Showing posts with label GMC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GMC. Show all posts
8/13/11
Ram Power Wagon and Ford F-350 Super Duty - GMC Sierra Denali 2500HD
3/2/11
GMC Denali XT Concept 2008
Auto Car | GMC Denali XT Concept 2008 | The 2010 Detroit Auto Show opens in Detroit today with a new crossover concept from GM, the GMC Granite.
The Granite may be on display as a concept car, but it's closely related to a new vehicle already headed to Chevrolet dealers, the 2011 Orlando. It's a safe bet that GMC will get a version of the Granite to sell in the 2012 model year, but GM hasn't confirmed its plans for the small wagon just yet.
The Granite may be on display as a concept car, but it's closely related to a new vehicle already headed to Chevrolet dealers, the 2011 Orlando. It's a safe bet that GMC will get a version of the Granite to sell in the 2012 model year, but GM hasn't confirmed its plans for the small wagon just yet.
GMC Granite Concept 2010
Auto Car | GMC Granite Concept 2010 | At this year's Detroit Auto Show, GM is going to unveil the smallest GMC ever, the Granite Concept.
"Granite was conceived as a new type of vehicle from GMC - one that could stretch people's ideas of what a GMC can be," said Lisa Hutchinson, product marketing director for GMC. "We call it an 'urban utility vehicle' and our goal was redefining what the GMC name could mean to a new generation of customers looking for both bold design and functionality."
The Granite is a full two inches shorter than the GMC Terrain and is aimed at young professionals. The concept is powered by GM's new turbocharged 1.4L four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed transmission. In the Chevy Cruze the engine puts out138 horsepower and 148 lb-ft. of torque. The Granite concept features a four-door design with suicide doors. Since the concept doesn't have a B-pillar there is easier access to the passenger area.
"Granite was conceived as a new type of vehicle from GMC - one that could stretch people's ideas of what a GMC can be," said Lisa Hutchinson, product marketing director for GMC. "We call it an 'urban utility vehicle' and our goal was redefining what the GMC name could mean to a new generation of customers looking for both bold design and functionality."
The Granite is a full two inches shorter than the GMC Terrain and is aimed at young professionals. The concept is powered by GM's new turbocharged 1.4L four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed transmission. In the Chevy Cruze the engine puts out138 horsepower and 148 lb-ft. of torque. The Granite concept features a four-door design with suicide doors. Since the concept doesn't have a B-pillar there is easier access to the passenger area.
GM hasn't announced if the Granite concept is destined for production.
Combining a decidedly urban-industrial design aesthetic with functionality aimed at young professionals, the GMC Granite concept takes the brand's trademark capability in a new, more progressive direction. It was introduced at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit
If brought to market, the Granite would be the smallest GMC ever - but has been optimized to feel much larger. Its length is a full 2 feet (0.6 m) shorter than the new Terrain compact crossover, but its open interior was designed to be spacious and flexible to fit the needs of active people. Generous cargo space and unique flipping/folding seats, for example, enable a mountain bike to be loaded completely inside with the tailgate closed.
"Granite was conceived as a new type of vehicle from GMC - one that could stretch people's ideas of what a GMC can be," said Lisa Hutchinson, product marketing director for GMC. "We call it an 'urban utility vehicle' and our goal was redefining what the GMC name could mean to a new generation of customers looking for both bold design and functionality."
Like GMC's current lineup of trucks, SUVs and crossovers, the Granite delivers style and capability, with advanced features, high-quality materials and exceptional attention to detail. An industrial-influenced exterior is combined with a spacious interior that features precise instruments and leading-edge technology. The climate system, navigation and infotainment technologies, for example, are viewed via an extra-wide, next-generation organic light-emitting diode technology that is more dynamic than the conventional screens used in most production vehicles.
"We think of the Granite as the automotive equivalent of an urban loft apartment," said Dave Lyon, executive director of North American Interior and Global Cross-Brand Design. "The exterior has an unmistakable industrial look, but the interior is warm and personalized."
Power for the Granite concept comes from a 1.4L turbocharged engine that is part of GM's new family of small-displacement, highly efficient four-cylinder engines. It is matched with a six-speed transmission.
Source : www.thetorquereport.com
2/25/11
GMC PAD 2006
Auto Car | GMC PAD 2006 | The GMC PAD is based on the idea of a mobile urban loft -- a one-room apartment meant for one person, or two if they don't mind being extremely close to each other. Instead of renting from a landlord and paying the often sky-high SoCal rent rates, the owner of a PAD just lives in it, and makes his home wherever he happens to be parked. To get to work, the PAD owner just parks his "mobile urban loft" near the office and walks, avoiding the necessity of commuting on clogged highways. Better still, he can use the PAD's on-board technology to work directly from within the PAD itself. The PAD is a high-tech motor home made for living in full-time, not just for weekend trips. It's packed with the latest communications equipment and amenities, which is why GMC calls it a Living Activity Vehicle, or LAV.
The GMC PAD doesn't actually exist, however. General Motors' Advanced Design Team created it for the California Design Challenge, a contest held at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show. The theme for the challenge was "An L.A. Adventure." Ten different companies, including Hyundai, Scion, Maybach, Mercedes-Benz and Audi, came up with concepts to reflect the wide variety of activities available in Southern California.
A panel of design experts gave first place to the GMC PAD. Tom Matano, a panel judge and director of Industrial Design for the Academy of Art University, called the PAD "the true all-around vehicle. This creates a new segment between the RV and the SUV. The future of this Living Activity Vehicle would appeal to many buyers including corporations, future homeowners, traveling business people and constant travelers looking to go beyond the stereotypical RV" [ref].
Statistics about the PAD are hard to come by, since it only exists as a computer design. It is comparable in size to a modern motor home -- in fact, it's probably shorter than some of the huge motor homes on the market. It looks very wide, but for practical purposes, it can't be any wider than a standard traffic lane. Specific weight numbers are not available, though it would likely be comparable to a standard motor home. A 25-foot motor home weighs about 10,000 lbs. and uses a 300-horsepower engine. Space-age materials such as composites could reduce the weight, but the weight of the communications equipment could compensate for that savings.
Source : auto.howstuffworks.com
The GMC PAD doesn't actually exist, however. General Motors' Advanced Design Team created it for the California Design Challenge, a contest held at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show. The theme for the challenge was "An L.A. Adventure." Ten different companies, including Hyundai, Scion, Maybach, Mercedes-Benz and Audi, came up with concepts to reflect the wide variety of activities available in Southern California.
A panel of design experts gave first place to the GMC PAD. Tom Matano, a panel judge and director of Industrial Design for the Academy of Art University, called the PAD "the true all-around vehicle. This creates a new segment between the RV and the SUV. The future of this Living Activity Vehicle would appeal to many buyers including corporations, future homeowners, traveling business people and constant travelers looking to go beyond the stereotypical RV" [ref].
Statistics about the PAD are hard to come by, since it only exists as a computer design. It is comparable in size to a modern motor home -- in fact, it's probably shorter than some of the huge motor homes on the market. It looks very wide, but for practical purposes, it can't be any wider than a standard traffic lane. Specific weight numbers are not available, though it would likely be comparable to a standard motor home. A 25-foot motor home weighs about 10,000 lbs. and uses a 300-horsepower engine. Space-age materials such as composites could reduce the weight, but the weight of the communications equipment could compensate for that savings.
Source : auto.howstuffworks.com
GMC Sierra All-Terrain Crew Cab 2006
Auto Car | GMC Sierra All-Terrain Crew Cab 2006 | Ford may have given up on the Ranger here in the United States, but it looks like General Motors has big plans for the mid-size pickup market. According to PickupTrucks.com, The General is currently hard at work on the next-generation of both the Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon. The current generation Colorado/Canyon is slated to end production by mid-2012, and from what we hear, GM is likely to base the next-gen pickup on the GMI 700 body-on-frame global small truck platform. Those bones are set to get an unveil at this year’s Thailand International Motor Show in Bangkok.
PickupTrucks.com reports that GM had originally planned to dead-end Colorado and Canyon production altogether after this generation, but those plans seem to have changed. Even so, it looks like it’ll be at least two and a half years before the newest versions of the General Motors mid-size pickup shows up, which means there may be a bit of a gap in production between the time the old line dies and the new one gets up and running.
Many moons ago, Motor Trend reported that the funky GMC Granite concept from the 2010 Detroit Auto Show had been given the go for production. Immediately after, however, MT stated that while it strongly believed that the Granite would be produced, the publication had yet to receive an official green light from its sources within General Motors. That changes today, apparently.
Motor Trend is reporting yet again that the Granite has been confirmed for production, even going so far to say that the road-going car will keep the rear-hinged suicide door setup of the concept. This new confirmation reportedly comes from a “well-placed source” within the automaker, who also says that the Granite will be built on the same C-segment platform as the Chevrolet Volt, Cruze and Buick Verano.
When GM debuted the Granite concept, it used the same 138-horsepower 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-four as the Cruze, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. This powerplant would certainly make sense for the production car, though MT suggests that even the automaker’s 177-horsepower 2.4-liter four from the Verano would be a good fit. Regardless, we’ll wait until GM issues an official statement before we start gearing up for the first drive.
GMC Yukon 2006
Auto Car | GMC Yukon 2006 | We have lots of work to do this week. We’ll be evaluating this big, freshly redesigned GMC Yukon, investigating the “Last Corvette,” trying to catch the elusive moon bow at Cumberland Falls, visiting the Corvette factory and museum in Bowling Green and perhaps tuning our golf games for the new season. We have so much work this week I’ve enlisted the contribution of my regular accomplice, Joe, whom you’ve met in previous narratives.
Our ride is the new for ’07 GMC Yukon SLT, a full-size sport-utility, sibling of the best-selling Chevrolet Tahoe and first cousin to Avalanche and Suburban. All have gotten rave reviews in the automotive press since the recent major redesign which vastly improved efficiency, sophistication and refinement. We’ve loaded our Yukon loosely with lots of stuff. Joe’s not known for packing lightly when he doesn’t absolutely have to. With golf clubs, tennis racquets, bags of reading material, hiking shoes and plenty of stuff we won’t need, we still have lots of room.
Our ride is the new for ’07 GMC Yukon SLT, a full-size sport-utility, sibling of the best-selling Chevrolet Tahoe and first cousin to Avalanche and Suburban. All have gotten rave reviews in the automotive press since the recent major redesign which vastly improved efficiency, sophistication and refinement. We’ve loaded our Yukon loosely with lots of stuff. Joe’s not known for packing lightly when he doesn’t absolutely have to. With golf clubs, tennis racquets, bags of reading material, hiking shoes and plenty of stuff we won’t need, we still have lots of room.
We didn’t even take the third row of seats out. We just folded them down. The two separate third row units come out smoothly by pulling on a handle and dragging them rearward, but they are very heavy. They don’t return to normal easily though. We can shove them back into their tracks but it’s a long reach to pull the backs up and we can get no leverage reaching in that far. We’ll just leave them folded down for this trip. The power lift tailgate, while a tad slow, is really slick and makes life easy.
Our initial impression on the first segment of our drive is favorable. The dash is rather busy and cluttered but not nearly like its predecessor. The Yukon is quiet, smooth and luxurious. GM has paid special attention to insulating all those nooks and crannies that transmit noise. The console between the front seats is generous but certainly not as flexible as some of its competitors. Our coffee is contained adequately and our snacks are handy so we’re off on another great adventure.
We pulled into the parking lot of the Pro Team in Napoleon, Ohio to have a tour and a look at what they’ve dubbed the “Last” Corvette. (See our accompanying story about the ’67 Big Block, million-dollar Vette called: “The Last Corvette”) The drizzle had stopped so we grabbed our cameras and note pads and briefly admired the styling of our steel gray metallic truck. The restyle that accompanies this major redesign is certainly evolutionary. There is no question of its GM heritage. Like the interior design the exterior has been softened and modernized. Very attractive, we agree.
After a late lunch at the Sports Bar across from the impressive old county courthouse in downtown Napoleon we took the back roads south through flat, fertile farm land with classic old farmsteads lining the straight paved two-lanes. We have a chance to examine the Mulrone sticker to see just what we have this week.
Source : www.theautochannel.com
After a late lunch at the Sports Bar across from the impressive old county courthouse in downtown Napoleon we took the back roads south through flat, fertile farm land with classic old farmsteads lining the straight paved two-lanes. We have a chance to examine the Mulrone sticker to see just what we have this week.
Source : www.theautochannel.com
8/21/10
2009 GMC Sierra 3500HD An Affordable Workhorse
Auto Car | 2009 GMC Sierra 3500HD An Affordable Workhorse | For the past two decades or so, the Sierra 3500 has been GMC's most capable full-size pickup. Thanks to its stiffened suspension, sturdy frame, powerful engine choices and available dual-rear-wheel axle, the heavy-duty Sierra is a go-to choice for those with big towing and hauling needs.
For that same period of time, however, the truck has suffered from lackluster interior design and below-par interior materials. Happily, interior quality improved considerably with the GMC Sierra 3500HD's 2007 redesign. Mechanically, the beefy Sierra is pretty much identical to the Chevy Silverado 3500HD, with differentiation coming mainly through exterior styling and minor interior and feature alterations.
The GMC Sierra 3500HD is available in regular, extended or crew cab designs. Rear-wheel or four-wheel drive is offered, as is a dual-rear-wheel axle. The extended-cab and crew-cab body styles are offered in four trim levels: Work Truck, SLE1, SLE2 and the top-shelf SLT. The regular cab Sierra can only be had in SLE1 and Work Truck trims.
Standard on all Sierra 3500HD pickups is a 6.0-liter V8 that makes 360 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, paired to a six-speed automatic transmission. The burly Duramax 6.6-liter turbodiesel V8 that puts out 365 hp and 660 lb-ft of torque is optional. Its standard Allison six-speed automatic is well-suited to towing and hauling large loads.
The Sierra 3500HD is arguably the most competent, refined and easy-to-drive heavy-duty pickup on the road. Although multigenerational brand loyalty may dictate which heavy-duty pickup you take home, sticking with (or switching to) the Sierra 3500HD will no doubt be a solid decision if you want a full-size heavy-duty truck.
The present-generation GMC Sierra 3500HD debuted for the 2007 model year. Until 2010, its 6.0-liter V8 produced 353 hp and 373 lb-ft of torque. Other changes have been limited to the arrival of a new OnStar system with turn-by-turn navigation for 2009, as well as available real-time traffic and Bluetooth.
Previous to the current truck, there were two past generations of the Sierra 3500. They were still known as 3500 but lacked the "HD" moniker.
(www.edmunds.com)
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