The teaser pics of the 2017 Sierra Denali 2500HD that GMC has released show a truck that appears largely similar to the current one. Largely – not completely.
In a quick press release, it said the ’17 model has “a functional hood scoop design hinting at what is beneath its bold new appearance.” That’s it. No numbers. No ballpark figures.
We can guess at them, though.
The oil-burner in the 2016 Denali 2500HD makes 397 horsepower and 765 lb-ft, so, logically, the 2017 version of it will generate numbers north of those. The 800 lb-ft 6.7-liter Cummins engine available in the Ram 2500 is a good mark to hit. Scratch that. Exceed.
Given that the 2017 Denali 2500HD is a refresh and not a new model from the ground up, we’d be surprised if GMC revises it enough to trump the Ford F-250’s optional 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 and the 440 horsepower and 860 lb-ft it produces.
For now, the chrome-lipped mouth of the new Sierra Denali 2500HD’s functional hood scoop is open, but it’s saying nothing. We’ll have to wait a while until GMC itself does.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
