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GM crab walked the Hummer EV truck up and down Woodward this weekend

Sometimes, manufacturers like to show off their fancy new wares at the Woodward Dream Cruise. It’s largely done through static showcases with big displays for the public to gawk at. However, GM did something a little different with its GMC Hummer EV truck this year. Instead of parking it at the Chevy and GM display area, it took to Woodward Avenue itself to show off the Hummer in pre-production form. Not only did GM drive the electric truck on the road in front of thousands, but it crab walked the whole way. This was our first time, and probably most of the publicÂ’s first time seeing the Hummer EV crab mode in person. Judging from the crowdÂ’s reaction (GM got its wish of everybody paying attention), folks are impressed, and maybe a bit confused at the HummerÂ’s sideways movements.  ItÂ’s a strange spectacle to see in person. At first, the truck appears as though itÂ’s sliding sideways on ice in a smooth, graceful slide. ThatÂ’s because even though the wheels are turned, the front of the truck is still pointing dead straight ahead. The GM employee behind the wheel of the prototype appeared to be moving forward at about 5-10 mph — it appears shockingly quick in person for the way this behemoth of a truck presents itself. The tech making it work is rather simple in concept. GM simply took existing rear-wheel steering technology, then amplified and modified it for this type of movement. Whereas most cars with rear-wheel steering max out at around 5 degrees of lock with the rear wheels, this Hummer can turn the wheels up to 10 degrees. Turn the wheel left or right in crab mode, and the Hummer moves diagonally down the street. If you use it for its intended purpose, crab mode is meant to help you navigate the Hummer through trails it might otherwise be too big to fit through using regular steering. In reality, we suspect most folks might use crab mode in the exact same fashion as GM did this past weekend: to impress people. And honestly, we canÂ’t blame them. It was a seriously cool sight to see. Crab mode in action: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2020 GMC Sierra Heavy Duty First Drive Review | King of the haul

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — The 2020 GMC Sierra Heavy Duty is a bit of a mixed bag. It excels at the tasks an owner is likely to require from a massive pickup truck, but the interior is a definite letdown. Taken as a whole the truck boasts several class-leading specifications and features that make up for the lackluster look and feel of the cabin. And it's much more successful than the mechanically similar Chevy Silverado HD, which shares the Sierra's weaknesses but few of its subjective strengths. GMCÂ’s Sierra HD may share most of its major bits and pieces with the Silverado, but the strongest reason to pick the GMC over the Chevy is that the SLE and SLT trims of the Sierra HD are legitimately handsome. And the rugged, off-road-themed AT4 package is new for 2020 with a blacked-out look that we think a lot of buyers are going to love. Even the ostentatious, chrome-dipped Denali trim looks classy compared to the in-your-face look of FordÂ’s Super Duty line. The same canÂ’t be said for the Silverado HD, which, depending on trim level, varies from garish to just plain ugly. The six-function MultiPro tailgate is the next major differentiator. ItÂ’s not perfect — and mounting a hitch ball in the receiver renders some of its functionality unusable — but itÂ’s unique and potentially very useful to a subset of truck customers. WeÂ’ve covered MultiPro several times already, but if youÂ’re still not clear on its advantages, watch the video below for a demonstration (that's a light-duty Sierra in the video, but the tailgate works the same). This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Another unique selling proposition is the AT4 trim, since Chevrolet doesnÂ’t (yet) offer its Trail Boss package on the Silverado HD. The most obvious competitor to the Heavy Duty AT4 is the Ram Power Wagon, and the GMCÂ’s 3,615 pounds of payload and 18,500 pounds of towing capability handily outdo the RamÂ’s ratings of 1,660 and 10,620. Granted, the trucks arenÂ’t aimed at quite the same buyer — the Power Wagon has legit off-road credibility thanks to upgrades like its electronically disconnected sway bars, 12,000-pound Warn winch, and a forward-facing trail camera. But unlike the GMC Sierra AT4, it isnÂ’t available with a diesel. No matter; those aiming for a rough-and-tumble appearance in a heavy duty now have a couple options.

GM profit dips on truck changeover, but beats estimates

DETROIT — General Motors on Thursday reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit despite a drop in production of high-margin pickup trucks, as it gears up for new models that are expected to boost profits next year. Like rivals Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, GM is banking on highly-profitable Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks to lift profits, as consumers shift away from traditional passenger cars in favor of these larger, more comfortable trucks, SUVs and crossovers. During the first quarter, the process of changing over to GM's new pickups resulted in a drop in production of 47,000 units. GM Chief Financial Officer Chuck Stevens said the production drop had resulted in a drop in pre-tax profit of up to $800 million. Earlier this year, GM said its 2018 profits would be flat compared with 2017, but expected its all-new pickup trucks would boost margins starting in 2019. On Thursday, GM reiterated its full-year 2018 forecast for adjusted earnings in a range from $6.30 to $6.60 per share. The automaker said capital expenditures were more than $500 million higher in the quarter because of investments its new pickup trucks and a family of low-cost vehicles under development with Chinese partner SAIC Motor Corp. On Wednesday, rival Ford said it would stop investing in most traditional passenger sedans in North America. CFO Stevens told reporters on Thursday that GM has "already indicated that we will make significantly lower investments on a go-forward basis" in sedans. 2019 GMC Sierra View 21 Photos GM benefited from a lower effective tax rate in the quarter, but adjusted pre-tax margin fell to 7.2 percent from 9.5 percent a year earlier. Stevens said the company's profit margin should hit 10 percent or higher in the second quarter and for the full year. GM said material costs were $700 million higher in the first quarter, and it expects those costs to continue rising. The automaker said it would counter those increases with cost cutting measures. "It is a more difficult environment than it was three or four months ago," Stevens said when asked about rising commodity prices from potential steel and aluminum tariffs announced by the Trump administration. "But we are confident we can continue to offset that." The company reported quarterly net income of $1.05 billion or $1.43 per share, a drop of nearly 60 percent from $2.61 billion or $1.75 per share a year earlier. Analysts had on average expected earnings per share of $1.24.