RALLY EDITIONS ADD BLACK BOWTIE, NEW ATTITUDE TO 2015 SILVERADO
Chevrolet Silverado Rally Editions bring a sharp new appearance to 1500 double-cab and crew-cab pickups.
The Rally 2 Edition package for 2015 Silverado LT pickups features a body-colored grille with a black bowtie, 22-inch black alloy wheels, black tubular side steps and black mirror caps and door handles. Twin black Rally stripes on the hood and tailgate give the Rally Edition a unique appearance.
Also included will be a trailering package with a hitch and automatic locking rear differential, 10-way power driver seat, dual-zone climate control, remote start, backup camera and rear defroster. The eight-inch Chevy MyLink radio includes a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot with 4G LTE connectivity.
The standard engine for Silverado is a 4.3-Liter EcoTec3 V-6. With 285-horsepower and 305 lb-ft of torque, providing up to 7,200 pounds of towing, based on SAE J2807 Recommended Practices. Like all EcoTec3 engines, the V-6 can seamlessly switch to four-cylinder mode to save fuel under light-load driving, delivering EPA highway estimates of up to 24 mpg.
Also available is a 5.3L Ecotec3 V-8. Rated at 355 horsepower, it provides the best fuel economy of any V-8 pickup, up to 23 MPG EPA highway.
“Silverado won more awards in 2014 than any other pickup, including North American Truck of the Year,” said John Fitzpatrick, Silverado senior marketing manager. “The Rally Edition packages will let customers add an aggressive new look to this great all-around performer.”
Silverado will also offer two Rally 1 packages for 2015. The package for LT Silverados includes a body-colored grill with a black bowtie, black door handles and mirror caps, stripes and 17-inch aluminum wheels. Also included is a trailering package with a hitch and locking rear differential, rear defroster and backup camera.
The Rally 1 Edition package for 2015 Silverado LS models includes the body-colored grille with black bowtie, black door handles and mirror caps and two black rally stripes.
Double-cab Rally Editions can be ordered by Chevrolet dealers nationwide starting on September 4. Crew cabs will be available for order in early October.
Silverado is the most dependable, longest-lasting pickup on the road, and all 2015 Silverados will come with the best pickup coverage in America, including a three-year/36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty, five-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, and two-year/24,000-mile recommended scheduled maintenance.
2015 CHEVROLET AND GMC PICKUPS, SUVS TO OFFER EIGHT-SPEED TRANSMISSION
Chevrolet and GMC have confirmed a new eight-speed automatic transmission will be standard on 2015 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra and GMC Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali models equipped with the 6.2L EcoTec3 V-8.
The GM-developed Hydra-Matic 8L90 eight-speed is approximately the same size and weight as the Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed automatic. Its 7.0 overall gear ratio spread is wider than GM’s six-speed automatic transmissions, providing a numerically higher first gear ratio to help drivers start off more confidently with a heavy load or when trailering. The 8L90 also enables numerically lower rear axle ratios, which reduce engine rpm on the highway.
With 420 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of torque, the 6.2L EcoTec3 V-8 is the most powerful engine offered in any light-duty pickup, and offers a maximum available trailer rating of 12,000 pounds, based on SAE J2807 Recommended Practices. As with other EcoTec3 engines, it seamlessly switches to four-cylinder operation under lighter loads to improve fuel economy.
Additional technical details and the EPA estimated fuel economy will be announced closer to the start of production in the fourth quarter of 2014.
2015 SILVERADO OFFERS CUSTOM SPORT PACKAGE
Inspired by Chevy Custom Sport Trucks that helped launch personal-use pickups
With the new 2015 Silverado Custom Sport special edition, Chevrolet pays homage to one of its most iconic pickups, adding a sophisticated monochromatic look to double- and crew-cab Silverados.
The Custom Sport package features body-colored front and rear bumpers and a body-colored grille surround with a chrome-accented black grille. Other accents include 20-inch chrome wheels, chrome door handles and mirror caps, and chrome body-side moldings. The package also includes projector beam headlamps, tow hooks and heated power-adjusted mirrors.
“The Custom Sport special edition was inspired by Chevy Custom Sport Trucks of the late 1960s,” said Sandor Piszar, Chevrolet Trucks marketing director. “Those CST models added a touch of elegance to a great all-around truck, just like the Custom Sport package for the new Silverado.”
The redesigned 1967 Chevrolet pickup entered the market at a time when trucks were starting to move off the jobsites and into the driveways of cities and suburbs. The 1967 Custom Sport Truck, with its bright trim, plush carpet and bucket seats, helped launch a wave of personal use pickups that continues today.
For the 2015 Silverado, the Custom Sport package will be available as LT and LTZ models, including Z71s. LT models will be available in black or white, while LTZs will come in black or White Diamond Tricoat.
Package prices will vary from $1,950 to $2,950, depending on the model. Dealers can place orders starting this month.
1967 Chevrolet K10 Custom Sport Truck 1967 Chevrolet Custom Sport Truck
CHEVROLET SILVERADO WORK TRUCKS GET BLACKED OUT
DETROIT – Chevrolet is adding a $1,595 Black Out package for regular- and double-cab 2015 Silverado 1500 WT models. It includes 20” black painted aluminum wheels, P275/55R20 all-season blackwall tires, deep tinted glass and black bowties. Prices start at $28,895. The package is available for order now, and customers can have any color they want, as long as it is black.
Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price excludes tax, title, license, dealer fees and optional equipment. Includes dealer freight charges and option package discounts.
SILVERADO CUSTOM: BACK TO BASICS, WITH STYLE
$33,820 starting price for a well-equipped double-cab V-8
Chevrolet takes aim at the heart of the pickup market with the Silverado Custom, which offers Chevy Truck capability and dependability in a stylish package, priced within reach of many truck customers.
“The economic recovery has led to booming sales of high-end pickups like the Silverado High Country,” said Sandor Piszar, marketing director for Chevy Trucks. “But there are also millions of customers in the heart of the market who want a great looking, well-equipped truck at an affordable price. The Silverado Custom is a truck they can be proud to own and proud to drive.”
Based on the popular double-cab Silverado LS, the Custom package adds 20-inch aluminum wheels, chrome bumpers, a body-colored top cap above the front bumper, and chrome mirror caps and door handles. It also features four full doors for easier access to the front and rear seats, a 40/20/40 cloth front seat, tilt steering wheel, cruise control, power windows and door locks, and Chevy MyLink with 4G LTE WiFi.
Most Silverado Custom customers are expected to choose the available 5.3L EcoTec3 V-8, with 355 horsepower and the best fuel economy of any V-8 pickup, up to 23 mpg EPA estimated highway. Silverado Custom also will be available with the 4.3L EcoTec3 V-6, with the most torque of any standard V-6.
All Silverado EcoTec3 engines are direct descendants of the original Small Block Chevy V-8. They feature advanced technologies such as direct fuel injection, continuously variable valve timing and Active Fuel Management, which enable four-cylinder operation during light-load driving for improved efficiency. These engines also benefit from more than 60 years – and more than 100 million engines’ worth – of continuous improvement.
Like all Silverado 1500s, the Custom uses a hydroformed, boxed, high-strength steel frame and a cab structure that makes extensive use of high-strength steels. The Silverado 1500 is the only pickup to receive the highest possible 5-star Overall Vehicle Score for safety since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration changed its New Car Assessment Program for the 2011 model year. Silverado also features a roll-formed steel box, which is lighter and stronger than traditional stamped boxes.
Priorities of these heart-of-the-market customers play to the Silverado Custom’s strength. According to Chevrolet research, these customers:
- Expect to keep their trucks for a long time.
- Want a truck that is as dependable as they are.
- Prefer a stylish exterior and a clean, functional interior.
- Want a vehicle that will be easy to maintain and inexpensive to repair.
“These men and women rely on their trucks every day, and they value things that are tried and true,” said Piszar. “The Silverado Custom is from the most dependable, longest-lasting family of full-size pickups on the road, and we think it is a great choice for hard-working truck customers.”
When equipped with the available 5.3L EcoTec3 V-8 and color-keyed carpeting, both expected to be popular choices, a 2WD Silverado Custom starts at $33,820. A similarly equipped 4×4 starts at $37,800. Dealers can order Silverado Customs starting this month.
Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price excludes tax, title, license, dealer fees and optional equipment. Includes option package discounts. Standard 4G LTE WiFi includes a 3 month/3 GB trial data plan.
FIVE WAYS CHEVROLET BUILDS STRENGTH INTO SILVERADO
From strong frames to advanced small-block engines, Chevy trucks are built to last
DETROIT – Chevrolet Silverado is from the family of the most dependable, longest-lasting full-size pickups on the road. That durability is derived from strength in everything from the foundation on which the truck is built to the engine that pulls it down the road.
“Every element in the Silverado is designed to get the job done for our customers, year after year after year,” said Sandor Piszar, director of Chevrolet Truck Marketing. “We’ve engineered new technologies to take Silverado to higher levels of capability and efficiency, but never at the expense of the trust owners have put in it.”
The 2015 Silverado’s strength can be measured through five core elements:
1. Fully Boxed Frame
Silverado’s fully boxed frame – including main rails and major cross members formed from high-strength steel – provides a rigid base for maximum hauling capability, excellent crashworthiness and the longevity truck customers demand.
The frame comprises three sections: front bay, mid bay and rear bay. The front frame bay uses hydroformed side rails for optimal strength and lower weight. Pioneered by General Motors for full-size trucks 15 years ago, the process uses highly pressurized fluid to shape the frame rails, making them stronger and lighter than comparable welded multi-piece components.
The side rails of the frame’s middle bay are constructed of two pieces of high-strength steel welded to form the sturdy box design. The front bay’s hydroformed rails slip inside the boxed sections of the middle bay 9.4 inches (240 mm), creating a bend-resistant rigid structure, while the rear-bay boxed rail sections are joined to the middle bay with an overlapping, shingle-type construction. A frame-integrated hitch enables maximum trailering capability right from the factory.
Engineers validated the frame’s strength in the lab and in the field. In the lab, Silverado prototypes were mounted by their wheel hubs on a simulator that shook and twisted them with extreme intensity. Outdoors, they were driven over a variety of rough surfaces and swells – including torturous “truck blocks” – inducing natural frequencies and real-world driving conditions that don’t occur in the lab.
2. High-Strength-Steel-Reinforced Body Structure
Silverado’s body structure, which features advanced, high-strength steels, complements the fully boxed frame to enhance its strength and safety performance. High-strength steel contributes to Silverado being the only full-size pickup to earn a 5-Star overall rating in government crash tests.
Approximately 67 percent of the cab is constructed with high-strength and ultra-high-strength steels. They’re used in the A-pillars, B-pillars, rockers and roof rails, as well strategic sections on the interior structure. Ultra-high-strength steel is used in areas of the rocker panels and underbody to help improve crash performance.
High-strength steel can be up to 30 percent lighter than carbon steel with the same strength, offering significant mass savings at a lower cost than aluminum, which helps keep down the overall vehicle cost. Lower weight translates to greater efficiency and capability for truck owners.
3. Tough Cargo Box and Tailgate
Silverado has the industry’s most innovative cargo box and supporting features, including two-tier loading, standard integrated cargo tie-downs, available adjustable tie-down hooks, ergonomically shaped handholds built into box rail protectors and the CornerStep, which enables easier climbing access to the box and to retrieve items from it.
The Silverado’s cargo box floor is made of roll-formed steel that’s stronger and lighter than conventional stamped steel. Lower weight helps control the truck’s overall mass, which enhances efficiency, while the stronger steel bolsters the box’s durability.
The roll-forming process takes a long strip of steel and passes it through a set of rolls, each performing part of the desired bend until the final shape is reached. The process allows the use of higher-strength steel, because the metal does not need to be shaped as much as it does during a conventional stamping process. The process also generates less scrap.
Additional elements that enhances the cargo box’s strength include:
- Spray-on stone protection on the outside of the box offers improved paint protection and corrosion resistance
- Available, factory spray-on bedliner helps protect the bed when hauling cargo
- Box rail protectors are incorporated along the top of the box sides and across the top of the tailgate to protect those areas from damage.
The Silverado’s tailgate was subjected to a load bearing test during development to help ensure it is strong enough for just about anything customers will throw at – or on – it. The test included dropping a 400-pound (181 kg) load in a concentrated area on the tailgate to test the strength and durability of the tailgate panel, torque rods and cables.
The available EZ Lift-and-Lower tailgate eases cargo loading. An internal torsion bar reduces the effort to raise and lower it the tailgate, while a rotary damper allows for a controlled and more gradual lowering motion during opening.
4. Advanced Small-Block Engines
With the ability to operate on four cylinders during light load driving, Silverado’s 5.3L EcoTec V-8 offers the best fuel economy estimates – up to 23 mpg highway – of any truck V-8. Yet this same engine builds on more than 100 million engines’ worth of experience. The Chevrolet’s small-block has been the heart of Chevy trucks for 60 years – and the engine on which generations of truck customers have depended.
The 2015 Silverado 1500 lineup features a trio of fifth-generation small-blocks:
- A 4.3L V-6 SAE-certified at 285 horsepower (212 kW) and 305 lb-ft of torque (413 Nm) – the most torque of any standard V-6
- A 5.3L V-8 SAE-certified at 355 horsepower (250 kW) and 383 lb-ft of torque (519 Nm). With EPA-estimated fuel economy of 23 mpg highway (2WD), it offers the best fuel economy of any V-8 pickup, and beats the fuel economy estimates of the Ford EcoBoost V-6
- A new 6.2L V-8 offers the most powerful engine in any light-duty pickup truck, with SAE-certified 420 horsepower (313 kW) and 460 lb-ft of torque (623 Nm).
Each engine features direct injection, Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) and variable valve timing for power, torque and efficiency across a broad range of operating conditions. Additionally, the proven cam-in-block architecture of the small-block family is less complex and more compact than overhead-cam designs, while providing excellent low-rpm torque – the pulling power truck customers need when starting off with a loaded cargo box or trailer.
5. Long-Lasting Duralife™ Brake Rotors
All Silverado 1500 models have standard four-wheel disc brakes with new Duralife™ brake rotors that offer up to double the service life. They enhance braking performance, too, thanks to a GM-exclusive process that protects against rust that, over time, can lead to steering wheel shudder.
The process involves super-heating the rotors to more than 1,000 degrees F (560 C) for an entire day in a special oven, where the nitrogen-rich atmosphere promotes nitrogen atoms to bond to the rotors’ surfaces, hardening and strengthening them.
The large, vented front brake rotors measure 13 inches in diameter and are complemented by 13.6-inch rear rotors, which enable confident, sure-footed braking performance even with a fully loaded cargo box or when trailering. An engine-driven vacuum pump enhances braking capability, too, through greater brake system boost.
Silverado also features Auto Grade Braking, which uses the engine and transmission controls to slow the vehicle on a long downgrade, helping maintain vehicle speed and reducing the need for the driver to use the brakes.
SILVERADO CUTS COMPLEXITY OF COLLISION REPAIR
Smart design can reduce time, complexity, cost involved with body repair
DETROIT – Collisions can happen anytime, anywhere, and the resulting body damage frequently results in complicated – and expensive – repairs. Not so much the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado, designed to save time and cost during body shop visits.
“Designing automobiles to be both durable and light weight is a challenge for the automotive industry,” said John Van Alstyne, president and CEO of I-CAR, an international organization focused on sharing new repair procedures among automotive repair professionals. “Advanced materials may deliver both qualities, but automakers need to still ensure vehicles are still designed for affordable reparability.”
When development work began on the current generation Silverado several years ago, General Motors’ engineers incorporated several features that allow technicians to efficiently repair collision damage.
“When we design trucks, we don’t only consider what features our consumers demand from a full-size truck,” says Mark Szlachta, a GM serviceability design engineer. “We also approach the process with our technician hat on, ensuring we engineer a truck that is straightforward and cost-effective to repair.”
The Silverado reparability features include:
Front Frame Rail Section
Because of the way Silverado’s front frame rails are engineered, minor impacts don’t necessarily equate to substantial repair bills. Depending on the severity of the impact, technicians may be able to repair a leading section of the truck’s frame instead of replacing the entire chassis. If so, the damaged section can be cleanly cut away at a specific location, and a new service section – shipped fully assembled – can be welded in place.
Structural Front Fenders
On many passenger vehicles, unbolting a damaged front fender removes only the outer skin, leaving behind additional structure welded to the cab. If that structure is damaged, technicians then need to drill out welds in order to remove the panel. On the Silverado, the front fenders incorporate both outer sheet metal and the supporting inner structure, allowing simple unbolting of the entire assembly.
Bond-On Body Panel Procedures
When it comes to replacing non-structural body panels, including outer roof panels or outer door panels, technicians can use an ultra-strong structural adhesive to bond the panels onto the vehicle. This helps avoid welding and possible corrosion issues later while speeding the repair.
Pre-prepared roof panels
Technicians can get replacement panels that essentially plug-and-play, thanks to pre-installed studs and pre-drilled holes for accessories.
One-Piece Body Side Outers
If damage occurs to the outer panels of the cab, technicians can order a complete body side outer, shipped as a single, complete assembly, allowing technicians to cut out and replace only the damaged area instead of the entire assembly. “Our goal is to only have weld seams where we absolutely need them,” Szlachta said.
Flexible Bed Repair Options
If the Silverado’s pickup bed or outer bedside should ever be significantly damaged, owners won’t necessarily need to purchase an new pickup box. Depending on the damage, the outer bedside or the bedside assembly can be replaced from the bed floor out.
