Photo: Equipment WorldAs competitors like Ram, Ford and Nissan have begun to focus more and more on cramming their pickups full of technology and other luxury features like heated leather seats, luxe truck trend setter GMC has no doubt felt a bit of added pressure.
Even in its announcement of the latest Sierra Denali, GMC says that the premium truck segment, those pickups priced at $55,000 and higher, nearly doubled so far this year alone and has grown tenfold since 2013.
So, with the 2016 Sierra Denali Ultimate, the truck maker decided to go all out, deeming this the “ultimate” model to date.
The Sierra Denali Ultimate is basically an easy way to walk off a GMC lot with the most well-appointed Sierra possible. Plus, its the first Denali to feature the new 2016 Sierra front end which GM unveiled in July. The grille of course is a bit different, featuring a flat mesh design rather than the two-bar design found on the standard-issue Sierra.
It is offered exclusively on the 4WD Sierra 1500 crew cab with either a 5-foot, 8-inch or 6-foot, 6-inch bed. A 5.3-liter V8 is the standard powertrain though a 6.2-liter V8 pushing 420 horsepower and 460 ft.-lbs. of torque is an option. Both engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The truck rides on 22-inch wheels available with a chrome or black insert, and comes standard with a sunroof, chrome tow hooks and Tri-Mode Power Steps which not only help you into the cab but also “move rearward to serve as a step into the forward section of the cargo bed.”
Standard technology includes an integrated trailer brake controller, which allows the driver to adjust the amount of output available to the electric trailer brake and to manually apply the brakes, GMC says. The truck also comes outfitted with Lane Keep Assist and IntelliBeam automatic headlamp control.
The interior of the truck features an 8-inch display that displays settings, audio and navigation information. It’s worth noting that the Sierra Denali Ultimate will also work with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto when those integrated smartphone displays are pushed to the truck later in 2016.
The truck also features a Bose sound system, wireless phone charging, remote vehicle start and remote keyless entry with a new remote locking tailgate.
