100 Years of Truckmaking
This year marks the first centennial of truck building for General Motors’ Chevrolet brand, and what better way to celebrate than by introducing the latest in a long line of Chevy trucks. At a special event ahead of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Chevrolet took the wraps off the all-new 2019 Silverado. The new truck features bold styling, more configurations, multiple engine choices and a variety of trim levels.
All New
“With the all-new Silverado, we’ve taken the best truck on the road and made it even better,” said Mark Reuss, General Motors executive vice president of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain. “It has a longer wheelbase, more passenger and cargo volume, and yet, thanks to our mixed materials strategy and mass reduction expertise, the new truck is 450 pounds lighter than the current model.”
Bigger Yet Lighter
The new Silverado is longer and wider than its predecessor, which means more passenger space as well as more cargo room. Through an extensive use of mixed materials, engineers were able to lighten Silverado by an impressive 450 pounds, with 88 pounds of that coming off the body. The doors, hood and tailgate are made from aluminum to make them easier to move, while the fenders, roof and bed are steel.
New Engines
Silverado will be available with six different engine / transmission combinations, including two new V8s — a 5.3-liter and a 6.2-liter — which offer Dynamic Fuel Management that can not only shut down half the cylinders when not needed, it can deactivate anywhere from one to seven cylinders depending on the load and performance needed. A new 3.0-liter diesel Duramax engine will also be available.
Updated Styling
Although the truck won’t be mistaken for anything other than a Silverado, the styling has been completely modernized with a big grille and sleek narrow headlights. Silverado also gets signature LED running lights; however, in an unusual move they are below the headlights rather than the typical wraparound.
Aerodynamic
Much of Silverado’s new look is designed to improve aerodynamics. The sides of the front bumper are tucked behind the front quarter panel, allowing airflow around the front wheelwells. There’s also an integrated rear spoiler at the back of the cab, designed to create airflow over the truck bed to a small spoiler on the tailgate.
High Tech
The new truck’s interior also is completely updated with more space and redesigned control buttons and knobs. Silverado will continue to offer high-tech features such as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, wireless phone charging and 4G LTE Wi-Fi connectivity.
Rear Seat Space
The 2019 Silverado’s rear seats offer more space than ever before, and storage spaces abound. The rear seatbacks have built-in bins as well as a larger storage tray beneath the seats.
Eight Trims
With eight distinct trims available, the new Silverado will likely have a truck to suit every taste. Trims are divided into High Value, High Volume and High Feature. One of the more noticeable differences between trim levels is the amount of chrome.
Chrome
“Chrome has become more polarizing, and more personal, than any other aspect of truck design,” said Rich Scheer, director, Exterior Design, Chevrolet Trucks. “Some customers want no chrome at all and only body-color or blacked-out trim. Others feel a truck isn’t a truck without a chrome bumper, but feel extra chrome can be too ‘flashy.’ Others want as much chrome as they can get.”
Trailboss
Chevrolet also added some new trims to the lineup. The Trailboss is designed for off-roading with a 2-inch suspension lift, big off-road tires and a complete off-road package.
Silverado RST
For those desiring a sportier look, the new Silverado RST features body-color trim, full LED lighting and 22-inch wheels.
Coming Soon
Look for the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado to begin arriving in showrooms this fall.
