Make Way for the GMC Canyon

The GMC Canyon is a compact pickup. This vehicle shares its basic design and powertrain with the Chevrolet Colorado. Offered in three body styles, the GMC Canyon is a pickup to consider. This vehicle looks impressive. It also brags about a lot of power as well as a spacious interior. The cargo space is also very accommodating.

The body styles comprise of the regular cab body style, the extended cab body style, and the Crew cab body style. For regular cabs, the maximum capacity of passengers it can take in its cabin is three. The extended cab has a rear hinged back door and has the capacity to take in a maximum passenger capacity of five due to two rear jump seats. As per the Crew cab, this body style holds four doors and has a maximum capacity of welcoming in six people because of its folding rear bench. The GMC Canyon is very much suited for personal use as well as light duty use. Even if it is a pickup it probably would not be able to work well for commercial use, heavy hauling, as well as for towing functions.

The GMC Canyon has a couple of engine choices for interested parties. There is the standard 2.9 liter Vortec inline engine which has four cylinders. This engine can produce some 175 horsepower and 185 pound feet of torque. The optional 3.5 liter Vortec engine has five cylinders and it can make 200 units of horsepower and 225 pound feet of torque. Both of these engines come with an electronic throttle control, variable valve timing, and coil on plug ignition. The vehicle also comes with an all new five speed manual transmission system.

The interior of the GMC Canyon holds 60/40 bench seats in cloth of vinyl. Made available for this vehicle are reclining bucket seats. The other features also include two forward facing rear seats with under-seat storage and a flat-load floor. There also is a driver information center with system readouts, an electrochromic rearview mirror with compass and outside temperature gauge, heated leather bucket seats, an AM/FM stereo with an optional in-dash six CD changer, the OnStar system, and the XM satellite radio. The GMC Canyon also has a six foot cargo box, a two tier loading, as well as a locking tailgate. For safety, the GMC Canyon has dual stage front air bags, optional head curtain side air bags, a reinforced safety cage and side guard door beams, high intensity halogen headlamps, fog lamps, an all-steel body, three point lap shoulder belts, and the LATCH system.

By Joe Thompson.

Visit the Blog about fort lauderdale gmc

GMC to Launch All New Pick Ups Early

Published reports are indicating that General Motors will move up the production of their updated line of GMC and Chevrolet pick up trucks by three months with the new models making their debut in October 2006. Some are calling this move an act of desperation on the part of GM which has been socked by extensive criticism over its product line, while others are hailing it as a bold, strategic initiative. Regardless, this is an unusual move for the world’s number one automaker, one that could help the company get back on its feet. Let’s take a look at the new trucks and what they will offer to you, the consumer.

High gas prices, quality problems, and a perception that the company offers products that no one wants has been plaguing General Motors for much of the past year. With plant closures coming, layoffs pending, and market share decreasing, little good news has been focused on “the general” by the automobile press. Fortunately, GM is battling back with fresh models set to be released including SUVs and trucks, which are the “bread and butter” vehicles of the company. Here is what you can expect to see when the new trucks enter the market in Autumn 2006:

1. Fresh sheetmetal. All new exteriors with a modified and sportier front end.

2. Modified engines. Traditional work horse engines which have powered GMC trucks for much of the past decade are expected to return. However, displacement on demand technology, which shuts down unneeded cylinders at certain times [city traffic being one example] is expected to be incorporated on some motors. This technology effectively increases gas mileage without sacrificing performance.

3. New steering. Just as the SUVs will receive new rack and pinion steering when they make their debut in Spring 2006, the large pick up trucks should receive similar enhancements.

4. Interior upgrades. Changes to the trucks’ interior as well as to packages offered will be some of the “inside” changes noticed by consumers.

General Motors has its work cut out for itself as an eroding market share is threatening the very viability of the company. Part of the reason for the move up of production is to thwart the new models expected from Nissan and Toyota that compete directly against the GMC pick ups. Both Japanese automakers have stated that they, too, are moving up the production of their popular full sized pick ups, therefore General Motors is reacting in part to their anticipated moves.

Beyond GMC trucks, the automaker will be releasing the Saturn Sky convertible, revamping its entire line of full sized SUVs, and overhauling several other lines of vehicles in a bid to win over customers. All of these changes are steps in the right direction, but the unanswered question remains this: how will consumers respond? The answer isn’t likely to be known for at least one more year.

By Matthew Keegan.