Gold / Brown 2007 Gmc Yukon Xl Denali Awd 4dr 1500 on 2040-cars

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2019 GMC Sierra carbon fiber bed: How it's made

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The redesigned 2019 GMC Sierra has some pretty nifty features, and the one that has had the most attention is the MultiPro flipping and folding tailgate. But the Sierra also features the first-of-its-kind carbon fiber truck bed. It's interesting, of course, for its capabilities, such as being 62 pounds lighter than the all-steel box. It even adds more cargo volume since the material can be assembled and shaped differently from steel. As it turns out, the assembly process is cool, too, which we learned when GMC invited us to see the beds being made. Every GMC carbon fiber bed starts out as perfectly flat sheets of thermoplastic carbon fiber. The sheets consist of a mix of fibers and resins, a bit like the molded carbon fiber parts Lamborghini uses. The sheets are manufactured by Japanese company Teijin, which collaborated with GMC to develop the bed. They're all delivered to Continental Structural Plastics (CSP) in Fort Wayne, Ind., for construction into the actual bed. The company, a subsidiary of Teijin, makes a wide variety of composite and plastic parts for the car industry, including body panels for the C7 Chevy Corvette. The rectangular sheets are cut to shape and stacked up at a giant stamping press. Robots pick up sheets and slide them onto a conveyor that goes into a large oven. The heat softens the parts so they can be stamped. The large primary bed parts such as the base are stamped by CSP's enormous 3,600-ton press, and the smaller ones go through a 1,000-ton press. Each press can do different parts using different stamping dies, and CSP switches between dies to produce different batches of parts. After stamping, the parts roll out mostly ready for assembly, but there are rough edges that are trimmed off by water-jet cutters. These cutting machines also create holes for fasteners and for parts such as tie-down hooks and lights. The stamping process also provides the carbon fiber bed with a unique Easter egg. On the bottom of the base of the bed, there are two words: "Connors Way." This is a tribute to Tim Connors, who was the chief engineer of manufacturing at GM and a strong proponent of the carbon fiber bed. He was tragically killed in a motorcycle crash a few years ago. The words were added to honor him, and they were fortunately approved for production. There are some components to the bed that aren't stamped from the flat sheets of material.

2023 GMC Sierra HD MSRP up at least $1,000

Once Chevrolet bumped up the 2023 Silverado and Silverado HD MSRPs by $1,000, there was no reason to think luxury cousin GMC wouldn't do the same. The proof is here, pricing for the 2023 GMC Sierra HD up on its configurator with premiums of at least $1,000 over 2022 models. As we mentioned of the Silverado, the Sierras have also tracked with the price increases we mentioned in reference to the Chevrolets; the 2022 Sierra 1500 has run up $4,700 over its cost last October, the 2022 Sierra HD is $4,100 more than it was when it hit lots last summer. That puts a 2023 Sierra HD 2500 Regular Cab long bed with two-wheel drive and the 6.6-liter V8 gas engine at a starting price of $42,995 after the $1,795 destination charge, $1,000 beyond the 2022 pickup. At the top, a Crew Cab long bed Denali with four-wheel drive and the 6.6-liter Duramax V8 starts at $83,845, which is $1,250 more than the same rig from the 2022 model year. Moving up a weight class to the Sierra 3500, the price of entry starts $1,000 more than before at $44,195. The big bad boy 3500 Denali 4WD dually starts $1,200 more than before, at $86,245. The situation's a bit cloudier when we step down two classes to the 1500. GM Authority got the price sheet for the 2023 Sierra 1500 and reports that prices are up $1,000 on most trims, but $900 up on the Denali Ultimate and $1,900 up on the AT4. GMC hasn't uploaded the configurator for the 2023 trucks yet, and GMA's price sheet is hard to parse against prices on the 2022 configurator because the end of the model year and supply chain issues have translated into mandatory discounts that can't be accounted for. For instance, the 2022 Sierra 1500 Regular Cab standard box in entry-level Pro trim has an MSRP of $40,000, yet the configurator shows the total vehicle and options price as $39,950. After the $1,795 destination charge, that comes to $41,745. Then there's a mandatory package discount of $1,500, taking the final price before any other fees to $40,245. Meanwhile, GMA's paperwork shows the 2023 price starting at $40,020 after destination, which isn't $1,000 more than any figure on the configurator. At the top end, the 2022 Denali with the Crew Cab, standard box, 4WD, and 6.2-liter V8 comes out to $71,695, only because the front and rear park assist and steering column lock aren't fitted, resulting in a $100 discount.

2018 GMC Sierra Denali 1500 Drivers' Notes | Chrome cowboy

No matter how much automakers want to charge for trucks, it seems there will be a market. Ford, Ram and GM all have trucks that can push well over $60,000, something that would sound unbelievable even 10 years ago. That brings us to the 2018 GMC Sierra Denali, GM's top dog in the pseudo-lux truck segment. It's packed with tons of goodies and features, but it's starting to feel a little long in the tooth. Still, GM trucks are some of the best selling vehicles in America, so it seems customers don't mind the age. Associate Editor Reese Counts: I've said it before, but I'm not a big truck guy. Give me a Colorado or Tacoma over any of the full-sized behemoths rolling off assembly lines today. Still, I do enjoy taking one home on occasion, especially one as comfortable and well appointed as this Sierra Denali. There's leather and wood and contrasted stitching throughout. The problem is that it's all a veneer over what's becoming an extremely dated truck, though a new one is on the horizon. There's one big thing that truly bothers me about this truck: no keyless entry or ignition. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem doing things the old-fashioned way, but when literally every other competitor at this price has keyless as standard equipment, the fact that GMC (and Chevy for that matter) still require you to pull out a fob and stick a key into an ignition is really glaring. It has to have something to do with the platform, as GM makes plenty of vehicles that don't require a key. One thing that doesn't feel dated is the ride and performance. This truck is equipped with GM's Magnetic Ride Control, and it works wonders for the Sierra's comfort. It would be even better if it wasn't wearing some gaudy 22-inch wheels, but it's still better than a lot of trucks out there. The powertrain, too, is a nice bright spot. The eight-speed automatic is smooth and never feels lost in the hunt for better fuel economy. The 6.2-liter V8 feels strong, and power comes on smooth and easy. Ford's EcoBoosts may win on fuel economy, but there's nothing like a big, burly V8. Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder: Despite the massive amounts of guilt I feel every time I put my foot to the accelerator, big trucks — something of which I used to steer well clear — are beginning to warm up on me. That being said, others have made more of an impression on me than this Sierra.