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The major news from GMC’s unveiling of the new 2019 Sierra pickup truck included the announcement of a turbo-diesel 3.0-liter inline-six and a bed that incorporates carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic paneling. But the flashiest, coolest, and most fun part of the new Sierra is the MultiPro tailgate, which smartly incorporates various built-in hinges to help with ingress and egress, load stopping, second-tier loading, and access to the bed. Allow us to explain how it all works.
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GMC touts the MultiPro’s six different functions, but that includes the normal up-and-down movement of the whole tailgate, so, um, okay. It’s damped for slow opening, which can be done by hand or by two clicks on the remote.
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Within the full tailgate is a secondary cutout that extends to within a few inches of either side and stops at the space just below the large GMC logo. On the inside of this cutout is another flap that can hinge up and out toward the rear of the truck. With the tailgate folded down, that inside flap can be deployed in various ways, including as a stopper for an extended load.
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Technically, there is no physical tailgate handle. The operations are controlled by two buttons that are stacked in between two camera lenses, where you would expect a conventional release. Press only the top button, and the main tailgate remains closed, while the small cutout (which GMC calls the inner gate) hinges down via two swing arms and stops parallel to the ground to make a tablelike standing workspace. In this configuration, the back flap can be unfolded to act as a load stopper for extended second-tier loading above the wheel wells. As an example, GMC cited large sheets of plywood above other cargo.
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The inner gate serves other functions as well. Press the bottom button to let the tailgate down, then press the top button to let the cutout down. This allows people to step into the space where the tailgate normally is, and it gives users easier access to the bed for loading or unloading cargo.
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Taking it one step further, the aforementioned flap can be unfolded while both the tailgate and the cutout are let down, creating a stairway into the bed (it can take up to 375 pounds of human weight). In this position, the main part of the tailgate can be used as a place to sit with a footrest, and the sides of the main gate even have “cupholder” indents.
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- 2019 GMC Sierra Revealed: Diesel Power and a Carbon-Fiber Bed
- The 15 Things You Need to Know about the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- GMC Sierra: Full News, Reviews, Pricing, Photos, Specs, and More
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The final piece of this do-everything package is not part of the tailgate itself. GMC attached a black handle bar to the driver’s side of the inner bed, which stows in a vertical position. Unlock the bar from the bottom, and it hinges at the top, eventually locking in a diagonal position (not pictured). This provides a convenient handhold to aid those stepping up into the bed of the truck.
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The whole thing is pretty cool, seems extremely well thought out, and should be quite useful. The MultiPro tailgate is standard on both SLT and Denali models, the only trim levels GMC has revealed so far. We’re guessing it could be offered as an option on less pricey models, but the company won’t talk about those yet. Those who are still skeptical can try it out in person when the 2019 GMC Sierra hits dealerships in the fall.
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