Not to be outdone by Ford’s unveiling of its new Super Duty pickups yesterday, General Motors has taken the wraps off its new heavy duty pickups with the unveiling of the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado HD and the GMC Sierra HD.
The first thing you’ll notice about these new 2500/3500 pickups is that they share the exterior redesign of the Silverado and Sierra 1500. As we detailed in a past report, though the design of the new trucks looks bigger, it’s actually a lot more aerodynamic. That’ll come in handy with fuel economy and while towing. GM says the exterior also improves on cooling which helps in providing more consistent engine power under tough conditions.
Three powertrains will be available for both the Silverado HD and Sierra HD. The base package is a 6-liter Vortec V-8 with a six-speed transmission delivering 360 horsepower and 380 lb.-ft. of torque on the 2500. A version rated at 322 horsepower is standard for the 3500. The second package is a bi-fuel version of the Vortec V-8 that accepts gasoline and compressed natural gas (CNG).
The third package pairs the Duramax 6.6-liter turbodiesel with an Allison 1000 six-speed transmission. This combination is rated at 397 horsepower and 765 lb.-ft. of torque.
GM says the new models boast payload improvements over their predecessors. Maximum available payload is now 7,374 pounds, up from 7,222. Maximum available conventional towing is now 19,6000 pounds, up from 18,000 and max fifth-wheel towing is up to 23,200 pounds from 22,500. GM says each of these ratings is best in class.
The new HD pickups gain all the same interior improvements as the refreshed 2014 Silverado and Sierra. Plus, interior cruise control, Auto Grade Braking and diesel exhaust brake are available options for improved towing. GM’s StabiliTrack with Trailer Sway Control is now standard on all Silverado and Sierra HDs.
No pricing or fuel economy numbers were announced but stay tuned. Don’t miss the photo gallery below. Click to enlarge and hit your browser’s back button to return to the gallery.