DETROIT -- General Motors is aiming to differentiate the 2019 GMC Sierra from the competition -- and from its Chevy Silverado sibling -- through design, additional luxury amenities and technologies that the automaker calls segment-leading. It all starts with the tailgate.
As the more premium offering from General Motors, the GMC will make its stand against increasingly luxurious versions of the Ford F-150 and Fiat Chrysler's redesigned Ram 1500, which launches this year with major fuel-saving technology upgrades, safety improvements and premium touches. One big weapon for GMC will be the coming forthcoming option of a carbon fiber bed in high-end models.
For the vehicle’s arrival in the fall, improvements to the redesigned Sierra, aside from a bolder styling and weight reduction of up to 360 pounds, begin in the rear with a new standard, industry-first tailgate for its SLT and Denali trims -- both of which were being unveiled Thursday in Detroit.
“The 2019 GMC Sierra is full of innovative engineering and smart technology that represent a giant leap forward for the segment and, for some cases, the entire industry,” said GM product boss Mark Reuss during the unveiling.
The “MultiPro Tailgate” offers features and multiple positions that allow it to be used as a standing workstation, a step for climbing into and out of the bed or as a seat. An “inner” tailgate is part of the “primary” gate and can fold vertically down for easier loading or turn into a step, among other uses.
The inner gate also features a load-stop feature to help keep cargo in the bed when the tailgate is down. It also can be used as an exterior table, while keeping the main tailgate up. Both of the gates are released by two buttons in the tailgate handle.
“Being premium, it’s not just about technology in terms of information and electric technology. It’s about usability and real innovation,” Duncan Aldred, vice president of Global GMC, told Automotive News. “Anybody who uses a pickup truck bed, it’s going to make their lives much easier.”
In the box, the next-gen pickup appears to have all of the additional features of the Silverado, including a roll-formed, high-strength steel bed; more tie-downs; and an optional 110-volt power outlet. It’s also nearly 7 inches wider than the current model. The short box offers 63 cubic feet of volume, GM said.
Later in the model year, the 2019 Sierra Denali will be available with an industry-first carbon fiber composite box that GM is calling the "CarbonPro." It replaces the standard steel inner panels and floor with a lightweight carbon fiber composite that is 62 pounds lighter that the steel version.
The box, Reuss said, “adds unprecedented strength and durability.” He noted it’s dent, scratch and corrosion resistant.
“We can basically throw anything we can find at this and it just doesn’t leave a mark,” Aldred said. The company showed several items, including cinder blocks, being thrown into the bed during the pickup’s unveiling.
Without the composite box, the pickup is up to 360 pounds lighter than the current model, according to GMC. That's 90 pounds less than the difference between the current and next-gen Silverado models, likely because of additional features in the GMC models.
Other additions to the high-end Sierra models include a new trailering system that includes an app for remote monitoring and testing; customizable head-up display; and rear camera mirror.
The Sierra SLT and Denali trims will come standard with a 5.3-liter V-8 and eight-speed automatic transmission. As with the Silverado, available 6.2-liter V-8 and 3.0-liter inline-six turbodiesel engines will be paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Both of the V-8 engines, as in the Silverado, will feature technology called Dynamic Fuel Management that can shut off cylinders, in a variety of combinations, to optimize performance and fuel economy.
GM previously said the Silverado will offer six powertrain combinations, including the three announced Thursday for the Sierra. The company declined to comment on other engine offerings for the pickups.
GMC didn't provide engine performance details. It also declined to provide information about trims other than the SLT and Denali, which make up 87 percent of the brand's crew cab sales.
The current Sierra also is available in entry-level Sierra and SLE trims with a standard 4.3-liter V-6 engine.
Reuss and other GM executives have promised a greater differentiation than ever before between the Sierra and Silverado -- starting with separate unveilings for the first time since 1998. The company declined to say what percentage of parts would be shared between the two vehicles.
“The more they divert from one another the better,” Aldred said. “I think with the new Sierra, we’ve done that. Not only visually but with the technology we put in there.”
Both are expected to begin production in the third quarter in Fort Wayne, Ind. GM also builds the pickups in Mexico.
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