GM to Execute Rigorous Evaluation to Ensure Optimized Performance

This year, General Motors (GM) will disrupt the pick-up segment by launching the new 2022 Chevrolet Silverado and the new 2022 GMC Sierra. Two all-new trims will headline the new Silverado and Sierra line-ups: the all-new 2022 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2, Chevy’s new flagship off-road truck, and the first-ever 2022 GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate, the most advanced and luxuriously Sierra ever.

Ahead of the launch, GM has put both pick-up trucks through rigorous local evaluation across scenic driving routes winding through the UAE’s deserts and inner-city roads and highways to ensure that they meet when the highly anticipated all-new trucks are officially launched to the customer demands.

General Motors ‘ builds outstanding vehicles with over a century of engineering excellence. From creating iconic nameplates such as the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban to the GMC Yukon and Terrain, GM has consistently demonstrated the ability to revolutionise mobility and technology and plans to be a leader in re-envisioning the landscape for years to come.

This success spans the globe, and part of this is rooted in the brands’ deep understanding of the unique environment and terrain and the nuanced needs of customers, wherever in the world they are. Before launching a vehicle in this region, GM Africa and the Middle East put it through extensive and rigorous evaluation to ensure that it performs as expected against the Middle East’s conditions. Be it terrain or climate; the local evaluation process ensures that GM and its vehicle brands continue to earn the badge of engineering excellence.

“We are proud of our portfolio across the globe, and while our vehicles are thoroughly tested in the US, the unique Middle East terrain is different. For example, desert sand in the region tends to be softer and looser, providing a different off-road experience than in California or Arizona,” said Daniel Oden, Regional Quality Manager, GM Africa and the Middle East. “Before we launch a vehicle in the market, we execute a program tailored around each vehicle, with on-road and off-road evaluation, where relevant, covering thousands of kilometres to ensure that our vehicles meet and surpass our local customers’ expectations. The all-new Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 and the all-new GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate have accumulated over 100,000 KM of road test each, to be certain they are primed for launch later this year.”

From a to ZR2 – How Chevy Evaluates Off-road Mastery

The first-ever Silverado ZR2 drives into the flagship position of Chevy Trucks’ factory-lifted off-road lineup, offering race-proven off-road performance. The all-new ZR2’s off-road prowess has been tested thoroughly: from the dunes and tracks in Michigan to the challenging rock crawl trails in Utah and the mountains of Tennessee, to the desert in Arizona and California and now in the rugged terrain of the Iftar Bowl, Dubai and other famous wadi and desert landscapes of the UAE.

The all-new ZR2’s suspension upgrades, enhanced off-road technology and exterior enhancements were developed to optimise off-road performance and capability through critical features, such as electrically locking differentials, increased approach angles, and protective skid plates and Multimatic DSSV dampers, payload, and towing capacity.

The local GM Quality Team ensure a thorough review of all the new Silverado ZR2 features across a three month, in-country evaluation program to ensure they perform well in the Middle East. The Quality Team provides that the protective skid plate defends the underbody from inevitable bumps and scrapes from off-road adventures. The dual exhaust, tucked into the rear bumper, is adequately protected against local terrain. Likewise, the impressive 31.8-degree approach angle is evaluated across dunes and wadi beds.

Critical requirements for an off-road vehicle are A/C performance and powertrain cooling due to the extreme temperatures in the Middle East. The GM Quality Team records, tracks, and analyses A/C and engine cooling data via thermocouples and vehicle software during local quality drives and off-road evaluations. This data is then analysed, and any issues are identified and reported back to engineering teams in the US.

New Peak in Premium Capability

The first-ever Sierra Denali Ultimate trim is the most advanced and luxurious Sierra ever, taking the popular Denali sub-brand to an even higher level of capable luxury.

Unique exterior styling cues and exclusive interior trim and features complement more standard equipment — including the segment-deluxe CarbonPro composite cargo box, offering one of the best-in-class short-bed cargo volumes — to set a new standard for premium truck buyers who want to reward themselves.  To ensure a smooth and comfortable ride, the GM Quality Team use NVH and Road Compliance to evaluate the suspension compliance to ensure a smooth ride on tarmac and over speedbumps.

The GM Quality Team ensures that the interior enhancements go beyond aesthetics to provide a 360 premium driver experience during the evaluation. Using NVH and Road Compliance tests, the team evaluated the noise produced by the pick-up, looking for squeaks, rattles and road feedback to ensure loud noises do not drown out the luxurious interior of the cabin.

Streamlined techcriticalion is one of the most important evaluations to deliver a premium and capable experience. The all-new GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate will launch with Google built-in, offering Voice Assistant, Embedded Navigation and in-vehicle applications to enhance the overall customer experience and make it easier for customers to bring their digital lives into future connected vehicles.

During the evaluation, the GM Quality Team ensures that the features are fully integrated, allowing the seamless use of Google technology such as apps, connected maps and navigation, voice assistant, and the vehicle’s features such as articulated running boards and Head-Up Display and more. Tech advancements such as Google Built-In are designed to enhance the customer experience, and therefore lags, or incomplete circuits will impact the premium experience.

Ensuring that the Google Built-In system is localised to the market and communicates clearly in Arabic for optimal performance is essential. Poor localisation of touchpoints, especially in Arabic, undermines the premium experience that General Motors Is committed to providing for drivers in the area. Therefore, this is one of the Quality Team’s actual tests ahead of launch.

General Motors has been pioneering the future of mobility for over a century, channelling innovation, and engineering excellence into every new project. Delivering against an ambidextrous regional business strategy, General Motors has consistently demonstrated the ability to revolutionise mobility and technology whilst growing and expanding its core business of providing world-class cars, trucks, and SUVs.

Once the capabilities of these trucks have been proven beyond doubt, the new Chevrolet Silverado and new GMC Sierra line-ups will be available in showrooms in July 2022. Once the vehicles are officially launched on the market, more details will be shared, so watch this space!

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