2000 GMC Yukon XL
All New Design Benefits
Confused By New Yukon XL Name

New Engines And Refinement Make GMC's Biggest Truck
The Best Ever. GMC Advancement To A Premium Brand
May Be Held Back By Lack Of Differentiation And New Name.

By Bob Storck

Price Range: $26,500 to $34,000 est.

Engine: 4.8-liter, 270-horsepower V8 or 5.3 liter, 285 hp V8 or 6.0 liter, 300 hp V8

Configuration: Front Engine/Rear and 4-Wheel Drive

Fuel Economy: 15 mpg city/19 mpg highway

Safety Features: Driver and passenger side airbags, sidebags and ABS anti-lock brakes are standard.

Mondecito, California -- While the image and capability of the Suburban family of sport utes may have been honed on ranches and in hard-hat areas like oil fields, most of these behemoths are housed in upscale areas like this Santa Barbara suburb. Look for most of them to be clogging trendy driveways in Chevy Chase, Alamo Heights and Beverly Hills.

The only bump in the road to GMC riches is a curious change in model terminology and General Motor's reluctance to give the brand the upscale models and features they have wanted. When VP Roy Roberts took over the division, he championed a marketing position where Chevy would get the value positioned models of shared vehicles, and GMC would get those with lots of luxury features. While GMC has left the base versions to Chevy, there is no feature or option that cannot be ordered on either nameplate. The only difference is some change in front and rear body panels, and a new name for the GMC Suburban . . . Yukon XL.

"Capitalizing on the Yukon name gives GMC full-size sport utilities a distinct identity in the market," said Denny O'Donnell, Yukon brand manager. "Yukon is a name that clearly means 'GMC,' and GMC means 'trucks' that deliver more capability than may be needed."

Sure the Yukon is a fine name, but it has been overused in GMC history and has no unique position. Many manufacturers have used the XL designation and it has a bland connotation. The GMC Suburban variant needs a name that reflects the size and power and ruggedness that are hidden in its cultivated package. Even the GMC website still calls it the Suburban . . . rest assured that so will most of the buyers.