Autoblog

Callaway turns Chevrolet Silverado into C19 SportTruck

Chris Shunk — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 08:23:00 EST

The engineers at Callaway are typically under the hood of a V8-packing rear-drive coupe trying to add as much horsepower as possible, but now the specialty tuner is in the truck business as well. Callaway has launched a new truck modification kit for 5.3- and 6.2-liter-equipped Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickups, adding superchargers to boost horsepower to up to 540 ponies.

The C19 kit includes the same type of Eaton TVS supercharger that can be found under the hood of the Cadillac CTS-V, plus a liquid-to-air intercooler, carbon Ffber injection covers, low-restriction exhaust and plenty of Callaway badging.

The official price tag for the components needed is $15,995, and that will net you 450 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 450 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm if you're modifying the 5.3-liter, and 540 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 522 lb-ft at 3,800 revolutions if you're tweaking the 6.2-liter V8. The package also comes with a three-year, 36,000-mile Callaway powertrain warranty, with the option to upgrade to five years and 100,000 miles. And since the 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter V8 engines are available on several GM trucks, ranging from the Tahoe to the Suburban, that means this mod kit is available to more than just the Silverado 1500.

[Source: Callaway via Pickuptrucks.com]

Callaway turns Chevrolet Silverado into C19 SportTruck originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 08:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

GM recalls select 2011 model year pickup and SUV models over axle fears

Steven J. Ewing — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 08:02:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Recalls, Safety, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GM, GMC

2011 GMC Sierra - Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors is recalling a handful light-duty GMT900 pickups from the 2011 model year due to faulty rear axle cross pins. Both the Chevrolet Avalanche and Silverado 1500 are subject to the action, as are the Cadillac Escalade EXT and GMC Sierra 1500 - a total of 1,262 vehicles in all.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration cites that these rear axle cross pins were not manufactured up to proper specification and that the pin could "fracture and become displaced within the rear axle." NHTSA further details the consequences of a displaced pin, saying:

"The driver may hear a banging noise coming from the axle. If the pin shifts out of position, it could create an interference condition and cause the rear axle to lock. The driver may not be able to maintain directional control of the vehicle and a crash could occur without prior warning."

GM will begin notifying owners about this problem in January, and dealers will install a new rear axle cross pin without any cost to the customer. NHTSA's official statement is available after the jump.

Gallery: 2011 GMC Sierra

[Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]

Continue reading GM recalls select 2011 model year pickup and SUV models over axle fears

GM recalls select 2011 model year pickup and SUV models over axle fears originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Dec 2010 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

First pickups tested using NHTSA's new crash testing system

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Government/Legal, Safety, Chevrolet, Dodge, GM, GMC, Toyota

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rolled in the first batch of pickup trucks to be tested using its latest Five-Star New Car Assessment Program. Three trucks were tested: the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (this truck's scores were also applied to the nearly identical GMC Sierra 1500), 2011 Ram 1500 and Toyota Tacoma.

Of the trucks tested, the pair from General Motors recorded the best scores, earning a Combined score of four stars. The 2011 Tacoma also managed a Combined score of four stars, but performed significantly worse than the GM trucks in NHTSA's front crash testing, taking home just two stars for the passenger.

Bringing up the rear in this round of testing is the Ram 1500 (non-Heavy Duty). While Chrysler's full-size pickup managed a Combined rating of three stars, it floundered in the agency's tough new pole test with just one star being awarded. Check out PickupTrucks.com for more analysis on the results, and search NHTSA's full 2011-model-year crash testing database here.

[Source: NHTSA via PickupTrucks.com]

First pickups tested using NHTSA's new crash testing system originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

First Drive: 2011 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty trucks set new HD standard

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Work, Chevrolet, GMC, First Drives

2011 GM HD Trucks - Click above for high-res image gallery

Usually whenever we head out to a new vehicle press launch, we have to sit through exhaustive technical and marketing presentations before we get a chance to climb behind the wheel. However, General Motors put us straight into a dual-rear wheel GMC Sierra 3500 crew-cab diesel upon our arrival in Baltimore. On the docket? A 130-mile trek from Baltimore airport to Rocky Gap Lodge in the Allegheny mountains of western Maryland with Vehicle Line Executive Rick Spina sitting shotgun.

We actually appreciated this 'backwards' approach, because it gave us the opportunity to develop some 'gut' impressions of these new trucks even before we got the attendant sales pitch. For a two-hour, mostly highway jaunt, the duallie SLT proved to be a surprisingly amiable companion, but it was just the first of seven different trucks we would drive over the next couple of days. Read on past the jump find out what GM's new heavy duty trucks are like when sampled in a range of real-world conditions.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 GM HD Trucks

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty trucks set new HD standard

First Drive: 2011 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty trucks set new HD standard originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

First Drive: 2011 GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty technical deep dive

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Marketing/Advertising, Technology, Work, Chevrolet, GM, Diesel

2011 GM HD Truck New Technology - Click above for high-res image gallery

At first glance, the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra heavy-duty pickup trucks don't appear to have changed much compared to their 2010 counterparts. But don't let their familiar faces fool you, because virtually all of the greasy bits have been substantially upgraded or replaced entirely. Like the competitive heavy-duty trucks from Ford and Dodge, General Motors offers its trucks in a huge array of configurations with varying passenger, payload and towing capacities and an array of gasoline and diesel engines.

We drove seven different variants over two days in the Allegheny mountains of western Maryland along with the latest models from Dodge and Ford for comparison's sake. While the sales volume in the heavy-duty truck segment is smaller than it was at its peak a few years ago, it is still hugely profitable and comprises about 25 to 30 percent of all pickup sales. Follow the jump to learn more about what General Motors' truck engineering team has done to help ensure those dollars keep rolling in.

Gallery: 2011 GM HD Trucks New Technology

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty technical deep dive

First Drive: 2011 GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty technical deep dive originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Chicago 2010: Hybrid chassis shows differences between old and new Silverado HD

Drew Phillips — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:20:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Truck, Work, Chevrolet

Old and new Chevrolet Silverado HD chassis combined - Click above for high-res image gallery

No, Chevrolet's new Silverado HD will not be available as a hybrid. The hybrid we're talking about is this chassis on display at the Chicago Auto Show that is constructed of both the previous generation and the new 2011 Silverado HD. The combined chassis is split right down the middle and shows just how much the 2011 model has been improved from the previous model.

Starting with the front suspension, the 2011 Silverado HD receives beefier upper and lower control arms along with larger torsion bars and steering gear. The front axle can now handle up to 6,000 pounds of gross weight, which means that every HD model can bear the weight of a snow plow. Moving through the rest of the display, you can see the all new frame that utilizes 11 fully boxed assemblies that make sure of higher strength steel. The result is that the new chassis has five times more torsional strength than it did before and 92 percent better bending resistance.

At the rear, the Silverado HD benefits from a new, larger asymmetrical leaf spring design that offers improved handling and load capabilities. General Motors is quick to point out that the truck's maximum 6,335-pound payload and 20,000-pound towing capacity (using a fifth-wheel hitch) are both better than the Dodge Ram 3500 HD and the Ford F350 Super Duty.

Finally, the Silverado HD has been upgraded with 14-inch brake rotors both front and rear, a heavy-duty trailer hitch and a 36-gallon fuel tank that, when combined with the improved fuel economy, allows for 680 highway miles on a single tank. You can see the differences in detail in the high-res gallery below, or click here for even more details and photos of the 2011 Silverado HD.

Gallery: Old and new Silverado HD chassis combined

Chicago 2010: Hybrid chassis shows differences between old and new Silverado HD originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments