NEW POWERTRAIN CHOICES FOR SILVERADO
C
hevy’s Silverado was completely rede-
signed for 2019; now the maker is add-
ing some fresh powertrain options for
light-duty truck buyers. New for 2020
is the availability of a 3.0L Duramax
inline-si x turbodiesel, w ith 277 hp and 460
lb-ft of torque channeled through GM’s 10L
10-speed automatic transmission. Chevy says 95
percent of the engine’s peak torque is available
down at 1,250 rpm, and that torque peak is sustained from 1,
to 3,000 rpm. The new diesel drivetrain also offers exhaust brak-
ing, helpful when towing to ease the load on the wheel brakes.
The diesel option, available on LT, RST, LTZ, and High Country
models, is priced identically to the 6.2L V-8 as a $2,495 premium
over a 5.3L V-8 model or $3,890 over a 2.7L Turbo model.
Speaking of the 6.2, the 420hp V-8 will now be available in
Custom Trail Boss, LT Trail Boss, and RST trim levels. It, too, will
be paired with the 10-speed automatic transmission. In the
RST trim, the Silverado’s max towing capacity rises to 13,
pounds (when properly equipped). Chevy also points out that the
6.2-powered Custom Trail Boss has a starting MSRP of $43,865,
making it “the most affordable light-duty truck with more than
400 hp on the market.”
Need more power? The Silverado 6.2L is available with a Per-
formance Upgrade Package, its air intake and cat-back exhaust
system bringing output to 435 hp and 469 lb-ft.10 OCTOBER 20194-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
DRIVELINES
“The Silverado Custom
BY Drew Hardin
[email protected]B
ob Chandler, who with a modified F-250 pickup called
Bigfoot created the whole monster truck craze, will be
inducted into the SEM A Hall of Fame for 2019. Chandler
built his first tall Ford in the mid-1970s as a way to promote his
new business, Midwest Four Wheel Drive Center near St. Louis,
Missouri. The truck made its first paid public appearance in 1979,
and did its first car crush—in front of few spectators in an empty
Missouri cornfield—in- Chandler was
hesitant at fir st to bring
the stunt to the public,
fearing its destructive
nature would tarnish
the truck’s positive rep-
utation. But he did , and
the rest, as they say, is
monster truck history.
CHANDLER NAMED TO SEMA HALL OF FAME