GMC will prioritise trucks and the AT4 trim above a small crossover.
GMC presented the Granite concept at the Detroit Auto Show in 2010, to show its interest in the crossover market. A year later, there was a report about the company’s plans to produce a version. However, it never happened. The company applied for trademark rights again in 2015. GMC applied for trademark rights a second time a few months back, reviving rumors about an entry-level production model.
Our colleagues from GM Authority wanted to know straight from the horse’s mouth what the Granite situation was like. The answer they got might surprise you. Mark Alger, Regional Market Manager at GMC Canada, said that there won’t be a sub-Terrain version in the near future. Here is what he said.
It remains to be seen if the “Granite” nameplate will be used on another model, but we now know that GMC does not want to launch a compact crossover to compete models like the Jeep Renegade and Honda HR-V. Philippe-Andre Bisson, GM Canada product communications, said in an interview with GM Authority the “Granite” moniker had been registered more times than once by General Motors. However, a production model for the base crossover is unlikely to be made.
Let’s not forget that GM filed a U.S. trademark application to obtain the rights for the Envoy name. This was used between 1997-2008 for a midsize SUV. GMC may be considering launching a more expensive version of the Chevy Blazer, as was the case for the Envoy.