GM just updated one of its most important vehicles (GM)

pulse

May 24, 2017 6:29 PM

The new 2018 Yukon Denali hits showrooms in the fall and features a revamped front grille and 10-speed transmission.

The 2018 Yukon Denali.

GMC is GM's truck brand for consumers looking for a little more from their pick-up truck or SUV.

The division sports a lineup of pickups and crossovers, as well as a large-and-in-charge Yukon SUV, all of which have been critical to powering GM to record sales and profits in the US.

GMC also has a high-end sub-brand, Denali, which offers all the capabilities of the standard GMCs (especially towing capacity) with an extra dose of styling and near-luxury amenities and materials.

Denali has helped GMC become very competitive outside of GM's traditional midwestern and southern truck markets — such as in the Pacific Northwest.

Now GMC has updated the Yukon Denail, one of its most important models. According to the carmaker, half of its Yukon sales are Denalis, adding roughly $15,000 to the sticker price for the nearly $50,000 base SUV. For GM, that means fat profits from this full-size, three-row vehicle.

The new 2018 Yukon Denali hits showrooms in the fall and features a revamped front grille, some interior tweaks including premium woods, and a new 10-speed automatic transmission to assist in better performance and presumably a bump in fuel-economy for the big 6.2-liter V8 engine (EPA estimates haven't come in yet).

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