Auto Trends Magazine

Car reviews, industry news, & advice.

You are here: Home

Main Content

X Marks the Spot for GMC Sierra

by 4 Comments

A special edition of GMC’s full-size Sierra pickup truck has the look and off-road capabilities some enthusiasts will want.

GMC Sierra All Terrain X.
GMC Sierra All Terrain X.

Consumer love for pickup trucks and SUVs is at an all-time high. To that end, GMC is taking advantage of our seemingly insatiable desire for all things high profile vehicle, by responding with a special edition of the Sierra’s All Terrain model, a package known officially as the GMC All Terrain X.

The special edition model offers exclusive content, including enhancements to the pickup’s off-road capability. The All Terrain X features an assertive countenance dressed in a monochromatic demeanor.

An Off-Road Enthusiasts Dream?

GMC says that the All Terrain X meets the desire of off-road enthusiasts to deliver a personalized truck much in the same way the Sierra Denali also does. The special edition Sierra provides an amalgamation of off-road competence and original style, borne out through a special package offering the following:

  • 4WD with Eaton locking rear differential
  • Z71 Off-Road suspension package with Rancho monotube shocks, high-capacity air cleaner, Hill Descent Control and underbody transfer case shield
  • Rear Park Assist
  • Unique grille with body-color surround and tinted chrome accents; body-color front and rear bumpers (rear bumper with corner steps)
  • Spray-on bedliner
  • All-Terrain-logo instrument cluster
  • Inclinometer in the driver information center

“Styling is the biggest influence on Sierra customers and the new Sierra All Terrain X builds on that with a more aggressive, personalized appearance that complements its exceptional capability,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of GMC Sales and Marketing. “It joins other models such as the new Sierra Elevation and premium Sierra Denali to offer more choices for finding the premium truck that matches customers’ style and capability needs.”

Exclusive to the SLT Edition

The All Terrain X is offered exclusively in the 2016 Sierra 1500 4WD crew cab/short box models with SLT trim. This model builds on the standard All Terrain package to add the following:

  • 265/65R18SL Mud-Terrain-rated Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac MT tires, designed for off-road competence in dirt, gravel and mud, with on-road composure in dry, wet and wintry conditions
  • 18 x 8.5-inch black aluminum wheels
  • Sport side steps (black)
  • Bed-mounted sport bar (black) designed to support the accessory off-road LED lighting package
  • High-performance LED headlamps
  • Performance exhaust system, which bumps output of the 5.3L V-8 engine to 365 horsepower and adds an aggressive note
  • Body-color door handles and body-side moldings
  • Black exterior mirrors, belt moldings and B-pillars
  • Interior floor liners
  • Available colors: Onyx Black, Summit White, Stone Blue Metallic, Iridium Metallic, Crimson Red Tintcoat, Light Steel Gray Metallic.

2015 GMC Sales

GMC Sierra sales rose by a robust 17 percent in 2015 with overall truck deliveries up by 23 percent. GM’s truck brand outpaced Chevrolet, Buick, and Cadillac for 2015 as its overall US sales rose by 11.3 percent.

By far, GMC’s best seller is its full-size Sierra, accounting for 224,139 of the brand’s total 558,697 sales last year. That number was twice the sales of its second best selling model, the compact Terrain SUV.

Sales of the GMC Sierra All Terrain X will begin this spring. The price will be announced closer to its release date.

See Also — Toyota Reigns Supreme Four Years Running

Photos copyright GMC.

Toyota Reigns Supreme Four Years Running

by 1 Comment

Volkswagen’s quest to overtake Toyota will have to wait at least another year as the German automaker deals with more than 11 million recalled models.

2016 Toyota Prius
The Prius is just one of many models powering Toyota to world leadership.

Once again, Toyota Motors is the largest producer of passenger and commercial vehicles in the world, edging out the Volkswagen Group and the General Motors Company for that honor reports Automotive News.

At the beginning of the year, it appeared Toyota’s three-year run was in jeopardy as a rapidly expanding Volkswagen seemed to have the momentum to overtake Toyota. But then something else intervened, namely a diesel engine scandal.

That scandal revealed that the German automotive giant had fudged data regarding its “clean diesel” engines, with the California Air Resources Board and the federal Environmental Protection Agency uncovering the truth. Volkswagen’s quest to overtake Toyota was doomed and three years ahead of schedule.

The scandal was brought to light in mid-September, effectively putting a stop to new diesel-powered vehicle sales for the Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche brands. Those sales, accounting for more than 25 percent of the Volkswagen brand’s US total, assured Toyota its place on top would continue.

In 2015, Toyota sold 10.15 million new vehicles worldwide, falling 0.8 percent over 2014. Toyota counts sales from its subsidiaries, Daihatsu Motors and Hino Motors, in its figure.

Volkswagen sales fell by 2 percent with the automaker moving approximately 9.9 million vehicles. In third place was General Motors, whose seven-plus decade reign as the world’s top automotive producer ended in 2008 when Toyota moved past GM.

In 2011, GM overtook Toyota for one year as the Japanese automaker recovered from a devastating earthquake and tsunami that shook its home country. Last year, GM sales rose slightly by 0.2 percent, finishing just above 9.8 million units.

If Toyota maintains its position for a fifth consecutive year it may be due in part to buying out the 49 percent share of Daihatsu it doesn’t already own, a company with a strong presence in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Toyota also has the next-generation Prius to show for it, but with fuel prices continuing to fall, demand for hybrids is tumbling with it. Nevertheless, Prius is the cornerstone of Toyota’s green efforts, with more than a dozen other hybrid models sold under the Toyota and Lexus marques. Toyota is also introducing its first production fuel cell model, the hydrogen-powered Mirai.

Globally, the world’s automakers produced 89.5 million vehicles in 2014 according to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers; 2015 data is not yet final. Sales in 2014 rose by 3 percent over 2013, but were up 34 percent since 2005. The global auto industry has a rising consumer class to thank for the increased sales, although economic headwinds may show an even smaller increase for 2015.

Boasting about sales may seem counter productive and lead to the same types of cheating Volkswagen is now known for. At the same time manufacturers with strong sales can also point to economies of scale and the attendant savings that come with spreading overhead across more vehicles sold.

See Also — About the 2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell Sedan