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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.

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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.

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Video: GM wants you to see a few things about the Silverado HD

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 26 May 2010 17:58:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Marketing/Advertising, Work, Chevrolet, GMC

2011 Chevy Silverado HD commercial - Click above to watch video after the jump

The 2011 Chevy Silverado HD didn't pull any punches about wanting to beat the competition, but it might just pull everything else. In case you missed any of its maybe-or-maybe-not best-in-class numbers, The General has put together a nifty little animation for you that trumpets all of its heavy duty points. And it does a much better job of it than the Dude Perfect spot did...

However, since it is well known that size matters a great deal in the world of pickup trucks, you can expect Ford and Dodge to be unveiling bigger trumpets soon enough. Follow the jump to see the Transformer-esuqe spot.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty

[Source: General Motors via PickupTrucks.com]

Continue reading Video: GM wants you to see a few things about the Silverado HD

Video: GM wants you to see a few things about the Silverado HD originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 May 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM announces best-in-class towing, payload figures for heavy-duty Silverado, Sierra

Zach Bowman — Tue, 18 May 2010 11:37:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Work, Chevrolet, GM, GMC

2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD - Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors has just announced the hauling capacities for the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD pickups. The new trucks can now pull up to 21,700 pounds in fifth-wheel configuration and lug around 6,635 pounds worth of payload, thereby making them the new best-in class champions. The traditional tow rating sits at 17,000 pounds. What did GM change to give the trucks their new credentials? The company says that it extensively tested the trucks' systems, including the engine, transmission and brakes at the new gross combined vehicle weight and found that the thing could handle the abuse.

Both the Silverado HD and the Sierra HD now come with tougher bed rails, though. GM specified a new high-strength steel that can take more of a beating compared to last year's pieces. The new tow ratings best the next closest competitor, the 2011 Ford F-350, by 1,000 pounds on the conventional towing front and a more modest 100 pounds under fifth-wheel conditions.

How did we ever live in a world where pickup trucks couldn't tow three Bentley Continental GT coupes and a gooseneck car trailer? Hit the jump for the press release.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD at Chicago Auto Show

[Source: GM]

Continue reading GM announces best-in-class towing, payload figures for heavy-duty Silverado, Sierra

GM announces best-in-class towing, payload figures for heavy-duty Silverado, Sierra originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 May 2010 11:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM announces pricing on Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra HD models

Zach Bowman — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Work, Chevrolet, GM, GMC, Diesel

General Motors has officially announced pricing for the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD and the 2011 GMC Sierra HD. Both trucks carry a base MSRP $27,965, though you'll have to tack on an additional $995 destination charge. If you want the 397 horsepower, 765 lb-ft of torque Duramax diesel engine and unstoppable Allison transmission option, GM will politely as you for an additional $8,395. The good news is that despite the powerplant's increase in power and fuel economy, the price has remained unchanged from the 2010 model.

For the first time ever, the "Professional Grade" model will be available with a Denali package. Priced at $45,865 including destination fees, the Sierra Denali HD will feature all of the luxury goodies and flashy trim of its less powerful brethren. Buyers who opt for the Denali package will only find the truck available with a four-wheel drive, four-door configuration.

Both the Chevrolet and GMC now feature a 20,000-pound towing capacity, which should be good enough to pull whatever your little black heart desires. Hit the jump for the press release.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading GM announces pricing on Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra HD models

GM announces pricing on Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra HD models originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

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