All About the 2019 GMC Sierra CarbonPro Truck Bed
While the 2019 GMC Sierra’s ultra-durable CarbonPro truck bed isn’t as flashy as its Multi-Pro flipping and folding tailgate, it’s just as practical. The Sierra’s carbon fiber truck bed is the first of its kind, and it’s more than just innovative — it offers more cargo volume while weighing in at 62 pounds lighter than its steel counterpart, thanks to the unique properties of carbon fiber. Here’s a look at what it offers and how it’s made.
Drive Home in a Sierra 1500: New GMC vehicles for sale
Why it’s amazing
There’s a reason that carbon fiber is a favorite material for supercar automakers like Lamborghini and McLaren — it’s lightweight and crazy durable. During development, GMC torture tested this groundbreaking truck bed. It shrugged off cinder blocks, gravel, and water-filled steel barrels dropped into
How it’s made
Each CarbonPro truck bed starts off as a flat sheet of thermoplastic carbon fiber. In order to soften them up for stamping, the sheets are heated in a large oven, then stamped by a 3,600-ton press. Smaller pieces are shaped by a
Leftover bits of carbon fiber don’t go to waste. They’re gathered, heated, and shaped into smaller pieces of the truck bed.
A touching tribute
During the stamping process, GMC included a heartfelt Easter egg. On the bottom of the base of the bed, you’ll find the message “Connors Way.” This recognizes Tim Connors, the belated GM chief of engineering, who was a strong supporter of carbon fiber beds. You’ll find these innovative beds on the CarbonPro Edition of the 2019 Sierra Denali and AT4, with greater availability expected in the 2020 model year.
Innovation Comes Standard: 3 reasons to buy a new Sierra
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.