1994 Gmc Sierra 1500 4x4 5.7l on 2040-cars

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GMC moved the headlights down on the 2024 Sierra EV to prevent glare

There are a lot of things that are different between the 2024 GMC Sierra EV’s design and the gasoline Sierra pickup, but one we noticed right away was the headlight placement. On GMÂ’s full-size gasoline trucks, the headlights are about as far up the front fascia as they can be. In the Sierra EV, theyÂ’re positioned significantly further down and into the lower bumper below the grille. Why are we highlighting this particular aspect of the design? Well, unless you only ever drive massive, high-riding trucks, youÂ’re probably very accustomed to being frequently blinded by them on the road these days. In describing the Sierra EVÂ’s headlight placement, designers told us they intentionally put the lights further down to improve matters. We pulled Phil Kucera, a GMC design manager, aside to ask him about the change. “It tends to be a better spot where itÂ’s not glaring in other peopleÂ’s eyes, right, the lower you get,” Kucera says. Beyond blinding others, putting the headlights lower on the face of the truck improves headlight performance for the driver, too. “Typically the lower the better, because thatÂ’s where theyÂ’re going to be on the road, so thereÂ’s less to reflect off of in fog or rain,” Kucera explained. “If you get them up at a certain height, theyÂ’re going to be reflecting certain things like snow, rain or things like that in your eyes.” 2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 View 13 Photos Of course, youÂ’ll notice on the Sierra EV that the daytime running lights (DRLs) are still big and bold in the upper part of the front end. These lights are around for decor, though, and act as pieces of design rather than a functional way to see at night. In other words, theyÂ’re lights, but theyÂ’re not going to dazzle oncoming traffic or cause glare for the driver like a headlight pointed down the road will.  Moving those lights further down in the front should hopefully be a net positive for other drivers coming across the Sierra EV and for drivers of the truck themselves. How the lights are aimed plays just as much a role in how other drivers perceive oncoming lights, though, so weÂ’ll have to wait and see the real-world performance on this one.  WeÂ’ll also note that moving the actual headlights further down the front end doesnÂ’t take anything away from the design of the Sierra EV. It still features a strong, upright stance that the world is accustomed to seeing from new trucks these days. ItÂ’s no surprise, but GM agrees.

New J.D. Power Initial Quality Study puts Porsche, GM in spotlight

J.D. Power and Associates has released its annual Initial Quality Study, and this year, Porsche and General Motors took the spotlight. The study, which asks new car owners to report problems experienced during the first 90 days of ownership, found that overall, the industry averages 113 problems per 100 vehicles.
Porsche managed a score of just 80 problems per 100 vehicles, while GMC took the second spot on the podium with 90. Lexus filled out the top three with 94 problems per 100 vehicles, followed by Infiniti at 95 and Chevrolet at 97. The study also looks at specific models, and found the Lexus LS to enjoy the best initial quality at 59 problems per 100 vehicles.
Interestingly enough, the report found that around two-thirds of most owner problems experienced in the first 90 days are attributable to vehicle design instead of mechanical failure. Specifically - echoing a refrain we've been hearing for the last few years - owners are having a hard time figuring out how to use the technology present in their new vehicles. Head over to the J.D. Power site for more information, or scroll down below for the company's related press release.

GM expanding Lansing Lambda CUV plant

Considering that crossovers are a rapidly growing portion of the US auto market, it's not surprising to hear that General Motors is preparing to build even more of them. The company is investing $63 million to expand its Lansing Delta Township Assembly plant that builds Lambda platform CUVs like the Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave.
According to GM, the expansion will add roughly 263,000 extra square feet of space to the plant. Of that, 181,000 square feet will be for an updated body shop with cutting-edge robots. There will also be 54,000 square feet of additional room in the paint shop and 28,000 square feet of more area for general assembly.
GM isn't saying as much, but there is the possibility that this extra space could allow for additional models produced at the factory. Cadillac reportedly dropped plans to build a three-row SUV on the Lambda platform earlier this year, however, dealers for the luxury brand were recently pitched the possibility of adding large and small CUVs, an ATS convertible or a sedan below the ATS.