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2022 GMC Hummer EV could get a rival from China's Dongfeng

The popularity of GMC's Hummer EV hasn't gone unnoticed in China. State-owned carmaker Dongfeng is reportedly planning to launch an electric version of the M50 Warrior, a Hummer-like off-roader, that will inaugurate a new sub-brand dedicated to battery-powered trucks. Without citing sources, website Car News China wrote that the division will be called M, a letter that stands for something completely different if the cars that you're into come from Munich. Executives are initially planning three models called M18-1, M18-2, and M18-3, respectively. The M18-1 will reach the market first, and it's described as an electrified M50 Warrior (pictured) with seating for six. Dongfeng will build the M18-1 on a new architecture called MORV that was developed in-house. The powertrain will develop up to 1,072 horsepower, which is 72 horses more than the most powerful version of the Hummer EV, yet the zero-to-60-mph time will check in at under 5 seconds, which is roughly 2 seconds more than the GMC. It will offer around 310 miles of range thanks to a 140-kilowatt-hour battery. Another interesting point is that the M18-1 will supposedly be much lighter than the Hummer EV — it will even weigh less than the gasoline-powered M50 Warrior that it's based on. It will tip the scale at around 6,900 pounds and stretch about 205 inches long, compared to 9,046 pounds and 217 inches for the Hummer. Of course, these numbers are purely hypothetical until the truck starts rolling off the assembly line. Speaking of, production is tentatively scheduled to start in 2023 in a factory that's currently being built in China. Dongfeng expects to sell approximately 4,160 units per month, though nothing suggests that the M18-1 will venture onto the GMC Hummer EV's home turf. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green GMC SUV Electric Off-Road Vehicles

GMC's Denali offerings are going great guns

The Denali trim that GMC uses to denote its top-of-the-line vehicles was introduced back in 1999, partly as a way to challenge the recently introduced Lincoln Navigator. Fifteen years later, and with GMC the tenth-largest US automotive brand by itself Denali has become a sub-brand that keeps the cash registers ringing at the Renaissance Center HQ. While GMC increased sales by 9 percent in 2013, TheDetroitBureau.com reports that that Denali sales rose by 20 percent.
There are currently five Denali models in the GMC line, with the Denali trim available on all but its commercial vans. In 2010, when the now-discontinued Yukon XL Hybrid was also on sale, GMC sold 32,886 units of its top trim. Last year, that number had increased to 75,558, with almost no help from traditional marketing spends. Go to YouTube and search for "GMC Denali commercials" - the few actual commercial results are from years ago. GMC marketing director Roger McCormack tells TheDetroitBureau.com, "It's largely all been organic."
As sales have grown, so has the tide of money GMC rakes in from the additional luxury features on Denali models. The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe starts at $44,600, yet its 2014 Yukon Denali doppelganger starts at $58,320, pricing that includes additional features like the larger 6.2-liter V8, nicer interior, head-up display and magnetic ride control suspension. The Yukon XL Denali starts at $60,965, but the article says the "average customer" likely to spend "up and above $70,000" to take one home. How does that happen? On a top-trim Tahoe LTZ, the top-tier wheel option is a set of 20-inch chrome wheels for $400; on the 'base' Yukon Denali you can swap for a set of 22-inch chrome alloys for $2,995. Add it up, and an analyst at AutoTrends Consulting said that kind of margin "epitomizes the concept of obscene profitability." We say when it comes to Denali, GMC appears to stand for "Grabbing More Cash."

GM exploring ways to raise half-ton Duramax diesel tow rating

Lots of truck owners cheered when GM announced fuel economy numbers for the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado with the 3.0-liter Duramax diesel inline-six. Even after Ram let loose its EPA mileage ratings for the 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel, the Chevy oil-burner still took the trophy. The victory was years in the making, GM engineers spending an entire four-year development cycle refining the LM2 Duramax to increase mileage. The tradeoff, as well all know by now, is towing; the Duramax in half-ton duty pulls a maximum 9,300 pounds in the Silverado. Rivals across town can do more, the Ford F-150 PowerStroke rated at 11,500, the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel game to pull 12,560. GM engineer John Barta told Muscle Cars & Trucks that more hauling chops could be on the way, explaining, "We’re actually looking at upgrading some of the materials around (the engine bay) to see if we can maybe raise our tow rating." Engine bay materials are at issue due to thermal complexities underhood. John Barta, GM's assistant chief engineer of diesel engine controls, said the Duramax's inline-six configuration allowed engineers to get emissions hardware like the combined selective catalytic reduction, diesel oxidation catalysts, and diesel particulate filter unit closer to the engine, where it heats up quicker, getting emissions down quicker. But that filter puts another heat source in those confines, enforcing a cap on the tow rating to keep the engine and other systems from overheating. "If you look under the hood," he said, "youÂ’ll see a significant amount of silver ‘moon tapeÂ’ around to make sure things arenÂ’t getting overheatedÂ… if we were to go up in higher towing, which we can, we start impacting the possibility of deteriorating some of the components.” There isn't much space for more grille, so swapping for a better grade of "moon tape" or a different kind of material could reduce engine bay heat, extracting a higher tow rating in the process.  It's important to note a point Barta's been making for months about the Duramax figures, though. "Even though itÂ’s nice to brag about big numbers, in reality, light duty customers are not towing that large with their trucks," and, "We do know that (95 percent) of our light duty customers donÂ’t tow over 9,000 pounds." On our First Drive of the 2020 Silverado diesel we called out the tow rating, but emphasized that the Chevy and GMC have more important challenges to overcome.