GMC SIERRA VERSUS BRICKS, SNOWMOBILES & WATER DRUMS

• CarbonPro, or the carbon fiber bed, is the first product of its kind to be introduced in the automotive industry.
• During development, engineers subjected the surface of the bed to intensive “drop tests”.
• Production of the GMC Sierra CarbonPro Edition trucks will begin on June 1.

There will always be dents, scratches, and dings on trucks. It’s inevitable. Whether you are hauling hay to the farm or pulling equipment from the jobsite, dents and scratches will occur. GMC will be introducing the Sierra CarbonPro Editions for 1500-series pickups this summer to counteract that. CarbonPro is the first carbon fiber truckbox in the industry. GMC claims that it will provide the best in class dent, scratch and corrosion resistance.

Bed Time

CarbonPro replaces steel panels in the floor and inner panels with lighter composite carbon fiber. GMC uses aluminum for its doors, hood and tailgate while steel is used for the roof and fenders. Carbon fiber, which is usually seen on high-performance cars, has become an important part of GMC’s material portfolio.

Duncan Aldred is Vice President of Global GMC. He said that CarbonPro is the same material used in supercars costing seven figures and even aerospace applications. “The 2019 Sierra is equipped with the first MultiPro tailgate in the world, which offers six functions. It’s a powerful combination for any situation.”

CarbonPro beds are similar to steel ones in that they allow you to slide a wooden divider measuring two inches by six inches into the pockets on the wall of the bed for the purpose of separating cargo. The CarbonPro bed allows the Sierra sidewalls to extend further because the carbon composite is more formable. GMC engineers used the carbon fiber’s flexibility at that time to create specific indentations for dirt and street bikes.

Photo: GMC.

Shedding extra Pounds

Carbon fiber composite is better at resisting harsh weather and more scratch and corrosion resistant. This means that a bed liner is not needed as much. On the CarbonPro trucks, factory liners are no longer available. A wheelhouse liner is no longer fitted at the factory due to the increased resistance against dent.

GMC claims that the CarbonPro bed reduces 62 pounds. Sierra. Depending on the configuration and equipment, models with the lighter CarbonPro beds can increase payload by up to 59 pounds. The 2019 Sierra weighs 360 lbs. The 2019 Sierra is 360 lbs. lighter than its predecessor.

Drop it Like It’s HOT

The GMC Sierra CarbonPro is not only lighter. GM’s , now famous drop tests were used in the development of this vehicle. Heavy items were dropped on the CarbonPro’s bed from different heights to replicate extreme use cases. Engineers used cinderblocks, 1,800 pounds. Engineers used cinder blocks, 1,800 lbs. During the tests, steel drums were filled with water. The tests went well until the book bag of a freshman college student fell into the bed. At that point, the truck split in two.

CarbonPro beds were also exposed to extreme temperatures in addition to the drop test. To ensure that the materials would outlast the harshest weather, validation tests were conducted in Yuma Arizona and Kapuskasing Ontario. In a “generator-test”, the exhaust of a portable generator was directed directly towards the corner. Engineers monitor the effects from this test, which exposes the mattress to heat and vibration. The greatest test was still to come. . .

GMC Sierra CarbonPro Edition. MultiPro Tailgate. Photo: GMC.

The Studded Snowmobile

The snowmobile test is one of the most fascinating. When GMC refers to a “snowmobile” test, they really mean it. A real snowmobile with metal spikes was running at full speed inside the bed. Even with a 250-pound “rider”! Only minor scratches were made. They say that engineers don’t have any creativity? Below is a video of some of the drops tests. GMC did not provide any footage of their snowmobile. However, they may release some in the future.

The MultiPro Tailgate is a great complement to the CarbonPro Bed. It has six functions and different positions. MultiPro Tailgate is standard on Denali & SLT. It includes second-tier load-stop and loading solutions, integrated hand grips, bumper steps, and a standing workstation.

Power & Performance

The 2018 Sierra Denali is a monster with a 6.2-liter engine that delivers 420 horsepower. Dynamic Fuel Management uses 17 different patterns to balance power with efficiency. The 10-speed automatic is based on the Duramax Colorado or Canyon, and incorporates a centrifugal torque converter with a pendulum-absorber to reduce vibration.

Photo: GMC.

Manufacturing & Availability

GMC Sierra CarbonPro Edition is scheduled to enter production in June, and will arrive at the end of this summer. Denali 1500, AT4 1500, and the first models to get the new bed are Denali 1500. CarbonPro will be offered in larger quantities on both trims for the 2020 model.