Denali is GMC’s top grade specification. Available on most of its models, including the Acadia, Sierra, Yukon and Terrain, where does the name come from?
We believe that GMC’s Denali trim line is named after the mountain of the same name located in Alaska. Previously officially known as Mount McKinley, Denali is the tallest mountain peak in North America, and stands 6,190m (20,310 feet) above sea level.
In the native Koyukon language, Diinaalii or Denali as it’s spelt in English, translates to “the tall one”.
The mountain was officially known as Mount McKinley between 1917 and 2015, and was named after President William McKinley. Before he was assassinated and replaced Theodore Roosevelt, McKinley annexed Hawaii, and won the Spanish-American War, giving the nation Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, and effectively Cuba for a short period of time.
