Let’s celebrate the lengths GM will go for a bit of hype. What we all want from the upcoming refreshed 2021 Chevy Silverado is a new fascia. Oh, and a better interior. What we’ll get is something that serves little purpose that no one wants. That would be a six-position tailgate with a secret seventh position. Different positions are good for some things, but a tailgate? So now the Silverado will feature an option that nobody asked for. 

Look, we’ve all owned tons of trucks over the years. In all of the years you have driven pickups have you ever wished your tailgate could open in different configurations like a Rubix Cube? We’ve seen the GMC “MultiPro” multi-position tailgate and must assume it is selling well. Otherwise, the hype of a six-position tailgate would not be thrust upon us.

Now it is rumored there will be a sort-of secret seventh position

So now Chevy wants to follow GMC but with a twist. It is rumored that there will be a sort-of secret seventh position. One more than GMC’s six. This raises a number of questions. First, why wasn’t GMC’s six enough? If the brain trust at GMC felt six were golden how come they didn’t have a seventh to consider? Or offer? Is GM cheating truck buyers by not offering seven tailgate positions?

And, if the engineers within GMC didn’t figure out the seventh position, then are they really up to the task? Maybe they should all just go to Ram or Ford if they can’t figure out seven positions like Chevy has been rumored to have.

Here’s what GMC says about their MultiPro tailgate. First, it is a GMC exclusive and an industry first. So would be a big rubber stopper in the middle of the bed to help drain water. But we digress. It also says this is the “most innovative tailgate ever.” Um, yeah.

Here’s what GMC says the MultiPro tailgate does

Then there is what GMC says the MultiPro tailgate does. First, with it comes “enhanced second-tier loading and load-stop solutions.” It can also become a standing workstation. With it, you get easier access to items in your pickup box. Finally, “a step entry and egress mode that, when paired with the assist handle, offers both step and seat functionality.”

Some of these explanations make us feel like we should want this MultiPro tailgate because, you know, GMC makes it sound so revolutionary and necessary. But every tailgate since the beginning “can also become a standing workstation.” And putting any and all tailgates down gets you “easier access to items in your pickup box.” So, what’s the big deal?

Maybe we need to review what exactly the six MultiPro positions do. The primary position is with the gate down. Then, there’s the gate down with a built-in load stop. Next, there’s a foldable inner gate that allows you to reach further back into the bed. How and why we don’t know. You can also open the tailgate into a footstep. Why you would need that is not mentioned. 

Are you compelled to get your MultiPro tailgate?

Next, it can be folded back up into a raised load stop, or the step/stop can be closed for a chest-level work surface. So there you go. Are you compelled to get your MultiPro tailgate? Well, if so there are limitations.

First, you can’t get it on the base Sierra, SLE, or Elevation trims. It comes standard on SLT, AT4, and Denali Sierra models. That means to get your MultiPro tailgate you’ll have to spend at least $43,300.

But the bigger question should be why? Why do truck buyers need a seven-position tailgate? What has been missing for 100+ years that seven tailgate positions can remedy? GMC says, “The Sierra’s MultiPro tailgate delivers proven strength and durability having undergone more testing and validation than any tailgate in GM’s history.” OK, then!

Remember diesel Cadillacs?

Remember the diesel Cadillac? How about the Chevy SUV with the sliding top? Or the Avalanche with the sliding partition that rattled from the first day it was purchased? Or what about those plastic-bodied minivans that weighed more than a normal, boring, standard metal-bodied minivan? Can you guess where we’re going with this? 

These were all “innovations” nobody asked for that went nowhere. C’mon, GM. The fascia on the Silverados is what is jarring. The tailgate? Nobody cares.