Editors: CORRECTS size of reconfigurable instrument cluster in 17th paragraph to
eight inches instead of 10 inches as originally sent
For Release: Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015, 12:01 a.m. EST
GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate: The Pinnacle of Premium
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 lightduty 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 HydraMatic 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 mechanicalvalve 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, leatherwrapped 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 an 8inch 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.
GMC has manufactured trucks since 1902, with innovation and engineering excellence built
into all GMC vehicles. The brand is evolving to offer more fuel-efficient trucks and
crossovers, including the Terrain small SUV and Acadia crossover. GMC’s highest-volume
vehicle, the Sierra pickup, is the most powerful light-duty pickup on the market, and the
first full-size pickup to receive the highest-possible five-star Overall Vehicle Score for safety
since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration changed its New Car Assessment
Program for the 2011 model year. Details on all GMC models are available at
http://www.gmc.com/, on Twitter at @thisisgmc or at http://www.facebook.com/gmc.
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CONTACT:
Kelly Wysocki
GMC Communications
313-378-6640
kelly.wysocki@gm.com