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2018 GMC Sierra 1500 Buying Guide | What you need to know about this pickup truck

The GMC Sierra is a work-capable truck that can be optioned like a luxury car. Variety and choice are the keywords for the Sierra, not to mention close rivals like the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, and Chevrolet's own Silverado 1500. A Sierra buyer has a seemingly infinite list of choices when it comes to specifying exactly what they need in their pickup. In terms of cab length alone, there are three choices – Regular, Double, and Crew – to go along with your pick of Short, Standard, or Long cargo bed. Engines range from a 4.3-liter V6, upward to a range-topping 6.2-liter V8 available in top trim levels like the SLT and Denali. The Sierra can be ordered with a choice of two- or four-wheel drive, and transmissions include both a 6- and 8-speed automatic, depending on your choice of powertrain and trim. Changes for the 2018 model year include the standard fitment of a rearview camera, along with a Tire Fill Alert system that lets the driver know when the correct pressure has been reached. A 7.0-inch touch-screen stereo system is also now standard equipment on base Sierras. Is the 2018 GMC Sierra Safe? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives the 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 an overall crash-test rating of five stars. In front and side impact tests, the latest Sierra 1500 scored a five-star safety rating. A four-star rating was recorded in the Rollover resistance test – this rating applies to Sierra trucks fitted with either rear- or all-wheel drive. Because the Sierra is such a popular vehicle, it's worth noting that the NHTSA conducted crash tests on models fitted with both these drivetrains, and in two cab lengths. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which provides ratings for new vehicles based on its own comprehensive crash tests, also tested two versions of the Sierra 1500. The extended cab model registered "good" ratings in all but one of the IIHS' crash tests. Driver side protection in the small overlap test was deemed "acceptable" – front passenger-side results were not rated. Headlight effectiveness was given an "acceptable" rating, dependent on trim level selected. Meanwhile, the ease of use of the Child Seat Anchors (LATCH) was deemed "acceptable" in the extended cab Sierra. Ratings dip slightly for the Sierra 1500 in standard cab format. Driver-side protection in the front small overlap test drops to "marginal," while the available LATCH system scored a "poor" for its ease of use.

GM is quietly slashing prices on base models

While General Motors' fourth quarter financial figures haven't yet been released, the automaker seems to be weathering a potentially rocky time well, even beating third-quarter projections last year. To keep the climb going, the company is launching new base trims for several popular models that make them cheaper than ever but with tight dealer margins. The new entry-level trims are the Chevrolet Cruze L, Equinox L, GMC Terrain SL and Buick LaCrosse 1SV. Buyers lose some content by picking them, but the prices are slashed. According to Cars Direct, the biggest savings are on the LaCrosse, where customers pay $31,065, plus $925 destination, $2,570 less than the previous base 1SB trim but must accept things like 17-inch wheels and no cargo net in the back. If you're wondering how Buick can remove only a little equipment but cut the price so much, it's because the company also slashed dealer margins. According to Cars Direct, the difference between the invoice and MSRP for the LaCrosse 1SV is only around $150, compared to around $1,350 before. The disparity is even greater for the Cruze with an $81 difference in the prices, compared to about $600 for the LS version. Showrooms are expected to keep very low stocks of these trims, though. "Dealers use such vehicles to get people in the door, but they do not generally want to do high volumes of these strippers. The margins are next to nothing; they don't make much money off these cars," said Ed Kim, Vice President of Industry Analysis for AutoPacific to Autoblog. Dealers are also expected to advertise that these new base trims undercut major competitors. For example, the Cruze L rings up for about $2,320 less than a Honda Civic LX, according to Cars Direct. One potential drawback for buyers is that these models might not be eligible for incentives. While the attractive prices might get customers into dealers, folks may not actually end up driving home with these entry-level models. Kim indicated base trims also make up a small portion of the sales mix. "Consumers aren't asking for stripped out vehicles, even at the low end of the marketplace," he said. Featured Gallery 2015 Chevrolet Cruze View 9 Photos News Source: Cars DirectImage Credit: Chevrolet Buick Chevrolet GM GMC Car Buying Car Dealers Crossover Sedan gmc terrain cheap cars

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.