By Mark Kleis
Monday, Jan 10th, 2011 @ 11:25 am

Buyers in search of an off-road oriented factory-built truck are currently limited to the Ram Power Wagon and the Ford Raptor pickups, but General Motors hope to change that with its new GMC Sierra All Terrain HD concept.

The basis of the All Terrain HD concept is a 2011 GMC Sierra HD pickup, albeit with a modified 4WD chassis and a standard 397 horsepower, 765 lb-ft. of torque Duramax diesel mated to an Allison 1000 six-speed transmission. GM says that the truck has been given an enhanced suspension and bolder, bigger body dimensions including three inches of increased ground clearance and a wider 73-inch track in order to prepare the truck for off-road duty.

In addition to those changes, attention was paid to both approach and departure angles in order to maximize climbing ability. The Sierra All Terrain HD features a unique five-foot, eight-inch Crew Cab/short box body configuration that supports a wheels-at-the-corners proportion. This concept has a shorter in overall length than production Sierra HD models, but gains off-road capability in the process.

Additional off-road elements include: Custom front upper and lower control arms, specially constructed Fox off-road shocks with remote fluid reservoirs (integrated in the wheel house liners), front and rear jounce shocks, electronic front stabilizer bar disconnection, 35-inch-tall BFGoodrich KM2 “mud terrain†tires mounted on 20-inch machined aluminum wheels and full composite underbody protection.

The All Terrain HD also features electronic disconnection of the front stabilizer bar, which enables greater crawling capability on rocky terrain. The driver simply pushes a button inside the cab to disconnect it from the front suspension.

Custom upper and lower control arms for the front suspension are designed to work with the Fox off-road shocks and jounce shocks, while supporting the greater ground clearance and ride height. They contribute to the wider track, as do the aggressive 20-inch machined aluminum all-terrain wheels. The wheels are deep, with six split-spoke elements, and are constructed in a reverse drop-flange method that ensures optimal strength. They also feature a mix of satin chrome and anodized aluminum finishes, which provide durability and a premium appearance that complements the concept truck’s Iridium Metallic color.

A full composite underbody protection system shields the All Terrain HD’s transmission, drivetrain, fuel tank, exhaust system and axle differentials. It starts with the front bumper, which rolls beneath the truck and leads to a composite, integral belly pan that covers a front suspension skid plate. Protective covers are also mounted beneath the driveline components, while the front and rear differentials feature direct-mounted skid plates. The rear bumper is integrated with the rear skid plate.

Motorized, deployable assist steps for the cab and cargo bed make it easier to enter and exit the All Terrain HD, while maximizing ground clearance during off-road driving. It also incorporates a number of industrial-grade lighting elements to provide greater visibility for safer driving where stars may be the only other source of illumination.

The lighting details include: High-intensity LED headlamp, taillamp and fog lamp lighting mounted in impact-resistant composite housings and featuring edge-lit illumination, high-intensity LED park and turn signal lamps, smooth-appearance front marker lamps integrated behind the top edge of the windshield glass, integrated center high-mounted stop lamp and rear marker lights mounted at the top edge of the rear window glass and LED floodlights for the cargo bed and assist steps.

Despite all of the off-road capability, GMC says this concept still maintains strong work-minded capability, with an estimated payload of 2,700 lbs, conventional towing capability of 13,000 lbs and a fifth-wheel max capacity of 15,600 lbs.

The Sierra All Terrain HD of course features four-wheel drive, including automatic locking front and rear differentials, while the 14-inch, four-wheel disc brake system from the production Sierra HD.

GMC hasn’t confirmed production plans, but we think things look pretty positive for this truck’s future, especially given the Ram Power Wagon and Ford F-150 SVT Raptor have done well in the market.

  

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