The 2019 Chevy Silverado 1500 LT Trailboss was unveiled last month, but we now have details on the full line-up of no less than eight variants. The two major changes to next year’s models are the 3.0 liter Duramax diesel engine and the prolific use of aluminium for hinged components that brings down the weight by almost 450 pounds.
The Saturday presentation by GM President Mark Reuss revealed that the truck is “built from the ground up,” meaning all-new body, chassis frame and just about everything else. The floor and bedsides are still made of steel, but the tailgate, hood and doors are now aluminium.
A new Custom Trailboss is also in the works for the 2019 Silverado, which is categorized as a “high value” truck and will sport a Z71 Off Road Package, 2-inch suspension lift and 18-inch wheels.
The Silverado has some tough competition from Ford, which recently revealed its 3.0-liter Power Stroke diesel engine which claims 250 HP and 440 lb-ft of torque and comes under the hood of the 2018 F-150.
The pickup war in the United States rages on as sales grow steadily month-over-month. In December 2017, pickup trucks sold 285,404 units, up 5.8% from the year-ago period. On an annual basis, Ford’s F-Series sold nearly 900,000 units in 2017, compared to about 586,000 units of the Chevy Silverado from GM.
That’s a significant gap that GM needs to close with Ford’s – and America’s – most popular light truck model. The reinvention of the Silverado may just help achieve that closing of the gap in 2019.
What remains to be seen is how much power the new 3.0 liter Duramax diesel engine can actually deliver against Ford’s Power Stroke. For reference, the Ram’s 3.0 liter EcoDiesel engine delivers just 10 HP and 20 lb-ft less than Ford’s diesel equivalent.
That means the Duramax is going to have to deliver at or above that.
The introduction of the diesel engine is, in itself, a significant move, because there are now three somewhat equivalent options in the half ton truck category for new buyers and upgraders. We’re yet to see how the Silverado does in the dirt, and whether it’s as impressive as it looks on paper and on the stand.
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