2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra

2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra The General has yet to divulge an alpha-numeric project number for the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and 2014 GMC Sierra pickup trucks that will replace the GMT900 series models next year.

2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra

2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra

2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra

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2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra

(It replaced the GMT800 in 2007.) The conservative restyling and the frame architecture's common suspension pickup points might suggest GMT925 or 950, but at least the styling differentiation between the Silverado and Sierra is considerably greater, and the increased use of high-strength and hydroformed steel helps lighten the frame and increase the cab's rigidity. There's also an additional wheelbase to underpin a crew-cab/6.5-foot bed, and all three available engines are new. Maybe 975 or 1000 is warranted after all?  Let's start with the newly dubbed EcoTec3 engines for the 2014 Sierra and Silverado, which have familiar displacements -- 4.3 liters for the V-6; 5.3 and 6.2 for the V-8s -- but all now feature aluminum block and head architecture, variable valve timing, direct injection, and even Active Fuel Management for V-4 operation at lighter loads. Yes, even the V-6 runs as a V-4, and will claim best-in-class torque of any base V-6. It also becomes a mainstream engine choice, available in every cab and box configuration with rear- or four-wheel-drive. The 5.3 gains power and torque and is expected to widen its fuel-economy lead relative to competitor V-8s. The 6.2 is optimized for towing and hauling. Engineers claim it will top the power, torque, and tow ratings of any true half-ton truck, but no official specifications have been released for the new Silverado and Sierra as of yet. They have also challenged us to compare fuel economy of all models against similarly equipped competitors while towing and hauling, claiming their traditional non-turbocharged engines should deliver superior real-world consumption along with lower ownership costs.
Other interesting engine features include a cam-driven direct-injection fuel pump located in the valley for packaging efficiency and reduced noise; variable-displacement oil pumps that reduce parasitic losses at idle and low loads; oil jets to cool the pistons for sustained heavy-duty operation; and cross-bolted main-bearing caps for durability. The V-8 combustion chambers are closely related to those of the Corvette engine, and were tuned with 6 million hours of processor time to promote stable combustion under all conditions with less detonation so the engines can consistently run with greater spark advance for improved efficiency. Why run in V-4 mode instead of a more even-firing V-3 on the 4.3-liter? Two reasons: insufficient torque, and running just one cylinder on one bank lets the catalyst cool off too much. (That's probably why Honda's V-6 runs in both V-3 and V-4 modes.) Don't expect the V-6 trucks to spend as much time in V-4 mode as the V-8s can, especially the 6.2. All engines are backed by a six-speed automatic, and larger 9.50 and 9.76-inch rear axles on V-8 models enable towing increases to match the improved torque outputs.   Chassis-wise, the front suspension arms are aluminum and the springs are stiffened to improve ride quality and stopping distances. Also toward that aim, four-wheel Duralife discs are standard, and featuring ferritic nitrile material that prevents the discs from rusting for longer life and quieter stopping. In back there’s no revolutionary swap to coil or air springs, but retuned leafs and bushings improve handling, and twin-tube shocks are said to cushion the small bumps more plushly. The Z71 4x4 off-road suspension features Rancho shocks and hill-descent control. Electric power steering improves fuel economy, parking-speed assist levels, and highway-speed on-center feel. New shear-style cab mounts reduce the vibration transmitted from the chassis to the occupants, and we’re assured the truck’s overall dynamics are improved with no loss in capability. One major goal for the 2014 Silverado and Sierra was to improve cabin refinement, and toward that end, the door frames have shrunk so their (triple-sealed) gaps are more out of the wind for claimed lowest-in-class cabin noise at highway speeds. Extended cab models have independent-opening front-hinged rear doors, and crew-cab models get shorter front and longer rear doors to provide 4 inches of additional "foot swing" room between the seat and B-pillar. Heated cloth seats are offered for the first time on a pickup. There's also an extra 2 inches of rear legroom. Customers begged for more interior stowage space, so the glove box grows, door pockets are enlarged, and the center console is configured to accept hanging file folders. Multiple USB ports and a 110-volt plug are provided, and all trucks get either a 4.2-inch or 8-inch color information screen, with MyLink (Chevy) or IntelliLink (GMC) available. Safety tech includes an available camera-based forward collision alert system, and lane-departure warning via safety-alert seat buzzing. Front park assist is also new. Expect GMC's Denali model and other upscale options to go after Ford's King Ranch/Platinum and Ram's Laramie Longhorn lux business.   The pickup box features roll-formed steel in the floor for improved strength and dent resistance relative to typical stamped floors. Tie-down hooks are good for 500 pounds each, and optional corner steps in the rear bumper and hand grips in the bed rail ease access to the bed. Under-rail LED lighting is available to illuminate items stowed under a tonneau cover, and an optional torsion-bar reduces the effort required to lower or raise the tailgate. A factory spray-in bed liner is likely to be offered. Official drives of the new Silverado and Sierra are still months away, and clearly GM has taken a cautious evolutionary step (GMT999?), but with improved interior refinement, great engines, 13 million durability miles under its belt, and no frightening new unproven technologies at play, the GM faithful are sure to line up for these new trucks, whatever they're called internally.