The off-road-focused 2024 GMC Sierra AT4X trim of the GMC Sierra 1500 lineup will feature the new 3.0L I6 LZ0 turbodiesel Duramax engine as its standard powerplant, GMC just announced.
GM assistant chief engineer for diesel engines John Barta says the LZ0 powerplant’s “refinements of the 3.0L Duramax Turbo-Diesel engine took an already awesome engine and made it even better for off-road applications,” which meshes with the GMC Sierra AT4X trim’s existing lineup of off-road-ready equipment.
Introduced for the mid-2022 model year, the GMC Sierra AT4X trim level has featured only a single available engine for both the 2022 and 2023 model years, GM’s naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 L87 gasoline engine. With the LZ0 turbodiesel now the standard engine for the 2024 GMC Sierra AT4X, the L87 will become an optional alternative. The LZ0 will be mated to the GM 10-speed automatic transmission.
Another off-road-centric GM pickup trim, the Chevy Silverado ZR2, will get the LZ0 Duramax as an option with the debut of the 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500. Much like the GMC Sierra AT4X, the Silverado ZR2 was previously motivated only by the 6.2L V8 L87 gasoline engine.
Notably, the LZ0 Duramax turbodiesel is already available across most other trim levels of the GMC Sierra 1500. While unavailable on the base Pro trim, it is offered as an option on the SLE, Elevation, SLT, Denali and Denali Ultimate trim levels, and standard on the AT4.
The LZ0 Duramax is a successor to, and upgrade from, the 3.0L I6 LM2 turbodiesel Duramax engine. The LZ0 boasts a revised combustion bowl, upgraded steel pistons, retuned turbocharger, new fuel injectors, improved cooling system, and an oil belt with an extended 200,000-mile lifespan. It develops 305 horsepower and 495 pound-feet of torque compared to the 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet produced by the LM2 Duramax it replaces.
GM notes its 3.0L Duramax turbodiesel engines have been popular with GMC Sierra 1500 buyers, accounting for approximately 20 percent of sales. The automaker expects the percentage of light-duty GMC Sierra purchasers choosing a Duramax turbodiesel to rise even higher once the LZ0 is available on the 2024 GMC Sierra AT4X.
The new standard LZ0 turbodiesel matches up to the GMC Sierra AT4X because of its “outstanding low-end torque combined” with “smooth and quiet power,” according to engineer John Barta. He added that the updated Duramax powerplant provides “on-road capability for things like towing” and is well-suited to “off-road adventures like long-distance overlanding.”
The AT4X trim of the 2023 GMC Sierra received more off-road components midway through the model year. These included equipment from the 2023 GMC Sierra AT4X AEV Edition, with the following added as standard features for the “regular” AT4X and not just the AEV Edition:
- AEV stamped steel front and rear bumpers with heavy-duty recovery points and winch capability
- Hot-stamped boron steel front approach skid plate
- Grille with gloss Black header and insert bars with dark nickel accents
- 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires
A new starting price of $83,595 for the 2023 GMC Sierra AT4X was announced in December 2022 following the addition of the new equipment. The AEV Edition continues to have even more standard equipment than the “regular” AT4X, with 11 additional components, as can be viewed in the 2023 AEV Edition configurator.
GM Authority has learned start of regular production (SORP) for the 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 is scheduled for July 17th, 2023. The truck will continue to be produced at the GM Fort Wayne plant in Indiana and GM Silao plant in Mexico. Dealers will be able to order new units starting in June.
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Comments
Uhh…yes.