GMC bolts the Denali badge on a heavy-duty pickup for the first time.
Conventional wisdom has it that big trucks are an endangered species. If so, don’t tell it to Detroit makers, who’re unleashing an assortment of macho machines designed for those with serious towing and hauling needs.
Coming a month after the Chicago Auto Show debut of the new heavy-duty Chevy Silverado, General Motors’ other truck brand weighs in at the St. Louis Auto Show with the 2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD. It’s the first time the Denali name has been bolted onto a heavy-duty GMC pickup.
Along with the 2011 GMC Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD trucks, the Sierra Denali HD weighs in with an all-new frame and upgraded suspenion package.
With an all-new frame and beefed-up suspension, GMC claims the entire HD line-up delivers increased towing and payload capabilities.
But what should win it attention is the upgraded Duramax 6.6-liter turbodiesel, rated at 397 horsepower and an eye-popping 765 pound-feet of torque. Specific details haven’t been released yet but GMC claims all HD models have increased towing and payload capacity for the ’11 model-year.
The competition in the heavy-duty segment gets even tougher, going forward, what with Ford F-Series Super Duty, which features its own 6.7-liter turbo-diesel. For a review of the new Ford bruiser, Click Here.