CHICAGO – The Denali XT Hybrid, featured at the Chicago Auto Show, features an innovative hybrid powertrain, a 4.9L V-8 engine teamed to an electric motor. They work together to pump out 326 hp, according to the Web site www.blogs.car.com.

GM said it will get 50 percent better fuel economy than comparable small trucks. The engine uses cylinder deactivation and direct injection to improve efficiency, and if it were produced it would also be the first E-85 capable hybrid.

Built on a unibody frame instead of a conventional truck frame, the Denali XT would have a better ride — with a stiffer body and four-wheel-independent suspension — than a traditional pickup, but would tow only 3,500 pounds.