2014 Gmc Acadia Slt-2 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2019 GMC Sierra 1500 spied in base trim level

When the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 half-ton pickup was revealed, it was shown in the ultra-deluxe Denali trim with its carbon fiber bed and trick tailgate. And thanks to spy shots, we've been able to see the more modest SLE a few months ago. Now we get to see it in the most plain work truck iteration thanks to the above photos. This Sierra doesn't appear to have any trim designation. The SLE we saw had a badge in the lower left of the tailgate, but none appear on this except "Sierra." This fits with the current trim scheme for the Sierra, which calls the basic one simply by its model name. In addition to less badging, this Sierra ditches most of the chrome found on other trim levels. The grille insert is plain black plastic, as are the fender vents, door handles and window trim. There aren't engine badges, either. Currently the only engines announced for the Sierra are the gasoline 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter V8s and the diesel 3.0-liter six-cylinder. We would assume from the basic nature of this truck that it has the 5.3-liter V8. Nothing has been announced about a gasoline V6 for the new generation of Sierra and Silverado pickup trucks, despite a 4.3-liter V6 still being available on the 2018 model. Also, since this is a base Sierra, the bed is all steel and the tailgate is one big panel. Pricing still hasn't been revealed for the Sierra. But this and the other Sierra trims will go on sale in the fall, with pricing likely announced sometime in-between. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

GM CEO Mary Barra predicts mass electrification will take decades

General Motors is allocating a substantial amount of money to the development of electric technology, but Mary Barra, the firm's CEO, conceded that battery-powered cars won't fully replace their gasoline-burning counterparts for several decades. She stressed the shift is ongoing, but she hinted it will be slower than many assume. "We believe the transition will happen over time," affirmed Barra on "Leadership Live with David Rubenstein," a talk show aired by Bloomberg Television. She added that not every car will be electric in 2040. "It will happen in a little bit longer period, but it will happen," she told the host. She was presumably talking about the United States market; the situation is markedly different in Europe and in China, where strict government regulations (and even stricter ones on the horizon) are accelerating the shift towards electric cars. On the surface, it doesn't look like General Motors has much invested in electrification; the only battery-powered model it sells in America in 2020 is the Chevrolet Bolt (pictured), which undeniably remains a niche vehicle. Sales totaled 16,418 units in 2019, meaning the Corvette beat it by about 1,500 sales. In comparison, Cadillac sold 35,424 examples of the aging last-generation Escalade during the same time period. And yet, the company isn't giving up. It has numerous electric models in the pipeline including a slightly larger version of the aforementioned Bolt, the much-hyped GMC Hummer pickup, and an electric crossover assigned to the Cadillac brand. These models (and others) will use the Ultium battery technology that General Motors is currently developing. Its engineers are also working on a modular platform capable of underpinning a wide variety of cars. Bringing these innovations to the market is a Herculean task. EVs may not take over for decades, but Barra and her team must believe their 2% market share will increase significantly in the coming years if they're approving these programs. Autonomous technology is even costlier, more complicated, and more time-consuming to develop. Barra nonetheless expects to see the first General Motors-built driverless vehicles on the road by 2025. "I definitely think it will happen within the next five years. Our Cruise team is continuing to develop technology so it's safer than a human driver. I think you'll see it clearly within five years," she said on the same talk show. Her statement is vague but realistic.

Expect greater differentiation in GM's next-generation SUVs

General Motors says its next-generation Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade models will offer shoppers improved interior differentiation. Car and Driver recently caught up with Chris Hilts, GM's creative manager of interior design, who said that the cabins will all feature unique instrument panels, consoles, center stacks and switchgear moving forward. Apparently GM is now aware that consumers may be bothered by the fact that today's $85,000 Escalade has effectively the same cabin as a $45,000 Tahoe. Hilts says SUV buyers want more refinement than their pickup purchasing counterparts - and those same buyers also want their SUVs to have more exterior differentiation between the company's Silverado and Sierra pickup lines. Shocking.
That all sounds good to us, but we've heard this song and dance before. GM made big waves about how different the new-for-2013 Silverado and Sierra would look from each other, but judging by what we've seen so far, GM's stylists are painting in shades rather than with the full spectrum. For more on the what to expect out of GM's new SUVs, click on the C/D link below.