Filed under: Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, Hybrid, GMC, Chicago Auto Show
Chicago Auto Show 2008 videos: GMC Denali XT concept
The GMC Denali XT concept debuts at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show this week. The flex-fuel, two-mode hybrid pickup truck reminds me a lot of Toyota's A-BAT hybrid pickup concept. The Denali XT has a more coupe-ish look and feel than Toyota's A-BAT. As you can see in the video above, GMC uses the paint job to make it look lower than it actually is. The low-slung, car-like look of the pick-up is not an illusion though: the Denali XT concept is based on the same chassis as the Pontiac G8 and Chevrolet Camaro.
If the Denali XT is ever released (GM management is still deciding), it will not only be the first flex-fuel hybrid but the first hybrid pickup that also comes with direct injection, active fuel management, cylinder deactivation, and has a combined MPG rating of 25 MPG, all while churning out 326 horse power and 3,500 pound towing capacity. The Denali XT is the perfect example of how the new CAFE standards impact vehicle design. I seriously doubt GMC would have done something like this if not for the new CAFE standard.
[Source: YouTube]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
drivin98 9:06AM (2/04/2008)
"Is the red contrast stitching a GMC design cue?"
The conversation that takes place in and about the interior really gave me some lulz. I'm not sure why.
Oh yeah, that tailgate is a bad idea. Some one could lose an eye! Not to mention risk busting their tail lights every time they actually use this truck to haul a load of lumber or whatever.
Reply
ty 9:22AM (2/04/2008)
Chevrolet El Camino on Steroids? Only goes to show you that there is nothing new under the sun.
Reply
Chris 9:36AM (2/04/2008)
"If the Denali XT is ever released (GM management is still deciding), it will not only be the first flex-fuel hybrid..."
Only 47 minutes into Monday and we've got our first GMC fluff story with ifs and whenevers.
How about getting a few on the road like Ford did in early 2007 with the Escape Hybrid(http://www.greentechnolog.com/2007/01/ford_escape_e85flexfuel_hybrid.html) before speculating you're the first to do something...
Isn't this just a 4 door version of the SSR that Time Magazine listed as one of the 50 worst cars of all time(http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1658545_1658544_1658543,00.html).
Reply
Chris 9:49AM (2/04/2008)
From Jan. 23, 2007... FORD TO DELIVER DEMONSTRATION FLEET OF ETHANOL FUELED HYBRIDS TO SIX STATES
(http://media.ford.com/newsroom/release_display.cfm?release=25287)
Reply
Lascelles Linton 10:13AM (2/04/2008)
Chris, ...first flex fuel hybrid for sale to the public. I don't think there is as much as a race there as there is in say plug-in hybrids but I would put my money on GM. They are the ones releasing the most hybrids and flex fuel cars.
Reply
zaedrus 1:13PM (2/04/2008)
It seems like an disproportionate amount of resources go into flex/hybrid options for the larger vehicle types.
A lot of posts on this blog have lamented the lack of choice for the end user regarding vehicle type options, and a bulky two-mode flex hybrid pickup is more of the same ol' same ol'.
Yaris hybrid? Smart flex? Ka EV? Those ideas must be dumb technically or financially, but I'd buy into it.
Kudos to the aggressive-looking design, but perhaps a bit too fashionable with the "green."
Reply
Chris 1:47PM (2/04/2008)
"They are the ones releasing the most hybrids and flex fuel cars."
No... they are the ones TALKING about releasing the most hybrids. Talk and sales are two different things and I've yet to see electric only (HEV) powered wheels on the ground at GMC dealerships nationwide in any numbers that can be called SALES.
"...first flex fuel hybrid for sale to the public"
Seems Ford has at least a 1 year head start on getting this to the public per the 1 year old press release I posted. Maybe GMC will throw something together but would you want to be the beta tester on a new hybrid flex-fuel platform? I'd much rather see Toyota or Ford mate their well developed, street tested, hybrid drivetrains up to a flex fuel engine.
Once again, I'm all for innovation and green technology but I think GMC is full of hot air at this point. Enough talk, let's see some of these new hybrids actually for sale (and I'm not talking about lightweight BAS/mild hybrids either).
P.S. I wonder how many Hummers were sold during Q3 of 2007? Was it more than the 123 hybrids GMC sold during the same period? (http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=175143,00.html)
Reply
Lascelles Linton 1:58PM (2/04/2008)
Chris, Ford has 1 hybrid. They have an ad where the daughter in the family does not know the father drives a hybrid. GM offers 8 and another 8 in 3 years. That's one every 3 months. They are releasing hybrid models faster than anyone. They had a Super Bowl ad for a hybrid. They are not selling more than anyone and that's because their hybrids are new but they are growing this year while Toyota says they won't. Does not sound like a horrible record to me.
Reply
Chris 8:20AM (2/05/2008)
Lascelles Linton:
"They have an ad where the daughter in the family does not know the father drives a hybrid." This is because it's so well designed and implemented. You can bet the father knows its a hybrid when he looks and notices he's getting a class leading 32MPG (or better in most cases). Want to compare that with the Vue Greenline?
Super Bowl ad:
Ford had one last year and you could actually buy their product the same day... GMC Yukon, none to be found, even GM had to admit it... (http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/01/30/malibu-vue-hybrid-superbowl-ads-might-not-air-because-of-low-in/)
GMC Hybrid Sales Record:
How come Ford has sold nearly 4x more hybrids with 1 model than GMC has with 8? In Q3 of 2007 alone Ford's 1 model sold 5,196 to GMC's 123. That's the track record I'm talking about. Time to make some sales GMC. Maybe they should spend more time/effort on supply chain and stop promoting their vaporous lineup.
GMC's BAS/mild hybrid:
Saving a few MPG across a large number of vehicles is a GREAT idea... IF you actually sell a large number of equipped vehicles. So far, that's not the case for GMC. One could argue that they would have been better off putting those resources into the Volt or actually selling more two-mode vehicles to the customer. Heck, spend the money on making sure everyone has properly inflated tires as this can create the same 1-2MPG increase with almost no cost to the end user.
Bottom Line:
Less talk, more action... I'll give GMC credit for BAS if they can actually sell it in amounts that make a difference. I'll push their two-mode technology if they will just make them available. I hope that I'm wrong. I want to see GMC sell 100,000 hybrids this year but don't expect me to hold my breath given their past.
FWIW, Ford is adding 2 new full hybrid models this year. I expect them to sale 10,000-20,000 units. I hope GMC will sell that many two-modes too...
Reply
doug-gmnext 9:27AM (2/05/2008)
If you're interested in chatting more about GM and the environment, GMnext is hosting a chat with executive Brent Dewar on Wednesday from 12-1 p.m. EST. If you want to take part, go to http://www.gmnext.com/LiveChat.aspx and register with your e-mail address. On the day of the chat, click "Enter Chat" and join the conversation.
Reply
dean 8:24PM (2/05/2008)
I'm hoping that GM will refine their BAS system (Lithium batteries) to make it seamless and also cheaper, implement it as a part as a package (no hybrid badge, but part of the "LTZ" package).
Reply
mambo58mbaya 10:40AM (5/27/2009)
its great!
Reply