1971 Gmc 1500 Truck on 2040-cars

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Weekly Recap: Lamborghini fires on all cylinders

Lamborghini added 192 technicians and specialists in 2014 as the Italian automaker expands under the ambitious growth strategy of parent company Volkswagen AG. The additional workers helped Lamborghini increase its sales 19 percent last year to 2,530 supercars, and further expansion is planned for this year. Lambo has added more than 500 people in the last four years, bringing its headcount to 1,175. "Lamborghini is undergoing a strong phase of growth in both sales and in terms of recruitment," CEO Stephan Winkelmann said in a statement. "We invest significantly in our people ... in 2015 we plan to hire further." The supercar maker's solid performance last year came during a time of transition. Lambo sold off the final 265 Gallardos, which were the brand's best-selling models ever. Its 10-cylinder successor, the Huracan, immediately filled the void. It garnered 3,300 orders, and 1,137 of them were delivered in 2014. The other Lamborghini, the 12-cylinder Aventador, saw its sales increase 13 percent to 1,128 copies. The sales leap comes as Volkswagen drives sales expansion across its portfolio of brands. The German carmaker sold 10 million vehicles around the world for the first time last year. Though Lambo will never make supercars in great numbers, it is expected to contribute to VW's bottom line through its image and profitable sales. Look for further growth this year, and a Super Veloce version (shown above) of the Aventador has already been spotted during testing. Lamborghini has been working on a sport utility vehicle for years, though the company has never publicly approved the project. It also showed a hybrid, the Asterion, at last year's Paris Motor show, suggesting the automaker is considering an electric future. Other News and Notes GMC ponders Jeep Wrangler fighter GMC is considering adding a competitor to the Jeep Wrangler and has discussed the idea with its dealers, according to the Wall Street Journal. Details of the vehicle are unclear, but the report suggested the vehicle could have cues from General Motors' old Hummer brand. The move would broaden GMC's lineup of trucks and SUVs and attract new customers. GMC sold 501,853 vehicles in 2014, making it GM's second-best selling brand. GMC had more volume than Cadillac and Buick combined, though it's still well behind Chevrolet's tally of more than two million vehicles. The notion of a "Wrangler fighter" could be a moving target.

2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV First Drive Review: Still impressive, even out of its element

SAN FRANCISCO – Our first experience with the GMC Hummer EV in any form was spent in an environment clearly ideal for such a vehicle. That first drive of the production-ready truck was in Arizona, a place with large, open freeways and rocky, desert terrain. Notably, they were areas that could showcase the Hummer's strengths: enormous power and acceleration, a lack of trees or narrow lanes to hinder its size, and sufficiently rocky terrain to demonstrate its remarkable off-road abilities. So it was particularly strange that the media's first experience with the Hummer EV SUV would involve the tight streets and twisty mountain passes of San Francisco and Napa Valley, locations that certainly would seem to put the Hummer on the back tire. In some ways they certainly did, but at the same time, they revealed the Hummer is surprisingly capable out of its element, and maybe even a good fit for the area. The start of our driving time involved leaving downtown San Francisco and heading up Highway 29 to Napa where GM had set up a number of demonstrations like those at the truck first drive, and where our winery hotel was. In the birthplace of Tesla, where Models of all letters and number are ubiquitous, the monster black Hummer definitely stood out. And not just for its sheer size: it is the technological flagship of General Motors, perhaps the most traditional of American car manufacturers. On the other hand, the locale also felt appropriate given that flagship status, from its flashy instrument and infotainment displays, to its acrobatic suspension and steering systems. This is as good a time as any to go over what makes the Hummer EV SUV different from the truck. Obviously it has a solid roof over a cargo area instead of an open bed. It's also the smaller of the two giants: total length is 20 inches shorter (excluding the spare tire) and the wheelbase is 8 inches shorter. That pays a few dividends in maneuverability both on and off road. The turning circle of the SUV is 1.7 feet smaller, at 35.4 feet, which is almost 3 feet tighter than that of the Chevy Bolt EUV. The breakover angle is also improved by 10.6 degrees (49 at max ride height) and the departure angled by 2.2 degrees (34.4 at max ride height). Though the bed is gone, the interior cargo space is certainly spacious, with maximum capacity of 81.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded perfectly flat into the admittedly high load floor.

GMC introduces off-road performance package for Sierra AT4

GMC is giving its off-road-focused Sierra AT4 pickup even more performance with some factory-installed upgrades. The package is called the AT4 Off-Road Performance Package. With it you'll get the 6.2-liter V8 engine upgrade, cat-back performance exhaust system, performance air intake and 18-inch aluminum wheels shod in Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tires. The upgraded performance comes in the form of extra power. Thanks to the bolt-ons, you gain 15 horsepower and 9 pound-feet of torque over the 6.2-liter in stock form. This increases output to 435 horsepower and 469 pound-feet of torque — not too shabby. This package is priced at $4,940, and available for order now. That's a hefty price for what amounts to some minimal bolt-on modifications you could easily do yourself. However, buying it through GM means you get to keep your warranty in place. The Sierra AT4 already has more off-road features than a normal Sierra 1500. You're getting a two-inch lift, four-wheel drive with two-speed transfer case, locking rear differentials, skid plates, Rancho off-road shocks and hill descent control. Both the wheels and tires are available as options already, but this package just bunches related stuff together. It'll be up to you to decide if an exhaust and intake are worth the extra dough. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.