2019 Chevy Silverado’s Expanded Engine Lineup Could Make a Big Difference

One of the ways General Motors hopes to match and maybe even surpass the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500 in the light-duty pickup truck segment is offering a large and sophisticated engine selection.

Unveiled in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the all-new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is set to go on sale this fall and promises no fewer than eight trim levels and six engine/transmission combinations. Let’s take a closer look…

• Also: 2019 Chevrolet Silverado: Should the Competition Be Worried?
• Also: 2019 Chevrolet Silverado: The V8 that Thinks it’s a One-Cylinder

• First, the base 4.3L V6 with Active Fuel Management returns in Work Truck and new Custom and Custom Trail Boss trims. It produces 285 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque via a six-speed automatic transmission.
• The familiar 5.3L V8 with Active Fuel Management is available on these same three trims and continues to pair with a six-speed automatic transmission to generate 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque.
• An all-new and very intriguing 2.7L turbocharged four-cylinder replaces the V6 as the standard engine on the high-volume LT model and new RST, expected to offer 310 horsepower and 348 pound-feet of torque (up 22 percent compared to the 4.3L V6) along with greater fuel economy (exact ratings will be revealed at a later date). An eight-speed automatic transmission handles power.
• A new version of the 5.3L V8 features industry-first Dynamic Fuel Management with 17 different modes of cylinder deactivation. Output is the same. Standard on LT Trail Boss and available on LT and RST, this engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
• An all-new 3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel inline-six will directly counter Ford’s 3.0L Power Stroke when it joins the lineup in early 2019 as an option on LT, RST, LTZ and High Country models. Stop/start technology and a 10-speed automatic transmission will make it even more efficient. Power and torque have yet to be announced.
• Finally, the 6.2L V8 available on LTZ and High Country models has been upgraded with Dynamic Fuel Management, stop/start technology and a 10-speed autobox. It puts out 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque.

The performance of each engine/transmission combination benefits from the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado’s more aerodynamic shape and lighter weight (up to 204 kg/450 lbs. less).

As mentioned, the truck will hit the market later this year, at which point it will have logged an incredible 11 million kilometres of real-world testing and passed more than 475,000 validation tests. One of those is the Davis Dam test, in which the truck must carry its maximum gross combined vehicle weight up a 7-percent grade, in 43 degrees Celsius heat, with no reduction in performance, including air conditioning.

Silverado production commences with crew-cab V8 models starting in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, production will expand to include regular- and double-cab models, as well as V6 and 2.7L turbo engines.