In our last blog post we mentioned we
couldn’t be more excited about the release of the new 2014 GMC
Sierra 1500, here at Ferguson Buick GMC. That being said, we were
compelled to write another blog post about; yep, that’s right, you
guessed it, the 2014 GMC Sierra. It’s going to be one beautiful
truck!
We mentioned in our last post that the
GMC Sierra has been through over 7,000,000 miles of accumulated
rigorous testing before its launch.
Aerodynamic testing was
one major test applied to the new Sierra. According to GM, the 2014
GMC Sierra went through more aerodynamic wind testing than any
previous pickup for the brand.
Aerodynamic functionality has been a
major design process for automakers; especially in the last couple of
decades. With gas prices rising, people have become more concerned
about fuel efficiency than ever before; while at the same time, truck
owners want pickups with more towing capacity and more torque.
Reducing wind drag is one of the best methods of getting the best of
both worlds. "For a full-size truck, a change in drag
coefficient of 0.01 is approximately equal to an improvement in fuel
economy of 0.1 mpg on the combined city/highway driving cycle,"
says GM's Schenkel. "The same drag coefficient reduction can
improve a car's fuel economy by approximately 0.2 mpg."
To study the way air passes over, under
and around the Sierra, engineers used GM’s state-of-the-art
aerodynamics lab, a 750-foot-long tunnel through which a
43-foot-diameter fan to generate winds of up to 138 miles per hour.
Here’s a look at some of GM’s new
features and findings from its extensive wind tunnel testing on the
new Sierra:
- A new air dam below the 2014 Sierra’s
front bumper successfully reduces drag because it directs air toward
the ground and away from the truck’s rough underbody.
- Ducted flow path between the grille
and radiator prevents air from swirling inside the truck’s front
cavities.
- The Sierra’s tailgate and the
center high-mounted stop light are optimized to guide air cleanly
around the truck. And new sealing in the cab and bed also help.
- GM found trucks achieve better fuel
efficiency with the tailgate up. As air flows over the truck, it
falls over the cab and pushes forward on the rear of the truck. With
the tailgate down, the benefits of that airflow are diminished.
The entire truck’s design needs to be
considered in order to determine how aerodynamic it actually is.
According to Diane Bloch, GM aerodynamic performance engineer, “The
biggest misconception is that it’s all about single components. But
a certain side mirror design doesn’t create a certain amount of
drag, its interaction with the rest of the vehicle does.”
Another misconception people often have
about their truck is - removing the tailgate, or replacing it with a
cargo reduces drag and increases fuel efficiency. Driving with the
tailgate closed actually results in airflow "pushing" on
the back of the cab, a desirable airflow characteristic. “Replacing
the tailgate with an aftermarket net is worse than having no tailgate
at all,” Bloch said. It is like dragging fishing net through water.
Both the 2014 Chevy Silverado and the
2014 GMC Sierra will be on dealership lots within months. Aerodynamic
advancement, according to GM, is one reason why the 2014 Sierra will
be the most fuel-efficient V8 pickup on the market. GM released
pricing for the 2014 Sierra; MSRP will be set at $25,085.
WE HAVE A HUGE SELECTION OF 2014 GMC SIERRA PICK UPS
AT FERGUSON BUICK GMC
Ferguson Buick GMC Superstore would be
glad to help answer any question you may about the GMC Sierra.
Please, give us a call at 918-258-1800. We are located near Tulsa, in
Broken Arrow, OK.
