DETROIT MOTOR SHOW: Lighter, sleeker Chevrolet Silverado debuts

We saw the spy shots and first official images in December and now Chevrolet has revealed its new-generation Silverado 1500 pick-up, which will become available via Holden dealers in Australia.

Unveiled ahead of its public debut at the Detroit motor show today by GM Global Design vice-president, Australian Mike Simcoe, the lighter, more efficient and more aggressive looking 2019 Silverado 1500 will go on sale in the US by mid-2018.

Australian sales of the new Silverado 1500 should commence about 12 months later, with a big new Suburban SUV based on the same platform set to follow.

The new Silverado will come here courtesy of HSV, which will convert them to right-hand drive in Melbourne, as with the current Silverado 2500HD from April and the even larger Silverado 3500HD from June.

Beyond the sleeker exterior – which is claimed to be seven per cent more aerodynamic and features a bold new rectangular grille with two horizontal bars instead of one, plus narrow headlights above boomerang-shaped LED running lights – the big news is a weight reduction of up to 450 pounds (204kg).

The other headline act is an all-new Duramax 3.0-litre inline-six turbo-diesel, among six engine and transmission choices and eight distinct models, plus what Chevy claims is class-leading cargo volume in every bed length and the “most functional bed of any full-size truck”.

This includes the entry-level ‘short-box’, which at 63 cubic feet of volume is claimed to offer “up to 20 per cent more than a competitor’s short-box” thanks to a seven-inch widening of its maximum width.

The bed will now “easily” accommodate flat materials measuring 4x8 feet (our equivalent of the standard 1200x2400mm sheet, ie: plasterboard or plywood) and Chevrolet Accessories will offer storage bins that fit over the wheel wells, resulting in nearly seven cubic feet of lockable cargo space.

The bed still has a roll-formed, high-strength steel floor but it’s now higher-grade (from 340 to 500 megapascals of pressure) and incorporates 12 fixed tie-down points with double the strength (now taking 500 pounds of force before bending) and nine moveable anchor points.

The new Silverado will be available with a ‘task lighting’ and a class-exclusive power up/down tailgate that can be operated from the key fob, interior button or by hand.

Other changes include a 120-volt power outlet and larger cutouts in the class-exclusive CornerStep bumpers to better accommodate steel-toed boots, the ‘CHEVROLET’ name stamped on the grille and tailgate, integrated dual exhaust outlets and tyre sizes up to 33-inch.

The 2019 Silverado rides on a wheelbase that’s up to 100mm longer than before and measures 41mm longer overall, spelling shorter overhangs and more cargo and interior space for all cab styles.

The substantial 200kg-plus weight saving in four-door crew-cab V8 form comes from “extensive use of mixed materials and advanced manufacturing processes” for the frame, body and chassis.

As such, Chevrolet says the body is 40kg lighter thanks to the doors, bonnet and tailgate joining Ford’s F-150 in being made of aluminium, although the fenders, roof and bed remain steel.

The Silverado’s fully boxed steel frame is also 40kg lighter than its predecessor, while offering 10 per cent greater torsional rigidity (80 per cent of the frame is now made of high-strength steel varying from 2 to 5mm in thickness).

Also employing mixed materials is the all-new suspension, with the front independent short/long arm suspension featuring new forged-aluminum upper control arms, and the redesigned live rear axle suspended by new carbon-composite second-stage springs on LT models, saving about 5kg per side over the steel springs they replace.

New 5.3- and 6.2-litre petrol V8s with industry-first Dynamic Fuel Management cylinder shutdown will join the diesel six, and all three engines will be matched to GM’s new Hydra-Matic 10-speed automatic transmission with idle-stop.

“Truck customers told us they want the perfect truck for them and not a ‘one size fits most’ truck, compromised for the masses,” said Simcoe.

“That insight shaped our design strategy with eight distinct models, each with a unique personality to fit different customers, from the affordable Work Truck to the luxurious High Country.”

Eight trim levels are said to be designed for three distinct buyer profiles: ‘High Value’ customers want the capability of a full-size truck at a low price, ‘High Volume’ customers who require capability and car-like creature comforts (the majority of buyers) and ‘High Feature’ customers who want luxury-car features -- the fastest-growing part of the US truck market.

To that end, the ‘High Value’ Silverado 1500 Work Truck comes with blacked-out trim, 17-inch steel wheels, vinyl or cloth seat trim and a 7.0-inch color touch screen, while the Custom features a body-color styling theme, 20-inch painted aluminum wheels, LED signature tail-lights and available integrated dual exhaust.

New for 2019, the Custom Trailboss adds off-road equipment including a 2.0-inch suspension lift and the Z71 Off Road Package with a locking rear differential, skid plates, Rancho shocks, 18-inch wheels and Goodyear Duratrac off-road tyres.

The ‘High Volume’ LT features chrome accents on the bumpers, front grille and mirror caps, Chevrolet bowtie in the grille, LED reflector headlights, signature daytime running lights, and 8.0-inch color touch-screen and available leather trim.

The new-for-2019 RST brings body-color trim, full LED lighting and up to 22-inch wheels with all-season tyres, while the also-new LT Trailboss adds the same off-road kit as the Custom Trailboss.

Finally, the ‘High Feature’ LTZ features chrome accents on the bumpers, front grille, mirror caps, door-handles and hockey-stick beltline as well as power folding and heated outside rear-view mirror, plus leather interior trim as standard.

The top-shelf High Country features an exclusive grille design with two-tone chrome and bronze finish, body-color accents, chrome assist steps from wheel to wheel and power up/down tailgate.

The Silverado was already the first pick-up to offer 4G LTE Wi-Fi connectivity, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and wireless phone charging, and now all cabs have been stretched, with crew-cab models now offering three inches of additional rear-seat legroom, and new storage options include two 10-litre bins integrated in the second-row seatbacks.

GM says its engineering team doubled many of its key validation metrics, making the latest Silverado the most-tested vehicle it has ever produced. It’s claimed development included seven million miles of real-world testing.

Production of the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado begins at the Fort Wayne, Indiana Assembly plant in the northern hemisphere Autumn (September-November) later this year.

“With the all-new Silverado, we've taken the best truck on the road and made it even better,” said GM executive vice-president of Global Product Development and former Holden MD, Mark Reuss.

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