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GMC's Denali offerings are going great guns

The Denali trim that GMC uses to denote its top-of-the-line vehicles was introduced back in 1999, partly as a way to challenge the recently introduced Lincoln Navigator. Fifteen years later, and with GMC the tenth-largest US automotive brand by itself Denali has become a sub-brand that keeps the cash registers ringing at the Renaissance Center HQ. While GMC increased sales by 9 percent in 2013, TheDetroitBureau.com reports that that Denali sales rose by 20 percent.
There are currently five Denali models in the GMC line, with the Denali trim available on all but its commercial vans. In 2010, when the now-discontinued Yukon XL Hybrid was also on sale, GMC sold 32,886 units of its top trim. Last year, that number had increased to 75,558, with almost no help from traditional marketing spends. Go to YouTube and search for "GMC Denali commercials" - the few actual commercial results are from years ago. GMC marketing director Roger McCormack tells TheDetroitBureau.com, "It's largely all been organic."
As sales have grown, so has the tide of money GMC rakes in from the additional luxury features on Denali models. The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe starts at $44,600, yet its 2014 Yukon Denali doppelganger starts at $58,320, pricing that includes additional features like the larger 6.2-liter V8, nicer interior, head-up display and magnetic ride control suspension. The Yukon XL Denali starts at $60,965, but the article says the "average customer" likely to spend "up and above $70,000" to take one home. How does that happen? On a top-trim Tahoe LTZ, the top-tier wheel option is a set of 20-inch chrome wheels for $400; on the 'base' Yukon Denali you can swap for a set of 22-inch chrome alloys for $2,995. Add it up, and an analyst at AutoTrends Consulting said that kind of margin "epitomizes the concept of obscene profitability." We say when it comes to Denali, GMC appears to stand for "Grabbing More Cash."

2022 GMC Sierra gets overhauled interior, new Denali Ultimate and AT4X

GMC Sierra's 2022 update is here, boasting a ground-up interior redesign, an updated Super Cruise package with trailering support, and two new trims aimed at very different buyers. While the GMC Sierra's bones are undeniably good, its interior has really held it back from our full-throated support in recent years. The pricier trims of the refreshed 2022 model may well erase those shortcomings entirely.  Hot on the heels of its revamped platform mate, the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado, the new Sierra arrives with a similar suite of upgrades, plus a few items that will remain exclusive to the fancy-pants Sierra for now, like Enhanced Super Cruise with available automatic lane-change and trailering mode. As with the Silverado, the Sierra's 2.7-liter four-cylinder gets an upgraded block and internals, allowing for a higher torque output (420 pound-feet), which means it makes even more torque than the 5.3-liter V8. Diesel models also enjoy some chassis upgrades that allow for the fitment of GMC's Max Tow package. That allows a diesel Sierra 1500 4x2 to handle 13,200 pounds and the 4x4 model to tow up to 13,000 even.  Still, the 2022 Sierra's most noteworthy improvements are to be found inside, and what better way to showcase an upgraded interior but with a new, range-topping luxury trim? Say hello to the 2022 GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate.  This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 2022 GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate unveiled Denali represents a huge chunk of Sierra sales, and when your branding is based around upscale sophistication, you sure want to put your best foot forward at the top of the pricing structure. GMC wasn't quite there with the outgoing Sierra Denali, but the new Denali Ultimate may just be the ticket to one-upping the likes of the swanky Ram 1500 Limited.  This is the no-holds-barred, all-options-checked model that really makes GMC money. The 6.2L V8, 10-speed automatic and Super Cruise are standard on Denali Ultimate. All of the leather and wood elements visible here are real (seriously, you can touch them and everything). There's also a faux suede headliner, 16-way power-adjustable and massaging front seats, a 12-speaker Bose system and a 15-inch color HUD included.  GMC included several unique elements for Ultimate, including topographical maps and the latitude and longitude of Mount Denali formed into various interior trim pieces.

GM Defense shows Hummer EV-based military truck concept

GM Defense wants to convince the U.S. military that it has even more of what the military needs. During this week's Modern Day Marine 2023 exposition in Washington, D.C., GM Defense showed a new tactical vehicle concept based on the GMC Hummer EV platform. Called the Electric Military Concept Vehicle (eMCV), it uses the same Ultium platform and drivetrain as the retail Hummer EV. That means a 200-kWh battery (usable) powering three motors making 1,000 horsepower, with the two motors in back capable of torque vectoring, the single motor in front fitted with a locking diff. Upgrades over the dealership version include Fox shocks working larger 37-inch tires and heavy-duty brakes. The redrawn front and rear bumpers improve approach and departure angles. The tube chassis and lack of body panels would shed some of the Hummer's prodigious weight, nevertheless, range is reduced as a result of the other mods that reduce aerodynamic efficiency. Among said mods to the six-seater is a 46-inch gun ring and a swing side-arm mount when it's time to clock in. The estimated range drops to 300 miles from the 329 on the retail Hummer EV. Being mostly electric – more on that in a moment – the eMCV has features Silent Drive and Silent Watch driving modes could get fighters on-station with minimal noise.Plugged into a fast charger capable of 350 kilowatts, GM Defense says 12 minutes gets 100 miles of range. But when silence isn't a necessary factor, this is a series hybrid. GM Defense added a 12-kW diesel generator that can provide "limited charging and propulsion," which could also help charge "mission-critical equipment." A while back, the Army purchased a commercial Hummer EV for evaluation. The military didn't request this new concept, a GM Defense spokesperson telling Defense News it was built as a sign of potential. "We're trying to showcase what is in the realm of the possible just so we can get the discussion going and help shape [the military's] future requirements," the spokesperson said. "They get to see the different sizes and how to customize it, the different options." The eMCV sat on the trade show floor next to GM Defense's All-Electric Military Concept Vehicle, a Chevy Colorado-based Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) powered by a 60-kWh battery juicing an e-crate motor with 200 hp and 266 pound-feet of torque. The eISV was also built as a demonstrator without military input.