Walkinshaw Performance has expanded its local tuning portfolio, releasing a comprehensive suite of mechanical upgrades for the GMC Yukon Denali. The Melbourne-based engineering firm is targeting the American full-size SUV segment with a forced-induction package designed to significantly increase the factory 6.2-litre V8 engine’s output.
The core of the mechanical upgrade is a positive displacement supercharger kit, developed in collaboration with Harrop Engineering and based on the established TVS2650 architecture. In naturally aspirated factory specification, the Yukon’s 6.2-litre V8 produces 313kW of power and 624Nm of torque, at the flywheel, which Walkinshaw calculates as 260kW and 525Nm at the hubs. Running at 8psi of boost through a dedicated water-to-air intercooling system, the supercharger installation increases total output to a substantial 373kW and 713Nm at the hubs.
For the extra grunt, the supercharger hardware demands a $21,990 outlay, excluding fitment costs, and sits atop the Yukon Denali’s $174,990 base vehicle price (before on-roads). The kit is available exclusively for vehicles imported and remanufactured to right-hand drive by General Motors Specialty Vehicles (GMSV).
Beyond the powertrain, Walkinshaw offers a replacement cat-back exhaust system constructed from 409-grade stainless steel. The $3995 exhaust setup utilises a 3.0-inch into twin 2.5-inch configuration, engineered specifically to reduce back pressure and improve thermal efficiency under heavy loads.
To effectively manage the increased straight-line speed and total mass, a Chevrolet Performance brake upgrade is also available for $5995. Developed in conjunction with Brembo, the stopping hardware includes six-piston front calipers clamping down on hardened ‘Duralife’ rotors.
The installation yields a 22 per cent increase in swept rotor area and a massive 89 per cent increase in brake pad surface area compared with the standard OEM components. Selecting the complete Walkinshaw catalogue – including forced induction, exhaust, and upgraded brakes – will set you back $31,980, before final labor costs.
