Gmc: Sierra 2500 Sle on 2040-cars

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GM able to add diesel to half-ton pickups if market demands it

A few years ago, the trend in half-ton pickup trucks was ultra-luxurious trims, often with the words "limited" or "platinum" tacked on after the model name. That was well and good, but we like this latest fad a lot more - diesel engines. First, Ram came to bat with a 3.0-liter, V6 turbodiesel for the 1500, then Nissan announced that the next-generation Titan would be getting an eight-cylinder Cummins diesel.
Now, word is coming in from AutoGuide that General Motors can, if it so chooses, drop a diesel engine into its light-duty trucks. The plot thickens, though, as it turns out that said diesel would be the same one Ram is using for its truck. According to AG, that engine comes from VM Motori, which GM owns a sizable chunk of. Therefore, GM can snag the 3.0-liter, V6 diesel for its trucks just as easily, if not more easily, than Ram.
If it's so easy for the Detroit-based manufacturer to access the engines, why not offer the a diesel-powered Sierra and Silverado from the start, then? According to GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson, The General doesn't seem so confident in a diesel pickup outside of its HD offerings. According to Wilkinson, the cost-benefit ratio doesn't line up for customers, thanks to both the impact on the truck's sticker price and the higher price of diesel, in general (the national average for a gallon of diesel is 43 cents more than a gallon of 87-octane unleaded).

2020 GMC Sierra Heavy Duty teased, and you better believe there's a huge grille

Chevrolet has shown us a few photos of its redesigned Silverado Heavy Duty, and today we score our first teaser of the GMC Sierra version of this truck. The most controversial feature of the Silverado HD has to be its massive grille, and the Sierra appears to be no different. Just from this photo of the face, we can already tell it's going to be as bold, some might say gaudy, as the Chevy. We'll have to wait awhile to see it all, though, as GM says the Sierra HD will be making its debut in the second half of 2019. It's no Supra teaser campaign, but this one is already starting out pretty early for a work pickup truck. As far as features and technical details go, mum is the word for now. However, we can assume the Sierra will be nearly identical with the Silverado HD powertrain-wise. We know two engines will be offered on that truck, one being a gasoline V8 and the other a Duramax turbodiesel V8 — the former will be mated to a six-speed automatic, while the latter gets the 10-speed auto. Even though it isn't out yet, the torque figure is already less than the Ram and Ford heavy duty trucks at 910 pound-feet from the diesel. The Ram Heavy Duty just revealed at the Detroit Auto Show scores a whopping 1,000 pound-feet of twist in the torque department. We'll know more about the Sierra HD when the Silverado HD presumably gets revealed with full details at the 2019 Chicago Auto Show at the beginning of February. One thing's for sure: If you want chrome and lots of it, you're gonna get it with the 2020 GMC Sierra HD. 2020 Chevy Silverado HD View 5 Photos Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

GMC considers adding more vehicles to broaden product line

GMC is considering expanding its product portfolio in the next 10 years to allow it to reach more potential buyers and grow sales, a top executive said Monday. The small and midsize sport-utility-vehicle segments are two possibilities, said Duncan Aldred, GMC sales and marketing vice president. He also said GMC won't make a car, preferring to reinforce its reputation as a maker of trucks and SUVs. "There's plenty of opportunities even if we define ourselves as a we do as a truck and crossover brand," he said. He wouldn't comment on the possibility of adding a Jeep Wrangler-fighter, though rumors have swirled for months that GMC is considering a product to compete with the iconic off-roader. "I can't confirm that ... everything's on the table," he said. He also said that it's possible GMC could get a unique set of underpinnings – all of its vehicles share platforms that are also used by Chevrolet – but it's not needed to differentiate his brand. "I'm very happy sharing underpinnings and everything else," he said. "All of the good-performing automakers do that." Speaking to journalists at a roundtable at General Motors headquarters in Detroit, Aldred said GMC received an investment from GM that is double what the brand has historically spent to fund its growth plans. Advertising spending alone will increase 50 percent this year compared with 2014. The brand rolled out a new ad campaign on Monday, called "Precision," that will underscore attention-to-detail and the premium features of GMC vehicles. Two of the commercials have a sporting theme, and the third focuses on modern menswear. GMC called it a "contemporary interpretation" of the brand's traditional positioning, and it will also continue to use its long-running "Professional Grade" tagline. The premium positioning of the ads come as buyers are increasingly outfitting their trucks as near-luxury vehicles. The percentage of buyers opting for the top-end Denali trim has increased from 17 percent in the middle of 2014 to 21 percent now. The goal is to get Denali to make up 25 percent of GMC sales by the end of 2017, Aldred said. Spurred by the higher Denali take-rate, the brand's transaction prices leapt by $3,000 last year. "It's [Denali] really kind of this jewel in the crown," Aldred said. GMC sales increased 11.3 percent in 2014 to 501,853 units, making it GM's-second-best-selling brand behind Chevrolet.