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When it comes to special edition big pickups, the manufacturers giveth and they taketh away. Every few years sees the introduction of another unique limited-run hot rod or beauty queen, like the Chevrolet Silverado SS, Dodge Ram SRT-10, Ford F-150 SVT Lightning, or (cough) Lincoln Blackwood (cough). But sooner or later these hyped-up halo trucks jump the shark and disappear at the dispassionate clutches of bean counters, mercy killings, or both.

Whether by luck or good planning, GMC’s Sierra Denali has succeeded where these other trucks have failed by constantly reinventing itself before those who wear the green eyeshades could snuff it out. It was the first pickup to offer four-wheel steering (2002-2005) and the first full size to feature all-wheel-drive (2001), when it originally debuted as the Sierra C3. Only Ford’s Harley Davidson badged F-Series trucks have lived longer or changed more to survive.

The Sierra Denali is back for 2007. Like GM’s other half-ton and heavy duty haulers it’s all new from the ground up but we haven’t been able to get our mitts on it until now, just as it reaches dealer lots. The General has decided this launch will be a stealthy one, probably to keep demand up for this year’s trucks so buyers don’t postpone their purchase waiting for the Denali’s new powertrain advancements to trickle out to the other 1500 class GMT900 trucks next year and beyond. But this is one unique rig worthy of a special write-up because the Sierra Denali offers performance and luxury features that no other full size truck has today.

Let’s start with the Sierra Denali’s power and drivetrain. There’s been considerable gnashing of teeth from domestic pickup fans because Toyota’s remade 2007 Tundra was the first and only half-ton to offer a six-speed automatic gearbox and the most powerful gas engine in a standard duty pickup. The small block 5.7-liter iForce DOHC V8 engine in the Tundra is rated at 381 horsepower and 401 lb-feet of torque. But Tundra’s brief reign as power king is over, because the Sierra Denali checks the Tundra’s tranny with its 6L80E six-speed shifter and checkmates the iForce with GM’s mighty Corvette-inspired 6.2-liter L92 Vortec V8. The quasi big block pounds out 403 horsepower and 417 lb-feet of torque. The L92 and 6L80E are GMC exclusives this year but all GM light duty pickups will start to replace their four-speed 4L80E transmissions with the 6L80E in the 2009 model year, as build capacity increases. The Vortec meets other iForce powertrain advances head-on to also offer variable valve timing (another Sierra Denali first for a pickups with pushrod engines) for both the intake and exhaust valve timing. VVT helps bump up torque on the low end and horsepower on the high end. More on this later.

When it comes to the drivetrain, the Denali continues its original tradition of transferring power to the road through an all wheel drive setup, although two wheel drive is optional if you want to save a few a few thousand and incrementally improve fuel economy. But if you’re spending this much for a luxury sport touring pickup, you really need to go with AWD for the extra-grippy performance and all-weather safety it provides. The only other full size pickup to offer AWD is Ford’s Harley-Davidson F-150 but it’s engine is the standard 5.4-liter Triton V8, rated at 300 horsepower / 365 lb-feet of torque, that’s available across the entire F-150 lineup.

So how does the Sierra Denali perform? Like that most poetic of pugilists the refined and forceful L92 6L80E AWD combo floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee. On the drag strip the Sierra Denali consistently ran 14.8-second quarter mile times at 93.9 miles per hour during three runs at Old Bridge Township Park Raceway in New Jersey. 0 to 60 times were clocked at 6.3 seconds. The truck weighed in at a hefty 5706 pounds, unloaded except for the driver. Although the 6L80E offers operators a manual tap-shift capability for its six speed, I left it full auto for all the runs.

Now, let’s give these figures some perspective through a virtual drag contest against the Toyota. Edmunds.com timed a 2007 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4×4 with the 5.7-liter iForce with almost identical results. For both trucks the quarter mile and 0 to 60 times are the same, but the Sierra Denali finished .2 miles per hour faster than the 93.7-mph scored by the Tundra. Where it gets interesting is that the Denali is geared for better fuel economy targets while the Tundra is geared for better towing performance.

The Denali’s final drive ratio is a stocky 3.42:1, to help push up its CAFE scores, but the 6L80E’s broad range compensates by using an extremely low 4.03 first gear and VVT to ensure quick starts off the line. The tested Tundra had a much lower 4.1 rear axle ratio, as it was optionally equipped with a trailering package to tow a hefty 10,400-lbs – 1,700-lbs more than the Denali – and it used a 3.33 first gear for launch. One final consideration, the Denali ran the track shod with 20-inch chromed dubs while the Edmunds Tundra used 18-inch wheels.

Another point of relative performance comparison. The Sierra Denali handily beats times posted by stock 2004 Chevrolet Silverado SS extended cab AWD pickups, which typically hit 15.1-second quarter mile times with its 6.0-liter Vortec V8.

The optimal way to launch a Sierra Denali in the quarter mile is to use power braking. With its 4-wheel discs and all wheel drive, the only thing that moved on the truck as the lights on the “Christmas Tree” dropped from red to yellow was its hood as engine torque raised the Denali’s chromed mesh snout. Then the greenlight hit. From there it was a very smooth, very controlled punch through the atmosphere to the finish as the truck shifted through its gears, the engine revved, and the exhaust sang its deep notes. Towards the end, the only thing holding the Denali back was the final drive ratio. A 3.73 rear axle probably would have lowered quarter mile times into the mid-fourteens.

Of course, there’s more to the 2007 GMC Sierra Denali than off-the-line, road-eating performance from its 403-hp V8. On the highway it’s an ideal sports touring truck that potently blends high capacity hauling capabilities with full attention to driver and passenger comfort.

Speeds of 65 to 75 miles an hour roll by effortlessly and quietly in the vehicle. Improved aerodynamics and tighter body panel gaps work to considerably dampen the intrusion of wind noise into the cabin over the previous generation Sierra. Only the tenor of the truck’s throaty exhaust consistently entered the interior, aurally reinforcing the perception of the readily available power contained in the right pedal.

If you’re shopping for a near $50K luxury pickup, then gasoline sipping frugality probably isn’t in your top ten list of buying criteria, but if you’re interested the Denali carries EPA ratings of 13-mpg around town and 19-mpg on the highway. These figures aligned fairly close with my own hydrocarbon usage. Daily driving to and from relatives’ homes, grocery stores, strip malls, and train stations over stoplight controlled tarmac yielded a 13.4-mpg rating according to the Denali’s trip computer.

I zeroed out the trip computer on the Jersey Turnpike, when the truck was doing about 70, to see if I could hit the max highway mpg for a consistent period in the real world. This avoided any mileage penalty accelerating the near 3-ton Sierra from a stop. But even with two overdrive gears at the top of its six speed gearbox, the best I could attain was 18.7-mpg before the fuel economy meter began spiraling downward to 17.9-mpg, as long as the speed was held within a tight band of 65 to 70. Want to pass slower traffic and still maintain good gas numbers? Fuhgedaboutit. Dab the accelerator the least bit aggressively and the numbers quickly decline to the 15s and 16s. But keep the speed steady, and the numbers will slowly climb upward. Overall, this truck did better than past Denali’s I’ve driven, which only attained numbers in the low 12s. The entire trip returned a 13.9-mpg average score.

Other GM full size pickups should see their mileage numbers improve once the six speed transmission rolls out to the rest of the light duty haulers, but this won’t occur until the 2009 model year at the earliest – a fact confirmed during and after the New York International Auto Show by GM’s product and communications staff.

There was no opportunity to test the truck with a trailer or heavy payload, though you could count the three overpacked suitcases I threw in the Sierra’s bed containing the full wardrobes of my wife and kids for this one week trip eastward from California. If any of this luggage could have held more mass we would have had a singularity on our hands.

Manufacturers and buyers both want their limited edition trucks to sport visual cues that set them apart from standard workday pickups. Otherwise, what good is paying a premium of several thousand dollars if others don’t know you’re driving a special model? And when it comes to looks I divide these trucks into two classes – professional and professional wrestling. For example: Lincoln Mark LT – professional. Dodge Ram SRT-10 – professional wrestling. The Sierra Denali falls in the MBA camp, with looks that are way more Donald Trump than Jesse “The Body” Ventura.

Craig Bierley, GMC product director, walked me around the Sierra Denali that was stationed on the show floor at the New York International Auto Show to point out the major upgrades and differences between this and a standard Sierra.

“Where it differs most from the regular Sierra is the signature Denali chrome billet grille. It’s the most prominent in the Denali line (which also includes the Yukon and Envoy Denali SUVs). The front fascia and foglamps are also unique, with a lower grille that accents the upper. The Denali also gets body colored mirrors and chromed door handles. 20-inch chrome wheels are optional,” described Bierley.

Buyers have a choice of three exterior colors: black, white, or silver. Personally, I think the truck looks best in black. The chromed grille, door handles and molding, stacked headlamps, and amber reflectors are nicely offset by the truck’s deep ebony surfaces. Squared shoulders above the front and rear wheels also help balance out the brightwork.

Yes, you’ll attract attention in this truck but it’s like the difference between seeing Arnold Schwarzenegger as the ‘Governator’ instead of as Conan the Barbarian. Prominent but professional.

nside the Sierra Denali shares its ‘low and forward’ instrument panel with GMC’s full size SUVs. Bierley pointed out its upscale Denali wood grain and signature Denali leather, which is softer and more nuanced than the leather you’ll find the up-level SLT trim available on the standard Sierra. And it gets an optional heated steering wheel ($150) that warms up quickly when you press the wheel mounted controls for it – once you decipher the mysterious glyphs on the wheel’s buttons (see picture below).

As I mentioned in a first drive review of the Heavy Duty Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado, the updated interior in GM’s new pickups is first class. All the gaps are tight and the plastic and rubber materials have nice surface textures and tactile feel. Even my father-in-law, a converted import car fan after losing faith in the domestics during the 1970s and 80s, was won over by the inside of the Denali, repeatedly comparing it to Lexus in quality and fitment.

The Sierra Denali also came with an optional audio and navigation system with DVD. It’s probably the best navi I’ve used in a pickup. The display was large and bright, and rendered maps nearly as well as what you’ll find online. Its touch screen also provided large buttons to quickly swap between geographic views and radio controls. When parked, the navigation screen also doubled as a movie screen to play DVDs. Once the truck was in motion, DVD video transferred to the rear ceiling mounted video display and rear entertainment center, so the kids could watch flicks on the go.

Word to the wise about using satellite assisted navigation, if, say, you’re ever in the situation where you were born and raised in Arizona but you’re on a trip to New Jersey where your wife grew up. You’ll hear from your spouse AND the truck’s lovely female voice about which turns you missed and the best way to get back on track. Throw in an OnStar operator for those really sticky spots and you’ll be cookin’ with gas!

So, is a truck like the Denali worth almost $50K? It depends how fat your wallet is, of course, but this is a very good value in this segment.

Relative to the recently tested 2007 Ford F-150 King Ranch, both pickups have near identical price tags and configurations. However the Sierra Denali adds all wheel drive, a six speed transmission, 100 more ponies, and better fuel economy for only $3600 more dollars. And compared to its corporate cousin, the Cadillac Escalade EXT, the Sierra Denali is also a luxury pickup but with a traditional box, higher towing capacity, and cheaper price tag. Both Sierra Denali and Escalade EXT share the same 6.2-liter V8 with identical horsepower and torque ratings.

GMC has a winner in the Sierra Denali. It’s unique, very capable, and good looking. Expensive – yep, but this is a special edition pickup that’s meant to provide that extra reward and satisfaction to buyers willing to pay its premium. Owners are going to love driving this rig.

TEST VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS:

2007 GMC Sierra Denali

Base Price (Including Denali Decor): $41,195

Price as Tested: $48,645

Engine Type and Size: 6.2-liter Vortec V8

Horsepower (bhp): 403 @ 5,700 rpm

Torque (ft./ lbs.): 417 @ 4,300 rpm

Transmission: 6-speed RWD/AWD, electronically controlled overdrive with torque converter clutch.

Suspension: Front – independent with coil-over shock and 36-mm front stabilizer bar. Rear – Two-stage multileaf semi-elliptic springs

Brakes: Power-assisted four-wheel discs with ABS

Tires: P275/55R20 on 20″ chrome wheels

Wheelbase: 143.5-inches

Length Overall: 229.9-inches

Width: 80.0-inches

Curb Weight: 5,383-lbs

Fuel Capacity: 26.0 gallons

EPA Mileage Estimates: 13 mpg city / 19 mpg highway

Drag Coefficient: Not listed

0 – 60 mph: 6.3 seconds

1/4-mile: 14.8 seconds at 94 miles per hour