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Meet Alex Archer, the engineer behind GM's power-sliding center console

In 2009, a GM manager complained to a 59-year-old GM technician about the hassle of retrieving items from a pickup truck bed after driving shifted the cargo. In two days, the tech had come up with the ideas that, ten years later, would debut as the MultiPro tailgate. The engineering teams kept the tailgate secret in part by hiding mock-ups in a locked storage closet in GM's Vehicle Engineering Center in Warren Michigan for two years. A piece in the Detroit Free Press reveals that another storage closet in Warren would play the same role in a different cloak-and-dagger operation, this time for the power-sliding center console in GM's new full-sized SUVs. During a meeting in early 2017, bosses gave the job of the console's creation to 24-year-old design release engineer Alex Archer, just two years out of Stanford University with a degree in engineering and product design.  This time, the catalyst for the feature was an internal GM think tank called co:lab, where employees suggest ideas. Execs gave Archer the task because "They needed someone willing to ask a lot of questions," her 36-month mandate to produce a six-way console that could be a standard cubby or a gaping maw able to swallow four gallon jugs or hide a secret compartment. Clearly, she succeeded. It took Archer and the team nine months to devise a prototype, another six months to get the green light for production. As with the tailgate, the team working on the console grew to include designers, production engineers, and suppliers. Archer, now 26, shepherded the process, and her name is on the patent. "It took a ton of people, I'm just somebody who stuck with it the whole time," she said. GM like her work well enough to produce the "Day in the Life" segment above, five months before the world would hear about the console. Archer's path to engineering was as unlikely as getting the job for the console. She had entered Stanford with plans to be a doctor. But an innovation class during her freshman year, and a sophomore summer spent helping her grandfather rebuild a 1937 MG engine recharted her course. Her grandfather told her, "You know, you could be an engineer for a car company." Consumer reaction to Archer's work won't be far off, the SUVs slated to hit dealerships soon. Meanwhile, she's busy on something that could be just as intense as the console: Restoring a 1955 Packard Clipper in her garage. Head to Freep to check out the story of Archer and the console. Related Video:

2021 GMC Yukon starts at $51,955, just $100 more than outgoing model

The 2021 GMC Yukon and Yukon XL have prices, and they're bargains considering the upgrades the new model delivers. The base Yukon SLE starts at $51,995 after the $1,295 destination charge, a $100 premium over the current model. The extended wheelbase Yukon XL in base SLE trim starts at $54,695, the same price as the outgoing model. The price for all-wheel drive stands pat for trims that make it an option, at $3,000. Prices for the two-wheel drive Yukon and Yukon XL trim steps are below, with price differences compared to the 2020 models. Keep mind that the new AT4 trim comes standard with AWD, so the AT4 is in a sense closer in price to the SLT and further from the Denali than it appears here: Yukon SLE: $51,995 (+ $100) Yukon SLT: $59,095 (- $810) Yukon AT4: $66,095  Yukon Denali: $69,695 (+ $800) Yukon XL SLE: $54,695 (No change) Yukon XL SLT: $61,795 (No change) Yukon XL AT4: $68,795 Yukon XL Denali: $72,395 (+ $600) The drop in price on the Yukon SLT is in comparison to the 2020 Yukon SLT Standard Edition trim, not the lower-spec SLT trim. The new Yukon comes in at $1,700 more than the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe, the same price difference in effect between the Yukon XL and Suburban. The standard Yukon is powered by a 5.3-liter V8 with 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque, the same specs as found in both the Tahoe and Suburban. The Yukon Denali trims, as with the High Country trims on the Chevy twins, outdo the 5.3-liter with a 6.2-liter V8 making 420 hp and 460 lb-ft. Both engines shift through a 10-speed automatic. Stuffing a Yukon XL Denali with options can take the MSRP beyond $80,000, thanks to available features like the panoramic sunroof, rear seat entertainment, air suspension, and Magnetic Ride Control Suspension.   We're still awaiting pricing for the coming 3.0-liter Duramax inline-six with 460 pound-feet of torque, which we expect closer to the on-sale date for the new full-sized SUVs.  Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Bronco, Yukon, Hummer and a CES recap | Autoblog Podcast #610

GM expected to debut two new crossovers at Detroit Auto Show

Next month, General Motors is expected to debut two new crossovers at the North American International Auto Show. That's according to Automotive News and The Wall Street Journal, which reports that the successors to the aging Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain will finally make their debut. The two crossovers have been on sale since 2009 and 2010 respectively and are due for updates as the competition has newer models on the market. Both crossovers play in growing market segments where sales success is crucial for the respective brands. GM, and the automotive industry as a whole, has been shifting its focus towards crossovers in the last few years. The Traverse and the Terrain are some of the oldest SUVs on the market and are in dire need of an update. GMC's Acadia, the former corporate clone to the Traverse (and Buick Acadia), switched to a new platform in 2016. And the Terrain's platform-mate, the Chevrolet Equinox, was revealed a few months ago. Both the new Chevy and GMC models are expected to go on sale late in 2017 as 2018 models. Look for a follow up to the Traverse's sister, the Buick Enclave, to make an appearance soon. Related Video: News Source: The Wall Street Journal via Automotive NewsImage Credit: Reuters Rumormill Detroit Auto Show Chevrolet GMC Crossover SUV gmc terrain 2017 Detroit Auto Show