1989 Gmc Chattanooga Coach Suburban on 2040-cars

Auto blog

GM trademarks 'GearOn,' possibly for pickups

On May 27, a week before General Motors applied for a trademark for the word "Zora," GM filed a trademark application at the US Patent and Trademark Office for "GearOn," characterized as a "truck bed cargo system comprised of tiered storage cross rails, utility rack stanchions, cargo dividers and cargo tie down rings."
We have no idea what it will be or if we'll see it used on anything, but GM Authority reckons it could be GM's name for a pickup truck feature to rival the BoxLink system Ford introduced on the 2015 F-150. BoxLink has been described as having "dozens of configurations of stowable cargo ramps and lockable die-cast aluminum tie-down cleats," giving owners the ability to arrange the bed in they way they need and load unwieldy items like motorcycles without needing extra equipment.
Getting purely speculative, a month ago GM pickup truck engineers said there would be more and more regular updates for the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra starting next year. Beyond the suspected capability and fuel economy changes GearOn could be one of the "neat things coming in a whole host of areas."

IIHS gives good ratings to 4 of 8 midsize pickups in crash test

Versions of the Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon Crew Cab earned top ratings in a new crash test of midsize pickup trucks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, while two versions of the Nissan Frontier earned marginal ratings. But the organization gave poor marks to all eight pickups tested for their dim headlights. Overall, four of the eight pickups evaluated earned good ratings for protecting occupants in all five crash test categories — the Tacoma double cab along with crew cab versions of the Colorado, Canyon and Tacoma. But the poor headlights and lack of an automatic emergency braking system blocked any of the pickups from qualifying for the IIHS's Top Safety Pick awards. The study looked at two pickup body styles using 2017 models: crew cabs, which have four full doors and two full rows of seating, and extended cabs, which have two full front doors, two smaller rear doors and compact second-row seats. It subjected each to five tests, and it evaluated the performance of front crash prevention systems and headlights. The Toyota Tacoma crew cab was the only pickup in that class that earned a good rating for structure in the small overlap test, which replicates what happens when a vehicle clips a tree, pole or another vehicle that has crossed the center line. The model's Access Cab extended-cab version was rated similarly, though its structure was rated acceptable. "This group of small pickups performed better in the small overlap front test than many of their larger pickup cousins," says David Zuby, the Institute's executive vice president and chief research officer. "The exception was the Nissan Frontier, which hasn't had a structural redesign since the 2005 model year." The extended-cab versions of the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon earned acceptable ratings, while both the Nissan Frontier king-cab and crew-cab models were rated marginal. Toyota says its 2018 Tacoma will feature upgraded headlights and a standard autobraking system that can detect pedestrians. "Headlights are basic but vital safety equipment. Drivers shouldn't have to give up the ability to see the road at night when they choose a small pickup," Zuby said. Related Video: Auto News Chevrolet GMC Nissan Toyota Safety Truck Videos gmc canyon nissan frontier chevrolet colorado

GMC Sierra electric pickup previewed, will launch in Denali trim

An electric GMC Sierra Denali is coming, and this is our first look at the fully-electric pickup truck. It’ll be the second electric pickup from GMC, following the Hummer EV pickup that is about to launch. GMC didnÂ’t reveal much about the EV, but it did say that the electric Sierra will launch exclusively in Denali trim. That means you shouldnÂ’t expect to buy any cheaper versions of the truck in the immediate future. Denali is extremely popular among GMC buyers, though, so this being the exclusive offering probably wonÂ’t hurt GMCÂ’s sales prospects too badly. Beyond the trim, GMC also says the truck will be built on the Ultium platform, which is a given these days for new electric GM vehicles. As for the image and teaser video (see the video below), GMC gives us a fairly clear view of what the electric SierraÂ’s front end will look like. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. ItÂ’s no surprise to see the “grille” has been transformed into a shield of sorts. That shield is then flanked by a pair of giant LEDs that wrap around the edges of the top front corner. The turn signals are also previewed, as they blink in three-dot fashion on the front bumper. We can also see some fairly aggressive hood sculpting shrouded in shadow. And thatÂ’s about it. GMC says the electric Sierra will be fully revealed next year, but doesnÂ’t provide an exact date. We already know the electric Silverado is coming to CES in January, though, so we suspect many questions about the GMC version will be answered then. When the electric Sierra does come out, GM says it will be producing them at its assembly plant in Detroit and Hamtramck, MI. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.