2008 Gmc Yukon Xl 1500 Denali on 2040-cars

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Why 2015 is going to be a huge year for trucks

Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn took center stage to introduce the 2016 Titan last week at the Detroit Auto Show. He spoke of the truck's new features, impressive Cummins V8 diesel engine and the extensive amount of time and money required to build a modern, competitive pickup truck. "We have done all of this because we see opportunity – an opportunity in the unmet needs of today's American truck customers," Ghosn said. He was speaking about the Titan, but his thoughts echo the industry's mindset: When it comes to trucks, find an opportunity and attack. Even with CAFE regulations looming and fickle consumer preferences, investing in trucks is a no-brainer for automakers. Some consumers will always need a truck for their job or lifestyle. And some people will always want one, whether they need it or not. With that in mind, here are four reasons why the pickup-truck sector is more important than ever and poised for growth in 2015. View 24 Photos The Nissan Titan Is Back Okay, it never left, but the Titan hadn't been redesigned since its launch in 2003, and Nissan sold more NV200s than Titans in 2014. It's an understatement to say the truck was languishing. That all changes with the 2016 model. The Titan will come in two variants, a traditional fullsize competitor and the Titan XD. The XD will lead the market launch, and it arrives late this year. It's pitched as a "whitespace" offering, Nissan sales and marketing vice president Fred Diaz said. The idea is to offer something in the general size and price range of a fullsize truck, but also have some of the capability of a heavy-duty truck. The XD uses a fully boxed ladder frame, the chassis design from Nissan's commercial division, and the wheelbase is about 20 inches longer than other Titan models. The XD, which Nissan is calling the flagship of the line, will be the only model with the 5.0-liter Cummins turbodiesel V8. It produces 310 horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque, while being able to tow 12,000 pounds. V6 and V8 gasoline models will also be offered on the Titan XD and the standard, non-XD model. When production ramps up, the Titan will be sold with several cabs, beds and trims. New features include trailer sway control, an integrated trailer brake controller, more storage options in the cabin and even laminated front and rear side glass to reduce outside noise. All of this has given Nissan fresh confidence in an area where it admittedly has been lacking. "We can compete," Diaz told Autoblog.

2017 GMC Acadia First Drive

We're in the midst of the Second Great CUV War, and the crossovers are winning by a lot. Compact sedans are being hauled around the side of idled factories and unceremoniously shot. FCA, whose be-sweatered CEO is either omnipotent or a troll of the highest order, is organizing a last stand around profit-dense SUVs and trucks on the off chance that gas prices don't rise ever again. It's the tall wagon's finest hour, and GMC is hoping the new Acadia will capture a share of the glory. The old Lambda-platform Acadia was introduced in 2007, leading the full-size, three-row crossover charge that spawned a quartet of semi-indistinct variants, including a Saturn. (Remember Saturn?) These four were truck-like in heft and capabilities, but lighter and better-mannered than their body-on-frame counterparts – and with an unusually stout 5,000-pound towing capacity. The Lambda siblings bombarded established beachheads on the sales territories occupied by minivans and truck-based SUVs. Last year, GMC moved nearly 100,000 Acadias in the US, the best year ever for the model. Now GMC shows up with a deflated Acadia for 2017, 7.2 inches shorter overall, 3.5 inches narrower, and with a 6.4-inch-shorter wheelbase. The company has even carved something like 700 pounds out of its previously portly unibody, mostly due to the size reduction but also through an increase in the percentage of high-strength steel and the use of lighter soundproofing materials. GM's C1XX platform was launched with the Cadillac XT5 earlier this year, and this GMC version is the second to appear. There's even an available four-banger, but more on that in a bit. What remains to be seen is whether the downsized Acadia represents a leaner, meaner fighter or if GMC is sending it into battle hamstrung. Outside, the new Acadia is stealthily innocuous. Gone is some of the lozenge-ness of the outgoing Acadia, but don't fret about it standing out from the crowd. The overall styling falls into lockstep with the Sierra and Canyon. The cut of the rear window, with an upsweep at the trailing edge, emulates the brand's mid-sized truck offering. A chrome mustache cuts across the front fascia below the grille, and there's more brightwork around the front side windows and at the crease below the scallop in the doors. The taillights are more contemporary than before, with an attractive elongated C element comprised of LEDs.

2017 GMC Acadia adds four-cylinder and All Terrain model

General Motors has officially started the process of updating its long-in-the-tooth fullsize CUVs by unveiling the second-generation GMC Acadia at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show. While the Acadia is 700 pounds lighter, it's also shorter and narrower, which means it's not quite the people mover it used to be. You'll no longer be able to haul eight passengers, although there will still be five-, six-, and seven-passenger offerings. While families might not be thrilled with the loss of a seat, the lighter weight is a net win. Not only will the V6 model feel more powerful and efficient – in addition to the lower curb weight, there's a new, 310-horsepower engine – but it will also likely be more economical. GM estimates the front-drive V6 will return 25 miles per gallon on the freeway, compared to 24 mpg for the current front driver, but city fuel economy remains pegged at 17 mpg. In a move we're not entirely sold on, though, the Acadia will also adopt a four-cylinder engine, and no, it's not GM's highly regarded 2.0-liter turbo. Instead, you'll be able to order this 4,000-pound CUV with a 2.5-liter, 194-horsepower four-cylinder. What it won't be able to provide in straight-line speed, it will make up for with fuel economy. GM is wagering the front-drive, four-cylinder Acadia will net 22 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway. Both engines are paired with a HydraMatic 6T75 six-speed automatic. A new All Terrain model is said to be optimized for wet, snowy and icy conditions, and its drive mode selector removes the Off Road selection in favor of All Terrain. We have live images of both the new Acadia Denali, as well as the new-for-2017 All Terrain model, direct from the floor of the 2016 Detroit Auto Show. There's also a video of the full GMC press conference with reactions from our editors. Check them out. GMC Introduces All-New 2017 Acadia * 700-lb. lighter, more efficient crossover aimed at heart of midsize segment * Expanded range of available active safety features, including Front Pedestrian Braking and Surround Vision Camera * New powertrains include a 2.5L I-4, offering a GM-est. 28 mpg hwy, and an available est. 310-hp 3.6L V-6 * Acadia Denali with new, exclusive Continuously Variable Ride Control * New Acadia All Terrain with an advanced AWD system with Active Twin Clutch * On sale this spring DETROIT, Tuesday, Jan.