Model Preview Recap: Here’s What We Know About the 2019 Silverado 1500 So Far
The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a hotly anticipated new arrival. However, sometimes it can be hard to keep in mind all of the various bits of information trickling in about an upcoming model, so we thought we would bring it all together for you all. Here is what we know so far about the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500.
Current Gen: If you can’t wait, then check out the 2018 Silverado 1500
2019 Silverado 1500 details on the truck’s new design and production
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Photo: © General Motors
The most immediate difference is that the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 got a redesigned exterior look, which on the front features a bolder bumper with thinner headlights and bodywork. The sides are now sculpted differently, all adding up to a more aerodynamic Silverado.
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The 2019 Silverado 1500 features an emphasis on mixed materials throughout for lower weight, ultimately shedding up to 450 pounds. Part of this is the new frame, which is made from 80 percent high-strength steel, dropping about 88 pounds from the truck.
The new Silverado’s wheelbase will be 3.9 inches longer, although in total it is only 1.6 inches longer, giving it more passenger and cargo volume, and the whole thing is now 7 percent more aerodynamically efficient thanks to things like new function air curtains, redesigned side panels, and a cab-mounted spoiler. Now the short bed offers 63 cubic feet of cargo volume with a dozen stronger tie-downs, and the Silverado can be equipped with a power up/down tailgate.
Despite rumors that GM would be switching to aluminum bed, the 2019 Silverado 1500 will indeed feature a steel truck bed, though using a new, stronger steel alloy.
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The 2019 Silverado 1500 will come with five gasoline engine options. In order of the least amount of power to the most, these engines are a 4.3-liter V6 from the 2018 model, a new turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder, a 5.3-liter V8 as an available upgrade on the V6 or turbo four-cylinder, a 6.2-liter V8 for range-topping gas power, and a 3.0-liter Duramax® turbocharged six-cylinder diesel engine, for which GM hasn’t revealed any specific power numbers. GM has said that it will make the diesel engine in Flint and insinuated that the engine would be more powerful than Ford’s recently revealed diesel. Specific details on the other engines are below.
The V8 engines will make use of industry-first Dynamic Fuel Management technology, which will likely make use of a new Dynamic Skip Fire system to replace the current cylinder deactivation.
Here are the specific power numbers for each gasoline engine:
- 4.3-liter V6: 285 hp and 305 lb-ft of torque
- Turbo 2.7-liter four-cylinder: 310 hp and 348 lb-ft of torque
- 5.3-liter V8: 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque
- 6.2-liter V8: 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque
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Photo: Gallery Automobiles
The 2019 Silverado 1500 will come with eight total trim levels, three of which are brand new. These trims appeal to customers in three groups: High Value, High Volume, and High Features.
High Value customers are those looking for the most truck for the most affordable price, and get the Work Truck, Custom, and new Custom Trailboss trims. High Volume customers are those GM calls “the heart of the truck market” and get three trims as well: the LT, RST, and LT Trailboss, the latter two of which are brand new. Finally, the High Features customers are those in the luxury truck market, and get the LTZ and High Country trims.
The two Trailboss trims will offer off-road performance similar to the Chevrolet Colorado Z71 package, and lift the suspension a further 2 inches. Meanwhile, the new RST trim was spied running around looking very nice in red.
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2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT, LTZ, and High Country
Here’s how the engine allocation shakes out:
The three High Value trims will get the V6 engine with a six-speed automatic transmission as standard equipment, with an optional upgrade to the 5.3-liter V8 with Active fuel management and a six-speed automatic transmission.
The LT and RST trims will come with the new turbocharged four-cylinder and eight-speed transmission as standard, with two optional engines: the 5.3-liter V8 with Dynamic Fuel Management and an eight-speed transmission, and the turbo diesel with a ten-speed.
The third High Volume model, the LT Trail Boss, will come with only the 5.3-liter V8 with Dynamic Fuel Management and an eight-speed transmission.
Finally, both High Features models, the LTZ and High Country, will come standard with the 5.3-liter V8 with Dynamic Fuel Management and the eight speed, but with available upgrades to the turbo-diesel with its ten-speed and the range-topping 6.2-liter V8 with Dynamic Fuel Management and a ten-speed transmission.
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Chevy has promised it will start production of crew-cab V8 models in the third quarter of 2018, sometime in the July to September range. In the fourth quarter, that will expand to regular- and double-cab trucks as well as the V6 and turbo four-cylinder engines. The diesel will be available early next year.
Meanwhile, if you really like the current generation of Silverado, then you are in luck, as GM has announced that it would continue to sell the current generation of Silverados under the new name of “Silverado Legacy” starting in 2019.
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Learning More: Here’s more information on the current Silverado
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