Chevrolet recently unveiled the 2019 Silverado at
the North American International Auto Show and now it’s time for the GMC Sierra
to step into the spotlight. Automotive News is reporting the truck will be
unveiled on March 1st at an event in Detroit. Little is known about the event
but the report indicates GMC will also take the wraps off the all-new Sierra
Denali.
The decision to unveil the Sierra Denali alongside
the standard model isn’t too surprising as Denali sales hit an all-time high in
2017. 29 percent of GMC sales were from Denali models and the mix climbs as
high as 63 percent on the Yukon XL. The strength of the Denali lineup has
pushed the average transaction price for new GMC vehicles up to US$ 43,800 which
is nearly US$ 11,000 more than a decade ago.
GMC has been tight-lipped about the redesigned
Sierra but the company recently revealed the model will have “more
differentiation than ever before to appeal to premium truck buyers.” Spy photos
have shown the truck will feature an all-new front fascia with a prominent
grille, vertical fog lights, and distinctive headlights. The model also appears
to have more conservative styling than the Silverado but we’ll find out more
next month.
While the two trucks will be further differentiated,
they’ll still have plenty in common. As a result, we can expect the Sierra to
be about 41 mm longer than its predecessor and have a wheelbase
that has grown by up to 100 mm. The truck could also weigh up to 204 kg less thanks to the use high-strength steel and aluminum.
The latter material will likely be used on the doors, hood, and tailgate.
Powertrain options will also be shared with the
Silverado so we can expect 5.3- and 6.2-liter V8 engines with a Dynamic Fuel Management
system which can deactivate multiple cylinders to improve fuel efficiency.
There should also be a new 3.0-liter Duramax turbodiesel six-cylinder engine
which is paired to a ten-speed automatic transmission.
