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2015 Sierra All Terrain HD looks ready to hit heavy-duty trails

GMC is getting its heavy-duty trucks ready for the mud this summer with its All Terrain package for the Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD. Meant to blend style, tech and ruggedness, the pack includes a lot of extra chrome outside and an off-road package underneath.
The 2015 Sierra All Terrain HD trucks naturally come standard with four-wheel drive with an electronically controlled transfer case to handle things in the dirt. The Z71 off-road package is also standard, which includes Rancho twin-tube shocks, hill descent control and a skid plate. To add some style when off the beaten path, the pack includes chrome trim on the mirror caps, lower bumper and grille surround, plus LEDs around the headlights and 18-inch wheels (20-inchers are optional on the 2500HD). The 3500HD also gets chrome, adjustable outside camper mirrors. The interior receives a technology upgrade thanks to the standard rearview camera and IntelliLink infotainment that can act as a Wi-Fi hotspot through OnStar 4G LTE, read text messages and includes Siri Eyes Free for iPhone users.
The All Terrain package goes on sale on both trucks this summer and is offered on either the SLE or SLT trim levels in double cab and crew cab models. The standard engine is the 6.0-liter V8 with 360 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, but the Duramax 6.6-liter, diesel V8 with 397 hp and 765 lb-ft is also available. The gas engine is mated to a Hydra-matic six-speed automatic, and the diesel uses an Allison six-speed automatic. Scroll down to read the full announcement about these heavy-duty off-roaders.

Weekly Recap: Geneva's splendor reflects growing demand for ultra-luxury cars

Geneva is one of the most glittering auto shows in the world, but the list of high-powered and bespoke luxury cars was decadent this year even by the rich standards of the Swiss exhibition. It's great for enthusiasts to revel in the flame-throwing Aston Martin Vulcan, the racing-inspired elegance of the Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 concept and the insane performance of the Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce, but there's a reason for all of this opulence: the luxury market is big business. And it's growing. IHS Automotive forecasts that so-called ultra-premium sales will nearly triple this decade from 123,000 to 353,000 units around the world. The estimate includes brands like Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari and Rolls-Royce, but doesn't count BMW, Mercedes and Audi, which offer less expensive models in addition to their high-end flagships. Though IHS includes Porsche and its relatively large volume in the study, the ultra-premium segment is still set grow at about the same rate, even without the German automaker's figures. So what is propelling all of this growth in the most expensive segment of the auto industry? Put simply, there's more rich people. IHS Automotive principal analyst Tim Urquhart pointed to economic expansion in China, market recovery in the United States and a surge in the lucrative technology sector as contributing factors. This dovetails with a research report by UK-based Oxfam, an international relief organization, which found the world's richest one-percent owned 48 percent of global wealth in 2014, and it's expected to increase to more than 50 percent by 2016. View 17 Photos Carmakers are moving quickly to capitalize with new products, expanding their portfolios with low-volume speedsters like the 800-hp V12 Vulcan at Geneva, and plans to enter new segments, like Rolls-Royce's strategy to make an SUV. "Ultra-premium carmakers are looking to explore ways of growing their product offerings, and thus their bottom lines, in this most potentially profitable of segments," Urquhart wrote in a report on the Geneva show. In a nutshell, there are more choices for people with more money. It's a good time to have expensive taste. Other News & Notes 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata production launches It won't be long now. The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata arrives later this year, and it's officially in production. Mazda announced this week that the roadster began rolling off the assembly line at its Ujina factory in Hiroshima, Japan.

2022 GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate Interior Review: Better by a million miles

We were right. So were customers. Basically, everyone who took one look at the interior of the current GMC Sierra/Chevrolet Silverado generation and immediately went "not good enough." Possibly followed by "not even close" and/or laughing. The Silverado cabin was especially egregious in the top-of-the-line Sierra Denali, which slapped some token bits of "wood" to the doors and center console sides and called it a day. It didn't even get the Silverado High Country's bronzey trim surrounding the touchscreen. Absolutely nothing about it said, "I am competitive with just about any Ram 1500 or, to a lesser extent, a Ford F-150 King Ranch or Platinum." That changes with the 2022 GMC Sierra. Do I really need to explain why the "After" (up top) is so much better than the "Before" (above)? I do not. The better question is: is it better or at least as good as the Ram and F-150 now? Yes! And! GMC actually upped the game further for 2022 by adding a level beyond the Denali: the Denali Ultimate. While both Denalis share a common design with each other and the also-new Sierra AT4X, that design is different than what you'll find in other Sierras and every redone Silverado. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the first time the Silverado and Sierra have had such substantially different interiors. True, they're still awfully similar, but by GMC/Chevy standards, it might as well be night and day.  You can see the difference below: Denali Ultimate left, Silverado High Country right. Is one design better than another? I don't think so, but they are indeed different, which is great. BUT! Remember, this is the new Denali Ultimate we're talking about here. That means it goes beyond the regular Denali.  First, this "Alpine Umber" color with "Forge perforated leather seat trim" is only available on the Denali Ultimate and the only color available for the Denali Ultimate. It has a bit of the King Ranchy/Long Horny feel to it without going so far into cowboy land. I dig it. The regular Denali offers Jet Black or "Atmosphere/Brownstone" (shades of brown).  This leather then features white piping and super-cool baseball-ish contrast stitching. I would like to reiterate at this point that the Sierra Denali's previous idea of a luxury aesthetic upgrade was strips of wood-looking plastic. What's the word I'm searching for? Ah yes. "Effort." But wait, there's more!