1996 Blue 4x4 Gmc Yukon on 2040-cars

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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.

Chevy's 6.6-liter Duramax is pretty much all new

To say there's a heated battle in heavy-duty pickups is an understatement, with Chevrolet, Ford, and Ram constantly trading blows of increased torque, horsepower, and towing capacity. The latest salvo is the revised, more powerful turbo diesel 6.6-liter Duramax V8 in the 2017 Chevy Silverado. It has 910 pound-feet of torque, an increase of 145, putting it nearly level with the Ford Super Duty. Here's a closer look at where those gains come from. How exactly did Chevrolet add all that torque plus 48 horsepower? The automaker essentially took a fine-tooth comb to the entire engine. Chevy says it changed 90 percent of the V8, and the cumulative effect of those small changes adds up to big increases. As you might guess, the turbocharger is updated. The larger unit features electric actuation of the variable nozzle turbine (VNT), and what Chevy calls a double axle cartridge mechanism that separates the VNT moving parts from the housing. That helps with heat performance as well, with a claim that the exhaust side of the turbo can run continuously up to 1,436 degrees Fahrenheit. Helping that cause are six exhaust gaskets made of Inconel - an nickel alloy that contains chromium and iron – and upgraded stainless steel for the exhaust manifold. Despite having the same cast iron cylinder block, albeit with some minor enhancements, the engine has new cylinder heads, pistons, piston pins, connecting rods, and crankshaft, which have all been upgraded to handle 20 percent higher cylinder pressures. Alongside the increase in pressure, Chevrolet also increased the cylinder head's structure with a honeycomb design. The pattern features high-strength aluminum with dual layer water jackets that not only improve strength, but also optimize water flow for better cooling. For 2017, the cylinder head also benefits from integrated plenum that aids the engine in getting more air under heavy loads. The cylinder head isn't the only component to get a minor update, as the pistons have a larger diameter pin for improved oil flow. The same detailed improvements has been bestowed to the humble connecting rods (second in our hearts only to the inanimate carbon rod). The new design has the bolts oriented roughly 45-degrees to the rod instead of parallel. The angle split design, as it's called allows for easier passage through the cylinder.

2023 GMC Sierra AT4X AEV starts at $90,490

The 2023 GMC Sierra hid a surprise we didn't know to look for. We covered the pickup's pricing for next year, which included noting the $3,395 increase on the price of the $83,595 AT4X trim. Only the Denali Ultimate 4WD with the 6.2-liter is more expensive, at $83,995. The AT4X rise pays for extra equipment. the standard AT4X inheriting parts from the Sierra ATVX AEV created in collaboration with American Expedition Vehicles. The extra gear includes a revised grille with gloss black and dark nickel trim, AEV front and rear bumpers with increased approach and departure angles, a hot-stamped hardened steel front skid plate inflate the cost and give the ATX4 a little more capability off-road. The equipment list narrows the gap from the regular AT4X to the AT4X AEV, the latter going just a bit further with four more skid plates, AEV's Salta wheels, and a smattering of black trim around the body. The surprise is that the configurator lists the AT4X AEV as a package for the AT4X, not as a separate trim, which is what we were looking for. That package costs $6,895, putting the MSRP at $90,490 after the $1,895 destination charge.  Unlike some other spendy trucks that can be optioned with another 10% or 15% of their MSRPs in options, there's not much left on the menu for the Sierra AT4X AEV. The most expensive substantial change would be paint, which costs at least $495 for anything but Summit White. There are no other wheel choices, no other interior choices than Obsidian Rush full leather. Checking the boxes for equipment like the console-mounted safe, off-road high-clearance steps, and hard-folding tonneau cover, plus a fancy metallic paint, comes to $3,650 for the bundle. Make it $95,000 before dealer fees and add-ons for Chevy's trail-focused truck. That's about midway between the hi-po high-speed desert runners, the $78,600 Ford Raptor and the $109,600 Raptor R, and $4,300 more than a base Ram TRX, a truck with three $10,000 option packages. It costs a lot more to get dirty than it used to. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.