2014 Gmc Sierra 2500 Denali on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2022 GMC Sierra spotted with minimal camouflage

By all accounts, GM's current full-size truck twins, the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, are good trucks that are in many ways competitive with the sales-leading Ford F-150 and a fresh Ram 1500 that's regularly nipping at the Bowtied truck's tailgate. Considering the cashflow generated by the segment, though, it's no surprise to see a refreshed version of the GMC Sierra testing with some light camouflage hiding some of the upgraded bits and pieces. We'll get to what we can see in just a moment, but first we'll point out what we can't see in these spy shots. What the GM pair really needs is a competitive interior. The current Silverado and Sierra are bridled by dashboards, door panels and instrument clusters that simply aren't good enough when compared to their Ram and Ford competitors. We've spoken with a few designers from GM, and they are well aware of the criticisms that have been levied at their full-size truck duo, so we'd be shocked if there wasn't a heavily revised interior lurking for the trucks' next refresh. Hopefully a future set of spy photos will give us a better look at what's inside, because from this far-away, through-the-windshield look doesn't give us much information. Will the Sierra share an interior with the redesigned Yukon? We'll just have to wait and see, but suffice it to say that any improvement will be welcome. Moving to the exterior, we can clearly see that the blocky, angular look of the current Sierra will continue through this refresh. A tiny look through the heavy tarp covering the truck's face reveals a black plastic mesh grille, but we're sure there's plenty of chrome hiding under there, too. We're left to wonder if that opening allows for a camera or radar to peek through, but rumors suggest GM's well-regarded Super Cruise could be on the menu within the next few years. We have no idea what's under this test truck's hood, but we wouldn't imagine there will be much change to the current truck's solid list of powertrain options. Here's hoping the 3.0-liter Duramax inline-six diesel engine gets the cooling it needs to raise its tow rating to match its class-leading efficiency, because it's arguably otherwise the best light-duty diesel offering in America. We know the automaker is working on electric powertrains, too, but we expect to see those debut first in the Hummer-branded truck that will be sold in GMC dealerships.

GMC could have used Jeep's prized grille design on its born-again Hummer

General Motors confirmed it's bringing the Hummer nameplate back on an electric, GMC-badged pickup by publishing a dark photo of its front end. The battery-powered drivetrain under the sheetmetal represents a tectonic shift, but we noticed another flagrant break with tradition: it wears six slot-like inserts instead of seven like on every previous Hummer and countless Jeeps. Adding an extra slot wouldn't have landed GMC in hot water. The seven-slot grille has historically been associated with Jeep, and the company proved it's willing to go to significant lengths to ensure another automaker — especially one it perceives as a rival — doesn't use it. Parent company Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) bitterly sued Mahindra over the Roxor's design, including its five-slot grille, and won in 2019, forcing the Indian firm to unveil a redesigned side-by-side for the 2020 model year. And yet, stylists would have very likely been able to get away with it on the Hummer. While General Motors owns Hummer, the brand traces its ancestry to 1970, when American Motors Corporation (AMC) purchased Jeep from Kaiser and changed the name of its General Products Division to AM General Corp. The division manufactured the rear-wheel drive, CJ-based DJ for the United States Postal Service and began developing the Humvee in 1979. Jeep and AM General went their separate ways when Renault began investing in AMC. Foreign companies weren't allowed to own defense contractors, and AMC had more to gain by gradually selling out to Renault than by keeping AM General, so it divested the division to LTV Corporation in 1983. Humvee production started shortly after, but no one protested its seven-slot grille because there was no risk of it stealing sales from a comparable Jeep model. It was manufactured exclusively for the U.S. Army, and civilian sales weren't planned. H2SUV View 4 Photos The original civilian Hummer released in 1992 must have raised more than a few eyebrows but, here again, it didn't directly compete with one of Jeep's off-roaders, so no one complained. It was huge, correspondingly expensive, and its portal axles made the YJ-generation Wrangler wet its pants. It's the H2 concept (pictured above) unveiled at the 2000 Detroit Auto Show that set off alarm bells in Auburn Hills. DaimlerChrysler's lawyers counted the slots in the chrome-plated insert that dominated its front end and shuddered when they reached seven.

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