America’s unending love for pickups is still happening despite the impending doom of higher gas prices, so General Motors has been working on some clever tricks to keep their pickups as efficient as possible. Automotive News writes:

General Motors is doubling the number of engines available in the redesigned 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 pickups, including the addition of a new four-cylinder turbocharged engine that can run on two cylinders to increase fuel economy.

The 2.7-liter I-4 turbo engine is a major milestone for the company. It is the first modern-day four-cylinder engine in a full-size pickup and the industry’s first pickup capable of running on two cylinders.

The engine, GM believes, will help it lead in fuel efficiency against Ford’s aluminum-bodied F-150 with V-6 Ecoboost engines and a redesigned Ram 1500 with a mild hybrid system.

That trick 2.7-liter turbocharged inline four with cylinder deactivation tech is the first four-banger for the Chevrolet Silverado line, the Detroit Free Press notes. It will become the standard engine for some popular Silverado trims, including the LT and RST, and packs 310 horsepower and 348 lb-ft of torque.

GM has yet to release key stats related to the new four-cylinder’s fuel economy, payload and towing specifications just yet, but it’s lighter, more powerful and more fuel efficient than the existing base V6 used in the Silverado line. GM’s Global Director of Gasoline Engines Jeff Luke told Automotive News that it’s possible for such engines to eventually replace the usual V6 offerings in the line.

Larger engines weren’t left out of GM’s war on fuel economy (and Ford, and Ram), either. The 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter V8s in GM’s latest pickups will be available with Dynamic Fuel Management, which can allow the truck to run on anything between one to all eight cylinders depending on how much power is needed, the Detroit Free Press adds. Chevrolet claims that this enables the engines to use less than eight cylinders 61 percent of the time in normal driving conditions.

While cutting grass on Sunday, the old, rusting and generally terrible weed eater my husband and I got as a housewarming gift slash “giving this to you is better than throwing it away” yard tool took three tries to not cannibalize its own line. It was 101 degrees, and I was about to throw it at a fence and go buy a new one.

“You’ve got the Datsun 280Z of weed eaters and you want to go trade it for a new Camry,” my husband said in response to my frustration, making the worst yet most accurate analogy I’ve heard in a long time. “You want to trade a classic for something that’s new, reliable and boring. Shame on you.”

That tormented me all the way through this morning until I read about a Minnesota dealer that makes over Chevy Silverados with decals and paint jobs inspired by Chevy pickups from the 1970s and ‘80s. It’s a classic look that comes with non-classic parts so a buyer doesn’t have to work hard to keep it running, and comes without having to wonder whether the thing is going to start or not—hopefully.

(It’s also for the opposite of most of us on Jalopnik, who want the actual classics that likely sat outside, abandoned, for years, don’t run, and have layers of rust that even the exquisite rattle-can paint job can’t cover.)

The dealership is Blake Greenfield Chevrolet Buick in Minnesota, which Car and Driver reports got the idea for all of this when the dealer accepted a trade-in truck that looked like it would be a hard resale:

When Blake Greenfield took a green, 70,000-mile, 2014 Silverado in trade at his small Chevrolet dealership in Wells, Minnesota, his salesmen razzed him that the truck would be tough to move. The color wasn’t particularly desirable in the area surrounding the town of fewer than 2500 residents, and Greenfield figured they were right. Then he thought of two things: his own surname, and a 1973 Chevy truck that his father had owned when Blake was a kid growing up in Iowa.

[...] His cousin Ray owns a vinyl shop and wound up spending hours looking at trucks, taking measurements from photos of old two-tone “Squarebody” C/K Chevy pickups of the ’70s and ’80s, and figuring out how the classic scheme might apply to a modern Silverado.

In addition to the classic vinyl wrap and decals on the truck, Car and Driver reports that Greenfield added a lift kit, chrome accents and wheels that looked more period correct. It’s like painting a new Ford GT in 1960s Le Mans colors, except a lot less expensive and a lot less niche.

Greenfield intended for it to be a promotional truck when the conversion was done in December, but told Car and Driver he started getting calls from all over the U.S. after someone posted photos of the truck online. Since then, the dealer has done at least 13 more like it for people in at least seven different states, with both vinyl wraps and actual paint jobs on the trucks.

This all truly gives me hope in my personal life. Maybe if I paint the new weed eater I’m still planning to go buy the same color as our old one—our classic one, I should say—my husband will never notice.

It’s a tribute, not a replacement, dear.

Chevrolet’s new 2019 Silverado 1500 pickup truck just raised the bar. The 2019 Silverado is simultaneously bigger and lighter, the crew cab has limousine-class legroom, safety features abound, the cabin is surprisingly quiet, tech tools make trailer hook-ups easier than Tinder, and a rear-facing camera bolts to the back of your trailer. To push fuel economy above 20 mpg, dynamic fuel management shuts off unneeded cylinders in 17 different steps.

So as not to cripple Ford pickup sales, Chevy eased off the competitive throttle: There’s no diesel engine until next year, the Silverado safety suite lacks adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection doesn’t adapt when you’re hauling a trailer (the F-150 does), and if you get the trailer cam you can’t have a forward-facing surround camera on the truck. Overall, Chevy matches and raises the Ford F-150, while FCA’s Ram division has a new pickup offering (not yet driven and compared) that promises to be a serious competitor.

This is an all-new model, the fourth generation of the Silverado. It is 1-2 inches longer, wider, and taller. The wheelbase is 4 inches longer and that shows up as more legroom in the crew cab version’s second row. Visually, the Silverado seems bigger and more aggressive, a look that almost says this is a pickup for plowing snow without bolting on a plow.

Driving on- and off-road in Wyoming and Idaho, especially the $65K high-roller High Country, the ride was impressively quiet. The cabin has gobs of space for soda bottles, two phones that can be simultaneously paired, purses, backpacks, dogs, children, up to six devices that need USB power, jumper cables, first aid kits, and ever-expanding American behinds. With four-wheel-drive engaged, the Trail Boss trim line comfortably navigated an obstacle course of a log road, a steep dirt hill, uneven boulders, and a muddy bog that — taken at an aggressive speed — simultaneously sprayed videographers too close to the safety embankment and made you wish the side windows had wipers as well. There is not yet, however, an all-out, fire-breathing off-road version on par with the Ford F-150 Raptor or the ZR2 edition of the midsize Chevrolet Colorado we tested a year ago.

For those who tow trailers, the 2019 Silverado makes heroes of us all. The advanced trailering system uses multiple cameras to show how close you are to the trailer hitch, dynamic guidelines show if you have the wheel turned so you’re lined up with the hitch, and the side view shows if you’re close to anybody else, say on a multi-vehicle boat ramp or at the local trailer storage yard. Often, the most embarrassing moments of your trucking and vacationing life are when you give up with the hitch and receiver still a half-foot apart and ask two husky onlookers to nudge the trailer into position.

Then there’s the rear camera option — rear as in it mounts on the rear of your trailer or boat. You can see what’s behind the trailer as you back up. You can even see what’s behind you on the highway, albeit in five-second chunks before the camera times out. Just press the trailer view button on the center stack LCD and you’ve got five more seconds. One quirk with the system is that if you get the trailer camera option, Chevy removes the front surround camera from the package. (See the blank spot in the upper left of the screenshot above.) Turns out Chevrolet specified a four-port input box for its surround view system (front camera, two sides, rear) and the trailer camera makes five, so the front camera was sacrificed. It sounds as if Chevrolet will find a five-port input device to right this minor wrong.

Electronic bells and whistles ease the tasks even more. With the camera in hitch view, if you shift to park, the parking brake is automatically set. If you have multiple trailers, you can set up to five trailer profiles to track miles driven, mpg, and transmission temperature, and store a brake-gain memory for that trailer. If a would-be thief tries to disconnect the trailer while the truck is locked, the alarm sounds, lights flash, and you get a phone, text, or email alert, so you can call the cops or take the law into your own hands. From the cab, you can monitor trailer-tire pressure. The MyChevrolet Trailer phone apps test each trailer light in sequence so you don’t need a helper.

To save fuel, the gasoline engines offer two kinds of cylinder deactivation on light load. The simpler is automatic fuel management: Half the cylinders shut down when there’s no heavy load. This is for the lower-cost Silverados. New is dynamic fuel management, on midrange and higher-end Silverados. Depending on load, there are 17 patterns of cylinder shutdown. With some, such as one-half or one-quarter load, the same cylinders are deactivated each time. (It doesn’t affect wear, Chevy says.) In the other patterns, different cylinders are shut down depending on engine load, and these patterns are for when the demand for cylinders doesn’t divide evenly into eight. When coupled with a 10-speed automatic, Chevrolet says DFM yields a 5 percent improvement in fuel economy.

The Silverado offers six engines, three automatic transmissions, and two ways to deactivate unneeded cylinders. The 4.3-liter V6 and 5.3-liter V8 with six-speed are for the lower-price “high value” Silverados. The new 2.7-liter inline turbo four with automatic fuel management goes on the mainstream LT and RST. The 5.3-liter V8 with dynamic fuel management and a 10-speed is on the two highest trim lines, LTZ and High Country. The new 3.0-liter inline turbo diesel with 10-speed is on the midrange and high-end Silverados, excluding the off-road Trail Boss trims.

EPA ratings will get the Silverado at least 20 mpg on the highway. The 5.3-liter V8 with rear-wheel drive is rated 17 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 19 mpg combined. The four-wheel-drive 6.2-liter V8 is rated at 16/20/17.

All that power provides towing capacities of 8,000 to 12,200 pounds and payloads of 2,100 to 2,500 pounds. Today’s half-ton trucks haul as much as yesterday’s three-quarter-ton trucks.

The 2019 Silverado has eight trim lines, or model variants, spread over three groups.

High value (3). Work Truck, Custom, and Custom Trail Boss. These get you into a Silverado in the low thirties, before options.

High volume (3). LT, RST (new in 2019), LT Trail Boss (new in 2019). This is where most Silverados are sold.

High feature (2). (That is, high-dollar.) LTZ, High Country. If you’re all about leather, comfort, and overall box-checking, you can surpass $65,000 with the High Country, Chevy’s answer to the F-150 King Ranch edition. One cool option is a tailgate that lowers itself automatically and, with the nudge of your knee (or a hand), raises and latches itself.

The Trail Boss Silverados come from the factory with ride height lifted two inches. There’s electronic hill descent, a two-speed transfer case and locking rear differential, skid plates for the oil pan and transfer case, a heavy duty air filter, 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, and (V8s) dual exhaust outlets.

Despite Chevy’s repeated Ford-bashing for Ford’s aluminum body — vulnerable to dents, Chevrolet says — the Silverado body is 88 pounds lighter, in part because the doors, hood, and tailgate are made of made of, um, aluminum. The safety cage is made of seven grades of steel. Overall, the new Silverado is about 400 pounds lighter. The truck bed offers good storage with extra space on either side of the fenders and multiple fixed tie-down locations. Chevrolet will spray-coat a bed liner at the factory ($650). LED lights and a 120-volt outlet can be had in the bed.

The Chevrolet MyLink system remains exceptionally easy to use, with things people like, such as big rubber knobs and clear menus. OnStar is standard. There can be as many as six USB jacks. The CD player is gone.

Chevrolet has a nearly full set of safety assists and driver assists. That includes forward collision alert, low-speed braking, pedestrian auto-braking, lane departure warning above 37 mph, blind spot detection (Chevy calls it lane change alert with side blind zone alert), and rear cross-traffic alert. Rather than a warning beep, there’s haptic feedback through the safety alert driver seat cushion, an option that indicates hazards to the left versus right.

A head-up display is offered with a virtual 7-by-3 inch screen. Surround vision is available with the quirk (noted above) that if you also order the trailer camera, Chevy takes away the front camera.

The big omission is adaptive cruise control. It really belongs on vehicles that may be traveling long distances. Chevrolet says it’s actively working on ACC for Silverado.

Pickup trucks are big business, mostly outside the major population (read: media) centers. The six full-size pickup trucks from Ford, Chevrolet, Ram, GMC, Toyota, and Nissan accounted for 2.4 million of the 17.2 million light vehicles sold in 2017 (one of every eight sales). Ford, Chevy, and Ram were 1-2-3 in sales, each with more than 500,000 sales and profit margins higher than sedans, crossovers, and SUVs. Ford’s latest F-150 debuted as a 2015 model; the Silverado and Ram will be all-new for 2019. The new Silverado is the 1500 series, what is called a half-ton pickup although they can carry almost 2,000 pounds including passengers. The huskier 1500HD, 2500HD, and 3500HD come later.

Pickup truck buying decisions are often formed by what pickup you own now. Brand loyalty is high; if you own a Silverado now, your next truck will be a Silverado. So Chevy aims for first-time buyers, such as people who bought a boat, a horse, or a gentleman’s farm. That said, the Silverado is so accomplished that owners of other brands should at least stop by the Chevy showroom. The Ford F-150 just go a recent refresh, but the core truck dates to 2014. The Ram should be competitive with its new 2019 models. Only the Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan have competitive challenges against the big three.

In the auto industry, imitation is a very high form of flattery, and many automakers copy each other's technologies, adding just enough of their own proprietary design and unique features to keep the patent attorneys from sending the cease-and-desist orders.

So, it seems a bit strange that no other automaker has introduced a twin-turbo V6 truck engine to compete with Ford's popular 2.7-liter and 3.5-liter EcoBoost motors in the Ford F-150. In fact, if you look at all the other full-size trucks from Toyota, Nissan, Ram and General Motors, you won't find a turbocharged gasoline engine available almost eight years after Ford rewrote the book on what a downsized and boosted truck engine could do.

But that is about to change, although not in the way I expected. After Ford's twin-turbo V6 proved truck buyers would pay a premium for a smaller, more powerful engine, I figured competitive V6 turbos would be out in two or three years from at least Chevrolet and Ram.

Turns out the next gasoline turbo engine will also go where no truck engine has gone before. That would be GM's new 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that can run on two cylinders at light loads. GM knows it can't put a four-cylinder engine in a vehicle designed for work if the engine can't flex some muscles and pull heavy loads. So, GM engineers packed the new engine with as much technology as I have ever seen in a four-cylinder engine.

The list of engineering advances is long and includes a new BorgWarner dual volute turbocharger -- basically a turbo that admits exhaust gases from two ports to get the turbine spinning up to speed faster -- an electric water pump, cylinder deactivation and a very trick valvetrain. And that is why we are gathered here today, to talk about the valvetrain in the new engine.

GM's aim with the 2.7-liter four-cylinder is to deliver a versatile engine that could deliver both high performance and high fuel economy under a wider range of operating modes. One of the chief criticisms of Ford's EcoBoost V6 engines is that, under load, fuel economy suffers. GM is hoping to avoid such a large drop in fuel economy when the 2.7-liter is working hard.

The way the "Tripower" valvetrain operates is one key to the engine's V8-like 310 hp and 348 pound-feet of torque. That rating, by the way, makes the new engine one of the most powerful four-cylinders on the market, joining just eight other four-cylinder engines rated at 300 or more horsepower.

Tom Sutter, chief engineer for the new engine, told me just cranking out a lot of horsepower wasn't the goal when the 2.7-liter was being created specifically for the retooled Silverado and GMC Sierra. If power was the only goal, GM could have simply increased the engine size, used a bigger turbocharger, or tweaked it in other ways.

GM wanted high efficiency to go along with that power. So, in addition to focusing on thermal management and reducing friction, engineers created camshafts that operate in low lift, high lift and cylinder cut-off or active fuel management mode that shuts down two cylinders. But there's more. Not only does the camshaft vary the distance the intake valves open, but cam phasers adjust the timing of when the valves open. In short, GM has created what may be the industry's most versatile variable valve system. It's certainly the first in a truck engine.

The intake camshaft, for example, uses electric device on the intake valves to move a pin to change the cam lobes.

When merging on to a highway, the camshaft operates in high lift mode, which opens the intake valves 10.5 millimeters. When cruising on the highway at a steady speed, say 65 mph, the camshaft is in low lift mode and opens the valves 7.6 millimeters. When active fuel management is operating, the camshafts switch into no lift mode and keep the valves on cylinders two and three closed.

"This is a game that's about making sure we've got not only the performance, which you get from the direct injection, turbocharger and high-lift cam profile, but you can operate at much more efficient conditions with no boost and low lift and AFM modes," says Sutter. "It gives you a lot more range in performance and efficiency. You really don't get the efficiency gain with just the turbocharger."

Here's another interesting feature of the 2.7-liter engine: The effective compression ratio changes based on the amount of fuel and air admitted into the cylinders, says Joe Moon, one of GM's top valvetrain engineers. He said there are two ways to measure compression ratio. The geometric compression ratio is the measurement that accounts for the space above the piston and the stroke volume, which is fixed and does not change. The effective compression ratio changes, Moon said, based on the cam phaser position.

What all this means is that the 2.7-liter has been outfitted with technology that expands the range where it delivers power and efficiency.

GM recently let a few reporters test the new engine -- but only for short drives and without a payload in the bed. So, we don't know how the 2.7-liter performs under duress. If it pulls a heavy load but delivers slightly better fuel economy than a V6 or V8, the four-cylinder could be a tough sell. I can't see many Silverado buyers boasting about having a four-cylinder under the hood -- unless it is a real marvel, much like Ford's EcoBoost V6 was when it debuted.

"GM is priming their buyers with the new 2.7-liter four-cylinder as a sign of what is to come," says AutoPacific analyst Dave Sullivan. "Many smaller manufacturers will move to turbocharged six-cylinder engines. I could see the Lexus LS turbo V6 end up in the Tundra or a version of Nissan's VR turbo six end up in a truck."

Sutter told me GM easily met its fuel-economy goals for the new engine -- but he wouldn't say what they are. The engine's fuel-economy ratings have not been certified by the EPA. GM is expected to launch the new engine later this year.

With the new Silverado shedding up to 450 pounds by using more aluminum and lighter-weight steel, combined with the lower weight of the four-cylinder engine vs. the V-6 it replaces, GM may have another game-changing truck engine on its hands.

"I think GM takes it to another level with their 2.7-liter four," Sullivan says. "GM is saying to Ford, 'I see your V6 and raise you an I4!'"


High horsepower four-cylinder engines:

• Infiniti QX50 VC-Turbo, 2.0-liter: 268 hp
• Chevrolet Camaro, 2.0-liter: 275 hp
• Alfa Romeo Stelvio, 2.0-liter: 280 hp
• Audi S3/ Volkswagen Golf R, 2.0-liter: 296 hp
• Jaguar F-Type, 2.0-liter: 296 hp
• Porsche Boxster 718, 2.0-liter: 300 hp
• Subaru WRX, 2.5-liter: 305 hp
• Honda Civic Type R, 2.0-liter: 306 hp
• Ford Mustang, 2.3-liter: 310 hp
• Volvo XC60, 2.0-liter: 316 hp
• Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra, 2.7-liter: 310 hp
• Ford Focus RS, 2.3-liter: 350 hp
• Porsche Boxster S/Cayman S, 2.5-liter: 350 hp
• Mercedes-Benz CLA AMG45, 2.0-liter: 375 hp

The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Trail Boss represents an appearance package, and isn’t meant to square off against the Ford F-150 Raptor in terms of capability. The logical rival here is instead the Ram 1500 Rebel, which also mostly serves as an appearance package. We eagerly await confirmation of a Silverado ZR2.

Spotting a 2019 Silverado Trail Boss on the road is simple, thanks to the blacked out front fascia, two-inch lifted ride height, and noticeably more beefy Goodyear Duratrac tires. The Silverado Trail Boss can be had from the entry-level Custom trim level and the middle-ground LT trim level. There’s currently no way to get a Silverado High Country Trail Boss, or an LTZ Trail Boss. This also means no power tailgate, nor surround-view camera. Hopefully the trim level limitation on the Trail Boss lifts soon, because we envision a number of 2019 Silverado LTZ and High Country buyers seeking their lift kits and off-road enhancements from the aftermarket otherwise.

A quick off-road loop riddled with divots, logs, ravines and enough mud to make the 2019 Silverado Trail Boss resemble a clay model of itself gave us just a taste of what was possible with this new package. The Goodyears and Rancho shocks performed adequately through the rough log portions, damping the rumble and shake transmitted over the undulating surface area. Equally as important, the front air dam is removed on the Trail Boss, enhancing the approach angle, and the locking rear differential will likely prove vital in low-traction situations. And we never got stuck in the mud.

Ultimately, our conservative test loop in the 2019 Silverado Trail Boss left us yearning for more, as we felt like the limits of the truck remained to be seen, despite the simple improvements from the Z71 package. Again, this is no Raptor rival, but the Silverado Trail Boss will nevertheless help satiate the appetites of the hoards of Silverado customers demanding more off-road ambition from Chevrolet.

Chevrolet’s new four-cylinder 2.7-liter turbo engine will boost the 2019 Silverado pickup’s fuel economy to 20 mpg in the city and 23 on the highway when it goes on sale late this year.

The 2.7L turbo will be standard in Silverado LT and RST models. Prices will start at $36,900, excluding destination charges.

The new engine performed well in short drives around ln the track at GM’s proving ground in Milford this summer.

Chevy says the 2.7L turbo incorporates cylinder deactivation for fuel economy and variable valve lift for performance. Towing capacity is 7,200 pounds and payload 2,280 pounds. An eight-speed automatic transmission will be standard.

Chevy expects the four-cylinder engine to compete with the Ford F-150’s 3.3L V6 and Ram 1500’s 3.6L V6.

The four-cylinder produces 310 horsepower and 348 pound-feet of torque. Both outputs are higher than either V6.

A rear-drive crew cab Silverado LT at 21-mpg combined city/highway fuel economy rating with the 2.7L turbo is 1 mpg less than comparable V6 models of the F-150 and Ram 1500.

2.xToys in heavy vehicles don't work

They should have built a V6 2.7T

Quick question: Are you the fleet manager at your company? No? Then the Chevrolet Silverado 2.7T probably isn't for you. Wait! Keep reading, weekend warrior! You should take a look at it anyway. Why? Because the 2019 Silverado and its 2.7-liter turbo-four are built to work as hard as possible for as little money as possible.

Now the standard engine on the LT and RST trims, the 2.7T effectively replaces the long-running 4.3-liter V-6, which is now only available on the base WT trim for fleets that don't like change. That's your first clue what this engine is about. The next one comes from the window sticker: 310 hp and 348 lb-ft. The old 4.3 produces just 285 hp and 305 lb-ft.

The 2.7-liter's output is also more than the competition offers. Ford's base 3.3-liter V-6 makes 290 hp and 265 lb-ft, while Ram's new mild-hybrid 3.6-liter V-6 makes 305 hp and 269 lb-ft. Point for Chevythere, though both the Ford and Ram out-tow the Chevy by thousands of pounds (7,200 versus up to 12,900) and the Ford can handle about 30-percent greater payload than the other two (3,270 pounds versus up to 2,280).

Other numbers on the window sticker also muddy the water: 18-20 mpg city, 21-23 mpg highway, and 19-21 mpg combined depending on configuration. The old 4.3 in the last-generation truck (the 2019 model hasn't been rated yet) was 17-18 mpg city, 22-24 mpg highway, and 19-20 mpg combined depending on configuration. Not much of an improvement to you and me, but when we're talking about fleets of potentially thousands of vehicles, a one mpg improvement could save big money over the lives of those vehicles. Although Chevy is quick to point out it didn't need a hybrid system to get that fuel economy, the 2.7 does employ auto engine stop/start, variable valve lift, and cylinder deactivation.

But what about the competition? The 3.3-liter F-150 returns 18-19/23-25/20-22 mpg while the 3.6-liter Ram nets 19-20/24-25/21-22 mpg. All right on top of each other, so no real argument for any of them there.

In truth, the Silverado's 2.7-liter engine doesn't make the case for itself on paper. It makes it behind the wheel. Knowing full well it still has 4,700 pounds of truck to move despite the weight lost during the redesign, Chevy engineers tuned this thing for torque, torque, and more torque. Sliding camshafts with different profiles and a small, twin-scroll turbo that gets evenly spaced exhaust pulses from the paired inner and outer cylinders work to make big, steady power throughout the rev range. Throttle response is immediate and turbo lag is imperceptible. Chevy's dyno chart says the torque drops off as it approaches its startlingly low 5,700-rpm redline, but you wouldn't know it from behind the wheel.

Chevy also says it's a full second quicker to 60 mph than the old 4.3, and I believe it. Per our past testing, that would put it at 6.4 seconds, the same as the optional 5.3-liter V-8 and less than half a second behind the big 6.2-liter V-8. Regardless of the number, it feels much more responsive than the 5.3. The two engines share the same eight-speed automatic, but here again the 2.7 shines. Paired with the 5.3, we found the eight-speed clunky and stubborn about shifting down. The 2.7 and the eight-speed, though, feel like they were made for each other. Shifts are buttery smooth, it's always in the right gear, and it's not shy about downshifting when it needs to.

Thing is, it doesn't need to that often. Unless you have your foot to the firewall, the 2.7 rarely sees more than 2,200 rpm as it surfs that wave of torque. Cruising at 70 mph up a seven-percent grade, it hummed right along at 1,700 rpm without a downshift. The cams slide seamlessly into their high-lift profiles, the turbo huffs up some 22 psi, and it just goes with a pleasant snarl and no turbo whistle. Passing uphill, it drops a couple gears and scoots right around whatever's in your way. Going down the other side, it likewise drops a couple gears when you touch the brakes and leans on its surprisingly high 10.0:1 compression ratio to keep you from gaining speed. Critically, at no point does the engine ever feel stressed.

These impressions came with an empty bed and just two guys in the truck—we're eager to see how it handles towing and hauling, but there wasn't an opportunity during this drive.

Chevrolet did, however, provide competitors' trucks for a short back-to-back evaluation. Putting its LT trim against Ford's XLT and Ram's Bighorn, the Silverado 2.7 shined in throttle response and outright power. Ram's 3.6 makes its power up high and has to be wrung out, while Ford's 3.3 just feels slow. On the other hand, the Ram self-reported better fuel economy on Chevy's prescribed driving route than the Silverado, 22.8 mpg to 20.8 mpg (19.8 for the Ford). The Ram's coil-sprung rear axle also rides substantially better, and it has by far the best interior.

That all might influence my decision if I'm buying the truck just for me. But if I'm buying a company work truck, the conversation changes. Chevy's superior bed volume, abundance of hard-mounted tie-downs (three at each corner), and standard bumper steps make it a better hauler. The remote tailgate release in the cab comes in handy. It's also the easiest to tow with, provided you can live with its lower tow rating. The trailer-detecting reverse camera, trailer light test, and trailer tire pressure and temperature monitoring make hooking up and pulling a breeze.

So no, the new Silverado 2.7T wasn't meant for the weekend warrior, and it won't save you a bundle at the pump. This truck is built to save fleet managers money whether they're running five trucks or 500. It might not be the one you put in your own driveway. But if your boss is going to put you in a stripped-down work truck eight hours a day, this is the right tool for the job.

One of the options offered on Chevrolet’s all-new 2019 Silverado is the LTZ Premium Package (RPO Code PDK). Here’s a closer look at the package, its features, as well as availability information.

The 2019 Silverado LTZ Premium Package bundles four several packages, including the LTZ Convenience Package, LTZ Convenience Package II, Safety Package, Safety Package II – as well as a power sunroof and 20-inch polished wheels. Here’s what’s included in each of the four packages:

LTZ Convenience Package (PCZ)

• Bucket seats (A50)
• Center console (D07)
• Heated and ventilated front seats (KQV)
• Rear sliding power window (A48)
• Universal Home Remote (UG1)
• 2 USB ports with auxiliary input (MCZ)
• Power up/down tailgate (QT6)
• Crew Cab models include rear heated seats (KA6)

LTZ Convenience Package II (PCN)

• Chevrolet Infotainment System with Navigation and 8″ diagonal color touch-screen (IOT)
• Bose Premium Audio System (UQA)
• Wireless Charging (K4C)

Safety Package (PQB)

• Front and Rear Park Assist (UD5)
• Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert (UKC)
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert (UFG)
• Front recovery hooks on 2WD models (V76)

Safety Package II (PDJ)

• Forward Collision Alert (UEU)
• Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning (UHX)
• Low Speed Forward Automatic Braking (UHY)
• Front Pedestrian Braking (UKJ)
• IntelliBeam headlamps (TQ5)
• Following Distance Indicator (UE4)
• Safety Alert Seat (HS1)

In short, the LTZ Premium Package essentially gives the 2019 Silverado most of the options available. However, it’s worth noting that the Technology Package is not included in the LTZ Premium Package, though the Tech Package does require the Convenience Package II and Safety Package II for LTZ models.

2019 Silverado LTZ Technology Package contents:

• HD Surround Vision
• Rear Camera Mirror
• 15″ Diagonal Head-Up Display

So while most of the features included in the 2019 Silverado LTZ Premium package cannot be added to the Silverado individually, Chevy does provide the option to pick the various packages individually. It may not be ideal for some, but it is certainly better than an “all or none” approach.

The LTZ Premium package on the 2019 Silverado is assigned RPO code PDK and currently requires the Crew Cab model.

It is not available with LTZ Plus Package (PDF) or LTZ Texas Edition (PDL).

The 2019 Silverado LTZ has a starting price of $50,195 in the Crew Cab / Short Bed configuration and $50,495 for the Crew Cab / Standard Bed setup. The LTZ Premium Package has a discounted price $5,350.

That means that the package is a thousand less than the $6,350 one would typically pay by purchasing each of the features and packages that are included in the bundle individually.

When the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD debuts in February 2019 it will be the most capable and most advanced Silverado HD ever. It will also be the third all-new Silverado model from Chevrolet in just 18 months - each designed for different customers.

"We know the needs and priorities of heavy-duty customers are different than those of either light-duty or medium-duty customers," said Jaclyn McQuaid, chief engineer, Silverado HD. "As such, we built a heavy-duty truck tailor-made for them that has more differentiation than ever before from light-duty models, offers advanced towing technologies to improve towing confidence and includes new features such as the integrated Bedstep, which makes it easier to access the bed while pulling a fifth-wheel trailer."

Built at the Flint Assembly plant in Flint, Mich., the new Silverado HD's design has a bold, sculpted form that follows its enhanced heavy-duty function, differentiating it from the light-duty Silverado. In fact, the 2020 Silverado HD exterior shares only the roof with its Silverado 1500 stablemate - every other piece of sheet metal is exclusive to Silverado HD.

"We set out to make a statement with the 2020 Silverado HD and wanted to visually capture the power and capability of the truck," said Brian Izard, lead exterior designer for Silverado HD. "The result is a truck that looks like a piece of heavy machinery with modern, chiseled finishes and customer-focused details."

The interior benefits from similar architectural changes made to the all-new Silverado 1500, including an additional 3 inches of legroom on crew cab models and a taller, more comfortable seating position.

Under the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD's hood is a choice of two new powertrains: an all-new gasoline engine with direct injection mated to a six-speed transmission, or the Duramax Turbo-Diesel V-8, which delivers 910 lb-ft of torque through an all-new, Allison 10-speed transmission.

The 2020 Silverado HD also will offer all-new customer-focused trailering technology, significant increases in towing and payload capabilities and a host of technologies and features designed specifically for heavy-duty truck customers.

GM's focus on understanding truck customers has helped build the most successful truck franchise in the industry over the last four years. Since introducing the industry's first three-truck strategy with midsize, full-size light-duty and full-size heavy-duty trucks in 2014, GM has been the best-selling truck manufacturer for four consecutive years. The company has sold more than 600,000 pickups than the closest manufacturer from 2014 through the first three quarters of 2018.

That momentum is expected to continue with the launches of the new Colorado ZR2 Bison, all-new Silverado 1500, the all-new Silverado Medium-Duty trucks and now the all-new Silverado HD models.

The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD goes on sale in mid-2019.

Duramax Turbo-Diesel V-8, which delivers 910 lb-ft of torque

Chevy has taken the wraps off the all-new 2020 Chevy Silverado HD High Country.

This trim level sits atop the range of Chevy HD trucks, which will be available in five different trim levels when it launches: Work Truck, Custom, LT, LTZ and High Country.

The new heavy duty was revealed earlier this week to much lambasting from our YouTube commenters about the styling, and while the High Country here still has the same face, thanks to the body color accents along the sides of the grille, this face seems a little less aggressive than the all-chrome face found on the Silverado HD that was initially unveiled.

General Motors has announced the all-new Chevrolet Cheyenne and Silverado for Mexico. The full-size pickups will arrive in Mexico early next year, introducing significant improvements over the outgoing models.

“For a century, we have evolved in the development of alternatives for the changing needs of transportation and cargo of our customers, and with this we have built the most complete portfolio of pickups in the Mexican market that integrates various options such as Tornado, Colorado, Silverado and, of course Cheyenne,” said Ernesto M. Hernández, President and CEO of General Motors de México (in a statement translated from Spanish by GM Authority).

The new trim level strategy that Chevrolet implemented on the all-new 2019 Silverado 1500 in the U.S. market will be particularly appropriate for Mexico, where the brand markets the Silverado pickup via two nameplates:

• Silverado serves as the basic version of the truck focused on the fleet market, while
• Cheyenne is the better-equipped model focused on the retail market

In that regard, the 2019 Silverado in Mexico will be equivalent to the 2019 Silverado Work Truck trim level in the United States. The model features a model-specific, black front fascia design with incandescent headlights, a grille with a horizontal bar and the “CHEVROLET” script.

In Mexico, the 2019 Silverado will be available in Single Cab or Crew Cab bodies along with a single powertrain combination: the 4.3L V-6 LV3 engine making 285 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission in either 4X2 or 4X4 configurations.

Notably, the 2019 Silverado loses the 5.3L V8 engine option that was available in the outgoing, K2-generation Silverado.

Meanwhile, the 2019 Chevrolet Cheyenne is the higher-end Silverado. In the case of the all-new model, it will be available in RST, Trail Boss, LTZ and High Country trim levels. All 2019 Chevrolet Cheyenne models will be available exclusively in the Crew Cab body style and include the up-level front fascias, with more sophisticated headlights plus a grille with a double horizontal bar, in various finishes.

On a mechanical level, the 2019 Chevrolet Cheyenne will be offered exclusively with two eight-cylinder engines:

• The 5.3L V8 L84 making 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque mated to an improved 8-speed automatic transmission, and
• The 6.2L V8 L87 making 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque mated to the new GM 10-speed automatic transmission, exclusive for the Cheyenne High Country

Two engines introduced in the U.S.-market 2019 Silverado – the turbo-charged 2.7L I-4 L3B and the 3.0L I-6 Turbo Diesel LM2 Duramax – will not be available in Mexico, at least for the time being.

The 2019 Chevrolet Cheyenne and Silverado for Mexico will continue to be manufactured at the GM Silao plant in Guanajuato, Mexico and will arrive at dealers during the first quarter of 2019. The brand has yet to disclose pricing for the new trucks.

The Cheyenne name was first introduced in 1971 as the highest equipment level of the second-generation Chevrolet C/K pickup. However, at the end of the 1970s, GM’s Mexican subsidiary decided to commercialize the third-generation C/K as the Chevrolet Cheyenne due to the remarkable success of the C/K in the Cheyenne trim level.

So when GM, in 1998, decided to replace C/K with Silverado for Chevy’s full-size pickup truck line, the Cheyenne name in Mexico already had two decades under its belt, becoming very well-established and achieving high levels of recognition. Because of this, GM decided to keep the Cheyenne name for the Mexican market – which is currently the only country where the Silverado is marketed as the Cheyenne.