Blackouts are the rage at GMC, Lexus and Fiat
NEW YORK – To be on the cutting edge of cool, automakers are getting in touch with their dark side.
GMC became the latest automaker this week to introduce a vehicle for the New York International Auto Show that touts its darkened appearance — not only in the paint color, but the chrome, interior touches and more.
Think of it as car noir — and even though the look has been around for years, it’s suddenly getting more popular. Also at the show, Lexus is introducing a dark version of the RC F coupe, and Fiat sees dark as a way of getting through to urban hipsters.
For GMC, the new AT4 version of the Sierra pickup is about communicating the truck’s toughness — a vehicle that won’t be faced down by a rugged trail or a big towing job.
The look has appeal for younger buyers who associated the shine-free look with technology.
“It’s a very modern, very antichrome look,” said Matt Noone, director of design, GMC Exteriors, at an event to launch the truck at a pierside event near the Brooklyn Bridge. “There definitely is a buyer out there who is anti-chrome.”
The Sierra AT4 will come in dark colors, and its grille will be finished in black chrome. The darkened chrome look extends to LED fog lamp bezels and fender trim. The window trim, mirror caps and skid plate all come in glossy black. To set it all off, there are touches of red. Pricing wasn’t announced.
The interior, too, has darkened trim and aluminum strips instead of the standard, bright flashy look.
Noone said AT4’s darkened look and features will come to the GMC’s other vehicles as well.
At the less brawny end of the spectrum comes the Fiat 500 Urbana Edition.
It, too, picks up on the darkened look, only this time the goal is to impress Millennials gathered at the wine bar.
The 2018 Fiat 500 Urbana Edition will come with black-trimmed exterior lights, 16-inch hyper-black aluminum wheels and black front bucket seats with silver accent stitching. But interestingly, black isn’t an option as the paint color. It will come in various shades of silver, white or gray.
Meanwhile, Lexus is darkening up the RC F, the performance version of its sporty coupe.
The RC F Sport Black Line Special Edition will have black wheels and brake calipers and darkened chrome around the windows and grille. It will come in black and silver. Instead of shiny chrome on the grille and around the windows, it will have darkened chrome instead. The Black Line comes in two colors — silver and black.