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      Bajaj Takes Over Triumph India Sales, Marketing Ops – All Dealerships

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      Bajaj-Triumph announced today their next phase of partnership for operations in IndiaBajaj takes over Triumph India operationsBajaj Auto and Triumph had first announced their partnership back in Aug 2017. Now, in 2023, the partnership is entering its 2nd phase. Bajaj is taking over Triumph India’s dealer network as well as entire sales and marketing operations. This is similar to what Hero MotoCorp and Harley-Davidson have done in India.Bajaj Probiking Takes Over Triumph India OperationsAs of now, Bajaj Auto operates KTM, Bajaj 2W, Chetak and Bajaj 3W dealerships. Triumph will be the company’s fifth dealer channel. As of now, Triumph has 15 dealerships across India. All Triumph dealerships will remain exclusive to the British brand.Bajaj-Triumph motorcycle for India – spiedTriumph India operations will now be headed by Mr. Sumeet Narang, who is also heading Bajaj Probiking. Whereas previous Triumph India head, Mr. Shoeb Farooq is reportedly being transferred to Bajaj’s Chetak electric mobility division. Over the next two years, Bajaj will increase the Triumph India dealer network from existing 15 to 120 outlets.Rakesh Sharma, Executive Director – Bajaj Auto, said: “We are very excited that the time to bring the results of the joint work of Triumph & Bajaj Auto teams is drawing closer. We welcome the Triumph dealerships into the Bajaj Auto family and offer them an opportunity to further build their business as the portfolio expands. We will also leverage our formidable distribution network to rapidly expand the exclusive Triumph stores in India in preparation for the soon-to-be-launched, exciting new motorcycles.”Bajaj-Triumph motorcycle for India – spiedPaul Stroud, Chief Commercial Officer Triumph Motorcycles Ltd said: “This is an important partnership for Triumph which continues to progress very well. The Triumph dealer network has been great business partners for Triumph, they have achieved many great results with Triumph Motorcycles here in India and have served our 9000+ customers incredibly well since we entered the market back in 2014. We are excited about the growth that we can now achieve through our partnership with Bajaj Auto Ltd, here in India, and look forward to welcoming many more customers to the Triumph brand.”New Bajaj-Triumph Motorcycle Launch Planned In 2023Strategic partnership between Bajaj and Triumph will also give birth to a range of new motorcycles in the 250cc to 700cc segment. These motorcycles will be manufactured by Bajaj at its Chakan facility in Pune, and could also be exported to various global markets.Bajaj-Triumph motorcycle for India – spiedAlready spied on test, these new motorcycles will make its global debut in the coming months. From the spy shots, it is clear that there is a roadster and a scrambler in the making. These could be powered by engine options ranging in the 250cc to 400cc segment. Upon launch, these Bajaj-Triumph motorcycles will rival Royal Enfield as well as upcoming Hero Harley Davidson 420cc. Prices are expected to be in the Rs 2 lakh to Rs 4 lakh range. More

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      New Hero Karizma 210cc Spied 1st Time – More Power, Features

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      Hero MotoCorp has registered two new names – Karizma XMR and Karizma XMR 210New Hero Karizma 210cc launch soon – SpiedHero MotoCorp is on the verge of stepping up its game in the premium motorcycle segment. They are working on launching a range of new motorcycles in the 200cc to 450cc segment. These will include new adventure motorcycles, roadsters as well as fully faired machines.Hero Karizma Coming Back – New Gen MotorcycleOne of them is likely to be new gen Karizma. Yes, Hero is getting ready to revive their iconic brand. Karizma was the flagship Hero motorcycle for many years, until it was discontinued. Over the years, Hero tried to revive the Karizma brand multiple times, but did not succeed to meet expectations. 2014 Karizma facelift designed by EBR (Erik Buell Racing) was the iceberg that single-handedly sank Hero’s Titanic.New Hero Karizma 210cc launch soon – SpiedHistorically speaking, Karizma has always been offered as a duo. A semi-faired Karizma with slightly less power and a fully-faired Karizma ZMR with more power. This time around as well, the same approach is expected. Hero has trademarked two names – Karizma XMR and Karizma XMR 210.Karizma XMR could be the less powerful one with a bikini fairing to take on Pulsar 220F. It might even don the same 200cc oil-cooled engine as outgoing Xtreme 200S. While the Karizma XMR 210 could be the fully faired offering with a liquid-cooled 210cc engine and 6-speed gearbox to take on Pulsar RS 200.[embedded content][embedded content]Xtreme 200S Design Language?Based on the latest Karizma test mule spied, it seems to be carrying a design inspired by Xtreme 200S. Closer inspection reveals an almost similar fairing, but more stylised. We can spot differences over Xtreme 200S – LED turn indicators with hazard light function and fairing-mounted ORVMs instead of being mounted on handlebars.New Hero Karizma 210cc launch soon – SpiedAs pricing was one of Karizma’s key strengths, we reckon it won’t bear any fancy equipment to ramp up costs. From the spy shots, it is clear that 2023 Hero Karizma does not get USD front forks. LED lighting, and Bluetooth connectivity with navigation could be offered. New Karizma 210 prices are expected to be in the Rs. 1.3 to 1.6 lakh bracket.Is 210 In Karizma XMR 210 Denoting Its Displacement?It is not yet confirmed. If we take the Aston Martin Rapide AMR 210 for example, the 210 in its name denotes two things. One, it is limited to just 210 units across the world. Two, it has a top speed of 210 mph, making it the fastest four-door sedan in the world.New Hero Karizma 210 – Name trademarkedSticking with Hero, that 210 has to mean something. Being logical, it won’t hit 210 km/h top speed. So, it is highly likely to denote its displacement. Liquid-cooled or not, that could be debatable. Also, it might very well be Hero’s 200cc engine, bored to displace 210cc and mated to a new 6-speed gearbox (rumoured). We can expect around 25 bhp and 30 Nm from this setup. More

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      BSA 650cc Spied In Production Ready Guise – RE 650 Rival

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      When launched, BSA Gold Star 650 will take on Royal Enfield 650 Twins- Interceptor and Continental GTBSA 650cc SpiedAfter reviving defunct brands like Jawa and Yezdi earlier, Classic Legends revived the iconic British motorcycle brand BSA late last year. The first motorcycle to don this nameplate is named Gold Star 650 which made its maiden appearance in December 2021 at an exclusive event in Birmingham, United Kingdom.In July 2022, UK launch of the BSA 650cc took place. It is priced from about GBP 6,500. which is about Rs 6.6 lakh as per today’s conversion rate. It is now planned for launch in other countries globally.BSA 650cc SpiedBSA 650cc Spied testing in production ready guiserBacked by Mahindra & Mahindra, Classic Legends bought the rights of the incumbent BSA Motorcycles back in 2016 for approximately Rs 28 crores. Initially, BSA motorcycles will exclusively cater to the UK market. But launch in other countries is also expected. BSA 650cc test mules have now been spied in production ready guise on Indian roads. Latest spy shots are credited to automotive enthusiast Satya.The company has not confirmed an India launch yet, however, given the popularity of the modern classic segment, Classic Legends might bring it here. BSA plans to launch Gold Star 650 in the United States as well. The company could also introduce the bike in South American markets. In most of these markets, BSA will be directly pitted against Royal Enfield.BSA 650cc SpiedManufacturing & DesignAs of now, the 650cc roadster will be manufactured by Classic Legends in India and exported to overseas markets. However, the company is working on opening a new assembly facility in the UK that would split manufacturing operations between the two countries. This facility will be different from the one commissioned by the UK Government in Midlands which will be used for manufacturing EVs.Gold Star 650 has been designed by a British firm called Redline Studios whereas its chassis has been built by British engineering specialists Ricardo. The engine, however, has been sourced from Austrian engineering firm Rotax and worked upon by Technical University of Graz.Powertrain & Hardware SpecsSpeaking of the engine, Gold Star 650 is powered by a 652cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled motor that dishes out 45hp and 55Nm of peak torque. This unit is paired with a 5-speed gearbox via a slipper and assist clutch. As for performance, Classic Legends say that this bike can reach a top speed of 166 kmph. The company has also stated that this engine could be tuned for more power and torque in future.Coming to its hardware setup, BSA Gold Star 650 is underpinned by a dual-cradle tubular chassis that sits on raked-out telescopic forks at front and twin preload-adjustable rear shock absorbers. Braking duties are carried out by disc brakes at both ends with callipers from Brembo which are aided by a dual-channel ABS. More

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      Strict EPA Rules for 2027–2032 Vehicles Are Expected This Week

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      The EPA regulates and lowers the quantity of emissions that can spew from the transportation network—in effect, raising fuel economy requirements—and the next stage will be announced Wednesday, according to insiders.The new rules will affect model year 2027 through 2032 vehicles and do not ban internal-combustion engines or force EV purchases.Similar fuel-economy regulations from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are also expected this month.Cleaner air and more electric vehicles are the goals of a move expected next week when the Biden Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reportedly will announce what insiders are already calling the toughest-ever emissions rules for new cars and light trucks. The Associated Press reported on the planned announcement, having talked to people familiar with details of the proposal and who asked not to be named because it hasn’t yet been made public. This Is Not a Gas-Engine BanWhat the new rules won’t do is ban new internal-combustion-engine vehicles outright or force people to buy electric vehicles. Instead, they’d the next logical step in the U.S. government’s overall push to clean up our transportation system. President Biden’s official target is for half of all new vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2030 to be zero-emission vehicles, which for the government means all-electric, plug-in-hybrid, or fuel-cell vehicles.The stricter rules will affect model year 2027–2032 vehicles and deal with carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and other greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Los Angeles Times, automakers have been pushing behind the scenes to delay implementation of the new emission limits for “a few years,” but we won’t learn more until the proposed rules are released this week.The EPA’s Not Talking (Yet)The EPA sets emissions standards for new vehicles sold in the U.S. in batches. For example, emissions rules for 2021–2026 model year vehicles were finalized in the spring of 2020. Those rules ended up being less strict than initially proposed. The original proposed rule would have effectively required an industry fleet-wide average of 54.5 mpg by the 2025 model year, but that was amended first to 46.7 mpg and then to 40.4 mpg in the final rule.The last time the EPA issued a press statement about new light-duty-vehicle emission standards for the 2027–2032 model years, it said that the final MY 2026 rules “set the light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) program on track to provide a strong launch point for the Agency’s next phase of standards for MY 2027 and beyond.” Those new rules, the ones now expected next week, “will speed the transition of the light-duty vehicle fleet toward a zero-emissions future consistent with President Biden’s [plans],” the EPA said in December 2021. The EPA declined to issue any official statements regarding the new rules, telling the LA Times that the rules are still under interagency review.More DetailsThe new standards are set to be announced Wednesday. The EPA is also expected to update emissions rules for heavy-duty trucks and power plants this month. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is also expected to announce its new fuel economy standards in April. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Take a LookContributing EditorSebastian Blanco has been writing about electric vehicles, hybrids, and hydrogen cars since 2006. His articles and car reviews have appeared in the New York Times, Automotive News, Reuters, SAE, Autoblog, InsideEVs, Trucks.com, Car Talk, and other outlets. His first green-car media event was the launch of the Tesla Roadster, and since then he has been tracking the shift away from gasoline-powered vehicles and discovering the new technology’s importance not just for the auto industry, but for the world as a whole. Throw in the recent shift to autonomous vehicles, and there are more interesting changes happening now than most people can wrap their heads around. You can find him on Twitter or, on good days, behind the wheel of a new EV.  More

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      New Hero Xtreme 160R Spied Testing – Pulsar, Apache Rival

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      New-gen Hero Xtreme 160R could get some first-in-segment features to improve competencies against Pulsar and Apache 160New Hero Xtreme 160R spied in production guiseOne of the popular choices in 160cc segment, Hero Xtreme 160R will be getting its new-gen version soon. It was first spied on test in October last year. Now, production ready test mules have been spied. The updated bike could debut later this year, around the festive period. Both Pulsar and Apache 160cc motorcycles have been updated, requiring Hero to introduce the required set of changes to Xtreme 160R.New-gen Hero Xtreme 160R is likely to get cosmetic updates, along with some new colour options. Major design changes are unlikely, as the bike already has a sporty profile. Some premium hardware and new features could be among the key highlights of new-gen Xtreme 160R.New Hero Xtreme 160R SpiedNew Gen Hero Xtreme 160R – Updated features, More techEven in its current format, Hero Xtreme 160R is a well-equipped bike. It has all-LED lighting and an inverted LCD console with adjustable brightness. There are 5 brightness levels, allowing the user to choose as per their needs. The LCD panel displays a range of information including gear position indicator. New-gen Xtreme 160R could get an updated instrument console.Some new connectivity features could be introduced with new-gen Xtreme 160R. As of now, connectivity features offered with the bike include live tracking, speed alert, vehicle start alert, geo fence alert, hero locate, topple alert, tow away alert, driving score and trip analysis.New Hero Xtreme 160R SpiedTest mules of new-gen Xtreme 160R can be seen with telescopic forks, which is likely to be the same as that of current model. At rear, the bike has 7-step rider adjustable monoshock suspension. The bike uses 17-inch wheels at both ends, shod with 100/80 front and 130/70 rear tyres.Braking duties are performed by 276 mm and 220 mm petal disc at front and rear, respectively. Single-channel ABS is offered as standard. The bike’s weight is 139.5 kg, which is the lowest in segment. Fuel tank capacity is 12 litres.Engine likely to deliver improved performance, more mileageWith rivals getting performance upgrades, it is important for Hero MotoCorp to upgrade the performance of Xtreme 160R. Currently, it is powered by a 163cc, air cooled motor that generates 15.2 PS of max power and 14 Nm of peak torque. It is mated to a 5-speed constant mesh gearbox. Expect the new 160R to deliver better acceleration as well as mileage figures.New Hero Xtreme 160 Spy Shots from last yearWith the updates, new-gen Xtreme 160R could witness a slight bump in prices. Existing prices start from Rs 1.18 lakh and go all the way to Rs 1.3 lakh. A total of 4 variants are on offer. In comparison, Pulsar N160 which was recently updated with USD forks, is priced at 1.27 lakh while the TVS Apache 160 price ranges from Rs 1.18 lakh to Rs 1.23 lakh. All prices are ex-sh.Apart from this, Hero is also working on a new 210cc range of motorcycles with full fairing (Karizma) as well as naked street (Hunk / Xtreme). They also have a new 420cc Xpulse and 420cc Xtreme / Xpulse in the making along with Harley Davidson 420cc.Source More

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      Two Wheeler, Electric 2W Retail Sales Mar 2023 – Hero, Bajaj, Ola, Ather, Yamaha

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      Three stalwarts – Hero MotoCorp, Honda and TVS Motor commanded this segment, which has seen a double digit YoY growth in total retail salesOla maintains lead as No 1 electric scooterTwo wheeler retail sales in March 2023 saw a total of 14,45,867 units sold, up 12.42 percent from 12,86,109 units sold in March 2022. This was a 1,59,758 unit volume growth. It was also a MoM growth from 12,67,233 units sold in Feb 2023. Retail sales in FY 2022-23 grew 18.54 percent to 1,59,95,968 from 1,34,94,214 units retailed in FY 2021-22.Two Wheeler Retail Sales March 2023Top sellers in the past month were Hero, Honda, TVS and Bajaj, each of which saw significant increase in YoY retail sales. The same could not be said for Hero Electric, Okinawa and Classic Legends and Piaggio that have all posted YoY de-growthTwo Wheeler Retail Sales March 2023 vs March 2023 – YoY AnalysisHero MotoCorp was the best-selling two wheeler ORM in March 2023. Retail sales stood at 4,66,963 units in the past month, up from 4,14,869 units sold last year. Market share improved marginally to 32.30 percent from 32.26 percent YoY. Honda retail sales were at 3,23,901 units in March 2023, up from 2,81,936 in March 2022. Market share improved to 22.40 percent from 21.92 percent YoY.At No. 3 on the list was TVS Motor with 2,37,920 units sold last month. This was a YoY growth with market share going up to 16.46 percent from 15.34 percent YoY. TVS iQube electric scooter is what contributed significant numbers to total sales. Next up was Bajaj Auto Limited with 1,63,926 units sold in March 2023 from 1,42,790 units sold in March 2022. Chetak electric scooter sales are listed under Chetak Technologies Limited. It posted retail sales at 2,332 units last month with a 0.16 percent market share.Two Wheeler Retail Sales March 2023 % ShareRetail sales growth was also reported for Royal Enfield with sales at 69,791 units in March 2023 up from 53,233, taking up market share to 4.83 percent from 4.14 percent on a YoY basis. It was also Suzuki Motorcycle that saw retail sales improve to 64,304 units in the past month. India Yamaha Motors sales were up to 46,987 units in March 2023 from 44,187 in March 2022 though market share dipped to 3.25 percent from 3.44 percent YoY.Electric 2W Retail Sales March 2023Electric two wheeler retail sales saw significant growth. Ola Electric was the leading electric two wheeler maker in terms of sales with 21,274 units sold last month, up from 9,145 units sold in March 2022. This took up market share to 1.47 percent from 0.71 percent held in March 2022. Ola has reported its best ever sales in March 2023.Ather Energy sales in the past month stood at 12,076 units, up from 2,233 last year. Ampere, which offers a diverse range of products such as the Zeal, Magnus and Primus has seen retail sales at 9,334 units in March 2023, up from 6,341. Market share improved marginally to 0.65 percent from 0.49 percent YoY.Two Wheeler Retail Sales March 2023 vs Feb 2023 – MoM AnalysisRetail sales of Hero Electric dipped to 6,652 units in March 2023 from 13,029 in March 2022. There was also Okinawa Autotech that posted YoY de-growth in retail sales to 4,507 units in March 2023. Classic Legends (Jawa / Yezdi) retail sales dipped to 3,253 units last month from 4,265 units sold in the same month last year. Piaggio also reported a YoY de-growth in retail sales to 3,072 units in March 2023 from 4,543 sold in the same month last year. More

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      Harley Davidson 420cc Render – A Bold New Take on the Classic Cruiser

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      Upcoming made-in-India Harley-Davidson will primarily go up against the likes of Royal Enfield Classic 350 and Honda H’ness CB350Harley Davidson 420cc motorcycle for India – RenderAs part of its renewed global strategy, iconic Harley-Davidson is aggressively targeting emerging markets with smaller capacity, single-cylinder bikes. The company has formed partnerships with local OEMs to achieve a competitive price point. For example, Harley is working with QJ Motor in China, whereas the partner of choice in India is Hero MotoCorp.Made-in-India Harley bike will be a neo-retro roadster. Based on recent spy shots, here are some digital renders created by Pratyush Rout. Expected to be a 400+ cc bike, new Harley 420cc bike has a sharp profile, more comparable to RE 650 twins. It’s quite distinct from the fleshier 350ccc bikes like Classic 350 and CB350.Harley Davidson 420cc Leaked Images. Credit – IamabikerHarley-Davidson roadster styling – Render based on spy shotsHarley may be looking to avoid a direct confrontation with the core strengths of RE bikes. Instead, the objective could be to target folks who may want a more agile machine for their everyday commutes. Even Royal Enfield has the slimmer Hunter 350, which has emerged as the second best selling RE bike.Some of the key highlights of Harley-Davidson upcoming bike include round LED headlamp, vertically positioned LED DRL, circular rear view mirrors, sculpted fuel tank, sleek seat, rugged engine guard, slightly upswept exhaust and short tail section. Riding stance seems fairly comfortable with centrally mounted foot pegs and wide, ergonomically positioned handlebar. Harley’s new bike uses a fully digital instrument console, which could be either TFT or LCD.Harley Davidson 420cc motorcycle for India – RenderHarley-Davidson roadster specs, performanceIt is likely that an entirely new platform is being used for Harley’s new small-capacity bike. While the roadster will debut first, Harley could later introduce other versions such as scrambler, adventure, etc. Hero may also use this new platform to launch its own versions. However, there is no official confirmation on such possibilities.Harley Davidson 420cc for India – RenderHarley’s new 420cc motorcycle can be seen with USD forks at front and twin gas-charged shock absorbers at rear. While a monoshock could have been used, the dual shocks look a lot more elegant. The bike has dual-tone alloy wheels and Bybre disc brakes at both ends. Dual-channel ABS is expected to be offered as standard. Wheels are shod with 100-section and 140-section CEAT Zoom Cruz tyres, at front and rear, respectively.Powering Harley’s upcoming bike will be a new air and oil-cooled single-cylinder engine. HD 4XX lettering on the number plate most likely indicates a 400+ cc bike. It is likely to be a 420cc machine. As revealed in spy shots, the bike looks production ready. While an official timeline is not available, the motorcycle is expected to be launched in coming months. Festive season will probably be the best time for the Harley 420cc launch. It could be priced at around Rs 2.50 lakh.Harley Davidson 420cc for India – RenderHarley Davidson Vs Royal Enfield – Round 2It won’t be an easy road for Harley in middleweight segment, as this space is dominated by Royal Enfield. It will be interesting to see the face-off between two legendary brands, both of which are more than a hundred years old. Earlier too RE and Harley had competed, in the 500cc-750cc twin cylinder segment. In that round of competition, Royal Enfield came out on top as their 650cc range turned out to be a global success, while Harley Davidson had to discontinue their Street 500 and Street 750 due to low sales. Time will tell if Harley manages to beat RE in the 350-450cc single cylinder segment or not.Disclaimer – Design renders presented in this blog are solely for illustrative purposes and have not been commissioned, approved, or endorsed by the manufacturer. Designs presented here may not reflect the final product or the manufacturer’s intentions. The renders are provided as conceptual designs or artistic interpretations only, and their accuracy or feasibility cannot be guaranteed. More

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      2024 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X Adds Torquey Duramax Diesel Engine

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      The 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X now comes standard with GM’s Duramax diesel 3.0-liter inline-six.While it has less horsepower, the diesel’s 495 pound-feet of torque is 35 more than the optional 6.2-liter V-8.GMC also tweaked other Sierra 1500 models for 2024 by adding a newly available active exhaust and two fresh paint options. Last week, Chevy announced the 2024 Silverado ZR2 will adopt the Duramax diesel 3.0-liter inline-six as its base engine. Now it comes as no surprise that GMC is following suit by making the downsized Duramax the new standard engine on the 2024 Sierra AT4X.GMCThe oil-burning straight-six generates less horsepower than the massive 6.2-liter V-8 option (305 versus 420 hp, respectively), but it turns the tide by providing an additional 35 pound-feet of torque. The diesel produces 495 pound-feet compared with the V-8’s 460 pound-feet.GM and Duramax updated the diesel 3.0-liter by adding a retuned turbo compressor, new fuel injectors, new steel pistons, and improved temperature control features that together help the engine squeeze out the higher torque figure, which was previously 460 pound-feet. We haven’t yet tested the updated Duramax option, but we loved how refined and quiet the previous version was.More Sierra 1500 AT4XAs one might expect, most of the other changes made to 2024 models of GMC’s half-ton pickup truck mirror those of its Chevy counterpart. The Sierra now offers power-retractable side steps and an active exhaust system available on upper trims. Two new wheel options are also added, as are two fresh paint colors (Downpour metallic and Thunderstorm Gray). The base 2.7-liter turbo four from the Sierra 1500’s base trims stays the same mechanically but is now referred to as the “TurboMax.”This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More