Photo: GM

The box's fenders and outer tailgate panel are made of reinforced reaction injection molded (RRIM) materials, chiefly polyurea with mica filler. The one-piece inner panel and the inside of the tailgate are formed by a structural reaction injection molding (SRIM) process and consist of a 50/50 mix of urethane and glass fiber. The interior of the box and tailgate are painted with a dark gray "spatter paint" that provides a tough, pebbly surface as well as protection from ultraviolet rays. The use of advanced SRIM and RRIM composite materials reduces the total weight of the truck by approximately 50 lbs., which improves fuel economy and payload carrying capability. The tailgate alone is roughly 15 lbs. lighter than a current steel tailgate, making it easier to open and close.

To make sure a composite pickup box could exceed the expectations - and survive the punishment - of hard-working truck customers, GM engineers installed 48 of the units on Chevy C/K pickup trucks and put them to use in some of the worst operating environments in the North America. In phosphate and sulfur mines, chemical environments and tar sand fields, the composite boxes were pounded, twisted and punished for two years and 1.2 million miles at extreme temperatures ranging from -40 to 170 degrees F. The result: a pickup box that withstood brutal punishment like no other product in the marketplace.

The outer panels not only withstand denting, but also are twice as damage resistant as composite outer panels used on cars such as the Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro, and Pontiac Firebird. If a fender is damaged, it can be removed in less than 10 minutes, repaired in a matter of hours - rather than days - and re-installed with a minimum of downtime. Most scratches on the inside of the box or tailgate can be polished out with a common commercial silicone cleanser. The composite pickup box and tailgate are 100 percent recyclable and will be identified by an abbreviated polymer symbol molded into them. Scrap from the manufacturing process will be reused to make other parts. Over the long term, GM is committed to help develop the recycling infrastructure required to allow the composite box's various parts to be recycled.

The Chevy Silverado with the optional composite pickup box will be built at GM's truck assembly plant in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

The agreement between AB Volvo ("Volvo") and Investor AB ("Investor") involves Investor receiving payment either solely in cash or in a combination of cash and newly issued Volvo shares for Investor's holdings in Scania AB ("Scania").

Investor currently owns 54,061,380 Series A shares and 1,508,693 Series B shares in Scania. Investor will receive a cash payment of SEK 315 per share for 60% of its holdings. For the remaining 40%, Investor will receive, at its discretion, either SEK 315 in cash per share or newly issued shares in Volvo in the proportion of six Volvo shares for each multiple of five Scania shares. If Investor chooses to receive solely a cash payment, Investor has stated its intention to acquire Volvo shares on the market for an amount corresponding to 40% of the payment received.

Currently, Volvo owns 20,015,306 Series A shares and 23,030,970 Series B shares in Scania. After the acquisition of Investor's shares in Scania, Volvo will hold a total of 74,076,686 A shares and 24,539,663 B shares corresponding to 49.3% of the capital and 69.6% of the voting rights in Scania.

Volvo's acquisition of Investor's shares in Scania is conditional upon receiving required approvals from the authorities.Taking into account previous acquisitions of Scania shares carried out by Volvo, the average price paid by Volvo for its shares, assuming that the shares outstanding are acquired for SEK 315 per share, will be SEK 304 per share. This corresponds to a total value for Volvo's acquisition of 100% of the shares in Scania amounting to about SEK 60.7 billion.

F-150 Crew Cab

Photo: Ford