The previous (for 2001 only) C3 model of the GMC Sierra pickup truck was renamed Denali in late 2001 as a 2002 model. 2001 also introduced a new upgraded interior and new options such as 20-inch wheels. The engine produced 320 hp upon its introduction, then was upgraded to 325 hp in 2003. 2001 saw the introduction of the 6.0L V8 application in the standard-size Yukon in the Denali trim for $45,000.00 which it also shared with the Cadillac Escalade. 2001 also saw the introduction of the honeycomb pattern grille which now has become the hallmark of the Denali nameplate. Embossed side body panels and chrome surrounding the headlights differentiate the Yukon Denali from the regular Yukon. All 2001-2006 Yukon and Yukon XL Denali were built at the Janesville Assembly Plant. GMC also introduced the extended-length (Suburban-based) Yukon XL Denali. It was not until 2001 that the Denali was redesigned.
The Denali upgrade also included GM's automatic transfer case which allowed for push button transitions from 2-wheel high to 4-wheel high to 4 wheel low or fully automatic switching from 2 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive.Įven though the GMC Yukon was redesigned alongside the Chevrolet Suburban and Chevrolet Tahoe in 2000, the Denali and Escalade retained their 1990s base design. Separate coolers for the transmission and engine oil were also standard. RPO ZM9 was standard which included Bilstein 46mm shock absorbers and 3.73 front and rear axle ratios as well as a locking rear differential. The 350 cubic inch 5.7-litre 255 horsepower (元1) V8 was the only engine offered. The front and rear doors featured unique "Yukon Denali" stitching in the panels. Zebrano woodgrain accents decorated the front doors and center console. The Denali also didn't have a continuous door buzzer, instead it had an actual chime that would later be used in the 2001-2002 Tahoe and Yukon.
These standard features included an upgraded Nuance leather interior, driver and passenger 6-way power seats with power lumbar support, front and rear heated seats, a Bose 7 speaker (including subwoofer) audio system, an in-dash cassette, single CD player and an in-console 6-disc CD changer. The interior of the Denali also featured several upgrades not available on the mainstream Yukon. When introduced in 1999, the Yukon Denali's exterior, which it later shared with the 1999 Cadillac Escalade, differed from the standard Yukon in the front fascia and lower side body panels as well as having unique 16" polished aluminum wheels and a special exhaust cutout for a right side-exiting cast exhaust tip. The popularity of the GMC brand is likely to have had some influence on this decision. McKinley and officially renamed Denali in 2015 by the Obama Administration. It is also the name of the Denali National Park and Preserve that surrounds the mountain, as well as Denali State Park. The "Denali" brand was derived from the native Alaskan Athabaskans / Koyukon people's name for the tallest mountain in North America. Even though the Yukon was redesigned alongside the Chevrolet Suburban and Chevrolet Tahoe in 2000, the Denali, Escalade, and Tahoe Limited/ Z71 retained their 1990s base design. At the time of its introduction General Motors decided to give Cadillac its own luxury SUV so the Denali's exterior was shared with the 1999 Cadillac Escalade, with only the front fascia and lower side body panels differing from the standard Yukon.
It was also GM's first attempt to go after sales from the new-for-1998 Lincoln Navigator. The Denali nameplate started as the top-of-the-line version of the GMC Yukon for the 1999 model year.