GMC, apparently trying to muddy its “Professional Grade” reputation and appeal more to the Ed Hardy and flat-bill crowd, has announced that the 2011 GMC Sierra 2500 will be available in the luxury Denali trim. The Denali HD will come with GMC’s new Duramax diesel, because you need 765 lb-ft of torque to haul Creatine and Heineken. It should come as no surprise that the 2011 Sierra 2500 HD Denali will be available with 20-inch rims.

The 2011 GMC Sierra HD will be identical to the Chevrolet Silverado ¾ and 1 ton models, and the highlight of the new models will be the diesel engine. The 2011 GM Heavy Duty pickups will be powered by an optional 6.6 liter Duramax turbo diesel, which has been reworked for more power, less noise and better gas mileage. According to Autoweek, the 2011 GMC Sierra Duramax will make 397-hp and 765 lb-ft of torque. The diesel engine will be capable of towing 20,000 lbs and will get approximately 11 percent better gas mileage.

The GMC Denali line is best known for the Yukon Denali, which is a slightly less blinged version of the Cadillac Escalade. The Denali line is not about understated luxury though. Denali trucks come with an instantly recognizable shiny honeycomb grill, and are usually ordered with 20-inch chrome wheels.

The addition of a diesel powered Sierra 2500 Denali begs the question: Professional grade what?

Picture via Autoweek.