AEV Hulks Out a Flatbed Two-Door GMC Heavy Duty Truck
Its name is Sierra Grande, and it has mucho tire.
This is the AEV GMC Sierra Grande, one of the raddest rigs to hit the great outdoors since its OG predecessor of the 1970s, the GMC Jimmy Casa Grande. Before you start making phone calls to your local GMC dealer in hopes of getting your hands on this drool-worthy beast, it's best we inform you that this is a concept build, not a production truck. It's a collaboration between GMC and American Expedition Vehicles (AEV)—a partnership that has real-world products you can buy, such as the Canyon AT4X and Sierra AT4X AEV Editions—and will be on display in AEV's booth during the 2023 SEMA Show.
In a nutshell, this is a GMC Sierra 2500HD AT4X AEV Edition on copious steroids. It's likea GMC-based AEV Prospector XL mingled with a Duramax-powered regular cab, long bed GMC Sierra 2500HD AT4X to create one heck of an overlander "unicorn." By unicorn, we mean it doesn't exist in-the-wild: AEV doesn't make a GMC Prospector XL, and GMC doesn't make a single-cab, long-bed AT4X. Until the Sierra Grande.
The Sierra Grande naturally snags a bunch of components from the new 2024 GMC Sierra 2500HD AT4X AEV Edition, which, again, comes only in four-door crew cab form: stamped-steel front bumper, stamped-steel underbody skid-plate protection (front end, IFS, transfer case), control arms, steering knuckles, rear suspension, and Multimatic DSSV dampers.
Even though the AT4X parts result in a 1.5-inch lift over standard 2500HDs and the ability to fit nearly 35-inch tires, fitting massive 40-inch BF Goodrich tires with that amount of lift doesn't come naturally (although the prototype AEV HighMark fender flares make the big tires look natural in the end). The AEV Salta XD wheels pay homage to the Sierra 1500 AT4X AEV Edition. In lieu of a modified bed, the crew at AEV opted for an 8-foot aluminum tray bed with a mount for a spare tire, which is plainly more awesome than a regular bed.
Other additions include a prototype AEV brush guard with four AEV 7000 series off-road lights, GM Performance/ComeUp 12.5k front winch, AEV Snorkel, custom AEV rear bumper with a ComeUp 9.5k winch, and an ARB on-board air system. Custom green paint and a blend of custom Sierra Grande, AEV, and AT4X badges complete the package.
The Sierra Grande is living proof that new GM trucks can fit 40-inch tires—with the help of AEV. We wish, however, that it was a living offering in GMC dealers.