2013 Gmc Yukon Xl 1500 Slt on 2040-cars

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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."

2023 GMC Canyon revealed with new ZR2-based AT4X trim

Following up on the reveal of its twin, the Chevy Colorado, the 2023 GMC Canyon has made its appearance. Naturally, it shares much with the Chevy pickup, but GMC has gone to greater lengths to differentiate the truck. It comes standard with the high-output engine, all versions feature the wide-track suspension setup, and in addition to the now more luxurious Denali, there's a ZR2-based AT4X trim. As with the new Colorado, the Canyon gets an overhaul of the design. It's down to one bed and cab configuration (short-bed, crew cab), and it features a longer wheelbase with the front axle pushed forward. The Canyon does get a variety of unique design features, though. It has its own front fascia with a tall, rectangular grille. LED lighting is standard on all Canyon models all the way around. That includes the unique fender lights like those found on the Sierra HD. All Canyons also feature the wide-track off-road suspension like the Colorado Z71 and Trail Boss. There are no narrow-track, narrow-body versions, even on the base two-wheel-drive Elevation. That suspension also means all Canyons have a roughly two-inch lift over base Chevy Colorados. The GMCs also get standard 32-inch tires, and they don't feature a front air dam in order to provide better approach angles. The bed, while only available in one trim, is available with a unique storage bin in the tailgate. On the topic of suspension specs, the Elevation and AT4 trim levels have 9.6 inches of ground clearance. The Denali increases that to 10.5 inches, and the AT4X features 10.6 inches. It also picks up the Multimatic spool-valve shocks from the ZR2. But we'll talk more about what comes on the AT4X in a bit. Under the hood of the Canyon is just one engine. It gets the highest-output version of the 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. The engine makes 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. The only transmission is an eight-speed automatic. Two-wheel drive comes standard on Elevation, and other trims come standard with four-wheel drive. The inside of the Canyon is very similar to the Colorado, but it has some unique cues. It has air vents that are more integrated into the squared-off dashboard design, rather than the Chevy's round vents. It has a differently shaped dash pad and trim surrounds, too. The really big differences come on the Denali and AT4X trims, though. The Denali features real wood trim with laser etchings. It also gets lots of real leather and fancy stitching.

Watch GM's new pickup crash its way to five-star NHTSA ratings

General Motors has just scored a big win with its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks, acing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration New Car Assessment Program. The two full-size trucks had already netted a five-star Overall Vehicle Score in their crew-cab variants, but the new testing certifies them as five-star trucks in both regular and double-cab bodystyles, so GM's trucks offer top ratings across the board.
"Our incredibly capable trucks have been engineered to be some of the safest," Gay Kent, GM's general director of Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness said. "We've designed the vehicle structure, strategically placed high-strength steel and developed the occupant restraint system to achieve high levels of safety performance."
The scores mark the Silverado and Sierra as the first pickups to net five-star scores since NHTSA beefed up their testing regime in 2011, a nice feather in GM's cap as it continues to slug out the pickup truck wars with crosstown rivals Ford and Ram.