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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.

GMC rules out subcompact crossover to go premium, focus on trucks

Don't wait for GMC's on-again, off-again baby crossover any longer. The company confirmed it has no plans to enter the growing car-based subcompact crossover segment in the near future because the expansion wouldn't fit its image. "I'm going to give you a definitive no on that one," answered Mark Alger, a regional marketing manager for GMC's Canadian division, when asked about the entry-level segment by GM Authority. "We want to position GMC as a premium brand, focus on our trucks, and capitalize on the AT4 name," he added. Positioning GMC as a premium brand wouldn't prevent officials from giving an entry-level the green light; Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz all sell cars priced in the vicinity of $30,000. Focusing on trucks like the Sierra and the Canyon makes sense, however, because they compete in a bigger segment of the market where profit margins are much wider. It helps that GMC doesn't have to worry about markets outside of North America; it's not concerned about its sales and image in, say, Spain. We've heard speculation about GMC's entry-level model since the Granite concept (pictured above) made its debut during the 2010 Detroit auto show. It was approved for production in 2010, approved again the following year (complete with rear suicide doors), and canceled in 2012, but the reports never went away. The segment's popularity added credibility to the recent murmurs describing a born-again Granite aimed at the Honda HR-V and the Toyota C-HR, among others. The Chevy Trax and Buick Encore are both GM vehicles that compete in this segment.  GMC also canceled a body-on-frame, Bronco-taming SUV, according to a recent report. The truck-focused automaker promised every nameplate in its range will receive the rugged AT4 treatment by 2021, however, and it announced plans to show the off-road-ready Canyon in early 2020.

GM CEO to meet with U.S. lawmakers over job cuts

WASHINGTON — General Motors Co Chief Executive Mary Barra plans to visit Capitol Hill next week to discuss the company's plans to halt production at five plants in North America next year and cut up to 15,000 jobs, two congressional aides said on Friday. GM has come under harsh criticism from lawmakers from both major political parties, and from President Donald Trump, since Monday when it announced the biggest restructuring for the U.S. No. 1 carmaker since its bankruptcy a decade ago. Barra is expected to meet with lawmakers from Michigan and Ohio, where GM plans to shutter three plants, as well as senior leaders in Congress. GM did not immediately comment. Barra has been calling lawmakers this week to explain the decision to end production. Trump has threatened to revoke subsidies for GM. The Detroit automaker plans to halt production next year at three assembly plants: the Lordstown small-car factory near Youngstown, Ohio; the Detroit-Hamtramck complex in Detroit; and the Oshawa, Ontario, assembly complex near Toronto. It will also stop building several models now assembled at those plants, including the Chevrolet Cruze, the Chevrolet Volt hybrid, the Cadillac CT6 and the Buick LaCrosse. Additionally, GM plans to shutter the Warren transmission plant outside Detroit and a plant that makes electric motors and drivetrains outside Baltimore, Maryland. The Cruze compact car will be discontinued in the U.S. market in 2019, although GM may continue building it in Mexico for other markets, Barra said. Reporting by David Shepardson. Related Video: