Two Mode Sierra coming to Chicago-- on sale this year.

[joemac]

Originally Posted by chakis24

, a two mode deisel would be sweet though,

It would be sweet till someone has to make a payment on one. Two mode and diesel options together would add $12k to $15K easily to the sticker.

[PhishPhood]

Originally Posted by joemac

It would be sweet till someone has to make a payment on one. Two mode and diesel options together would add $12k to $15K easily to the sticker.

Sorry that's not accurate. On either count.

[yukonho]

Diesels are OK but definitely not the future.

Out of 1 barrel of oil, you can only make so much diesel. However, you could make the whole barrel into gas. As the amount of gas usage drops in the US, the price of diesel will go up even more. I know some parts of the country diesel is less then gas but that is the exception not the rule.

This is why the manufacturers are not going gang busters on new diesels.

[stick076]

Originally Posted by Olds88

My opinions on the diesel are mixed. Performance (acceleration & passing power) will suffer. Though 500ft-lbs is nice, there's a lack of HP. It'll be quick off the line and run out of steam on the highway for that 60-80mph burst which is where power is most needed.

Have you even driven a new diesel?

[Hurricane]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

Please tell me the H Y B R I D thing on the side won't be on the production models...

Me too - very cheesy!!!

[doh]

http://money.cnn.com/2008/02/04/news...ce=yahoo_quote

DETROIT (AP) -- General Motors Corp. will introduce a new hybrid full-size pickup and a concept hybrid truck this week at the Chicago Auto Show, betting that pickup drivers have been itching to jump on the hybrid bandwagon.

GM (GM, Fortune 500) says the 2009 GMC Sierra hybrid gets a 25 percent improvement in fuel economy without compromising performance, while its GMC Denali XT concept - a low-slung, muscular utility vehicle - gets 50 percent better fuel economy than a comparable small pickup.

The Sierra is the next large GM vehicle to get the company's new two-mode hybrid system, which has also been introduced on the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon sport utility vehicles and the Chevrolet Silverado pickup. The SUVs are expected to go on sale early this year, while the Silverado and Sierra are scheduled to hit the market at the end of 2008.

The two-mode system got a lot of buzz late last year at the Los Angeles Auto Show, where the hybrid Chevrolet Tahoe was named the 2008 Green Car of the Year by the Green Car Journal.

Like single-mode hybrid systems now used by Toyota Motor Corp. (TM), Ford Motor Co. (F, Fortune 500) and others, the two-mode runs without the gas engine at low speeds. But at higher speeds, the electric motor in the two-mode hybrid contributes more power. The two-mode system also is better for towing.

Americans fear $4 gas
GM says the Sierra can drive up to 30 mph on just electricity, which is stored during braking and cruising in a 300-volt battery. When the gas engine is used, the hybrid system helps the 6-liter, V-8 engine run longer in its more economical four-cylinder mode.

GM says the hybrid Sierra can tow up to 6,100 pounds. The non-hybrid GMC Sierra 1500 can tow up to 10,500 pounds.

It remains to be seen whether pickup buyers, who have historically saved on fuel costs by choosing diesel models, will adopt hybrid systems. Hybrid systems cost more than gas engines, but pickup drivers tend to drive longer distances so they could recoup the premium more quickly. Small businesses also might want to take advantage of government tax breaks for hybrids.

Mark LaNeve, GM's vice president of North America sales, service and marketing, has said the company expects about 5 percent of pickup drivers to opt for the hybrid system. But he said GM will be able to ramp up production if there's more demand. GM sold 208,243 Sierras in 2007.

[HEVguy]

This is great progress for GM, and I think it will do great. Like one of the articles mentioned, businesses will have a better use for the truck hybrid and their higher mileage will better justify the cost as well.

I just can't wait for the 2-mode to trickle down into some smaller cars, trucks and SUVs. The Denali XT concept is a great start, and of course the VUE 2-mode is coming. I am just eager to see a 2-mode Lambda, and a very high mileage hybrid sedan from GMC.

[NoNameDenton]

Originally Posted by bone

I would as well,as long as the price differential is reasonable.

Agreed, though hopefully by spreading the engine out along many different applications should help keep the cost down, in the same way that spreading out a platform for many different models keeps its cost down

[NoNameDenton]

Originally Posted by HEVguy

This is great progress for GM, and I think it will do great. Like one of the articles mentioned, businesses will have a better use for the truck hybrid and their higher mileage will better justify the cost as well.

I just can't wait for the 2-mode to trickle down into some smaller cars, trucks and SUVs. The Denali XT concept is a great start, and of course the VUE 2-mode is coming. I am just eager to see a 2-mode Lambda, and a very high mileage hybrid sedan from GMC.

A GMC sedan? I don't see that ever happening

[stevecmh]

Originally Posted by NoNameDenton

I think I will wait for the 4.5 liter diesel, though they can always do a dual mode hybrid diesel like what the Europeans are messing around with, which would definitely raise the CAFE mandated fleet averages

yes .. but the diesel and the two mode togetehr.. i know it will be expensive but it is the best way

[NoNameDenton]

Originally Posted by stevecmh

yes .. but the diesel and the two mode togetehr.. i know it will be expensive but it is the best way

I was mulling the idea over because Mercedes Benz showed a hybrid diesel at some auto shows recently (I know Mercedes is a luxury brand and so forth on cost) but I liked the idea of raising the milage on a diesel even more then it already is.

[gto4ibf]

Originally Posted by Hurricane

Me too - very cheesy!!!

This is just a marketing scheme for General Motors to show people that they really are thinking about this fuel mileage dilemma while still offering what many Americans still want to drive.

[NoNameDenton]

Originally Posted by yukonho

Diesels are OK but definitely not the future.

Out of 1 barrel of oil, you can only make so much diesel. However, you could make the whole barrel into gas. As the amount of gas usage drops in the US, the price of diesel will go up even more. I know some parts of the country diesel is less then gas but that is the exception not the rule.

This is why the manufacturers are not going gang busters on new diesels.

The only person not gung ho on diesels in America is Bob Lutz, all the European and even the Japanese are going to be bringing newer, cleaner burning diesels to America, and even Ford is looking at it.

[HEVguy]

Originally Posted by NoNameDenton

A GMC sedan? I don't see that ever happening

GMC encompasses Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Saturn, Cadillac, GM and Hummer! And that is just the U.S. brands!

[NoNameDenton]

Originally Posted by HEVguy

GMC encompasses Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Saturn, Cadillac, GM and Hummer! And that is just the U.S. brands!

GMC is the brand, GM is the company