Why does Columbia love GMC Sierra?

By now, you're probably like many Columbia drivers that have seen the ads on television proclaiming the 2011 GMC Sierra to be the best Sierra ever.  When GMC says it, they aren't kidding--Columbia hasn't seen a Sierra with this level of capability, efficiency, refinement, and convenience ever before!

With everyone concerned about the recent spike in gas prices, GMC Sierra owners have less to worry about.  The available XFE (Xtra Fuel Economy) Sierra 1500 makes a few barely-noticeable changes to Sierra's professional-grade changes to boost highway fuel economy to 22 miles per gallon.  The soft tonneau cover and lower front air dam improve Sierra's aerodynamics, while aluminum lower control arms wheels (spare included) help reduce mass.  Motivated by the popular 5.3L V8 flex-fuel engine, Sierra XFE can travel up to 551 miles on a tank of gas--enough to travel from Columbia to Sarasota, Florida without filling up.

For Columbia drivers that drive through town often, a popular choice is the GMC Sierra Hybrid.  The only two-mode hybrid pickup truck design on the market today, Sierra Hybrid uses a battery pack underneath the rear seat to drive the truck at low speeds around town and allow the 6.0L Vortec V8 to come to a stop when you're at a red light.  Combined with Active Fuel Management that allows Sierra Hybrid to run on four of its eight cylinders under lighter loads, the net result is an impressive 20 miles per gallon in the city according to EPA estimates--a 53% improvement over the city fuel economy of a Sierra 1500 with the available 6.2L V8.  Outside of a couple of badges though, it's all GMC Sierra with 332 horsepower available from the engine, over 1,500 pounds of payload capacity, and up to 6100 pounds of trailering capacity.   When faced with these impressive feats, it's no suprise that Columbia truck owners love GMC Sierra.

Of course, Columbia truck shoppers love GMC Sierra for more than just great fuel economy.  Sierra's new Power Tech Package offers the most popular options on the mid-range SLE model with a total package savings of $1,495.  Columbia shoppers love dual-zone climate control, allowing the driver and front passenger to dial in their own preferred temperatures and let the system adjust the fans accordingly.  They're also pretty big fans of the 5.3L V8, easily the most popular engine choice for Sierra owners, the automatic locking rear differential, and the 17" 6-lug aluminum wheels that give Sierra Power Tech just the right amount of styling.  Inside, the 6-speaker sound system offers your choice of XM Satellite Radio, AM/FM terrestrial radio, compact discs, an aux-in jack, and a USB port for playing MP3s from your flash drive or MP3 player.

Great offers are available for the GMC Sierra, including attractive lease options, from Columbia SC GMC dealer Jim Hudson GMC, the #1 GMC dealer in South Carolina.  Jim Hudson has been serving GMC drivers for nearly 30 years with a focus on complete cutsomer satisfaction before, during, and after the sale.  Voted Best New Car Dealership an unmatched ten years in a row by readers of The State, Jim Hudson is the most trusted name in the midlands of South Carolina, from Newberry all the way to Sumter.  For more information, visit Jim Hudson GMC at 7201 Garners Ferry Road in Columbia or call toll-free (888) 377-4971.

GMC Terrain in Columbia SC Loves Eco-Friendly Materials

These days, it's not just enough for automobile manufacturers to put out a fuel-efficient car or SUV.  Many drivers in the Columbia, South Carolina area are looking for vehicles that also make use of recycled materials in order to reduce their vehicles' environmental footprints even further.

The 2011 GMC Terrain delivers professional grade performance in a responsible package by making use of recycled materials in places where they meet the same stringent requirements as non-recycled, or "virgin" materials.  Using these recycled materials is often more energy efficient to manufacture, and can often be lighter as well.  Obviously, a lighter vehicle requires less fuel to move, meaning improved fuel economy and emissions.

For example, the material between the steel roof of the GMC Terrain and the fabric headliner uses kenaf fiber for reinforcement.  Kenaf is a fast-growing plant that is easy to cultivate sustainably in its native south Asia.  Kenaf is hollow like bamboo, making it very adept at dampening sounds while remaining lighter and requiring less energy to manufacture compared to parts that incorporate glass fibers.  Use of recycled fibers allows GMC to keep Terrain's interior quiet enough to allow conversations in a normal tone of voice even at highway speeds while keeping the weight down.

Another example involves the plastic grille frame that sits behind the chrome grille you see on the Terrain.  Soda and water bottles are recycled to make this frame, reducing the amount of virgin petroleum-based plastic that is required to produce the new five-passenger SUV.  GMC engineers tested the frame thoroughly before putting it into production, ensuring it meets all of their requirements for handling impacts and loads placed on it to make sure the professional-grade durability expected from a GMC crossover is not compromised.

Recycling materials doesn't stop at the assembly line, though.  Some of the scrap created in making the sound absorbing material in the doors of a Terrain are combined with used tires to create air baffles for Terrain's bigger brothers, the GMC Sierra pickup truck and GMC Yukon full-size SUVs.

As you'd imagine, the material used the most in a GMC vehicle is steel.  Terrain uses plenty of it to achieve a safe, strong structure, and a significant amount of it comes from recycling old automobiles.  One-third of all iron and steel in the US comes from automotive recyclers, and using it over newly-produced ore means air and water pollution during vehicle manufacturing is cut by more than half.  The EPA estimates that over 95% of cars at the end of their useful lives are processed for recycling, and GMC estimates that at least 85% of Terrain's weight is recyclable whenever it reaches that point.

The 2011 GMC Terrain is available from Jim Hudson GMC, the #1 GMC dealer in the state of South Carolina.  A ten-time winner of The State's "Readers' Choice" award for Best New Car Dealership, Jim Hudson carries a great selection of 32-MPG GMC Terrain models.  Jim Hudson GMC is located at 7201 Garners Ferry Road in Columbia, and can be reached at (803) 783-0110 or at their GMC Terrain Columbia SC website.

Columbia Loves a GMC, and GMC Loves the Troops!

As close as we are to Fort Jackson, all of us at Jim Hudson GMC have a lot of love for our nation's military.  We're not alone either, as GMC donated 400 tickets to active-duty members of the military and their families to attend the 2011 Pro Bowl in Honolulu last night.

“It’s a great honor for GMC to welcome members of our nation’s military and their families to an event that celebrates individual excellence in the ultimate team sport,” said Craig Bierley, director, GMC Advertising and Sales Promotion. “As the official vehicle of the NFL, we appreciate that the ‘Never Say Never’ attitude that drives NFL champions is shared by the great service men and women who sacrifice so much on our nation’s behalf.”

In attendance was Sgt. Gregory Bowling who presented the 2011 Pro Bowl MVP trophy to DeAngelo Hall of the Washington Redskins at the end of the game. The Pro Bowl cornerback also received a new 2011 GMC Yukon Denali.

Bowling, who manages and maintains mission critical computer networks that serve United States Pacific Command Headquarters and other strategic operations, was selected for the task based on activities above and beyond the call of duty.  Beyond his military duties, Bowling volunteers for the Hawaii Partners in Development Foundation, which helps provide a safe haven for children and helps their birth families and foster families. Bowling attended the game with his wife and children.

Jim Hudson is proud to offer the GM Military Discount in Columbia SC on all Buick and GMC models, providing all active-duty and reserve military members and their spouses preferred pricing on every new 2010 and 2011 model.  If you're interested in taking advantage of this special offer, visit your Columbia SC GMC dealer website for all the details.

Columbia Loves GMC Sierra All-Terrain HD Concept--How Can You Not?

Last night, GMC took the covers off the GMC Sierra All-Terrain HD concept pickup truck.  Based off the platform of the all-new GMC Sierra 2500HD for sale in Columbia, the All-Terrain HD concept skips the longer bed of the production truck for a 5'8" short bed, about the size of the bed on a GMC Sierra 1500 crew cab. Power is from the new 2500's Duramax 6.6L diesel engine making 397 horsepower and a stunning 765 pound-feet of torque.  (For comparison, a Cadillac CTS-V's supercharged V8 makes a paltry 551 horsepower.)  This engine is about 11% more fuel efficient than the outgoing 2010 Duramax--while it still won't be besting the mileage of the upcoming 2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist, a LaCrosse also can't tow up to 13,000 pounds.

Power goes to the ground through all four wheels, of course, with each of the 20-inch wheels wrapped in 35-inch BFGoodrich tires.  A composite underbody protection system keeps the driveline, fuel tank, and other components underneath safe.  The required center high-mounted stop lamp in the rear, as well as clearance lamps in the front, are hidden in the top edges of the window glass for a smooth look, while power deployable assist steps provide easy access to both the cab and to the bed, which features a 110V power outlet and air compressor in compartments protected by a circuit board-styled composite bed liner.

Inside, the All-Terrain HD features the premium interior you expect from a GMC, including two-tone dark gray leather seats, stainless steel mesh and satin-metal accents, and a new navigation radio packing an 80-gigabyte hard drive--no more nav discs!  (This radio is a preview of next-generation navigation systems you'll see in GMC trucks and SUVs in the future.)

What do you think, Columbia?  Will enough people love the Sierra All-Terrain HD concept to see a production version arrive at your Columbia GMC dealer?

Columbia Loves GMC Acadia's Five-Star Safety Rating

2011 GMC Acadia for sale in Columbia, South Carolina

If you're a fan of the 2011 GMC Acadia in Columbia, SC, you know of the secure feeling the Acadia provides on Columbia's roads.  If you aren't, here's something to consider: the federal National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has awarded the GMC Acadia a five-star crash test safety rating!

Acadia was tested under their new rating system, which was implemented this year for the 2011 model year. The new rating system is based on more rigorous frontal and side crash tests in addition to rollover resistance testing. These three test conditions are combined mathematically under the new system into an “Overall Vehicle Score.”   Under this methodology, the Acadia achieved an overall vehicle score of five stars – the highest rating possible – even though several individual tests resulted in four-star ratings.

“Earning five stars under the new rating system is an impressive feat – one that clearly demonstrates the strength of Acadia’s advanced structure, overall crashworthiness and effectiveness of its state-of-the-art safety technologies,” said Jeff Boyer, General Motors executive director of vehicle safety.

Many safety systems on the GMC Acadia help protect passengers before, during and after a crash. Standard safety-enhancing features include StabiliTrak electronic stability control system with rollover mitigation technology, six air bags and OnStar’s Automatic Crash Response system that can help get emergency responders to a crash scene quickly even if the driver is incapacitated.

A strong and well-designed vehicle structure is foundational for crashworthiness, while a wide stance and low center of gravity helps reduce the likelihood of a rollover. High strength steel reinforces Acadia's body, while six air bags inside include dual-stage front air bags for the driver and front passenger; two seat-mounted side-impact air bags in the front row; and two head curtain side-impact air bags that cover all three seating rows. The head curtain side air bags are among the longest air bags in any production vehicle in Columbia.

If you're looking for a new GMC Acadia for yourself, your Columbia GMC dealer can help you out with attractive lease and purchase options available this holiday season to qualified buyers and lessees.

Columbia Loves a GMC Sierra--now see how they're built!

GMC Sierra available in Columbia, South Carolina rolling off the assembly line.
(Image: Ian Merritt, PickupTrucks.com)

With nearly 30 years of experience serving as the premier Columbia GMC dealer, Jim Hudson knows how Columbia truck owners love the GMC Sierra.  While many Sierra owners love their 5.3L Vortec V8s and crew cabs, just as many enjoy a Sierra in a basic configuration--regular cab, V6, vinyl seating inside.  PickupTrucks.com decided to hold a comparison shootout of V6 work trucks, which posed a unique problem for the website: most of the automotive press tests fully-loaded SLT and Denali trims of the Sierra, meaning GMC didn't have a work truck to lend them out of their media fleet.

What's the solution?  Build a GMC Sierra just for the test!

More than just build Sierra #1660 for PickupTrucks.com's test, they invited the website to visit their assembly plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana to see it assembled and roll off of the assembly line.  If you've ever been curious to see how GMC builds their lineup of professional grade pickup trucks, take a peek behind the curtain here.

How-To Tuesday: GMC Sierra Integrated Trailer Brake Controller

If you find yourself towing heavy loads with any regularity, you're probably familiar with trailers featuring electric brakes.  As your Columbia GMC dealer, we at Jim Hudson GMC wanted to make sure you knew about the integrated trailer brake controller available on the new GMC Sierra Heavy Duty pickup trucks. (The integrated trailer brake controller is also available on the GMC Sierra 1500 and GMC Yukon).  This trailer brake controller is fully integrated into your Sierra's systems, including stability and traction control systems, providing added peace of mind on the highway as you tow your load.

Setting up the integrated trailer brake controller is a simple process, which the fine folks at GMC have condensed into a short video.  Before you load up again, learn about this great new feature and how it can make your next ride that much safer!