1987 Gmc Sierra Classic, Loaded Local Truck, 5.7 Fi, Red On Red, Nice! on 2040-cars

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General Motors could turn Hamtramck into its electric pickup, SUV hub

Electric off-roaders could revitalize the Detroit-Hamtramck factory that General Motors previously announced it will close. While official details remain shrouded in secrecy, analysts believe the plant will be re-tooled to manufacture at least three electric models due out during the early 2020s. The plant's scheduled closure was one of the grievances the United Auto Workers (UAW) union cited when it embarked on a 40-day strike in September 2019. General Motors agreed to keep it open without shedding much light on what it planned to build there. Analyst at LMC Automotive told the The Detroit News they believe an often-rumored electric SUV that will resurrect Hummer's name, image, or both will be one of the models assigned to the Hamtramck plant. Battery-powered variants of the GMC Sierra and the Cadillac Escalade will be made there, too, as will an enigmatic van. LMC Automotive's Jeff Schuster believes the van will come first; it could enter production as early as 2021. The Hummer — which might also be offered as a pickup — will follow before the end of 2022, while the Sierra and the Escalade will both arrive in 2023. We're taking this report with a grain of salt, though, because only one of the aforementioned models has been announced by General Motors. Rumors of a Hummer resurrection emerged in the summer of 2019, just a few weeks before we heard unverified reports of a battery-powered variant of the next-generation Escalade. General Motors confirmed plans to enter the burgeoning electric pickup truck segment, which Ford, Rivian, and Tesla also have their sights on, but it hasn't detailed how or when. The van is a mystery. General Motors refused to comment on the report. It previously announced it will keep Hamtramck open, and invest $3 billion to build electric vehicles there. The investment will create 2,225 jobs. Inaugurated in February 1985, the Hamtramck factory has churned out a diverse selection of models over the past 34 years, including Cadillac's Eldorado, Seville, and Allante, the Oldsmobile Toronado, the Buick Riviera, and more recently, gasoline-electric Chevrolet Volt. General Motors announced plans to close Hamtramck in 2018, but it quickly backpedaled and extended its lease on life until 2020 by keeping the Chevrolet Impala and the Cadillac CT6 around for a few additional months.

2016 GMC Sierra All Terrain X is cool but no Raptor threat

If you want a brutish off-roader from Ford or Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, you're spoiled for choice. There's the F-150 SVT Raptor, the Jeep Wrangler, and the Ram Rebel and Power Wagon. But since General Motors killed the Hummer brand, it's been without any real competitor to those trucks. The new, special edition GMC Sierra All Terrain X is not going to be that vehicle, but it's close enough to be worth a look. The oft-overlooked Sierra All Terrain's off-road suspension and Eaton locking rear differential give it some real trail credentials. The All Terrain X builds on both with cosmetic and performance upgrades. For most owners, the big draw will be the brawnier 5.3-liter V8. Fitted with a performance exhaust, it should deliver a meatier tone, and according to GMC it bumps output up from 355 to 365 horsepower. The other big performance upgrade comes from the tires, knobby Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac MT mud-terrain-rated things. The tires and their accompanying 18-inch black aluminum wheels are nice touches. Cool as the All Terrain X might be, it strikes us as an odd strategy for the GMC brand. For one, the trail-ready tires and performance exhaust of the All Terrain X don't seem to fit into the more premium market position that GMC occupies. Moreover, Chevy already has an off-road-oriented pickup in the new Colorado Z71 Trail Boss. Visual upgrades like the black bed-mounted sport bar, LED off-road lights, blacked-out accents, and the 18-inch wheels, the look of the All Terrain X is more in line with the Colorado Trail Boss theme. It's just our two cents, but it seems like attaching the All Terrain X's aesthetic to the Silverado would have been a stronger strategy, and would give Colorado buyers a larger off-road-focused truck to aspire to. You can look for the special edition All Terrain X in GMC dealers this spring, with prices to be announced closer to the on-sale date. Read on for the official press release from GMC. Related Video: GMC Announces Sierra All Terrain X The News GMC today announced the 2016 Sierra All Terrain X – a special edition of the All Terrain model, featuring exclusive premium content that enhances off-road capability and an aggressive, monochromatic appearance. The All Terrain X's powerful attitude reflects a popular personalization trend among off-road enthusiasts, executed with the top-range refinement GMC has cultivated for years with models such as the Sierra Denali.

Son surprises his dad by restoring his 1949 pickup for Christmas

Norman Meal, an 83-year-old retired farmer from Rushville, IN, nearly missed his big Christmas gift when his son, Kyle, first presented it to him. Norman was oblivious and was looking all over the garage floor until Kyle pointed out a satin black pickup with a bow on it parked inside. This wasn't just another case of a child buying a parent a dream vehicle; the '49 GMC sitting there was Norman's very first truck that was restored and ready to drive. According to Fox 59 WXIN, Norman's father purchased the GMC in 1949, and Norman bought it from him in the mid '50s to use on the farm. However, for about the past 13 years, the truck had been rotting away in the garage of one of Kyle's friends. As a perfect gift to his dad, Kyle took the pickup to a restoration shop to make the old vehicle roadworthy again. Practically everything was replaced – except for the horn. Thankfully, Kyle filmed his dad's reaction to getting the GMC. Check it out and watch them take a drive in the heartwarming video above.