GM Says Sierra HD Is Right for Equestrian Needs

Every year, Jennifer Thompson, an equine veterinarian, takes her passion for horses on the road, leaving her native Wisconsin to compete in horse-and-carriage events throughout the eastern half of the US. On her journeys, she relies on the trailering capability of her GMC Sierra 2500HD with Duramax 6.6-liter turbo diesel V-8 to tow a 36-foot, gooseneck-hitch horse trailer.

“I really appreciate my truck’s power when merging onto the interstate and towing over mountains,” said Thompson. “I also appreciate the engine’s ability to hold the trailer back when going downhill so that I don’t need to ride the brakes.”

The Sierra HD truck’s exhaust brakes are one of the advantages available on GMC heavy-duty vehicles, which offer a segment-leading fifth-wheel trailer weight rating of 21,700 pounds (single rear-wheel models only) and class-leading weight carrying hitch capability. The 2011 diesel-powered Sierra HD also offers 11 percent better highway fuel economy than previous models and a larger 36-gallon fuel tank, both of which help to extend highway range to an about 680 miles.

“On one trip we were driving over the mountains of Pennsylvania, trailering three horses and 10-days’ worth of feed, hay and luggage weighing a total 15,500 pounds, and the Sierra never even burped. My fellow driver, who owns a Ford F-250, was really jealous,” Thompson brags.

“For towing capability we test our vehicles under maximum load conditions and under extreme conditions, like Death Valley when it’s 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and up and down long, steep grades like Interstate 70 in Colorado up the Eisenhower Pass. We go to extremes so that our customers can tow with confidence, even on snow and ice,” said Jim Mikulec, lead development engineer for heavy duty trucks.