2003 Gmc Yukon Xl 1500 Denali Sport Utility 4-door 6.0l on 2040-cars

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GMC Sierra Elevation Edition is a dark take on a tough truck

GMC proved that it knew how to make a mean-looking pickup with the 2015 Sierra Elevation Edition. For the 2016 model year, the company is applying that aggressiveness to the refreshed Sierra that already looks tougher than the predecessor. The result is a seriously brawny truck that hits the market in the first quarter of 2016. Still based on the Sierra Double Cab, this latest take on the Elevation Edition starts with all of the styling tweaks for the standard 2016 truck, including a reshaped grille and headlights. From there, the pickup gets monochromatic with body-color parts for the door handles, mirror caps, grille surround, and bumpers. Black, 20-inch wheels finish the aggressive aesthetic. Drivers get an interior packed with tech, complete with a six-speaker stereo and seven-inch infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All the occupants can also stay connected anywhere with OnStar 4G LTE and a WiFi hotspot. Under the hood, the Elevation Edition comes standard with a 4.3-liter V6 making 285 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque. A 5.3-liter V8 with 355 horsepower is also optional. Regardless of the powerplant, both come with a locking rear differential and the choice of two- or four-wheel drive. Check out the video below for a closer look at last year's truck, then scroll just a little bit further for the complete press release from GMC. Related Video: GMC Updates Sierra Elevation Edition for 2016 Sport appearance wears new front-end design, latest connectivity technologies DETROIT – The popular GMC Sierra Elevation Edition returns for 2016 with the styling enhancements and other features new to the entire Sierra 1500 lineup – including revised front-end styling with new, high-intensity discharge projector-beam headlamps and GMC Signature LED lighting. The Elevation Edition – available on Sierra double cab – has a street-smart stance, thanks to body-color moldings, door handles, mirror caps and a body-color grille surround, as well as body-color bumpers. It also rolls on 20-inch black-painted aluminum wheels and is further enhanced with new Elevation Edition badging. "The Sierra Elevation Edition offers a boldly styled pickup for customers who want a truck that looks as good as it performs," said Duncan Aldred, U.S. vice president, Buick and GMC.

GM trademarks 'GearOn,' possibly for pickups

On May 27, a week before General Motors applied for a trademark for the word "Zora," GM filed a trademark application at the US Patent and Trademark Office for "GearOn," characterized as a "truck bed cargo system comprised of tiered storage cross rails, utility rack stanchions, cargo dividers and cargo tie down rings."
We have no idea what it will be or if we'll see it used on anything, but GM Authority reckons it could be GM's name for a pickup truck feature to rival the BoxLink system Ford introduced on the 2015 F-150. BoxLink has been described as having "dozens of configurations of stowable cargo ramps and lockable die-cast aluminum tie-down cleats," giving owners the ability to arrange the bed in they way they need and load unwieldy items like motorcycles without needing extra equipment.
Getting purely speculative, a month ago GM pickup truck engineers said there would be more and more regular updates for the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra starting next year. Beyond the suspected capability and fuel economy changes GearOn could be one of the "neat things coming in a whole host of areas."

GM will no longer remove parts from trucks to calculate curb weights

Following last week's mild uproar after it was discovered that Ford and General Motors were removing some optional parts from their pickups to lower the curb weight and consequently increase the maximum payload, GM has come out and committed to a base curb weight for its upcoming Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon compact trucks (although it has yet to publish them) and its current Silverado and Sierra. The company will do the same for its heavy duty offerings, although those numbers have not been finalized yet.
"This will make our curb weight and payload specs more consistent with those of most other truck makers, making it easier for customers to compare vehicles," GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson told Autoblog in an emailed statement.
As GM notes - and as every manufacturer has noted since this story broke - customers still shouldn't take max payload ratings as gospel. Instead, they should refer to their truck's Tire and Load Label, like the one shown at the inset, which will offer detailed information on max payload, specific to their truck.