WHAT'S NEW IN TRUCK GRILLES, YOU ASK?

Chevrolet and Toyota this week sent us photographs of their upcoming new truck grille designs, one accompanied by a hyperbolic press release reading, "An exciting new era of innovative and captivating frontal design begins now!"  Well, that was Chevrolet's announcement; Toyota just included a Post-It with a scribbly handwritten note stuck to the photo, reading, "New grille."     

Chevrolet Tahoe's new air filter/grille 

"The grille is actually the air filter," explained GM spokesman Dobie DeBoyd. "There is a significant increase in filtering capacity over the previous underhood filter. Plus, it changes color as it gets dirty. Pretty cool, huh?" 

For now, the filtering grille is available only on Tahoe and Suburban.  

Not everyone, however, is impressed with Chevy's new grille. 

"How the hell are we supposed to find enough shelf space to stock dozens of air filters the size of ironing boards?" asked Herculon Bieber, the assistant manager of the O'Reilly Auto Parts store over on E. Figmont.    

Toyota, meanwhile, claims its new zippered grille--which will be available on both the Tacoma and Tundra-- is "sporty looking" and will provide easy access for maintenance and repairs.

"Say you have to change the air conditioning condenser. Just unzip it and pull it out," explained Toyota spokesman Pepito Bismol, adding, "Wait, that sounds bad. Maybe I should say 'unzip the grille and disconnect the condenser'."  

Toyota says the zipper grille can also be ordered in a left-to-right opening model.