Unique 22-inch wheels, expanded package of standard content drives exclusivity
DETROIT – GMC is taking the range-topping style, craftsmanship and capability of the Sierra Denali even higher with the 2016 Sierra Denali Ultimate.
It builds on the Sierra Denali’s already class-leading attributes with a package of precision-crafted features designed to elevate its comfort, design and capability in the growing premium niche of the full-size truck market.
GMC introduces the Sierra Denali Ultimate today, ahead of its public debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It goes on sale late in the first quarter of 2016.
“The Sierra Denali has helped drive the growth of premium portion of the light-duty crew cab segment,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of GMC Sales and Marketing. “This truck is the ultimate expression of the Sierra Denali with greater emphasis on the bold and refined presence and advanced features that make Denali models synonymous with precision and exclusivity.”
Thanks in large part to Sierra Denali, which was redesigned in 2014, GMC commands 15.5 percent of the premium full-size truck segment, where average transaction prices exceed $55,000.
The segment has nearly doubled in 2015 and grown tenfold since 2013, when GMC had zero percent of the market. In fact, Sierra Denali has helped GMC earn a higher share of the premium portion of the light-duty crew cab segment than of the overall full-size pickup segment.
Unique features and more standard technologies
The Sierra Denali Ultimate is offered exclusively on four-wheel drive 1500 crew cab models with either a 5’ 8” or 6’ 6” cargo bed. It is distinguished with 22-inch wheels with chrome or black insert), a standard sunroof, chrome tow hooks and standard technologies, including Tri-Mode Power Steps – that move rearward to serve as a step into the forward section of the cargo bed. Lane Keep Assist and IntelliBeam automatic headlamp control are also standard.
Sierra’s 6.2L V-8/eight-speed automatic powertrain combination offers the light-duty segment’s highest output: 420 horsepower (313 kW) and 460 lb-ft of torque (623 Nm). Active noise cancelation technology contributes to a quieter driving experience and is featured with the 6.2L engine. A 5.3L V-8 with the new Hydra-Matic 8L90 eight-speed automatic transmission is the standard powertrain.
An integrated trailer brake controller is standard on the Sierra Denali Ultimate and allows the driver to adjust the amount of output available to the electric trailer brake and to manually apply the brakes.
Additionally, Sierra Denali’s standard, segment-exclusive magnetic ride control delivers more precise body motion control, for a greater feeling of responsiveness to the driver and a smoother ride for passengers. Its sensors “read” the road every millisecond, triggering damping changes in as little as five milliseconds in electronically controlled shock absorbers that replace conventional mechanical-valve shocks.
Professional grade style and crafted interior
In addition to the special content, the Sierra Denali Ultimate includes all of the crafted interior, advanced features and design elements of other Denali models, including body-color bumpers, chrome exhaust tip, unique interior decorative trim, a polished stainless steel exhaust outlet and a factory-installed spray-on bed liner with a three-dimensional Denali logo.
It also wears new front-end styling introduced for 2016, including high-performance LED headlamps with GMC LED signature lighting, an all-new Denali grille and LED taillamps.
The high-tech interior features an eight-inch-diagonal Customizable Driver Display – with Denali-themed screen graphics at start-up – that can show relevant settings, audio and navigation information in the instrument panel. Sierra Denali’s standard eight-inch-diagonal Color Touch navigation radio with IntelliLink, located above the center console, is the hub for Bluetooth-connected phones and portable devices connected through four standard USB ports.
IntelliLink also features Apple CarPlay capability, with Android Auto capability coming later in the model year. Additional standard technologies and convenience features include:
- OnStar 4G LTE connectivity with a Wi-Fi hotspot
- Bose premium sound system
- Wireless phone charging – new for 2016
- Remote vehicle starter system
- Remote keyless entry with new remote locking tailgate
- Power-adjustable pedals
- Power-sliding rear window with defogger
- Rear-vision camera with dynamic guidelines.
The Denali Ultimate features premium soft-touch interior materials, aluminum trim and contrast stitching on the standard leather-trimmed interior – including 12-way power adjustable heated and vented front leather bucket and a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Elevation of luxury
Named for Mount Denali, the highest peak in North America, the GMC Denali brand represents the pinnacle of luxury, design and performance – the ultimate expression of professional grade.
GMC’s top-of-the-line models include the signature Denali chrome grille – premium materials and the latest safety and infotainment technology. Features such as a 10-inch reconfigurable instrument cluster on the Yukon Denali series and Magnetic Ride Control on Sierra Denali are exclusive to their respective vehicle segment.
The luxury-focused Denali models outsell the entire product lines of some of the most aspirational marques, including Land Rover, Jaguar and Porsche, with almost 60 percent of all GMC Yukon/Yukon XL models and more than 45 percent of Sierra HD sold wearing the Denali badge.
Overall, Denali vehicles have accounted for about 25 percent of all GMC retail sales in 2015 and more than 850,000 have been sold since the nameplate was introduced on the 1999 Yukon.
