Here’s Why GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate Trucks Still Have Chrome
Sponsored Links
One thing that stands out about the GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate lineup – both on the 1500 (Light Duty / LD) and Heavy Duty (HD) models – is the exclusive Vader Chrome treatment, which is intended to provide the pickups with a more sinister, darker-themed demeanor. However, despite the exclusivity of Vader Chrome, the range-topping Sierra trim still receives a healthy amount of “regular” shiny chrome. We set out to understand why.
GM Authority’s Executive Editor Alex Luft, known as The Authority within the Motrolix offices, recently asked GMC designers why they choose to not give the Vader Chrome treatment to some exterior elements of the Sierra Denali Ultimate models
“We don’t typically change all of that because it gets so complex,” explained the designers. “Because it’s so petit, we feel it’s ok to have a few accents like the tow hooks [finished in regular chrome].”
As it were, there are several pieces that GMC designers could apply the Vader Chrome treatment too for both the LD and HD Denali Ultimate trucks, as we have broken out below.
Sierra Denali Ultimate 1500:
- Lower front fascia trim piece
- Tow / recovery hooks
- Side-view mirror caps
- Door handles
- Daylight opening (DLO) / window surround trim
- Denali hard badge on tailgate
- Sierra hard badge on tailgate
- Exhaust tips
Sierra Denali Ultimate HD:
- Tow / recovery hooks
- Side-view mirror caps
- Door handles
- Wheels
- Daylight opening (DLO) / window surround trim
- Denali hard badge on tailgate
- Sierra hard badge on tailgate
As we have heard from several owners of Denali Ultimate trucks, giving the items listed above the Vader Chrome treatment – which is noticeably darker than regular chrome – would complete the darker theme of GMC’s flagship trucks.
As a reminder, the Denali Ultimate is positioned as the range-topping trim level for both 1500 and HD pickup trucks, being introduced in conjunction with the 2022.5 model year refresh for the Sierra 1500 and the 2024 model year refresh for the Sierra HD. Denali Ultimate models receive exclusive exterior accents and interior treatments, as well as the range-topping engines available in each truck.
Pricing for the 2023 Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate starts at $82,940, while GMC has yet to announce pricing for the 2024 Sierra HD Denali Ultimate.
What are your thoughts on GMC’s decision to not treat all shiny chrome with Vader Chrome on the Denali Ultimates? Vote in the poll and sound off in the comments section below.
Subscribe to GM Authority for more GMC Sierra news, GMC news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
- Sweepstakes Of The Month: Win a 2023 Corvette Z06 Convertible. Details here.
Because old guys like shiny chrome!
Lol. I’m one of those old guys that likes real steel chrome not the junk plastic chrome the have today.
No chrome no sale. The price you pay it shouldn’t be covered in flat black paint. That’s a marketing ploy manufacturers convinced young people it looks better saving them the cost of chrome plating. A rattle can of flat black paint is much cheaper than chrome.
Chrome is ugly as sin and its almost the reason I didn’t buy my truck. Nobody needs plastic coated in fake chrome.
You still get the Denali with bright chrome. This is the Denali Ultimate, with black chrome. There isn’t any flat black paint involved.
I ordered everything on the DENALI ULTIMATE except the super cruise and added Crome wheels which cost the same and a few other options like cat back performance exhaust. I prefer the ultimate lighter interior but not enough to overcome the Vader Chrome. An all blackout theme exterior has no personality from a distance and looks like a ford blackout as well.
Like the other person said, “Old guys like chrome “.
Yeah, I hate black wheels they always look dirty and cheap.
I definitely agree. And they give the owner a “bad ass” urban terrorist image which does NOT appeal to me.
It’s too bad the 1500 Elevation dies not have a chrome or non-black wheel option. 😕
The grille on the Denali Ultimate looks cheesy and cheap and ruins the look for me! The chrome grille for the Denali is what sets that truck apart from all other trucks and I can’t believe that GM would ruin that feature for the Denali Ultimate. While all front ends on vehicles are plastic these days, the high end Denali Ultimate was ruined with that highlighted plastic front grille. Damn it!
Chrome is king. I reserved the Denali Ultimate in the 2nd week of October in 2021. Only to have GM cancel the order after notifying the dealer that they would accept the order to build the truck. The truck had to be reorder. Do these trucks exist? Still waiting for the order to be accepted.
Same exact issue here. Reserved the Ultimate in 2021 & still nothing. I would actually prefer everything in the Vader though…& I come from the old chrome days!
I ordered mine back in October 2021 as well. It was built in Fort Wayne, June 17 2022. I took Delivery early October 2022. They exist although I have not seen another one on the road. I’m wondering if I got mine because I live in Indiana only about two hours away from where it was built.
It seems to always be one option on constraint or another from what I’ve been told. First chips…then Super Cruise…then the Technology Package…then the 6.2L
I’m buying at no dealer market adjustments & now I’m wondering if my dealership is avoiding me. I’ve even heard of them selling their allocations on the high end vehicles to other dealerships for big $$$ or even other customers who are willing to pay the premium.
I don’t understand why GM can’t get with the times and allow us to order painted or blacked out accessories. Dodge does. I think Toyota does too. Not to mention the stupid safety hazard that is chrome on the hwy when reflecting sunlight back into another drivers eyes. It is truly the dumbest thing ever created.
Brandon, pretty sure the glass will reflect more sunlight than the chrome on any vehicle. You sound like someone who would spray bedliner over your entire truck.
I don’t know what happened to my comment, but class doesn’t reflect but 8% of light. Chrome is 98%. But sure, it’s great……
Since this is the “Ultimate” we should be able to option it with either full Vader chrome or full shiny chrome. At this price point the customer should have the ability to choose how the truck is trimmed out. If they followed this formula all camps would be happy.
Then opt for the Denali.
Doing so negates the Alpine Umber interior color unique to the Denali Ultimate.
@TJ, this I agree with. When paying 70/80/90k for a truck, this is the least they could do. But chrome itself is a safety hazard.
Chrome isn’t really a safety hazard, it just makes you look like an old man.
Although, my old Cruze had that ugly chrome trim on the steering wheel that GM loves so much. Anyway, that bowtie absolutely would reflect sunlight right into your eyes. I eventually just cut out a bowtie shaped piece of electrical tape and made it go away.
That’s the definition of a “safety hazard”, though. I don’t think it’s an extreme safety hazard, but a hazard nonetheless. I’ve had light reflected off my vent bezels and the bowtie on the steering wheel on various occasions. It’s an annoying nuisance.
I bought the trucks I have because of the chrome. I may be an old guy but, chrome makes since to me for appearance and durability.
Love the chrome grille on my 2018 Denali HD. Too bad GM chrome wheels are crap, can’t keep the corrosion from creeping in from the back, same for the running boards. Don’t like chrome plated plastic, but they don’t corrode.
Why wouldn’t you match everything?
I bought a fully optioned High Country instead of the Ultimate because of that. Those trucks like like someone bought a regular Denali and ordered an after market grille from Ebay. The drapes need to match the carpet. #firethelamedesigners
There are (2) things I don’t like about the Ultimate. #1 is the Vader Chrome look & #2 is the color of the Interior. Both are hideous. For a $90,000 Truck GMC should put some Chrome on the front instead of the Black Vader Chrome. They should give it some sparkle for that price to really stand out and make other people want to wish that they had one. Back in 1971 I looked at both a Chev C10 or a GMC 1500. I chose the 71 GMC over the Chev C10 because the GMC had the Chrome Grille and the Quad headlights. That plastic Chicken Crate grille did not cut it for me (incidentally I still have that truck that a LOT of people want to buy. It only has 49,000 original miles on it & Garage kept it’s entire life. Never even 1 speck of snow ever on the truck. Also Original paint on it and still doesn’t need any. I guess GMC made good trucks at that time). Now for #2 reason I don’t like the Ultimate is the Customer doesn’t have the choice of color for the interior. My wife and I are not fans of a brown interior. The color of the Ultimate interior is hideous. Some people may like it but we don’t. Why can’t they have an optional color??? Something like black or even grey. Anything other than what they now put in the Ultimate. I am a GMC guy having owned quite a few of them but I have to admit I am SERIOUSLY considering a Ford Shelby F-150 Super Snake. Sorry GMC I am going to be a trader.
I agree. Interiors on the high end GMC trucks has prevented me from moving into a new truck. It makes no sense to me that on a $90k truck you get two interior choices and one of those choices: black. No sale for me continues until more interior color choices are offered.
The highlight of the ultimate is the Vader chrome, that what sets it apart. All the old man shiny chrome on the Ultimate should be Vader. The truck looks like a short cut was taken. I own one and everytime l walk up to it l wonder why GM took a shortcut on a $100,000.00 CAD truck. I won’t order another one if they don’t go all in like they did on the Yukon Ultimate.
For those who like the shiny chrome great, just order the regular Denali and load it up. For the ultimate guy’s they have to decide if they like a salt and pepper look…
I agree with this decision. You have the Denali and the Denali Ultimate. If you want all bright chrome or the black chrome, you have a choice.
If they were to give the Ultimate black chrome on all of the chrome accents, then it will look like the lower trim that has color matched, or rather monochromatic throughout.
Chrome vs. One different chrome piece isn’t a choice. Also, there are added options to the ultimate that the denali doesn’t have. Like massage seats.
How many young folks can afford a Denali anyway? I like the chrome better.
Lol, yeah, like I said, according to this site, us “poor” young engineers should just burn our degrees. We clearly can’t afford these chromed out abominations. What’s even more amusing, the old farts are usually the ones “I don’t need no stinkin’ tech to break, give me manual roll windows.”
Tesla proved many of us can afford this stuff and do buy it. But sure, it’s only gramps and his Peterbuilt that can afford it. Heck, the only three reasons stopping me upgrading my two year old High Country to a denali ultimate is global B that would kill my comma, the chrome, and that doodoo brown interior.
Brandon wouldn’t the amount of reflected light depend on the angle at which the smooth surface was in relation to where you are? Because you may have a degree doesn’t mean you learned anything because a truly smart young person wouldn’t be pissing away their money on something that loses value the minute you drive it off of the lot but would be investing it for the future or maybe purchase of a house. If you still think you need a 100,000 dollar truck maybe you should wait a couple of years maybe they will not only have all the chrome removed but the massage seats will give you a reach around.
I love the assumptions. Why not just say that new cars should be limited to old people? Ya know, I never knew a new truck was a depreciating asset, thanks for the brand new revelation.
The reflection of *glass* is relative to incidence as to the amount of relative light reflected. Chrome reflects >75 of vlt. But thanks for calling me stupid when not understanding basic waves and optics. I love you people.
Brandon earlier you started chrome reflected 98 percent now it is greater than 75 when in fact it is NEARLY 70 vlt. You should probably be getting to bed so you can get up in time to make it to work in the morning while I take my big block camaro out for a drive. Oh you buy what ever you want and talk smack about old farts because one day you be an old fart and some soft headed p*ssy like you will be talking smack to you.
Awe, poor boomer done got mad. I love the great banter here of old dudes whining about their tiny units having to show off all that Chrome..
Yes, I confirmed the amount of vlt, how dare I. I know reading is complicated for your kind, but I even stated *if I recall correctly*. I but 75 vs 97 is far closer than your ignorant 7.5% for glass vs 75 for chrome.
Don’t worry about it. Let’s just sit back and laugh while these old guys cry about the loss of chrome, two-tone paint, and whitewalls.
Oh, and thanks for the false concern, I have a house already. Nor any debt. But please go on with more bs you assumptions.
They seem like an awfully angry bunch. It’s almost sad to witness. I mean the audacity of anyone not on SSI being able to afford a new vehicle. What is wrong with us? Haha