The red GMC badge from General Motors appears on powerful pickups in three sizes this year and sport-utility wagons in two formats plus stretched and deluxe treatments. All line up behind full-size Sierra, a light-duty (half-ton) pickup and perennial GMC bestseller. The line for 2005 shows GMC's newest nameplate - Canyon - a mid-size pickup. SUVs include the full-size Yukon and stretched Yukon XL or mid-size Envoy in regular-length and stretched versions. Then there's Denali, a designation for deluxe editions of Sierra, Yukon and - new for 2005 - Envoy and Envoy XL.

For GMC's mid-size truck, the sheet metal's curvy, the truck's back bed and three cab configurations reveal innovative ideas in spatial management and there are two engines available that promote top-end power. External styling lifts design cues from Sierra and projects a powerful face dominated by a chrome-heavy grille. Cabs include the two-door Regular Cab, an Extended Cab with two rear-hinged doors set behind the two front doors, and Crew Cab with four conventional front-hinged doors.

Engines of in-line design motivate Canyon. The entry plant is a Vortec 2800 2.8-liter four-cylinder unit rated for 175 hp. Optional is a Vortec 3500 3.5-liter in-line five-cylinder system that climbs to 220 hp. Either ties to a five-speed manual transmission or four-speed Hydra-Matic automatic.
More across-the-board choices come with formats of rear two-wheel-drive (2WD) or four-wheel-drive (4WD) traction through an automatic active transfer case called Insta-Trac. The Insta-Trac 4WD system permits shift-on-the-fly switching from rear-wheel to four-wheel mode and has a 4WD low gear for off-road work. The extended cab scores a new options package with leather-clad seats plus an available sunroof. Also, larger 15-inch aluminum wheels apply to Canyon's High Stance Off- Road package.

GMC's light-duty Sierra trucks in half-ton 1500 series include Wideside and Sportside body styles, rear 2WD and 4WD modes, and cabs of regular and extended lengths. In addition, Sierra offers the deluxe and powerful Sierra Denali. And for 2005 the series adds a Sierra Crew Cab Denali with four full-size doors and two rows of seats for up to six passengers. Denali comes with an all-wheel-drive (AWD) system and Quadrasteer four-wheel-steering (4WS) to make the big rig as easy to maneuver around a crowded parking lot as a small sports car. This year, Vortec engines for Sierra range from a base 4.3-liter V6 at 195 hp and the 4.8-liter V8 with 285 hp to a 5.3-liter V8 pumping 295 hp or 310 hp, plus a 6.0-liter V8 worth 300 hp -- although in Denali the 6.0-liter bumps way up to 345 hp.

The HD (heavy-duty) label for Sierra signifies work trucks stretched to king-size dimensions. And they develop top-of-class gross vehicle weight ratings (GVWR). The series provides cabs of regular and extended lengths along with a four-door Crew Cab stocking car-like comforts. Muscular engines power these big rigs to the top of the heavy-duty class, from a Vortec 6.0-liter V8 worth 300 hp or big-block 8.1-liter Vortec at 330 hp to a Duramax 6.6-liter turbo-diesel boosted this year to 310 hp. Sierra HD in 2500 (three-quarter-ton) series includes a four-door Crew Cab edition in 2WD or 4WD, and there's a 3500 (one-ton) model in single-rear-wheel (SRW) configuration for 4WD with a long-box bed in back. The 1500HD in 2WD and 4WD modes with the 6.0-liter V8 brings a GVWR of 8,600 pounds and, when properly equipped, it can tow a trailer weighing up to 10,300 pounds.

Sierra's platform underpins GMC's full-size SUVs in the extensive Yukon series with full-size Yukon and the stretched-length Yukon XL plus companions Yukon Denali and Yukon XL Denali. Denali for Yukon means deluxe editions outfitted with leather seats, a permanently engaged AWD system and smooth Autoride continuously variable suspension. Yukon's powertrains for 2005 reach from a 285 hp 4.8-liter V8 to a 5.3-liter edition with 295 hp. Yukon XL 1500 stocks the Vortec 5.3-liter V8, while 2500 XL gets a 6.0-liter V8 spiked to 325 hp. Further, the big-block 8.1-liter Vortec V8 rated at 320 hp is available for XL Denali. A 4WD Yukon uses an active transfer case with optional Autoride suspension. Quadrasteer 4WS is an option for Yukon XL 2500 in 2WD or 4WD, and all Yukon trims in 2005 offer GM's Stabilitrak vehicle skid controller. All also wear a new lift gate at the tail with tip-up window, while a new DVD-based touch-screen navigation radio goes on the extras sheet. Yukon's color palette for 2005 contains several new hues like Sand Beige Metallic and Blue-Green Crystal.

This mid-size SUV comes in regular-length and stretched editions propelled by a straight-six or husky V8. The Envoy XL extends 16 inches longer and three inches taller than the regular version with enough extra room in the cabin to apply a third row of seats for two and increase the passenger count to seven. GMC also spins off the Envoy XUV, a sport-utility wagon with a power sliding roof and convertible all-weather rear cargo compartment.

News in the Envoy series for 2005 centers on two deluxe Denali variations, Envoy Denali and Envoy XL Denali. Each Denali is stuffed with luxurious comforts and available in 2WD or 4WD mode. The two Denali models plus Envoy XUV tote a new Vortec 5.3-liter V8 engine rated at 290 hp. The all-aluminum plant applies GM's innovative Displacement on Demand (DOD) technology, which automatically pares the number of cylinders engaged in the combustion process when boosted power is not needed. Standard powertrain for Envoy and Envoy XL is a 4.2-liter in-line-six engine that runs to 275 hp.