2006 Gmc Sierra 1500 on 2040-cars

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Buyers ditching expensive European sedans to buy expensive American trucks

The New York Times ended the automotive week with a story that adds numbers and context to a range of other stories, from the crossover craze to the increasing median price of a new car to ever more grandiose pickup trucks. The NYT piece reveals that the shift to larger vehicles isn't merely about the average U.S. buyer swapping the midsize sedan for a Ford Edge. Luxury buyers are migrating from plush sedans to plush SUVs and trucks that creep close to six-figure prices, and the Detroit Three are running Treasury presses because of it. From 2013 to 2017, the truck category — everything from pickups to minivans — climbed from 30 percent of the market to 41 percent. In January of this year, trucks claimed 66 percent of new vehicle sales. At the milk-and-honey end of profits, GMC alone accounted for 11.3 percent of all vehicle sales over $60,000, not just trucks. That puts the luxury truck maker behind Mercedes-Benz and Ford, The Blue Oval's feasting on Lariat, King Ranch and Raptor versions of the F-150, which make up more than half of that pickup's sales, putting it ahead of Chevrolet, Porsche and Lexus on the high-dollar sales list. The average transaction price of a GMC in Denali trim last year was $56,000; it's easy to see why, when one dealer told the NYT he just swapped a 2012 BMW 550i for a $71,000 GMC Sierra Denali. That truck starts at $52,900. The NYT started its story with a buyer who took home a Ford Raptor instead of an Audi A6, and optioned that $50,020 Ford Raptor close to $80,000. Over at Lincoln, the new $72,055 Navigator — the one so popular that Ford will increase production — crossed hands for an average sale price of $77,000 in January. And a Jeep dealer told the NYT that the two $93,000 Trackhawks he had on his lot "won't be here more than a few weeks." While trucks head up in sales volume and price, cars are headed so viciously in the opposite direction that "the Detroit Three and even some foreign manufacturers acknowledge they are now losing money on many of the cars they sell." So ... get ready for a lot more crossovers and trucks. Related Video: Find out what vehicle is right for you. Give our Car Finder tool a try.

Editors’ Picks October 2022 | Electric trucks and some excellent SUVs

This month sees a bevy of totally new or totally redesigned cars gain Editors’ Pick status. Important EVs like the F-150 Lightning and GMC Hummer EV quickly jump into the list, and they do so with authority, as all our editors love these trucks. The Range Rover is always a superb experience, and this generation proves to be no different. Plus, the new generation of Kia Sportage continues to surprise and impress. In case you missed our previous Editors' Picks posts, hereÂ’s a quick refresher on whatÂ’s going on here. We rate all the new cars we drive with a 1-10 score. Cars that are exemplary in their respective segments get EditorsÂ’ Pick status. Those are the ones weÂ’d recommend to our friends, family and anybody whoÂ’s curious and asks the question. The list that youÂ’ll find below consists of every car we rated in October that earned an EditorsÂ’ Pick. 2022 GMC Hummer EV The Four-Wheel-Steer system lets the 2022 GMC HUMMER EV Pickup m View 17 Photos Quick take: The Hummer amazes as an electric supertruck with its wild acceleration, incredible off-road capability, luxuriousness and epic utility. It's far from a "green" eco-friendly vehicle, but that's not the point of this technological powerhouse. Score: 8.5 What it competes with: Rivian R1T, Ford F-150 Raptor R, Ram 1500 TRX Pros: Stupid quick, tons of tech, off-road capability in spades Cons: Not efficient, annoying in tight spaces, price From the editors: Road Test Editor Zac Palmer — "I don't think I've driven a more ridiculous vehicle this year, but that's sort of the point with the Hummer. There's a great argument against this sort of EV in that it doesn't live up to being an efficient and planet-friendly vehicle, but hey, that's not the point. The Hummer EV is a supertruck and wild technological masterpiece for off-roading in the same way that a mid-engine supercar is to track performance. It's not meant to be the EV everybody drives to work and back (mostly because few can afford it), but it serves as a line in the sand of what can be done with electric off-road trucks. This pickup rules, and if you can afford one, you're going to love it." Senior Editor, Green John Beltz Snyder — "This Hummer revival is a showcase of technology and capability on the part of GM, making it an absolute blast to drive and a joy to use.

5 things we love about the 2019 GMC Sierra AT4

NEW YORK — The 2019 GMC Sierra AT4 proves that GM's upmarket truck and SUV brand is getting serious about offering rough-and-tumble capability to rival the Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra, Ram 1500 and Nissan Titan. Until the Sierra AT4 rolled onstage at a media event in lower Manhattan, prior to this year's New York Auto Show, the GMC brand had been more focused on luxury touches like fancy chrome wheels and posh interiors — no surprise, considering the upscale SLT and Denali trim levels account for the vast majority of GMC sales. So now GMC wants to get muddy and adventurous? Well, yes and no. The AT4 adds hardware that'll take truck buyers off the beaten path, though this GMC isn't anywhere close to being a Spartan, no-frills work truck. To better explain, let's look at five key features we love about the 2019 GMC Sierra AT4: More than stickers and chrome The Sierra AT4 isn't a cynical marketing ploy, there is some true all-terrain toughness built into this pickup truck. A factory-installed lift kit raises the AT4 by two inches, while Rancho monotube shocks, a locking rear differential, a two-speed transfer case and standard all-wheel drive prove this GMC can dare to venture off paved surfaces — though you might risk getting mud and muck on the truck's handsome 18- or 20-inch alloy wheels. Power and economy The Sierra AT4 comes standard with a 5.3-liter V8 coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission. In the standard Sierra 1500, this engine produces 355 horsepower. GMC didn't mention engine specs here in New York, though it's possible the AT4 might get a small power bump. This engine should be plenty for most truck buyers, though GMC offers two tempting alternatives. These include a turbo-diesel 3.0-liter inline-six, along with a 6.2-liter V8. Both motors are paired to stop-start fuel-saving systems, along with a new 10-speed automatic transmission. Carbon fiber cool factor The GMC Sierra's available carbon-fiber cargo bed, called CarbonPro in GMC-speak, trims 62 pounds of weight, as compared to a traditional all-steel bed. This slick feature uses carbon composites for interior panels and, judging from GMC's videos of burly bricks and huge hammers being thrown into a CarbonPro cargo bed, it should prove more than up to the task of ... well, having someone throw bricks and hammers into the cargo area.