Gmc Utility Truck on 2040-cars

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GM files for Z71 Trail Boss trademark

Try as they might to keep their plans a secret, automakers have their hands tipped through a variety of methods – be they through loose lips, spy shots or patent and trademark applications. That's how we know, in this instance, that General Motors is working on (or at least considering) an off-road machine wearing the name Z71 Trail Boss – the name which our compatriots at AutoGuide.com tell us that GM has registered for use on light-duty trucks. Now if that alphanumeric designator sounds familiar, it should. GM has long used it to designate the off-road packages on many of its body-on-frame trucks from Chevy and GMC. These days you can order a Z71 package on the Chevy Colorado, Silverado, Tahoe and Suburban and on the GMC Canyon, Sierra and Yukon. The package typically includes components like a beefed-up suspension bits, high-capacity air cleaner and underbody protection plates. The Trail Boss designator would seem to suggest something further reaching than a suspension package, though. Just what it would entail we don't know; minds immediately start running toward Chevy or GMC going after the Ford F-150 Raptor, but we'll likely be looking at something closer to the Trailhawk packages Jeep offers on the likes of the Renegade and Cherokee. Featured Gallery 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe Z71 View 16 Photos News Source: AutoGuide.comImage Credit: Chevrolet Chevrolet GM GMC Truck SUV Off-Road Vehicles patent trademark

GM diesel pickups first to undergo extra EPA, CARB testing

The effects of Volkswagen's long-running diesel emissions evasion are starting to spill over to other automakers, but General Motors is taking things in stride. The 2.8-liter, four-cylinder Duramax in the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon is the first engine to get extra scrutiny by the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board, Automotive News reports. Rather than just the usual in-lab test, it's also being checked on the road. However, the extra evaluation shouldn't have any impact on when the trucks with his mill hit dealers later this fall. "We're in our final stages of the EPA certification, and our launch is on track," Chevy spokesperson Otie McKinley tells Autoblog. The four-cylinder diesel in the trucks makes 181 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, and the automaker is touting low NOx production. In the announcement for the Colorado's specs, the company calls it "the cleanest diesel truck engine ever produced by General Motors." The tech includes exhaust gas recirculation to lower combustion temperatures and improve emissions. There's also a urea tank like on the bigger diesels for full-size trucks, and it gets refilled in time with oil changes. An indication on the instrument panel lets drivers know when that's needed, too. Even with the more demanding testing, the company doesn't seem too worried about the four-cylinder passing. "Part of our development process is on-road and off-road [laboratory] testing," Scott Yackley, Chevy Trucks assistant chief engineer, said to Automotive News. In the wake of the VW scandal, the EPA has pledged more rigorous testing. Before, on-road emissions evaluations were largely limited to heavy-duty vehicles, but the agency has decided to apply the checks more often to other models. There's also now greater cooperation with Canadian authorities.

Hummer EV SUV official range announced: 3X truck tops 350 miles

The first run of GMC Hummer EVs were in one single specification: pickup truck in Edition 1 with all the off-road goodies. The most pertinent of those off-road upgrades to electric range being the 18-inch wheels with mud-terrain tires. And it was rated for 329 miles. But now, there are more Hummer variants. The pickup truck is now available with a 3X trim that comes standard with more efficient all-terrain tires wrapped around 22-inch wheels, and there's the SUV with both trims and both types of tires, not to mention a smaller battery pack. And now we have the official range estimates for them. We'll start with the Hummer EV SUV, since all of the official range ratings are new to us. The tires are the key factor, with the all-terrain equipped Edition 1 and 3X both managing 314 miles of range. Yes, this is less than even the mud-terrain-equipped truck, but that's mainly because the shorter length of the SUV means it has fewer battery cells and capacity. It has about 170 kWh of capacity versus the truck's 200+. Adding the Extreme Off-Road Package and its more aggressive tires drops range to 298 miles. The Four-Wheel-Steer system lets the 2022 GMC HUMMER EV Pickup m View 17 Photos As with the SUVs, the Hummer EV truck gets a solid range boost to 355 miles when it's not equipped with the off-road package. There's another benefit to the regular all-terrains on the Hummer EV truck: towing capacity. At 8,500 pounds, it can tow an extra 1,000 pounds over the models with the off-road package. GMC also notes that another potential benefit to the all-terrain-equipped trucks is a suspension tuned for better on-road handling. And our experience has shown that even Hummer with the off-road package isn't too shabby on pavement. Of course, skipping the off-road package will also save you some money, as will opting for the 3X trims. So unless you're really going off-road seriously, and would make regular use of the extra skid plates, under-truck camera and chunky tires, the standard suspension and tire setup really is the way to go. Related video: