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2017 GMC Acadia loses 700 pounds, gains everywhere else

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Acadia. The 2017 version of the three-row GMC crossover has all kinds of newness. The 2017 Acadia has lost 700 pounds compared to its predecessor thanks to high-strength steels allowing redesigned parts, and the fact that it overall, the vehicle is actually smaller. Length is reduced by 7.2 inches on a wheelbase diminished by 6.4 inches, it is 3.5 inches narrower and sits 3.9 inches lower. The 2016 Acadia was 4,656 pounds, the 2017 is 3,956 pounds. GMC says it will still swallow people, but not as many: the eight-passenger option didn't make the transition, potential three-row trims permitting five-, six-, and seven-passenger configurations. While you lose space, you gain convenience with a split-folding second row featuring tilt-and-slide for both sections. The third-row seats fold flat into the cargo floor, and if the second row is folded as well, cargo capacity improves over the 2016 Acadia, 79 cubic feet compared to 70 cu-ft. A new 2.5-liter four-cylinder brings a second engine option to the spec sheet, returning an estimated 22 city miles per gallon and 28 highway mpg with the help of stop/start tech on front-wheel-drive trims. The new 3.6-liter V6 gets around 310 horsepower, a power bump of about 19 hp, and an estimated 25 highway mpg in front-wheel-drive guise. Towing capacity for that V6 goes down, though, from 5,200 on the current Acadia to an estimated 4,000 pounds. The optional Tow Vision Trailering system will make that pulling easier. Both engines are hooked to a six-speed automatic. Now we can get to its looks. Trademarks like the square, flared wheel arches, dark D-pillars, and wraparound rear side windows made the transition, everything else is new. While weight has gone down, safety's gone way up with internal changes like the splayed chassis members to confront the small-offset test. New active safety upgrades run from from three kinds of automatic braking systems to surround vision cameras, automatic high beam control, a safety alert seat, and a following distance indicator. Buyers can choose from a front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, or All Terrain model, each with its own electronic drive selector modes. The Normal, Sport, and Trailer/Tow modes are common to the trio. The FWD gets a Snow mode, the AWD adds adaptive 4x4 and Off Road modes; on the AWD, the 2x4 mode disconnects the rear axle from the drivetrain.

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

Weekly Recap: Geneva's splendor reflects growing demand for ultra-luxury cars

Geneva is one of the most glittering auto shows in the world, but the list of high-powered and bespoke luxury cars was decadent this year even by the rich standards of the Swiss exhibition. It's great for enthusiasts to revel in the flame-throwing Aston Martin Vulcan, the racing-inspired elegance of the Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 concept and the insane performance of the Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce, but there's a reason for all of this opulence: the luxury market is big business. And it's growing. IHS Automotive forecasts that so-called ultra-premium sales will nearly triple this decade from 123,000 to 353,000 units around the world. The estimate includes brands like Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari and Rolls-Royce, but doesn't count BMW, Mercedes and Audi, which offer less expensive models in addition to their high-end flagships. Though IHS includes Porsche and its relatively large volume in the study, the ultra-premium segment is still set grow at about the same rate, even without the German automaker's figures. So what is propelling all of this growth in the most expensive segment of the auto industry? Put simply, there's more rich people. IHS Automotive principal analyst Tim Urquhart pointed to economic expansion in China, market recovery in the United States and a surge in the lucrative technology sector as contributing factors. This dovetails with a research report by UK-based Oxfam, an international relief organization, which found the world's richest one-percent owned 48 percent of global wealth in 2014, and it's expected to increase to more than 50 percent by 2016. View 17 Photos Carmakers are moving quickly to capitalize with new products, expanding their portfolios with low-volume speedsters like the 800-hp V12 Vulcan at Geneva, and plans to enter new segments, like Rolls-Royce's strategy to make an SUV. "Ultra-premium carmakers are looking to explore ways of growing their product offerings, and thus their bottom lines, in this most potentially profitable of segments," Urquhart wrote in a report on the Geneva show. In a nutshell, there are more choices for people with more money. It's a good time to have expensive taste. Other News & Notes 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata production launches It won't be long now. The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata arrives later this year, and it's officially in production. Mazda announced this week that the roadster began rolling off the assembly line at its Ujina factory in Hiroshima, Japan.