New GMC Campaign Celebrates the Art of Precision

Features entire showroom for the first time 

since ‘Professional Grade’ debut

DETROIT – Precision can be the difference between winning and losing, or that element that separates ordinary from a cut above. GMC today unveiled “Precision,” an advertising campaign promoting the brand’s relentless attention to detail, a foundational value for the brand.

The multimedia campaign is part of a major investment by GMC this year that showcases GMC’s full line of premium trucks, SUVs and crossovers, including its popular Denali sub-brand. The entire GMC showroom is featured in the campaign for the first time since the 2000 launch of tagline “GMC: We Are Professional Grade.” The ads represent a broader, contemporary interpretation of the longstanding GMC positioning. 

“For discerning GMC customers, Professional Grade has evolved to mean exacting attention to detail and fine craftsmanship in everything they do and purchase,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of GMC Sales and Marketing. “Precision is a core attribute of the brand and is reflected in GMC’s continued momentum. GMC’s year-over-year sales gains are a strong indicator that premium GMC attributes resonate with customers who seek more from their vehicles.”

“Fastball,” the first of three TV ads developed by GMC and agency-of-record Leo Burnett Detroit begins airing nationally in a 60-second ad on March 2. The ad’s underlying theme is that the same precision and attention to detail applied by pro athletes and accomplished professionals translate to GMC engineers and designers. Ultimately customers who demand superior execution in the products they purchase look for the same level of precision and craftmanship.

“Fastball” opens with a panoramic view of a packed ballpark. The scene shifts to San Francisco Giants left-handed relief pitcher Jeremy Affeldt as he deftly paints the corners of the plate, a “Rembrandt” in baseball terminology. Striking out a batter is one thing; painting the corners of the plate to strike out the batter elevates his craft to a higher level.

As the narrator speaks, shots of Affeldt pitching alternate with GMC vehicle details, such as the French stitching on a GMC leather seat and a grille’s sparkling meshwork.

“Precision, to me, is pretty much everything in the role I play on my team,” said Affeldt, explaining that he continually pushes himself because a lack of precision can contribute to a loss on the diamond. Affeldt’s precise fastball helped his team win the 2014 World Series.

“Swish,” the second of the three TV ads, features basketball forward Harrison Barnes, of the Golden State Warriors, as he sends a ball clean through the hoop without touching the rim.

“When you have that perfect swish, you hear the net and it goes right in,” Barnes said. “That’s precision, and it’s the best shot you can shoot. We’re always striving for that precise movement and pure shot.”

The third TV ad, “Sharp,” draws a parallel with contemporary menswear. The ad juxtaposes the details of an impeccably dressed man, right down to his designer cufflinks, to the precision features on a GMC Yukon Denali.

The “Precision” ads will air throughout 2015, and the campaign will extend to digital, social and print advertising featuring every truck, crossover and SUV in the 2015 GMC lineup. 

All three “Precision” ads open with an instrumental portion of The Who’s “Eminence Front,” chosen for its confident tone and technical, precise musical execution.

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.

CargoGlide Introduction

Introduction to the CargoGlide line of top quality bed slide products 

for your Work, Play and all of Life in between.

GMC Savana Cargo Van - 2015

New for 2015:

• Digital AM/FM radio with auxiliary port
• Digital AM/FM with USB and auxiliary port
• Standard 110-volt power outlet
• Standard side-cut keys
• Three banks of LED Lighting
• Exterior color: Emerald Green

2015 GMC SAVANA CARGO OFFERS TRADEMARK VERSATILITY

GMC Savana Cargo is a versatile van designed to make work easier and more accommodating. It is available in regular (135-inch / 3,429-mm) and extended (155-inch / 3,937-mm) wheelbase lengths, in heavy-duty 2500 Series and 3500 Series models.

The 2500 Series includes models rated at 8,600 pounds (3,901 kg) GVWR, with the 3500 Series includes full-bodied models rated at 9,600 pounds (4,354 kg) GVWR with a standard 6.0L gas V-8 and 9,900 pounds (4,490 kg) with the available Duramax 6.6L turbo-diesel.

A wide range of features and configurations offers many competitive advantages, with standard and available features including:

• ·         Standard 4.8L and available 6.0L gas engines
• ·         Available dedicated compressed natural gas package
• ·         Available 6.6L Duramax turbo-diesel engine with B20 biodiesel capability
• ·         Fuel-saving six-speed automatic transmissions
• ·         Available locking rear differential
• ·         Trailer rating of up to 10,000 pounds (4,535 kg)
• ·         StabiliTrak electronic stability control is standard on all models
• ·         SiriusXM Satellite Radio is available.

The Savana Crew Cargo Van offers a three-passenger rear bench, with additional equipment including full-length black rubberized-vinyl floor covering, fixed full-body window package glass, swing-out passenger-side door, head- and side-curtain air bags and a Medium Pewter interior color. On extended wheelbase models, it also includes rear air conditioning.

Savana design and exterior features:

·         Chrome appearance package is available and includes chrome front and rear bumpers and chrome grille with dual composite headlamps. Black-painted bumpers are standard

·         Swing-out 60/40-split passenger-side doors are standard.

·         Sliding passenger-side door is available

·         Heated power-adjustable outside folding mirrors are available on all models.

·         Sixteen-inch steel wheels are standard

·         Ambulance prep package and hotel shuttle package are available

·         Exterior colors: Quicksilver Metallic, Cyber Gray Metallic, Dark Blue Metallic, Black, Dark Green Metallic, Summit White, Victory Red, Wheatland Yellow, Emerald Green and Bronze Alloy Metallic.

Savana interior standard and available features:

• Power locks are standard
• Air conditioning (single-zone) is standard
• Rear air conditioning is available
• A range of audio systems, including CD/MP3 capability and USB port, and navigation is available on all models. An audio system provision package is standard
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio is available
• Driver information center is standard on all models. A compass and outside temperature features are available
• A rear auxiliary heater is available
• An enhanced interior lighting package three light-emitting diode roof-mounted lights in the cargo area is standard
• Two auxiliary 12-volt power outlets are standard and located on the dashboard
• 110-volt outlet located on dash is standard
• Remote keyless entry is available
• Remote vehicle starter system is available
• Six-way power-adjustable driver and passenger seats are available
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel and steering wheel audio controls are available
• Custom vinyl or cloth upholstery is offered in Neutral or Medium Pewter colors.

Savana powertrains – 6.6L Duramax diesel

The available Duramax turbo-diesel V-8 delivers best-in-class torque and horsepower. Known by its “LGH” engine code, it is rated at 260 horsepower (194 kW) and 525 lb-ft of torque (711 Nm).

The LGH Duramax was designed with a robust EGR cooling system, along with revised turbocharger tuning that helps enhance EGR performance. It also has a large-capacity selective catalytic reduction system. In fact, the engine features the latest in emission control technology, making it the cleanest Duramax engine ever produced. NOx emissions are controlled via a Selective Catalyst Reduction aftertreatment system that uses urea-based Diesel (Emission) Exhaust Fluid (DEF). The DEF is housed in a 5.83-gallon (20 L) tank and needs to be replenished about every 5,000 miles (8,000 km). Electrically heated lines feed the DEF to the emission system to ensure adequate delivery in cold weather.

The Duramax also includes GM’s second-generation diesel particulate filter system. Unlike most competitors’ systems, the Duramax regenerates its diesel particulate filter using a downstream injection of diesel fuel directly into the exhaust stream and can travel up to 700 miles (1,125 km) between regenerations – a 300-mile (482 km) increase over the previous Duramax engine. The use of downstream injection also helps improve engine life by eliminating concerns surrounding the possibility of diesel fuel contaminating engine oil, which can happen when fuel used for regeneration is introduced directly into the cylinder. 

The Duramax also provides outstanding cold-weather performance, with  microprocessor-controlled glow plugs capable of gas engine-like start performance in less than three seconds in temperatures as low as -20 degrees F (-29 C), without a block heater. The engine has been developed to operate for at least 200,000 miles (322,000 km) on a rough-duty cycle without the need for a major overhaul; and it is backed with a five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

A fuel-operated heater (FOH) also is available for vans equipped with the Duramax 6.6L to quickly provide heat to the vehicle interior in cold weather. The seamlessly integrated system is designed into the Savana chassis, saving customers the time and labor of upfitting an aftermarket system. The electronically controlled, fuel-operated heater operates automatically, turning on and off within parameters that include outside air temperature, fuel level, coolant temperature and whether the engine is running. It features a self-contained, pressurized auxiliary coolant heater (with a surge tank) that uses diesel fuel to generate up to 17,200 Btu/h (5 kW) of heating energy.

The Duramax engine is backed by GM’s Hydra-Matic 6L90 heavy-duty six-speed automatic transmission.

Savana powertrains – gas engines

GMC Savana offers a choice of two gas engines: a standard 4.8L V-8 rated at 285 horsepower (213 kW) and 295 lb-ft of torque (400 Nm) and an available 6.0L V-8 rated at 342 horsepower (255 kW) and 373 lb-ft of torque (506 Nm). Each is part of GM’s legendary small-block engine family and designed for quiet operation, including:

• Special friction-reducing polymer coating on piston skirts
• Full-floating piston pins
• Damping patch on the oil pan (externally mounted)
• Timing chain tensioner
• Quieter alternator.

Backing the engines’ quietness is the assurance of long-lasting performance. The engine family was validated under extreme conditions, with the 6.0L engine dynamometer-tested to the equivalent of 200,000 miles – 50,000 miles more than other engines in the family. The engines also feature many long-life engine components that can reduce maintenance intervals and costs. The iridium-tip spark plugs, engine coolant, accessory drive belt and sealing gaskets are some of these items.

Some of the stringent durability testing included cycling engines between the peak torque and peak horsepower rpm points – the equivalent of towing a heavy trailer up a steep grade – for 600 straight hours.

The engines are mated to the Hydra-Matic 6L90 six-speed automatic and a fast-idle option makes it easier to run accessories at a work site.

The 6.0L is also offered in a special version with hardened valve seats for the available dedicated compressed natural gas models – the industry’s only CNG vehicles that are fully integrated at the factory, crash tested and backed by GM’s 100,000 mile/five-year transferable powertrain limited warranty. Two systems are offered:

• ·         A three-tank system (RPO code UFM) provides a range of up to 200 miles and allows complete use of the cargo area
• ·         A four-tank system (RPO code UFP) provides a range of up to 300 miles, with the additional tank in the driver’s side of the cargo area, just inboard of the wheel well.

Savana chassis and suspension

The Savana is built on a strong, ladder-type full frame architecture. The frame features fully boxed sections for greater strength and rigidity, while extended and tapered front frame rails are used for improved crashworthiness. Also, additional tubular frame cross members are used to increase torsional stiffness.

All models feature an independent short-long arm (SLA) front suspension, with a 35mm front stabilizer bar. Two-stage, semi-elliptic multi-leaf springs are used in the rear suspension and help locate a semi-floating axle.

Additional chassis and suspension features include:

• Hydroboost four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and dynamic rear proportioning 
• StabiliTrak electronic stability control is standard on all models
• A locking rear differential is available
• 31-gallon (117.3 L) fuel tank is standard on all models (except for dedicated compressed natural gas package)
• 8,600-pound GVWR on 2500 models
• 9,600-pound / 9,900-pound GVWR on 3500 models.

Savana safety and crash-avoidance features

Savana is equipped with a host of safety features, including available head curtain side air bags, which provide a higher level of protection in the event of a side impact or a vehicle rollover. Additional safety features include:

• StabiliTrak is standard
• Tire pressure monitoring system is standard
• Flat and convex exterior mirrors for a wider field of vision are standard
• Four-wheel anti-lock disc brake system with Hydroboost is standard
• Driver and front passenger air bags are standard
• Daytime Running Lamps are standard.

Knapheide - We Build The Best

Since its humble beginnings in 1848, The Knapheide Manufacturing Company has continually worked to improve its processes and manufacturing capabilities.  Due to this commitment of continual improvement, Knapheide stands today with the most highly automated and technologically advanced equipment and processes in the industry. Knapheide's Westphalia facility houses the majority of our manufacturing processes.  The Westphalia plant was completed in 1997 and covers a staggering 480,000 square feet.

A recent highlight in the continuing history of The Knapheide Manufacturing Company is the company receiving ISO 9001:2008 certification.  ISO is a quality management system that is recognized globally.  While the core of this certification is focused on product quality, Knapheide took the process a step further and utilized the processes to improve virtually every area of the company from how orders are received and processed to the shipping of the product to the end customer.

People

Our dedicated manufacturing employees are a huge asset to our company, and receive on-going training for continuous improvement.  Knapheide delights in the fact that many of its employees are multi-generational and have a long tenure with the company.   Knapheide’s training program for its welding operations is second to none. Six AWS certified CWI and CWE’s conduct a forty hour program that all welders must complete prior to joining the assembly team.  Of its team of welders, over 100 are AWS certified.

Raw Materials

Over its history, Knapheide has strategically aligned itself with leading raw material suppliers and has developed long term relationships with them that mutually benefit both sides of the partnerships.   As a result of these partnerships, cutting edge supply chain processes have been developed that cuts down lead times, enhances the quality of the products, and helps to control costs.  This enables Knapheide to continue to provide to its customers the highest quality and superior end products available in the industry.  Some of our most common raw materials include:

    A40 Galvanized Automotive Quality Steel
    Hot Rolled Steel
    Cold Rolled Steel
    Tread Plate
    Wood
    Automotive Quality Finishing Products

Fabrication Equipment and Machinery

As Knapheide has evolved over the last 164 years, so has the technology in equipment and machinery.  Knapheide continues to cultivate a long term strategic alignment with The Amada Company to continually update and modernize its fabrication capabilities.  This allows Knapheide to remain the most efficient and technologically advanced company in the industry.  Knapheide utilizes the following machinery and equipment within our manufacturing facilities:

    CNC Shears
    Plasma Cutters
    Laser Cutters
    CNC Turret Punches
    CNC Press Brake
    Roll Formers
    Automated Steel Processing Cells

Assembly Process

After all of the engineering and fabrication of the prime unit parts is complete, the assembly process begins.  Knapheide’s assembly procedures and multiple progressive lines allow them to be very flexible, highly efficient, and produce the highest quality product in the industry.  Knapheide has a large offering of catalog products that is quickly available and meets a large portion of our customers needs. However, while most of the industry shy’s away from custom built products, the Knapheide Company prides itself in its ability to build product that is designed to meet specific customer requirements and needs.  Rather than limit the product available to their customers to standard product, Knapheide’s motto is “Dream it, and we will build it”.  Some of the assembly processes include:

    MIG & Resistance Welding
    Automated Robotic MIG & Resistance Welding
    Flexible Product Assembly Lines & Processes

Finishing

The flagship of our manufacturing process is our automated “K-Coat” finishing system.  K-coat is a highly efficient electro-deposition coating process that is widely used in the automotive industry.  Through this process, Knapheide is proud to offer its customers the highest quality corrosion resistant coating available.

    Automotive Quality E-Coat System
    Automotive Quality Undercoating
    Automotive Quality Finish Paint

For over 166 years, Knapheide has always been a leader through our manufacturing superiority in the industries we serve.  With the ISO 9001:2008 certification, this is a new starting point for us as we meet our customer’s expectations into the 21st century.


Find out more at http://www.knapheide.com/

All-New 2015 GMC Canyon | Innovative Fuel Efficient Technologies

Discover the incredible innovations that went into making the Canyon supremely capable, yet efficient smaller pickup truck and takes professional grade engineering to the next level: http://www.gmc.com/canyon-small-picku...

2015 GMC Canyon SLE 4x4 Crew Cab: The Return of the Compact Truck?

I have to admit, I've been waiting for this one for awhile. In some ways I find it odd that a non-enthusist vehicle could matter so much. The reality is the mid-size truck segment has been left to whither over the last several years. GM's new midsize could just change all that.

As always, this is an independent, script-free review from an amateur car reviewer. I make these videos myself and am in no way affiliated or paid by the manufacturers or dealerships.

I hope this vehicle provides a valuable, real-world review for you.
thanks for stopping by.

Spied: 2016 GMC Canyon Denali

Finding good places to do cold-weather testing this winter is not a problem. Thankfully, our spy shooters have a warm truck to sit inside of while they wait for test vehicles to dart past. A thermos of hot coffee helps, too. Here's what they've sent us recently while on a stakeout outside Detroit.

    We've gotten our first look at a prototype for the GMC Canyon Denali package, which was running on a secluded industrial drive near GM's Milford Proving Grounds.

    The Canyon prototype's camouflaged front end hides a revised all-mesh grille design that is consistent with GMC's other Denali-trimmed models. Although blacked out on this prototype, the grilles will surely be finished in unmistakable brightwork to set it apart from lesser Canyon variants. The Denali's front bumper is also camouflaged, and it appears that it may be more chrome-intensive, with signs of the reflective stuff stretching across the full bumper's width. The interior shows signs of camouflaging, suggesting that some interior upgrades could also be in store.

    There have been some internet rumblings that the Denali might get a unique engine option to give the model more substance, but we have no firm confirmation of the extent of any mechanical upgrades that may distinguish the range-topping Denali from its lower-end Canyon siblings.

It's worth noting that a Denali package will likely be priced above the current top-of-the-line SLT All-Terrain package GMC has now, starting around $38,000 and climbing fast.

Photos by KGP Photography

Source: Pickuptrucks.com