In pickup parlance, the chase isn’t just on, it never really stops.
With the arrival of the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado, the pace is definitely quickening. In 2012, 265,000 domestic- and foreign-based 1500-, 2500- and 3500-series pickups were sold in Canada and 40 per cent belonged to Ford.
GM’s Silverado/Sierra models finished solidly in second place, ahead of Chrysler’s Ram and well ahead of the Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan. With the all-new Silverado 1500-series, Chevrolet appears to have done its homework and paid close attention to what buyers are looking for to haul and tow their stuff. There are more powerful engines as well as improvements and upgrades in nearly every other category you could imagine.
The one area that Chevy’s truck designers appear to have tinkered with the least is the sheetmetal. The new Silverado bears more than a passing resemblance to the outgoing model. In front, the twin stacked headlights remain, but the grille is now much more prominent and tougher looking.
As well, the hood and fenders bulge out more aggressively than before. Behind the tailgate, the handy Corner Step bumper has recessed footholds that, combined with built-in handholds inside the box, make accessing the bed much easier. The dashboard and control panel that houses the optional 20-centimetre touch screen are positioned in a tidy pod for easy viewing and all of the oversized knobs and switches are work-glove-friendly and clearly marked.
All body styles — regular, extended Double Cab (now featuring front-hinged rear doors with outside handles) and four-door Crew Cab — are attached to a reworked frame with more high-strength steel, extra bracing for stiffness and improved body mounts that help isolate road nose and vibration.
The revised suspension places the wheels on each axle farther apart with a goal to improve overall ride and stability. For 2014, Chevrolet has made a few changes to the Silverado’s box size/cab combinations. Now you can order the Crew Cab with a longer 200-cm bed as well as the standard 175-cm version.
Perched between the frame rails is a choice of three new all-aluminum cam-in-block engines. The entry point is a 4.3-litre V-6 that features the same displacement as the previous V-6, but the output has significantly increased to 285 horsepower and 305 lb.-ft. of torque from 195/260. Optional is a 5.3-litre V-8 with 355 horses and 383 lb.-ft. on tap, up from 315/335. Later in the model year, they’ll be joined by an available 6.2-litre V-8 rated at 420 horsepower and 440 lb.-ft. of torque, which shares its parts with the new Corvette sports car V-8.
All three powerplants feature direct injection, which tailors the fuel load for the task at hand. They also have continuously variable valve timing (which allows in more fuel and air depending in the power needs) and cylinder deactivation that cuts off up to half the cylinders in light load and cruise situations.
The transmission for all is a six-speed automatic. The result, at least for the more muscular V-6, is a significant fuel economy improvement in city and highway driving (best guess of 12.0 l/100 km in the city and 7.8 on the highway, compared to 14.1/10.0 for the previous V-6).
Chevrolet also likes to point out that it has managed to increase performance and reduce fuel consumption across the line without resorting to complex (and expensive) turbo-charging. That’s a direct shot at the Ford F-Series and its “Ecoboost” V-6.
Of course you can order your Silverado as a stripped-down, rubber-matted V-6 work rig with a $27,150 sticker, or head all the way up to the new and thoroughly tricked-out High Country 4x4 with a correspondingly high list price. It’s a brand new trim level designed to keep well-to-do ranchers driving in the lap of luxury. Whichever pickup matches your needs, know that Chevrolet has made the right changes for a more refined and fuel-efficient Silverado to keep pace with Ford.