GMC CarbonPro Delivers Innovation and Durability Where It Counts
2019-04-11
OSHAWA (Thursday, April 11, 2019) — Starting production in early June, GMC Sierra CarbonPro TM Editions will begin appearing at select dealerships this summer, available on the Sierra Denali 1500 and the Sierra AT4 1500. The purpose-built CarbonPro bed is the first application of its kind for carbon fibre composite and delivers best-in-class dent, scratch and corrosion resistance.
“CarbonPro is made of the same raw material found in seven-figure super cars and even aerospace applications,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president, Global GMC. “Coupled with offering the world’s first six-function MultiPro tailgate, the 2020 Sierra packs a one-two hauling punch for whatever the situation demands.”
The pickup box segment firsts are just some of the innovative features to debut on the 2020 GMC Sierra. An available ProGrade Trailering System with in-vehicle trailering app offers a connected suite of trailering technology to bring more confidence to towing while an available Rear Camera Mirror1 uses a camera mirror display that provides a wide, unobstructed view to help avoid common visual obstructions like occupants or cargo. Also available is a Multicolour 15-inch Diagonal Head-Up Display.
Key benefits of the CarbonPro bed include:
Strength, durability and scratch resistance: The carbon fibre composite material provides the most scratch, dent and corrosion-resistant pickup bed in the industry.
Corrosion-resistance: Carbon fibre composite naturally resists corrosion, helping the bed withstand weathering and maintain a premium appearance over the life of the truck.
Reduced weight: The CarbonPro bed weighs 25 percent less than a traditional steel bed, removing roughly 27 kilograms (60 pounds) of vehicle mass. Its grained surface also negates the need for bed liners, potentially saving further vehicle mass.
More volume: The CarbonPro bed design enables best-in-class cargo volume, increasing the already class-leading volume of the Sierra’s roll-formed steel bed by 1 cubic foot.
More functionality: The CarbonPro bed features indentations specifically designed for tires of dirt and street bikes. Two additional tie-down locations are installed at the front of the bed.
Rigorous validation testing
The CarbonPro bed was rigorously developed to help ensure long-term pickup bed durability and functionality.
Examples of the validation testing include:
Drop tests: Large and heavy loads were repeatedly dropped on the CarbonPro bed to replicate extreme use scenarios. Testing included dropping cinder blocks, 816-kilogram (1800-pound) loads of gravel and 204-kilogram (450-pound) water-filled steel drums from varying heights.
Corrosion test: CarbonPro was subjected to corrosion testing but carbon fibre composite is naturally resistant to corrosion.
Snowmobile test: A snowmobile with metal studs on the track was driven into the bed and accelerated at full throttle with a 113-kilogram (250-pound) rider on board with only minimal scratching evident on the bed.
Extreme temperature testing: Validation work was performed in Kapuskasing, Ontario and Yuma, Arizona to help ensure CarbonPro holds up in unforgiving environments.
Generator test: High heat exposure involved aiming the exhaust from a portable generator directly at the corner of the bed to ensure heat and vibration would not degrade the bed.
Form meets function
The CarbonPro bed offers best-in-class cargo volume thanks to its sidewalls being pushed out farther, made possible by the formability of carbon fibre composite that allows molding deep and complex shapes with variable thicknesses. Like the steel bed, the CarbonPro bed provides the ability to slide a 50-millimetre by 152-millimetre (2-inch by 6-inch) wooden divider into pockets in the bed wall for cargo organization and separation.
Purposefully grained corrugation optimizes traction and cleanup, with more aggressive graining at the tops of the corrugation to help increase traction in wet weather and a smoother grain at the bottoms of the corrugation for easy dirt and debris removal.
The carbon fibre composite bed does not need to be painted, since the composite material creates a premium surface and is UV stable.
“The bed is the working end of a truck; it’s what brings buyers to the segment,” said Tim Herrick, executive chief engineer, Full-Size Trucks, General Motors, “Loaded with motorcycles, snowmobiles or dirt bikes, CarbonPro in the 2020 GMC Sierra is sure to impress with its strength, space and innovation.”
Additional details
Spray-in bedliner not needed: Because carbon fibre composite is exceptionally durable, a spray-in bedliner is not necessary to help prevent damage and therefore will not be packaged on models with the CarbonPro bed. The composite material is rugged yet nonabrasive.
Rear wheelhouse liners not needed: Because of CarbonPro’s increased dent resistance versus aluminum or steel, no wheelhouse liner is installed from the factory.
Payload increase: Models equipped with the CarbonPro bed offer an increase in payload over a steel bed due to the mass savings of carbon fibre composite. Payload for these models is at least 26 kilograms (59 pounds) higher, depending on the configurations and equipment.
Availability
Sierra CarbonPro Edition makes a limited debut for the 2020 model year and is available for both the Sierra Denali 1500 and the Sierra AT4 1500. CarbonPro will be available in greater quantity on both trims for the 2020 model year.
About GMC in Canada
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.gmccanada.ca, on Twitter at @GMCCanada, on Instagram at @gmccanada or at http://www.facebook.com/gmccanada.
1Safety or driver assistance features are no substitute for the driver’s responsibility to operate the vehicle in a safe manner. The driver should remain attentive to traffic, surroundings and road conditions at all times. Visibility, weather, and road conditions may affect feature performance. Read the vehicle’s owner’s manual for more important feature limitations and information.
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