2024 Gmc Sierra 2500 Denali Ultimate on 2040-cars

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Huge, pricey trucks haul jobs and profits for the Detroit Three

DECATUR, Texas — Mickey McMaster is on his 12th pickup truck. The 61-year old farm equipment dealer in Decatur, Texas, two weeks ago treated himself to a 2019 GMC Denali for around $69,000 — a reward for long hours at work. "For me this is the Cadillac of trucks, it's a real luxury vehicle," McMaster said. "I've worked my way up to afford a truck like this and it shows that I've earned it." McMaster is the kind of customer General Motors Co is banking on as it plans to add 1,000 jobs at a plant in Flint, Michigan that will build a new generation of its largest pickups. Demand from Texas and other heartland states for big pick-ups is providing a lifeline to many workers the No. 1 U.S. automaker is laying off at plants elsewhere. The Detroit Three automakers and thousands of their U.S. workers are counting on customers like McMaster to keep buying bigger and more luxurious pickup trucks even if overall U.S. vehicle demand weakens this year, as most analysts predict. At Flint, GM will build a new generation of its heavy-duty Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierras, including luxury models that are some of the most profitable vehicles on the planet. GM, Ford Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV's Ram division own the segment and are each doubling down with new or redesigned models launching this year. Sales of heavy-duty pickups in the United States have grown to more than 600,000 vehicles a year, up more than 20 percent since 2013, according to industry data. Prices for luxury models can easily top $70,000. GM on Tuesday celebrated the launch of a new generation of heavy-duty GMC and Chevrolet pickups at the assembly plant in Flint, Michigan, that is now building all such trucks for the company. At the same time that GM is laying off thousands of U.S. workers and planning to shutter five North American factories, Flint is hiring. The plant runs on three daily shifts, six days a week. As the new model's assembly system ramps up, the plant's capacity will increase by more than 25 percent, plant manager Mike Perez told Reuters. The Flint plant plans to add 1,000 workers, more than half of the 1,500 factory workers who have asked to transfer from plants GM has targeted for shutdown as part of CEO Mary Barra's restructuring plan. "We're bringing in 50 to 100 people every week," said Perez. Workers last week were still finishing the job of retooling the Flint factory to build the new heavy-duty trucks as part of a $1.5 billion investment project.

Will GMC enter the subcompact crossover segment after all?

GMC last year categorically ruled out launching a subcompact crossover positioned below the Terrain, but the decade-old rumor refuses to die. The on-again, off-again model is back on track for production, according to a recent report. Citing anonymous sources, enthusiast website GM Authority claims the soft-roader is closer than ever to receiving the proverbial green light for production. It hasn't been approved yet, so development work hasn't started. What it will look like if it receives a thumbs-up from executives is up in the air, but GMC can take several paths into this lucrative (and increasingly popular) segment of America's new-car market. Chevrolet has two fighters in the ring: the Trailblazer and the Trax. GMC could feasibly choose one, put it in a brand-specific wrapper, and call it a day. It could also design its entry from scratch, though this option would take longer and cost significantly more. Either way, the model will allegedly be called Granite or Graphyte, and it will be positioned below the Terrain in terms of size and price, meaning it would likely start above $20,000. In 2019, GMC explained it ruled out expanding its range towards the bottom to position itself as a premium brand. It wanted to focus on high-profit models, like the Sierra and the Canyon, but the crossover's ever-increasing popularity may have proven too alluring to resist. Besides, small and premium aren't mutually exclusive, and downsizing would help the brand increase its annual sales. If you're experiencing deja vu, it's likely because we've heard murmurs about a city-friendly GMC since the Granite concept (pictured) made its debut during the 2010 edition of the Detroit Auto Show. It was approved for production that year, approved again in 2011 (tentatively on a Cruze platform), and abruptly canceled in 2012. GMC hasn't commented on the report, so we'll need to be patient to find out if it's accurate — and how it would differentiate its entry-level crossover from Buick's. In the meantime, the company is putting the final touches on the electric Hummer, which will be offered as a pickup and as an SUV, and it's about to unveil the 2022 Sierra. Featured Gallery GMC Granite Concept Rumormill GMC Crossover

Next GMC Sierra Denali accidentally leaked on consumer site

Thanks to the quick-to-screen-shot folks at GM Authority, we now have our first look at what is likely the 2014-15 GMC Sierra Denali. GMA reports that the image you see here was temporarily posted on the GMC consumer site, though as you can see now, when you scroll over the "trucks" tab, the image has been removed.
GM Authority states that because the truck in this image wears a blacked-out lower bumper, redesigned grille insert and shiny wheels, this has got to be the upmarket Denali version of the fully redesigned 2014 model year Sierra. The Chevrolet Silverado will be getting a similar treatment, as we've seen in recent spy shots, dubbed the High Country.
Expect the Sierra Denali to ride on large, unique wheels (the one we spied earlier this year was fitted with 21-inch rollers), and feature a huge helping of luxurious interior amenities, as well as premium features like xenon headlamps. An official on-sale date for the Denali has not been released, though it's been reported that the high-grade Sierra, along with its Silverado counterpart, will arrive after the Texas State Fair this summer.