It was born out necessity, which proves to be very practical.
GMC introduced 2019 Sierra with a unique tailgate design and technology that would give it an edge in its class. The Sierra came standard with the MultiPro tailgate.
MultiPro’s innovative tailgate design allows for six different ways to open the Sierra’s tailgate. It can be used as an entry step, seat, bed extender, standing workstation or entry point to the truck bed. Two-tier storage is possible. The MultiPro tailgate is demonstrated in the video below.
Only a few people are aware of the history behind MultiPro’s tailgate system.
The Detroit Free Press reports that Jim Gobart was asked by a GM manager to solve a problem in 2009. Gobart is the creator of the MultiPro tailgate. He was a technician who was given the task to find ways to improve GM cars.
Gobart says this is the problem. “Every time I go to Home Depot, I load up a pickup with items. By the time I get back, the stuff has moved forward and I can’t reach them.”
Gobart had some ideas, and he presented them to his boss. The ideas were then re-purposed into something useful and practical like the MultiPro tailgate system.
Gobart said, “I called it ‘Stairway To Heaven’ after the Led Zeppelin song. I thought it would be a good name and would definitely want it,”
It was not implemented immediately as GM had entered bankruptcy in the same year. The plan was also to transfer the technology to the Sierra, which was in the middle of its lifespan.
However, Gobert’s ingenious ideas became a reality 10 years later.