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GM dealers unhappy about pickup prices

The backlash is beginning. Following General Motors' price hike of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra last week, dealers across the country are expressing their ire over increasing prices in the face of rebates and discounts on trucks from Ford and Ram.
Speaking to Automotive News, Sam Pilato, the general manager at Dimmitt Chevrolet in Clearwater, FL, Silverados are "selling very poorly." W. Carrol Smith, the president of Monument Chevrolet in the heart of truck country, Texas, said, "[GM's] position is that the vehicle stands on its own and it doesn't need a bigger rebate. That's not what the market is telling us."
According to AN, that's the general attitude amongst Chevy and GMC dealers across the country, where the twin pickups are getting butchered in sales by competitors offering up to $9,000 off their sticker prices. Part of the problem for GM is that its trucks are arriving on the market near the end of the current F-150's lifecycle, a fact that Ford has taken advantage of.

GMC's Bronco-slaying SUV will remain a dream, report says

GMC won't help rival Ford in its quest to dethrone the Jeep Wrangler, according to a recent report. The body-on-frame off-roader the firm planned as an alternative to the upcoming Bronco and the fourth-generation Wrangler allegedly fell victim to a top-down restructuring plan implemented recently by parent company General Motors. Citing anonymous inside sources, Muscle Car & Trucks reported the rugged SUV remained part of GMC's long-term product plan until November 2018. It was shaping up to be one of the company's most distinctive models in decades. It should have arrived as a dedicated off-roader developed and sold exclusively by GMC; it wouldn't have had a twin in the Chevrolet portfolio. The problem, according to the report, is that the off-roader (which might have revived the heritage-laced Jimmy nameplate) should have been built on the 32XX platform designed to underpin the next Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon twins. General Motors canceled that project to save money, so the SUV was consigned to the attic before we even spotted prototypes testing on and off the pavement. The updated pickups will instead arrive on an evolution of the frame found under the models currently found in showroom. There's no word on why that architecture can't support a Wrangler-like SUV. GMC never confirmed plans to build an off-roader aimed at the Jeep Wrangler and the upcoming Ford Bronco, so it certainly won't validate reports claiming it has canceled the model. This isn't the first time we've heard about a body-on-frame SUV made by a brand in the General Motors portfolio, though. Hummer was supposed to take the fight directly to Jeep with an off-roader accurately previewed by the 2008 HX concept, but it shut down before it finished developing the model. Rumors of GMC picking up where Hummer left off have come and gone on a shockingly regular basis over the past few years, yet the Wrangler remains in a class of one.

2019 GMC Sierra AT4 gives Raptor and Ram a new off-road rival

The 2019 GMC Sierra AT4 blends off-road hardware into a modern, thoroughly updated pickup truck that doesn't skimp on power, luxury, or safety equipment. From its higher suspension setup to its available carbon-fiber cargo bed and the new MultiPro tailgate, the 2019 Sierra AT4 is a direct shot across the bow — or cargo beds, if you prefer — of staunch rivals like the Ford F-150, Dodge Ram and Toyota Tundra. Revealed tonight in New York City, ahead of this week's New York International Auto Show, the truck may seem to be in a strange setting. Then again, with the amount of tire-swallowing potholes currently scattered around the Big Apple, a rugged truck like the Sierra AT4 could be the perfect vehicle for either off-road excursions or an especially bumpy commute. Riding two inches higher than the standard 2019 Sierra, the AT4 comes with standard features like all-wheel-drive with a two-speed transfer case, locking rear differential, Rancho monotube shock absorbers designed specifically for off-roading, along with skid plates and 18- or 20-inch alloy wheels fitted with all-terrain tires or optional, mud-loving Goodyear Wrangler Duratecs. Hill descent control and GMC's Traction Select system are also standard. The latter of these two lets the driver choose between preset drive modes, suitable for various types of terrain and weather conditions. The system then adjusts throttle response, shift points, and the electronic stability control according to each mode. Related: 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 buying guide "The 2019 Sierra AT4 is designed for the customer who wants an elevated presence on the road and the capability to venture off life's beaten path," said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Global GMC. "It's also the beginning for the AT4 brand, which will be seen on every vehicle in our lineup in the next two years." Based on the new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado, the GMC Sierra (including the AT4 model) looks to stand out from its corporate cousin in terms luxury touches, along with some subtle exterior details. For the AT4, these visible differences include a body color grill surround and bumpers. Meanwhile, the inner grille, front fog-lights and faux fender vents feature a black-chrome finish. It's not flashy, which is probably exactly what GMC wanted for its upscale truck. The standard engine is a 5.3-liter V8, though buyers can choose an optional 3.0-liter turbo-diesel inline-six or 6.2-liter V8.