GM promises new Chevrolet Silverado 1500 will be light, aerodynamic and fun to drive

General Motors is introducing an all-new generation of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 in Detroit this week, updating and improving its full-size pickup truck against fierce competition from Ford and Ram.

This is its first total redesign since the Silverado's 2007 model year, and the new 2019 truck will be available in Canadian dealerships in September. Its medium-duty version will be revealed in March, and its redesigned sibling, the GMC Sierra, will also be introduced this year.

Pickups are by far the biggest selling vehicle segment for the auto makers, and among the most profitable, and it's essential for the Detroit Three to give the buying public what they want.

"This is arguably the most important product in the Chevrolet portfolio," said Alan Batey, president of GM North America. "Trucks are a very complicated business. No segment has a wider range of buyers, with each person using their truck for a different purpose."

With the new Silverado, Chevrolet will offer eight different trim levels, from basic work to full-on luxury, including three new engines and a new 10-speed automatic transmission.

The entire truck is up to 204 kg lighter than the current generation, thanks to lighter-weight materials in its construction. It now uses aluminum for the doors, tail gate and hood, while the all-new independent suspension includes forged aluminum upper-control arms in the front and available carbon-composite second stage springs at the rear, similar to the Corvette.

"This weight savings, combined with significant aerodynamic improvement, makes the new Silverado very responsive and a lot of fun to drive," said Mark Reuss, GM's executive vice-president for global product development.

Chevrolet's not gone so far as Ford in its use of the lighter metal, however, sticking with high-strength steel for 80 per cent of the all-new frame. The cabin's safety cage uses seven different grades of steel, and fixed panels, including the bed itself, are all steel.

"The working end of every pickup is the bed," said Reuss, setting up for a jab at the Ford F-150. "It's like the head of a good hammer. It's the end that does all the work and gets all the abuse. I don't think you'd get much work done with an aluminum hammer."

The bed is physically larger inside, thanks to thinner but stronger side sheet metal that varies from two to five mm in thickness. The body is 10 per cent stiffer than before, but the bed is almost 18 cm wider: the short-box edition has 1,784 litres of volume. Lockable storage bins will be available to fit over the wheel wells inside the bed.

There are two new gasoline-powered engines, either a 5.3-litre V-8 or a 6.2-litre V8, and a completely new 3.0-litre inline-six turbo diesel. GM did not reveal any horsepower or torque figures for them, though Reuss said he was confident they'd be the most powerful on the market. Presumably, he's waiting for Ram to reveal the power of its new 1500 truck.

The larger V8 and the diesel engine will be available with the new Hydra-Matic 10-speed transmission that's developed jointly with Ford, as well as start-stop technology. All engines will have a "dynamic fuel management" system that can switch off anywhere from one to seven cylinders when they're not needed for power.

The vehicle itself is slightly larger than before, with a wheelbase extended up to 100 mm, and there's more space in the cabin: Crew cab models will have 113 cm of front legroom and 111 cm of rear legroom, which is an increase in the back of 7.6 cm. There's extra cabin storage too, with clever optional cubbies under the seats and even behind the seat backs.

The eight different trim levels are divided into three categories of work, regular, and luxury, depending on the features included, with two off-road " Trailboss" editions available for either work or regular use. The LTZ and High Country editions are the most luxurious, even including an available powered tailgate that can be raised and lowered from the cabin or with the key fob.

The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.

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