13 Sierra 2500hd Sle Crew Cab 4x4 Diesel Custom Wheels Power Running Boards on 2040-cars

Auto blog

GMC introduces off-road performance package for Sierra AT4

GMC is giving its off-road-focused Sierra AT4 pickup even more performance with some factory-installed upgrades. The package is called the AT4 Off-Road Performance Package. With it you'll get the 6.2-liter V8 engine upgrade, cat-back performance exhaust system, performance air intake and 18-inch aluminum wheels shod in Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tires. The upgraded performance comes in the form of extra power. Thanks to the bolt-ons, you gain 15 horsepower and 9 pound-feet of torque over the 6.2-liter in stock form. This increases output to 435 horsepower and 469 pound-feet of torque — not too shabby. This package is priced at $4,940, and available for order now. That's a hefty price for what amounts to some minimal bolt-on modifications you could easily do yourself. However, buying it through GM means you get to keep your warranty in place. The Sierra AT4 already has more off-road features than a normal Sierra 1500. You're getting a two-inch lift, four-wheel drive with two-speed transfer case, locking rear differentials, skid plates, Rancho off-road shocks and hill descent control. Both the wheels and tires are available as options already, but this package just bunches related stuff together. It'll be up to you to decide if an exhaust and intake are worth the extra dough. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

GM readying aluminum-body fullsize pickups

Ford's extensive use of aluminum in its 2015 F-150 is a big deal. A really big deal. Big enough, in fact, that General Motors is reportedly changing its fullsize pickup strategy. According to The Wall Street Journal, The General has locked in partnerships with Alcoa Inc. and Novelis Inc. - companies that will supply aluminum for the next-generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks.
"Ford's introduction of the 2015 F-150 pickup truck was a game changer, and it's the first, not the last, conversion of this type," Novelis spokesperson Charles Belbin told the Journal. The switch to aluminum has allowed Ford to shave roughly 700 pounds off its fullsize truck's curb weight. And while official mileage ratings have not been announced, the weight loss should go a long way for improving efficiency, especially when combined other efficiency-minded improvements including better aerodynamics and new, turbocharged V6 engines.
Of course, aluminum-bodied cars are nothing new. But extensive use of aluminum in a major, best-selling product like the Ford F-150 is expected to kick off widespread use of this weight-saving material as availability rises and cost decreases. The WSJ reports that GM had originally explored the idea of moving to aluminum pickups back in 2008, but abandoned the idea due to cost concerns amid economic woes.

GM also sheds parts from its pickups to boost payload ratings

The row between Ford and Ram over who boasts the best-in-class tow rating for heavy duty pickups has revealed a number of things. Chief among them is a report that Ford removes items like the spare tire, jack, radio and center console from its vehicles in a bid to lower its base curb weight and therefore keep the truck's gross vehicle weight rating down.
For those that need a refresher, GVWR is the vehicle's curb weight plus its maximum payload. A lower GVWR allows Ford to station its F-450 among the so-called Class III pickups, despite the fact that internally, it has the makings of a more brutish Class IV truck.
Ford explains away these deletions, saying a customer could order their vehicle in such a manner. It has also come to light that Ford is not the only automaker to engage in such practices.