2003 GMC Sierra - It Ain't No Chevy
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Powerful, Professional-Grade Design Distinguishes 2003 GMC Sierra
The GMC Sierra’s new design for 2003 expands the full-size pickup’s differentiation in appearance from sister Chevy models, and supports the brand’s Professional Grade design direction of creating a dramatic, powerful presence that conveys strength and capability.
On the outside, the 2003 Sierra has a bolder exterior appearance. In front, a restyled grille, bumper and fascia result in a more powerful and pronounced look. Along the side, new body-side moldings and distinct geometric wheel designs complement Sierra’s high-shouldered profile. And inside, a redesigned interior increases the level of occupant confidence, control and comfort.
“Sierra’s updated appearance conveys the professional-grade capabilities of GMC trucks,” said Sam Mancuso, Sierra brand manager. “Along with the new design, the many upgrades for 2003 redefine the limits of professional grade, and mark another major milestone in GMC’s drive to set the pace for full-size truck capability.”
Exterior enhancements
“We set out to create a more powerful and pronounced new look for Sierra,” said Carl Zipfel, GMC brand character chief designer. “The fruits of our determination are evident in the grilles of all Sierra models, excluding Denali. They feature a black, three-horizontal-bar design on which GMC’s ruby red logo has been elevated for greater prominence.”
According to Zipfel, the new front appearance drew inspiration from GMC’s Terra4 concept vehicle and creates a family resemblance to Envoy. The redesign brings GMC’s design direction to life in its full-size pickup trucks.
To further distinguish these models from their predecessors, all Sierra models feature a new chrome front bumper, and the top portion of this bumper now has two cutouts for increased airflow (excluding Denali). On uplevel Sierras, the bumper’s lower fascia is body colored, while on base models, it is light charcoal gray.
Continuing on the front of the vehicle, the optional fog lamps have been rounded and enlarged for improved nighttime visibility. Vehicles without fog lamps use fascia-colored inserts to maintain the fullness of their design. The inserts blend with the body-colored fascia on uplevel models and with the light charcoal gray fascia on base models. A new grille/brush guard is available from GM Service Parts Operations for added front-end protection.
Completing the exterior refreshening and further differentiating its unique character, Sierra offers new 16-inch, six-spoke, bright-machined aluminum wheels. They’re available on uplevel Sierra 1500 Series models.
Sierra offers two new exterior colors, Carbon Metallic and Marine Blue, replacing Storm Gray and Indigo Blue, respectively. Carryover colors on uplevel models include Fire Red, Polo Green, Onyx Black, Pewter, Summit White and Dark Toreador Red. All except the Toreador Red are available on base models. Body-colored wheel flares are available in Pewter, Summit White, Black (grained), Polo Green and Carbon Metallic. Sierra Denali is available in Pewter, Onyx Black and Polo Green.
Interior refinements
Sierra’s interior redesign further supports the division’s industrial-precision design direction, while enhancing comfort, safety and enjoyment. The new design approach is apparent in the new instrument panel and cluster, engineered to accommodate Sierra’s many new and upgraded features. The instrument panel provides new status displays and controls for the new multi-zone HVAC systems, new-generation 100 Series radios and Quadrasteer system. Included with the new radio control buttons for the next-generation radios is a larger, highly styled trim plate.
The dual-zone automatic climate control system (standard on Sierra Denali, optional on other models) features an easier-to-read vacuum fluorescent display and a larger control head for dual-zone climate control.
Exclusive to Sierra Denali is a distinctive instrument panel cluster with a black background, blue backlighting and white pointers, accentuating Sierra Denali’s upscale appearance. Other Sierra models use a black background, with white backlighting and orange pointers in their cluster.
The center bottom of the instrument panel cluster (just below the PRNDL display) provides a standard new driver information center that is shared by all the pickups and chassis cabs. It provides an easy-to-read, one-line, 22-character vacuum fluorescent display of driver alerts and vehicle information.
Switch controls, such as those used for the four-wheel-drive selection and Quadrasteer’s four-wheel-steer system, also have a new look, using International Standardization Organization (ISO) symbols in place of previous text.
New console
Models with bucket seats receive a standard center console that flows up into the instrument panel and features a seamlessly integrated, single-piece design. The console includes a power outlet at the rear that augments the standard dash-mounted left-side (cigarette lighter) and right-side power points on all models. On crew cabs and extended cabs, the rear of the console also provides second-row passengers with separate airflow direction controls for personalized comfort.
New seats
Across the board, Sierra’s new seats sport a more tailored look. The seats have more sculpted contours and include new sew styles for both cloth and premium leather seating surfaces.
On uplevel models, the side panels on the outboard sides of the front seats have been re-contoured to provide easier access to the seat button controls. This redesign results in an additional inch of space between the seat and door trim.
The front-seat headrests have also been redesigned, allowing occupants to rest their heads in a more comfortable, upright position. Models equipped with Full Feature seats provide front occupants with independently-heated seat backs and cushions. Cushions offer three temperature settings: low, medium and high. Occupants can elect to heat either the seat back or the seat back and cushions.
GMC pickups and chassis cabs are the industry’s first to offer high-quality Bose audio systems (standard on Sierra Denali and other uplevel models with bucket seats and the center console). The center console houses the Bose amplifier and subwoofer.