE is finished with a carbon-fiber appearance – applied to the steering wheel, door, dash trim and center console – and custom gray carpet, with matching front and rear floor mats.

That’s entertainment

Also worthy of a standing ovation is the entertainment system in Chevrolet Kodiak C4500 pickup by MTE. It features an MTX sound system that includes:

Eclipse AVN300 touch-panel multi-source receiver with DVD navigation, video, radio and backup camera system

Thunder Axe Separates front speakers (6.5-inch woofers and tweeters with crossover network)

Thunder Dome Axials, 6.5-inch rear speakers

Carbon-fiber appearance – center console/subwoofer/amplifier

Thunderform enclosure featuring a 10-inch Thunder 4500 subwoofer and a 200-watt amplifier

Additional entertainment can be supplied by the DVD system that includes a 10-inch overhead monitor and two 7-inch headrest-mounted monitors.

Strong work ethic

Chevrolet Kodiak C4500 pickup by MTE is as powerful as it is stylish, thanks to the Duramax 6600 V-8 turbodiesel. It delivers 300 horsepower (224 kw) at 3100 rpm and 605 lb.-ft. (820 Nm) of torque at a very low 1600 rpm and is mated to an Allison 1000 five-speed automatic transmission.

Cargo-carrying capability and convenience are accentuated by Chevrolet Kodiak C4500 pickup by MTE’s 8-foot dually pickup box with spray-in bedliner and a retractable and extendable tonneau cover. Yet another convenience feature is a rearview camera mounted above the Class 5 trailer hitch. The camera is especially handy when hitching a trailer or during challenging backups in tight spots, such as launching a boat.

Whether trailering a boat, trailer or riding empty, this special Kodiak delivers a comfortable ride, thanks to the UltraRide chassis air suspension with kneel valve and the exclusive MTE cab air suspension designed for the C4500.

“As with other vehicles General Motors and Monroe Truck Equipment have developed together, the show truck featured at the 2006 NAIAS addresses the needs of those customers who want to take their transportation to the next level,” said Rick Rufenacht, vice president of marketing and sales for Monroe Truck Equipment of Monroe, Wis. “Many of our customers spend a lot of time in these vehicles, and they want to feel comfortable and pampered – and they want to stand out from the crowd.”

“Many of the elements found in the Kodiak show pickup are available on our production models. As many of our customers have found, the Chevrolet Kodiak pickup by Monroe delivers workhorse performance and durability in a distinctive, roomy and well-appointed package. When one considers all of the capabilities of this vehicle – including its 26,000-lb. GCWR – $70,000 for a well-appointed vehicle is an amazing value,” Hendrix added.

About Monroe Truck Equipment:

Monroe Truck Equipment, with headquarters in Monroe , Wis. , and five locations throughout the Midwest , has been in business since 1958 and has become a leading modification center through work and service above the industry standard. MTE distributes, installs and paints pickup truck accessories and truck equipment, in addition to manufacturing a complete line of snow and ice control equipment and an extensive line of truck bodies. MTE processes more than 18,000 trucks per year. Please visit www.monroetruck.com for more information.

About GM:

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest automaker, has been the global industry sales leader since 1931. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 325,000 people around the world. It has manufacturing operations in 32 countries and its vehicles are sold in 200 countries . In 2004, GM sold nearly 9 million cars and trucks globally, up 4 percent and the second-highest total in the company’s history. GM’s global headquarters are at the GM Renaissance Center in Detroit . More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com. End of Chevrolet Kodiak C4500 Pickup by Monroe Truck Equipment review.