2013 GMC Terrain, gets New Denali Variant and a 301HP 3.6-liter V6

About three years ago, GMC launched the Terrain as its entry-level crossover model positioned right under the Acadia. Now it’s time for GM's truck division to shake things up in the Terrain's range with the presentation of the 2013 model ahead of its world premiere at the New York International Auto Show in April.
There are two things you need to know about the 2013 Terrain: the first is that GMC has replaced the current model's 3.0-liter V6 with a newer 3.6-liter V6 unit, and the second, that it has introduced an upscale Denali variant into the Terrain's lineup for the very first time.
Beginning with the new 3.6-liter V6 that will be available on both the regular Terrain and the luxed-up Terrain Denali, it produces 301-horsepower and 272 lb.-ft. (369 Nm) of torque, compared to 264hp and 222 lb-ft of the 3.0-liter V6.
Despite the increase in power and torque, GM says that it expects the new Terrain to deliver fuel economy equal to its predecessor (FWD: 17mpg city and 24mpg highway).
The 182hp 2.4-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine continues unchanged for the 2013MY and will be offered on the Denali version as well. All-wheel drive is available as an option for both engines.
The Terrain will become the eighth model in GMC's current lineup to be offered with the upscale Denali trim level.
“Denali is growing fast,” said Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of GMC Marketing. “With seven different models, sales for this brand within a brand increased 79 percent from 2010 to 2011. With this in mind, the decision to create a more-upscale Terrain was an easy one.”
So what does the Denali grade bring to the 2013 Terrain? For starters, there's an exterior package that adds bespoke 18-inch wheels for the 4-cylinder model and 19-inch for the V6, a chrome grille and satin chrome accents, different headlamp and taillight designs, plus body colored fascias and rocker panels.
Inside, the Denali models feature special soft touch Jet Black leather that lines the seats and door inserts and is contrasted by red accent stitching, which is also present on the dashboard, embossed Denali logos on the seats, mahogany wood trim accents on the dash and the steering wheel, plus eight-way power driver and passenger seat.
The Denali models come as standard with GMC's new infotainment system featuring a reconfigurable home screen and a programmable power liftgate.
The 2013 GMC Terrain and Terrain Denali will go on sale later this year. Pricing has not yet been announced.

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Buick and GMC Showrooms Receive a Makover in the States

General Motors' efforts to revitalize its Buick passenger and GMC truck divisions are not only limited to updating each brands vehicle lineup but also extend to refreshing their joint dealerships across the country. The program includes a new exterior façade with updated signage, brighter and more comfortable showrooms with a customer greeting station as well as a lounge with free WiFi, while some dealers plan to go the extra mile and add a café or salon into the mix.
Global architecture firm Gensler is responsible for the styling while it also helps Buick and GMC dealers incorporate the changes to their existing facilities.
"The changes are important because both Buick and GMC currently attract more than 40 percent of their buyers from brands outside General Motors," the automaker said in a statement.
According to GM, more than 80 percent of eligible Buick and GMC dealers (about 1,900 showrooms) have enrolled in the dealership update program, with 170 having already completed the makeover. The automaker estimates that more than 2,000 Buick and GMC buildings across the States will be fully revitalized by the end of next year.
One of the first to complete the architectural updates is Paul Masse, owner of two Buick-GMC stores in New England.
“The design group from Gensler did a great job with the colors and appearance,” Masse said. “It really does bring in a new type of customer.”

GM will have Four World Premieres in Detroit Including the 2013 Cadillac ATS

With the press days over at the Tokyo Motor Show, automakers are now turning their focus on the next big automotive event, which is the 2012 North International Auto Show that takes place in Detroit from January 10 to 23.

Today, we learned that General Motors is planning four world premieres but for now, the company will only tell us about one of the vehicles it will bring to Detroit, the 2013 Cadillac ATS, which is aimed squarely at the entry-level premium sedan segment rivaling the likes of the new BMW 3-Series and the Lexus IS.
“ATS is a crucial part of Cadillac's expansion,” GM Senior Vice President of Global Product Development Mary Barra told the Automotive Press Association on Friday. “ATS enters the biggest market segment in the global luxury car industry, both in terms of volume and importance."
“It’s a segment dominated by German cars, including the BMW 3-series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4, so we’ve developed a compelling and convincing new challenger,” she added.
As for the other models GM will show in Detroit, the company said that they include both concept and production vehicles, but we're pretty sure that we'll learn more about them before the end of the month.