In an attempt to answer the call from owners of its heavy-duty pickup trucks for more capability and power General Motors unveiled at this year’s Chicago Auto Show the brand new 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500. It was back in 2001 when GM re-engineered the Silverado and GMC Sierra heavy-duty 2500 and 3500 pickups. “We have a completely new chassis. This is really where our focus has been, and the powertrain,” said Rick Spina, the vehicle line executive who oversees full-sized trucks.
The new Silverado line will offer 11 new fully boxed frames, which are five times stiffer torsionally and 92 percent stiffer in the bending mode. According to the manufacturer the 2011 Silverado offers: fifth-wheel towing capacity of 20,000 pounds, conventional towing (ball hitch) capacity of 16,000 pounds and a payload capacity of 6,335 pounds. Development was “targeted at what these customers want — greater capability,” Luke said.
Under the hood we find the impressive Duramax turbocharged, 6.6-liter diesel V8 that has also been re-engineered for the 2011 model year, delivering more power and torque and about an 11 percent increase in fuel economy. As an option, GM offers a smart exhaust brake system, slowing the truck-and-trailer combination on descents.
This system is activated by the driver and is integrated with the cruise control. Other changes in the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado include: the re-engineered front suspension in order to handle a 25 percent greater axle weight rating, up to 6,000 pounds; a rear suspension with a larger asymmetrical leaf-spring design to handle the truck’s increased payload capacity; an increase in diameter for the front and rear brake rotors. Also, the stability control comes standard on single, rear-wheel models. Gm now offers the hill-start assist system, which holds the brakes for 1.5 seconds or until the gas pedal is pressed, preventing rollback.
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