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GMC Sierra spied with ZR2-style off-road modifications

A few months ago, the 2022 Chevy Silverado ZR2 was revealed with a bunch of off-road goodies to help it achieve a little more parity with trucks like the Ford F-150 Raptor and Ram 1500 TRX. But GM has another full-size truck, the GMC Sierra, and it would seem silly to us if the company didn't share those parts. Based on these spy photos, it seems GM agrees. Though thoroughly camouflaged, we can tell this truck is a GMC Sierra thanks to the sheetmetal on the doors and the distinct shape of the wheel arches. Under the wrappings, we can see that this Sierra features a very different front bumper to the current king of Sierra off-road models, the AT4X. The bottom edge is much higher for better clearance, particularly on the sides in front of the wheels. This is the same type of change applied to the Silverado ZR2's front end. It does appear to be missing the ZR2's skid plate, though we suspect that's a temporarily missing component on this prototype. One other off-road upgrade this Sierra features is a pair of rock rails to protect the rocker panels on the cab. What we can't see are the shocks installed on this truck. If this is a GMC version of the ZR2, it should have the spool-valve shocks from Multimatic. They're some of our favorite suspension components on any vehicle. Other components it should have are locking front and rear differentials, 33-inch tires and a standard 6.2-liter V8. Since the Silverado ZR2 is already revealed and ready for production, we would expect to see the GMC version soon. A good bet would be for a reveal in time for the 2023 model year. As for a name, it's hard to say, since we've already had AT4 and AT4X. It could be named something completely separate from the AT4 line. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

GM profits threatened by glut of pickups

Automotive News reports that General Motors may slash production or ramp up discounts in order to deal with an oversupply of pickup trucks. GM currently has more than double the standard supply of pickups, and the vehicles are threatening to dampen the automaker's profits for 2013. Typically, automakers try to sustain a 60- to 75-day supply of vehicles, but GM is currently loaded with a 139-day supply, as of last month. At the end of November, the automaker was sitting on 245,853 units.
The manufacturer says that it will adjust production accordingly before laying any incentives on the profitable pickups. Even so, there's some concern that the inventory swell could hurt the roll-out of the next-generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. GM actually began slowly stepping back production in August, but it's clear the company will take further action as it heads toward the end of the year and into the next. Analysts predict the automaker could reduce pickup manufacturing by nearly half in the first quarter of 2013.
That still may not be enough to keep GM from laying extra cash on the Silverado and GMC Sierra. While the company's incentive spending was down in November compared to the same month in 2011, both the Ram 1500 and Ford F-150 saw double-digit percentage increases in sales last month while the Silverado and Sierra numbers slid compared to a year prior. Incentive spending could help move more trucks and add some balance to the GM inventory surge.

GM cutting back on powertrain warranty citing lack of interest

Generally, when a manufacturer offers a long, high-mileage warranty, it's a sign that it stands behind its products. On top of that, it's generally a selling point for consumers, who can rest easy knowing that any catastrophic failures will be picked up by the manufacturer. Considering those facts, it does seem rather strange that General Motors is slashing the mileage warranty on model year 2016 vehicles from Chevrolet and GMC. Instead of offering consumers a 100,000-mile warranty, GM will now only offer a powertrain warranty up to 60,000 miles. The five-year warranty period, though, remains unchanged. GM will also cut the number of free services being offered to Chevy and GMC owners, as well as Buick drivers, from four to two. "Through research, we have determined that when purchasing a new vehicle, included maintenance and warranty rank low on the list of reasons why consumers consider a particular brand over another," explained a memo sent to dealers by Chevrolet VP Brian Sweeney and his GMC counterpart, Duncan Aldred, and obtained by Automotive News. "As a result, we have benchmarked our competitors, reviewed our current offerings and have concluded the following modifications to align closely with our customers' needs and expectations." While the move might seem odd, Sweeney and Aldred are right – according to Automotive News, Ford, Honda and Toyota each offer a five-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty. As for what the money saved by trimming the powertrain warranty will go towards, a GM spokesperson simply told AN that the company will "reinvest the savings we will realize into other retail programs," some of which have been requested by consumers. What are your thoughts? Would a 40,000-mile reduction in a new vehicle's powertrain really turn you off from buying one? Even if it matched its competitors? Is GM better off spending its money elsewhere? Have your say in Comments. Featured Gallery 2016 Chevrolet Equinox View 10 Photos News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Chevrolet Chevrolet GM GMC Auto Repair Maintenance Ownership warranty