2009 Gmc Sierra 3500 Slt Sierra on 2040-cars

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General Motors could turn Hamtramck into its electric pickup, SUV hub

Electric off-roaders could revitalize the Detroit-Hamtramck factory that General Motors previously announced it will close. While official details remain shrouded in secrecy, analysts believe the plant will be re-tooled to manufacture at least three electric models due out during the early 2020s. The plant's scheduled closure was one of the grievances the United Auto Workers (UAW) union cited when it embarked on a 40-day strike in September 2019. General Motors agreed to keep it open without shedding much light on what it planned to build there. Analyst at LMC Automotive told the The Detroit News they believe an often-rumored electric SUV that will resurrect Hummer's name, image, or both will be one of the models assigned to the Hamtramck plant. Battery-powered variants of the GMC Sierra and the Cadillac Escalade will be made there, too, as will an enigmatic van. LMC Automotive's Jeff Schuster believes the van will come first; it could enter production as early as 2021. The Hummer — which might also be offered as a pickup — will follow before the end of 2022, while the Sierra and the Escalade will both arrive in 2023. We're taking this report with a grain of salt, though, because only one of the aforementioned models has been announced by General Motors. Rumors of a Hummer resurrection emerged in the summer of 2019, just a few weeks before we heard unverified reports of a battery-powered variant of the next-generation Escalade. General Motors confirmed plans to enter the burgeoning electric pickup truck segment, which Ford, Rivian, and Tesla also have their sights on, but it hasn't detailed how or when. The van is a mystery. General Motors refused to comment on the report. It previously announced it will keep Hamtramck open, and invest $3 billion to build electric vehicles there. The investment will create 2,225 jobs. Inaugurated in February 1985, the Hamtramck factory has churned out a diverse selection of models over the past 34 years, including Cadillac's Eldorado, Seville, and Allante, the Oldsmobile Toronado, the Buick Riviera, and more recently, gasoline-electric Chevrolet Volt. General Motors announced plans to close Hamtramck in 2018, but it quickly backpedaled and extended its lease on life until 2020 by keeping the Chevrolet Impala and the Cadillac CT6 around for a few additional months.

2021 GMC Canyon gets AT4 trim and a 'more upmarket' Denali

The AT4 train continues at GMC, with the 2021 Canyon AT4 climbing to altitude in Vail, Colorado, to announce its arrival. The off-road package, teased during the Sierra HD launch last year and already rolled out on the Sierra and Acadia, replaces the Canyon All Terrain trim. The rectangular grille goes away, the new rig picking up a larger, Sierra-like grille with a dark chrome surround and vertically-oriented fog lights. And because nothing says off-road badass like red recovery hooks, of course there's a pair peeking out from under the tweaked lower bumper. Otherwise, all the All Terrain kit carries over, like the tuned suspension with Advanced Hill Descent Control, transfer case skid plate, automatic locking rear differential, and 31-inch Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac® tires on 17-inch aluminum wheels. Inside, the headrests are embroidered with AT4 logos, and Kalahari stitching is exclusive to this trim. GMC also announced a more polished Denali trim, without providing any photos. The coming pickup adopts a grille with a "more sculpted and layered pattern," plus five-inch chrome assist steps, and 20-inch Diamond Cut aluminum wheels that we'll assume come in a different pattern than the current 20-inch Diamond Cut aluminum wheels. The cabin goes upscale with open-pore ash wood trim and aluminum trim, a new Cocoa/Dark Atmosphere color theme, and unique stitching. Both the AT4 and Denali offer the same two engine choices. There's either the 3.6-liter V6 throwing out 308 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, shifting through an eight-speed automatic, or the 2.8-liter Duramax diesel producing 181 hp and 369 lb-ft, shifting through a six-speed auto. The 2021 trucks will be available later this year, pricing to be announced closer to the on-sale date. The 2020 Canyon All Terrain starts at $37,695, the 2020 Canyon Denali starts at $41,595. Featured Gallery 2021 GMC Canyon AT4 View 11 Photos Related Gallery 2021 GMC Canyon AT4 View 11 Photos GMC Truck Luxury Off-Road Vehicles

GM follows U.S. trademark for AT4X with application in Mexico

Looks like GM is preparing to return the GMC Sierra 1500 All Terrain X to the marketplace, but with a new name. GM Authority found a trademark application filed in May this year in Mexico for the AT4X moniker. This comes three years after GM filed an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the same alphanumeric in February 2016. When GMC introduced the all-new 2019 Sierra, it changed the previous All Terrain trim name to AT4, as seen on the Sierra AT4 we called "offroad overkill." The patent filings lend credence to the idea that the previous All Terrain X trim will soon be introduced by a Sierra 1500 AT4X model.  The erstwhile All Terrain X, introduced for the 2016 model year, took the former All Terrain further into the frame of serious-looking off-roader. On top of the Z71 suspension with a two-inch lift, Rancho monotube shocks, and a locking rear differential, the X added a sport bar for offroad lights, side steps, more dirt-friendly 18-inch wheels in 265/65 mud-terrains instead of 20-inchers on 275/65 all-terrains, a performance exhaust, and a lot more black and body-colored trim. At launch, we said it was "no Raptor threat," and even though GMC launched a 2500HD version in 2017 (pictured), it likely never worried the Ram Power Wagon. We wouldn't expect the equation to change with a possible AT4X, which is a shame, since hardcore OEM offroaders are becoming bro dozers for the mature, moneyed set.