Make way for the 2020 Chevy Silverado HD, it is one mean tough truck

ABU DHABI: The curtains have finally been lifted to unveil the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD at this year’s Chicago Auto Show. The new machine is bigger than ever, in every dimension, and features a slew of new technologies along with more powerful V8 engines.

Powering the new Silverado are a choice of V8 petrol and diesel power plants. The 6.6-litre petrol power plant makes 406 PS at 5200 rpm and a huge 629 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm. This engine has been beefed up for durability. It has a forged steel crankshaft, forged powder-metal connecting rods, and twin alternators for added electrical needs. Power to the wheels is delivered via a six-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission which has a tow mode. If diesel is your go-to choice then you have the impressive 6.6-litre Duramax V8. It makes 451 PS at 2800 rpm and a monumental 1234 Nm of torque, produced at a low 1600 rpm. The towing capacity with the Duramax powered Silverado is rated at 16,000 kg while having a 10-speed automatic gearbox. Helping tow such loads is a larger diameter drive shaft capable of handling more torque. Along with this, the springs are thicker and the chassis has been stiffened.

Size matters, the new HD model is 264 mm longer, 34 mm wider and 40 mm taller than the ongoing Chevrolet Silverado model it replaces. This translates to the truck measuring 6349 mm long, 2079 mm wide, and 2027 mm tall. The wheelbase also sees an increase of 133 mm and measures 4037 mm. Unlike previous models, the new Silverado HD does not share its bed with light-duty models. It has a newly designed bed which measures 2089 mm in length, 1317 mm in width, and 533 mm in height.

Technological aids in the new Silverado HD are abundant. It comes with automatic parking brake, automatic grade braking with hold assist, trailer brake control, trailer sway control, hill-start/hill-descent control, and 15 camera views which can make the trailer invisible for safer parking. On the inside, you get a high tech infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with a heads-up display which shows real-time information.

The new Chevrolet Silverado HD certainly ticks all the right boxes to make it a compelling package. It will be available in 5 variants named Work Truck, Custom, LT, LTZ, and High Country.