Hennessey Performance Engineering has recently launched a supercharged upgrade package for the GMC Sierra 1500 with the 6.2-liter small block. Pictured at the Texas-based tuner's Pennzoil Proving Ground, the half-ton pickup trucks in the video below are night and day different in the quarter mile.
The one with the fancy wheels and Denali badges on the front doors is completely stock, meaning 420 horsepower at 5,600 revolutions per minute and 460 pound-feet (623 Nm) at 4,100 revolutions per minute. Gifted with Dynamic Fuel Management fuel-saving tech that enables one-cylinder operation under low loads, the GMC Sierra 1500 Denali is no slouch.
As for the black-painted AT4, that one sports Hennessey and Goliath 650 decals because it produces a monstrous 55 percent more power and 43 percent more torque. In other words, 650 horsepower at 5,500 revolutions per minute and 658 pound-feet (892 Nm) of twist at 4,200 revolutions per minute.
The secret sauce is – of course – a supercharger. A 3.0-liter blower, that is, designed and produced by California-based Whipple Superchargers. Joined by a cat-back exhaust system made from stainless steel, high-flow air induction, a high-flow intercooler, chromoly pushrods, a crankcase ventilation system, and Hennessey-specific engine control module calibration, the Goliath hauls butt.
Be it rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, the Hennessey-tuned pickup leaves the stock one for dead at launch. The Goliath crosses the quarter-mile finish line well ahead of the stock contender. Some would say that you could land a 747-8 in that gap.
Photo: Hennessey on YouTube
Looking at the bigger picture, faster trucks do exist. In terms of maximum speed from the factory, the Hyundai Santa Cruz – which is a unibody with crossover utility vehicle roots – can hit 133 miles per hour (214 kilometers per hour). As for acceleration, Tesla says the Cybertruck needs 2.6 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour). In any case, the Goliath 650 should put up a good fight against the Raptor R and TRX in the quarter mile.
Speaking of the supercharged V8-engined alternatives from the Ford Motor Company and Ram, the Goliath 650 is pretty good value compared to the dune-bashing alternative from FoMoCo and Ram. The Sierra AT4 with the 6.2 and 4WD is $69,900 at the moment of writing, and Hennessey charges $27,950 for the Goliath 650 package, bringing the grand total to $97,940. The TRX kicks off at $96,585 for the 2024 model year (the final year of production), whereas the Raptor R package adds $30,575 to the Raptor's $76,775 base price.
It's kind of crazy that a tuner offers relatively similar output numbers for a similar price, and it's crazier still once you read the fine print. More specifically, the Goliath 650 is covered by a three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty. The Goliath 650 can get way pricier, though, if you get the Off-Road package.
Priced at $22,950, said package adds 35-inch tires from Nitto, 20-inch wheels from Hennessey, suspension upgrades, beefier front and rear bumpers, and some LEDs for the front bumper. Exclusive to the AT4, the Off-Road package brings the final price to an eye-watering $120,890 at the very least.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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