2018 Gmc Yukon Denali on 2040-cars

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There's an impending shortage of new trucks in America's heartland

URBANDALE, Iowa — Jerry Bill is worried the novel coronavirus could hurt business at the Des Moines auto dealership he runs, but not because of a shortage of buyers for the big Ram pickups on his lot. "Our biggest issue will be if we don't get more inventory," said Bill, general sales manager of Stew Hansen Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, which sells around 2,700 new vehicles a year in Urbandale, a suburb of Iowa's capital Des Moines. After a drop in sales in April when consumers stayed home, Bill expects pickup truck sales to end May similar to where they were a year earlier. And if demand remains strong, Bill said he will run out of popular models in June. Fiat Chrysler began slowly restarting Ram truck assembly lines on Monday after a two-month shutdown. The U.S. economy contracted in the first quarter at its sharpest pace since the Great Recession of 2007-2009 because of lockdown measures aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus. Economists warn the second quarter will be much worse. Still, far from the lockdowns of states like New York, Michigan or Ohio, dealerships like Stew Hansen have provided FCA and Detroit rivals General Motors and Ford a rare bright spot: strong sales of pickup trucks in America's heartland. Overall U.S. sales of cars and light trucks crashed to the weakest pace in 50 years last month. But sales of big Detroit brand pickups, particularly in southern and western states less affected by the outbreak, significantly outperformed the market, industry executives and analysts said. Pickup trucks are one of the most profitable automotive segments in the world. They account for a huge portion of the Detroit automakers' profits and formed a huge lure for Peugeot, which expects to merge with FCA by early 2021. The pressure is now on to boost pickup truck production and send vehicles to dealers in parts of the country with dwindling supplies. That is particularly true for GM, which is running short of certain truck models after losing 40 days of production to a strike last fall. "If you don't have what someone wants, they can choose to go to another brand," said Cox Automotive analyst Michelle Krebs. 'Easiest swap ever' Detroit automakers in March rolled out large discounts — such as interest-free loans for seven years — to keep vehicles rolling off dealer lots.

An unofficial 750-hp AWD GMC Syclone is on the way

From the makers of the 1,000-horsepower modern-day Yenko Chevy Camaro comes a 750-horsepower modern reimagination of the GMC Syclone. Following the release of the 455-horsepower Canyon-turned-Syclone from 2019, Specialty Vehicle Engineering (SVE) announced this week it will build a 2021 Canyon Syclone with supercharged V8 engine.  In the early '90s, GMC produced a all-wheel-drive performance version of its Sonoma pickup truck called the Syclone. It had a turbocharged and intercooled 4.3-liter V6 that made 280 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. GMC has withheld from producing a new version of the legendary pickup for the current era, so aftermarket company SVE took the torch and threw it in a gasoline-soaked bonfire.  SVE upped the ante when it released last year's "new" Canyon-based Syclone with a supercharged V6 that made 455 horsepower. In the year that has since passed, SVE decided to go beyond the heritage of the V6 powerplant and replace it with a supercharged V8. The new engine will give the 2021 Syclone, again based on the Canyon, a whopping 750 horsepower. The 2021 model will also have all-wheel drive like the original.  That's all the information the teaser provides, but an accompanying video previews what the truck will sound like. Based on the short clip, the exhaust will have a hearty bark to match its beefy heart. Check out the videos below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

GM looks to combat high theft rates on SUVs with added tech

The Cadillac Escalade has been at or near the top of most-stolen and insurance-loss lists for more than seven years, until it dropped to number six earlier this year. In 2011 it was fitted with a host of new security features to address its easy-to-override features and that has brought the number of thefts down, but when eight of the ten most stolen rides are large SUVs from General Motors, no one will argue that something else needs to be done.
Thus, GM has fitted this same theft-deterring tech to the 2015 Suburban, Tahoe and Yukon. The Suburban and Tahoe will get the steering lock that the Escalade and Yukon already get, plus bolted-down third-row seats to deter thefts like this, stronger door lock cylinders and shields, and side-cut keys to inhibit picking.
Additional security measures in a Theft Protection Package can be purchased for $395, consisting of sensors on the greenhouse glass and interior, an incline/tilt sensor and added "key control systems" to make it more difficult for the men in black balaclavas to steal what you bought.