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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.

2018 GMC Yukon Denali gets a sculpted new grille

More than half of all GMC Yukon and Yukon XL models sold wear top-level Denali trim. That's a profitable scenario for the automaker, so, perhaps above all else, GMC needs its premium Denali series of vehicles to continue to stand out in a line of trucks and SUVs at the dealership lot. Hence, chrome, and lots of it. But for 2018, GMC is blessing the behemoth Yukon Denali with an added dose of class with a new multi-dimensional grille. "The new grille, which is flanked by HID headlamps and LED Signature Lighting, advances the design legacy established with the very first Yukon Denali in 1999," said Matt Noone, director of Global GMC Exterior Design. In addition to a sophisticated new look, the grille adds customizable cooling capabilities to the Denali range. Active shutters open when additional cooling is needed, or close to reduce aerodynamic drag when the engine isn't too warm. Further increasing the efficiency of the big brutish 'ute is a new 10-speed automatic transmission. That's two extra gears over the 2017 Yukon Denali, leading to a numerically lower final drive to help save fuel at highway speeds. Inside, Mastique Ash wood trim differentiates the 2018 model from previous years. A 420-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 engine remains standard for 2018, as do blingy 20-inch wheels with 22 inchers optional. Related Video: Design/Style GMC SUV Luxury gmc yukon denali

2015 Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra recalled for steering issues

DETROIT — General Motors Co is recalling more than 1 million pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles in the United States due to issues with a temporary loss of power steering, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said. The recall is for 2015 models. They are: the Chevy Silverado 1500, Suburban and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon and Yukon XL and Cadillac Escalade. The problem may cause difficulty steering the vehicle, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash, the auto safety regulator said in a document dated Sept. 12. The document did not highlight any reports of accidents and injuries, because of the power steering issue. GM dealers will update the power steering module software, free of charge for owners of the affected vehicles. In 2014, the No.1 U.S. automaker had recalled nearly 800,000 pickup trucks worldwide because of the same problem. GM did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Related Video: