The GMC Sierra is the full-size pickup that GMC has sold since the end of the C/K range, sharing its engineering with the Chevrolet Silverado. GMC had already used the Sierra name from 1968 as a trim line and ended the C/K nomenclature a model generation before Chevrolet did.
GMC Sierra at a glance
| Class | full-size pickup |
|---|---|
| Name used from | 1968, as a C/K trim level |
| Became the model name | with the 1988 GMT400 generation |
| Current line since | 1999 model year, GMT800 |
| Twin model | Chevrolet Silverado |
| Generations | five Sierra against four Silverado |
| Models | 1500, 2500HD and 3500HD |
| 3500 added | 2001, with the HD name |
| 3500HD | from the 2007 model year |
| K2XX engines, 2014 | 4.3 V6, 5.3 V8 and 6.2 V8 EcoTec3 |
| Award | North American Truck of the Year 2007 |
| Silverado sales since 1998 | over 12 million |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Chevrolet Silverado, which covers the Sierra as its GMC twin. No free photograph of a Sierra was found.
History of the GMC Sierra
Before the Sierra name
For the 1968 model year GMC C/K trucks used variations of the Sierra name: Sierra, Sierra Classic, Sierra Grande and High Sierra. From the 1988 GMT400 architecture GMC branded its full-size line as Sierras while Chevrolet kept the C/K nomenclature, so the model chronology of the two diverged: five generations of Sierra against four of the Silverado. Even after the C/K series officially ended, GM still uses CK and CC in its model codes to denote four- and two-wheel drive.
GMT800 (1999)
The GMT800 Sierra 1500 and 2500 pickups were released in August 1998 as 1999 models, the first generation sold under the Sierra name alone. The classic GMT400 C/K light-duty trucks continued for two more years alongside them, and the heavy-duty GMT400 pickups and SUVs until 2000, with the new GMT800 Sierra HD arriving a year later. A 3500 model was added for 2001 together with the HD name, although a 3500HD did not appear until the 2007 GMT900 model year. The trucks were refreshed in 2002 for 2003 with slight design changes and upgraded audio and climate controls, and the 2007 GMT800 trucks built after the GMT900 entered production were called Classic.
GMT900 (2007)
The GMT900 generation arrived in the last quarter of 2006 as a 2007 model, with a redesigned exterior, interior, frame and suspension and more power from some engines. It took styling cues from the GMT900 SUVs and had better aerodynamics than its predecessor thanks to steeply raked windscreens and tighter panel gaps. The new truck won the North American Truck of the Year award and was Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year for 2007. Production continued until 2013, and until 2014 for the 2500HD and 3500HD.
K2XX (2014)
The fully redesigned 2014 Sierra was introduced in December 2012 and shown at the North American International Auto Show, moving from the GMT900 platform to K2XX. The 1500 offered three new petrol engines, a 4.3-litre EcoTec3 V6, a 5.3-litre EcoTec3 V8 and a 6.2-litre EcoTec3 V8, all with cylinder deactivation and aluminium blocks, replacing the 4.8 V8. Chevrolet’s MyLink touchscreen became available on most models with Bluetooth streaming and phone functions, OnStar became standard everywhere, and a Crew Cab with a 6.5 ft bed appeared for the first time on a 1500. The frame was fully boxed high-strength steel made with hydroforming, with aluminium used for the bonnet, engine block and control arms, and the cargo bed was roll-formed rather than stamped steel. The upmarket High Country trim topped the range.
Design and features
- Silverado twin: shared body and chassis with the Chevrolet, but a different model history.
- Sierra name from 1968: originally a trim level on GMC C/K trucks.
- Boxed frame: fully boxed high-strength steel with hydroformed sections on the K2XX.
- EcoTec3 engines: 4.3 V6 and 5.3 or 6.2 V8 with cylinder deactivation from 2014.
- High Country: the top trim introduced with the third-generation Silverado platform.
GMC Sierra versions
- Sierra 1500: the light-duty model.
- Sierra 2500HD: the heavy-duty model with the HD name from 2001.
- Sierra 3500: added for 2001.
- Sierra 3500HD: introduced with the 2007 GMT900 generation.
- Sierra Classic: the previous GMT800 generation sold alongside the GMT900.
The Sierra replaced the GMC C/K and sits above the GMC Canyon, with the Denali as its luxury trim. More pickups are in the GMC collection.
Sources
- Chevrolet Silverado, English Wikipedia: Sierra naming, GMT800, GMT900 and K2XX generations, engines, awards
