Once deferred by a bankruptcy-embattled GM, plans for a redesign of the mid-size pickup trucks – GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado – are underway again, according to reports. The mid-sized pickup truck has been a staple of the light truck business with plenty of offshore competition until recently.

The current Colorado and Canyon replaced the Chevy S-10 and GMC Sonoma compact pickups in 2003. According to PickupTrucks.com, the current products were to be wrapped up as part of GM’s restructuring plans. However, that strategy has been turned around in the past few months. There may be an awkward gap in production, as the current product is scheduled to end production by the middle of next year.

Replacement versions, however, are considered unlikely to show up until at least the end of 2013, and more likely around the middle of 2014. A strengthening market could make additional alternatives more feasible, such as continuing production as is, or moving it to Wentzville, MO, where capacity is available. However, it is not clear that a turnaround has changed what has recently been a shrinking segment of the truck market.

Toyota, Nissan and Dodge are all reported to be moving new products into the mid-size segment, so the loss of momentum from being absent in the market could be more costly to GM than continuing the current generation and perhaps tweaking it a little, with new colors or options.