INDIANAPOLIS. Chevrolet revealed its Class 4 and 5 Silverado HD 4500/5500 chassis cab trucks today at the Work Truck Show — and then snuck in an unexpected 6500 Class 6 truck as well.
Calling it the "biggest news in years" for the brand's commercial lineup — "literally" — the automaker has added the larger conventional cab trucks to its offerings after promising they were in the works for some time.
"It all adds up to a product lineup that is, by far, the best and the broadest that Chevrolet has ever had," said Ed Peper, U.S. vice president for GM Fleet. "You don't build a dominant franchise like this overnight." He explained how the OEM gathered extensive input from dealers and customers in designing the new trucks.
"There's never been a Silverado that's not a workhorse," Peper contended. "The more choice we offer truck customers, the more we drive sales across our entire portfolio." Pointing to Chevrolet's low-cab forward trucks, which offer alternative medium-duty class vehicles, he said the OEM's customers had been asking for a medium-duty conventional cab offering "because they want a one-stop shop for all of their vehicle needs."
"Good things come to those who wait," Peper said. "Once we made the decision to get back into the medium-duty conventional cab business, we were determined to do it better than anyone else."
So Chevy gathered input from fleet managers, truck drivers, upfitters, technicians and dealers in developing the new Silverados. John Schwegman, director of commercial product and medium duty at GM Fleet, said the new trucks "are designed to solve the most common upfit and ownership challenges fleets have with many of today's medium duty trucks."
The Silverado will be available in 2WD and 4WD configurations and will be powered by the OEM's 6.6L Duramax diesel engine rated at 350 hp/700 lbs.-ft. of torque. The trucks will have Allison automatic transmissions with a power take off option.
Some additional highlights of the new trucks include:
— A factory-painted frame with one-piece frame rails; smooth, unobstructed top sections; and through-the-frame fuel fill lines.
—Seven cab-to-axle options ranging from 60 to 162-in. along with five axle-to-back-of-frame lengths sized in 8-in. increments.
—A lightweight, front-hinged "clamshell" hood that allows easier access to under-hood components combined with a 50-degree wheel cut.
—A hood designed to optimize the driver's ability to see the road.
—An available factory-installed rear air suspension; triple-sealed, inset doors that help reduce wind and road noise; and huck bolts used throughout the frame for superior clamping force.
—A diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tank located on the passenger side of the truck for more convenience.
Connectivity options for the new HD Silverados include OnStar and Commercial Link, a built-in 4GLTE Wi-Fi hotspot (paid data plan required), wireless smartphone charging, Bluetooth and support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The new medium-duty Silverados are slated for production late this year.
