No, they're not the most exciting cars on the road, and most enthusiasts couldn't care less about GM's new GMT900 trucks, the Chevrolet Silverado and the GMC Sierra. But without these behemoths, Chevrolet could be a division of Toyota, and Sierra would be nothing more than a mountain range. Pickup truck debuts are big news in Detroit, and shoppers in the segment are some of the pickiest people around. Just look at the options these people get--two levels of toughness (light- and heavy-duty), three cab styles (regular, extended, and crew), three box lengths, eight engines, three transmissions, five suspension packages, and three (Silverado) or four (Sierra) trim levels make up the range. Choice is king in the truck market.
Buyers also get to choose between two different interiors, as pictured here. The one shown in gray is the "pure pickup" interior, using tougher materials and offering more storage. The other, shown in tan, is the "luxury-inspired" cabin, which borrows its design from the Yukon and Tahoe SUVs. All cabins come with the added safety of side curtain air bags, and stability control comes standard on crew cab models (optional with the extended cab.)
Revised suspension, including coil-overs in the front, should help these big trucks handle slightly better, as should the optional twenty-inch wheels. There are other improvements that should bring GM up to the level of the Ford F-150, including a Nissan-Titan-like bed-rail tie-down system and rear doors that open 170 degrees on the extended cab. But overall, nothing seems too groundbreaking about these new trucks. They, for example, still have four-speed automatics, and there's no under-bed storage a la Honda Ridgeline. But we'll have to drive them to know for sure. Here's a quick run-down of the suspension and engine choices:
SUSPENSION:
Z83: Smooth ride
Z85: Enhanced handling and trailering
Z71: Off-road
Z60: Street performance (offered with 20-inch wheels)
NHT: Maximum capacity trailering
ENGINES
4.3L V-6, 195 hp, 260 lb-ft
4.8L V-8, 295 hp, 305 lb-ft
5.3L V-8, 315 hp, 338 lb-ft (iron or aluminum block)
5.3L FlexFuel V-8, 315 hp, 338 lb-ft (iron or aluminum block)
6.0L VVT V-8, 367 hp, 375 lb-ft
6.2L VVT V-8, 400 hp, 417 lb-ft (Sierra Denali only)