The 2016 GMC Sierra All Terrain X adds even more luxury to the off-road ready pickup truck segment.
First shown as a 2011 concept, the GMC Sierra All Terrain was designed to show that serious off-road-ready pickups didn’t have to be stripped to the bone.
The production version, which debuted in mid-2015, stayed true to form, offering such niceties as leather-trimmed seats with accent stitching, an onboard WiFi hotspot and, of course, standard four-wheel-drive.
Apparently that wasn’t enough for some potential buyers in a truck market that has absolutely caught fire, and General Motors’ truck brand is coming back with an even more premium version, the GMC Sierra All Terrain X, making its debut at the Houston Auto Show today.
The special model, explains GMC, features “exclusive premium content that enhances off-road capability and an aggressive, monochromatic appearance.”
(GMC amps up crossover competition with 2017 Acadia. For more, Click Here.)
Styling is the biggest influence on Sierra customers and the new Sierra All Terrain X builds on that, officials said.
Among the functional upgrades, the All Terrain X gets:
- An 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;
- Spray-on bedliner;
- All-Terrain-logo instrument cluster with an Inclinometer in the driver information center.
There’s also Rear Park Assist and a unique grille and bumpers, all finished in body-color.
And the list keeps going, with special, Mud-Terrain Goodyear tires mounted on black aluminum wheels, sport side steps, a bed-mounted sports bar with LED lighting, and high-performance LED headlamps.
“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.
The Sierra All Terrain X sees power bumped to 365 horsepower thanks to a new sports exhaust system.
Under the hood, the Sierra All Terrain X sees power bumped to 365 horsepower thanks to a new sports exhaust system that also gives the truck a more dramatic growl.
(Click Here for details about GM’s plans to add an array of utility vehicles.)
The All Terrain X will ride into U.S. GMC showrooms in spring. The maker isn’t yet offering price, performance or fuel-economy numbers.
But Aldred notes it is just the latest in GMC’s expanding line-up of upscale trucks, along with products like the Sierra Denali and Sierra Elevation. GMC’s Denali brand-within-a-brand now accounts for more than 40% of its total sales.
But GMC isn’t alone.
If anything, truck makers are struggling to keep up with the increasingly upscale tastes of U.S. buyers who may be taking some of their recent savings on fuel and plowing them back into the products they buy.
(To see more about TheDetroitBureau’s first drive in the Cadillac CT6, Click Here.)
Ford has taken a series of steps up-market in recent years with its F-Series pickup family. The once top-line King Ranch edition is now almost mainstream, Ford adding the Platinum line and, more recently, the Limited edition. Ford officials say they’re considering even more upscale packages.