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2021 GMC Canyon gets AT4 trim and a 'more upmarket' Denali

The AT4 train continues at GMC, with the 2021 Canyon AT4 climbing to altitude in Vail, Colorado, to announce its arrival. The off-road package, teased during the Sierra HD launch last year and already rolled out on the Sierra and Acadia, replaces the Canyon All Terrain trim. The rectangular grille goes away, the new rig picking up a larger, Sierra-like grille with a dark chrome surround and vertically-oriented fog lights. And because nothing says off-road badass like red recovery hooks, of course there's a pair peeking out from under the tweaked lower bumper. Otherwise, all the All Terrain kit carries over, like the tuned suspension with Advanced Hill Descent Control, transfer case skid plate, automatic locking rear differential, and 31-inch Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac® tires on 17-inch aluminum wheels. Inside, the headrests are embroidered with AT4 logos, and Kalahari stitching is exclusive to this trim. GMC also announced a more polished Denali trim, without providing any photos. The coming pickup adopts a grille with a "more sculpted and layered pattern," plus five-inch chrome assist steps, and 20-inch Diamond Cut aluminum wheels that we'll assume come in a different pattern than the current 20-inch Diamond Cut aluminum wheels. The cabin goes upscale with open-pore ash wood trim and aluminum trim, a new Cocoa/Dark Atmosphere color theme, and unique stitching. Both the AT4 and Denali offer the same two engine choices. There's either the 3.6-liter V6 throwing out 308 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, shifting through an eight-speed automatic, or the 2.8-liter Duramax diesel producing 181 hp and 369 lb-ft, shifting through a six-speed auto. The 2021 trucks will be available later this year, pricing to be announced closer to the on-sale date. The 2020 Canyon All Terrain starts at $37,695, the 2020 Canyon Denali starts at $41,595. Featured Gallery 2021 GMC Canyon AT4 View 11 Photos Related Gallery 2021 GMC Canyon AT4 View 11 Photos GMC Truck Luxury Off-Road Vehicles

Next-gen Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra may use carbon fiber

It's been generally accepted that the next generation of full-size GM trucks will use some sort of strong, lightweight material for the beds while retaining steel for the cab. While aluminum seems like the most obvious choice, according to Automotive News, the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra will incorporate both aluminum and carbon fiber in their beds. The publication cites sources from within GM, though it seems the introduction of this comparatively exotic material mix is still a few years off. While carbon fiber is both stronger and lighter than steel and aluminum, it takes significantly more time and money to produce, essentially relegating the material to small-volume cars. The main benefit for trucks is the resulting reduction in weight to improve fuel economy without sacrificing the tough, rugged capabilities truck buyers expect. The Ford F-150 made the switch to aluminum for the 2015 model year and it's proved highly successful. It seemed like it was only a matter of time before the competition followed suit. Automotive News says that the next-gen trucks will launch with aluminum beds and that it will take a couple of years before we'll see any carbon fiber incorporated into the design. Even then, only look for the composite material on higher-trim models, with a trickle down to lower-spec trucks possible further in the future. In 2011, GM announced it was working with Japan-based Teijin Limited on a carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic. There's a good chance that material's introduction will be on trucks. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News Plants/Manufacturing Rumormill Chevrolet GM GMC Truck

United States drivers buying fewer Mexican-made cars

Crossovers and pickup trucks are not only growing in market share, they're also more profitable than cars. A crossover on the same platform as a sedan retails for thousands more, despite similar components. It's one of the reasons we've seen automakers rapidly shifting production of their sedans and hatchbacks to Mexico, where cheap labor preserves the thin profit margins on these inexpensive vehicles. But as the market continues to shift in the United States, Mexico is getting burned by its lack of product diversity. The country's auto exports, which are heavy on cars, suffered a 16-percent drop last month, Automotive News reports. In total, year-over-year exports fell from 233,515 to 197,020 last month, while year-to-date exports are down by 7.4 percent, from 922,029 to 854,118. The number one culprit? America – which usually accounts for 75 percent of Mexico's exports – and its appetite for crossovers and pickup trucks bolstered by cheap gas prices. While Mexico does build some light truck models – AN specifically calls out the Ram 2500, Honda HR-V, GMC Sierra, and Toyota Tacoma as export leaders – the vast majority of vehicles rolling out of its factories are sedans and hatchbacks. In fact, the three biggest drops in Mexican exports came from companies whose south of the border factories only build cars – Ford (Fusion/Lincoln MKZ and Fiesta), Mazda (Mazda3), and Volkswagen (Golf and Jetta). Mexican Automotive Industry Association President Eduardo Solis told AN the export shortfall will likely be sorted out sooner rather than later, thanks to a pair of new factories – a Kia car factory and an Audi SUV plant – that are coming online by year's end. The two facilities will add around 100,000 vehicles to the country's export totals, which Solis said should leave the industry on the verge of breaking another export record in 2016. But how sustainable will these record-breaking years be? Slapping an "Hecho en Mexico" sticker on a new German SUV won't be enough to change the fact that Mexico's product mix is tilted too heavily towards body styles that are not growing in volume. Mexico's record-breaking export years probably aren't at an end, but we'd argue they're certainly under threat. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Omar Torres / AFP / Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing Ford GMC Honda Mazda RAM Volkswagen Truck Crossover SUV Mexico