In the weeks before Christmas at the track, not a Chevy truck fan was stirring, not even to hack. The trucks were laid out in 100 years fare, placed and lined up with utmost care.
When over the jumbo-tron arose such a clatter. Everyone looked up to see what was the matter.
There appeared helicopter with its bright red surprise, the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado is airdropped, the event’s grand prize.
Ok so I played loose with the prose to set the scene, but oh what a scene it was as Chevrolet surprised the owners and enthusiasts of the Chevy Truck Legends as well as the assembled automotive journalists on scene including myself with the first look at the all-new 2019 Silverado pickup.
After it was dropped from the sky, the all-new Silverado drove around the 100 years of trucks to pose on the stage where Alan Batey, president of GM North America, recited the press release almost word for word as he introduced it to the crowd.
What he said was a lot of nothing other than that the truck before us would be lighter and more efficient than its predecessor.
He then added, and I quote, “a higher-grade alloy is used in the roll-formed, high-strength-steel bed floor, contributing to a bed that is more functional and lighter weight.” He then finished up with the term “mixed materials”.
The bed floor will be roll-formed steel, the rest of it including the side walls, outer panels, and tailgate will be something else. That means aluminum and/or plastic composites for those of you in Rio Linda. Also expect aluminum in the hood, fenders and at least the doors.
The cab structure may remain a mixture of high strength steel and something else. Not a bad thing, as I haven’t faulted Ford for its use of aluminum in the F-150. That would be Chevrolet who has made hay of that.
What he didn’t say was what would be motivating it. Other than to share that an expanded range of powertrain options will be available that is all we get until January at the Detroit Auto Show. At the very least expect variations of what the Silverado has now with expanded availability of 8-10 speed transmission. A light diesel may even be an option. We’ll see.
The Z71 Trail Boss shown will have a 2-inch suspension lift over the standard Silverado, a fact most evident by just looking at it. The styling I won’t opine on but it is clearly more muscular than present with more free flowing forms and lines than the typical straight-edged lines of almost all Chevrolet pickups past until you dip well into the 1960’s.
Seen in the photos Chevrolet has given us are a few clues to its construction and chassis. The frong double wishbone suspension clearly uses lightweight aluminum castings for its locating arms and other components.
The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado will be fully unveiled in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, exactly 100 years after the first Chevrolet trucks rolled off the lines.
