Ten things to love about the new Silverado and Ram
AS SLIPPERY THROUGH THE WIND AS AN EEL IN WATER.
The start of 2018 has given us a glimpse into 2019 and beyond with the introduction of two new models of the most popular vehicles in Canada: the allnew Chevrolet Silverado and Ram pickups. Presented at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this month, the two new trucks will arrive late this summer, giving the perennial best- selling pickup- maker — Ford — a run on its aluminum fortress, and other truck-makers plenty to think about.
The new trucks are not just gussied up versions of their former selves, but offer real improvements in design and engineering. Here are the five features we love most about the 2019 Silverado and five more for the 2019 Ram.
2019 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
Design: Lighter by about 200 kilograms and riding on a new frame, the fourth- generation Silverado gains a blunt, locomotive front with a tall hood and thoroughly modern headlamp t reatment. Arched creases down the body sides enhance the truck’s profile. Aluminum is used in the hood, doors and tailgate. The shortbed has been widened by 17 centimetres, able to swallow 4 X 8 sheets between the wheel wells. The taller bed also gets three tiedown anchors on each corner. Unique box bins — accessed from the inside the box so the paint doesn’t get scratched when loading things in — will be optional. While the interior is not a major advance, it has been tidied up with better space utilization, save for the oldstyle column shifter (which frees up console space).
Diesel engine: Spy shots seen months ago, suggested GM was testing a diesel half- ton, but the Detroit show confirmed it. A 3.0-L in- line six diesel touted as having “best-in-class power” should return close to 300 horsepower and more than 450 pound- feet of torque if it is to beat the Ford diesel debuting in the F-150 this year. One of six engine options, the “baby Duramax” as it has been dubbed, will be built at GM’s Flint Engine Operations plant in Michigan. A straightsix configuration is inherently smoother than a V6, and Cummins and others have used the architecture successfully for years. Fuel economy will be superior to most gasoline counterparts, able to get by on only 8-9L/100 km highway.
10- speed transmission: Used in the 650-hp Camaro ZL1, Ford Raptor and 2018 GMC Yukon Denali, the 10- speed automatic that will be mated to some engines in the 2019 Silverado is intended for hightorque applications, with a capacity of at least 650 lb-ft. Small steps between each ratio maximize engine power under acceleration, while a lower numerical top gear helps improve efficiency. For now, the 10-speed will be available on trucks with the 6.2-L and 3.0-L diesel, and includes start/stop technology.
Power tailgate: The Silverado is the first truck to offer a tailgate that powers open and shut by itself. It opens or closes with buttons on the tailgate, the key fob or a button in the cab. Standard on the top- level High Country, the power gate is an option on other higher trims. Some models will also have a builtin LED light, handy when hooking up a trailer at night. Other tailgates are damped for a soft opening.
Trailboss and other trims: Because the use of chrome is subjective — some argue you can’t have enough shiny bits while others say there should be no chrome whatsoever on a truck — and because people use their trucks so differently, the Silverado will come in eight styles. A new Trailboss, with factory- installed two-inch lift, off-road equipment including locking rear differential, skid plates, Rancho shocks, 18- i nch wheels and Goodyear Duratrac off-road tires, joins seven other models that range from Work to High Country.
2019 RAM 1500
Big touch screen: A huge, 12- inch touch- screen display available as an option is the biggest in the segment. Heck, the standard- issue touch screen is 8.4 inches, and base trucks get a five- inch screen. The new Uconnect system makes personalization easy with a split screen, and it is able to display different applications, such as navi-
gation on top and HVAC below (redundant controls are located on both sides of the display).
A 360- degree surround- view camera gives a big, birds- eye view via four cameras on the truck. And it brings the most powerful audio system ever available in a pickup: a 900- watt Harman Kardon setup with 19 speakers.
Luxurious interior: Long considered the benchmark for truck interiors, the Ram picks up where it left off. An excellent use of materials joins a revamped centre console with 12 storage combinations. Wireless charging is optional and the centre armrest is configurable. The park brake is electronic, the rotary e- shifter dial has been redesigned to group features, such as engine stop- start and 4WD controls. Still no paddle shifters for the eightspeed transmission, but revised steering-wheel buttons instead.
Mild hybrid power: A 48- volt, beltdriven generator on both the 3.6L Pentastar V6 and 5.7- L Hemi V8 adds up to 90 lb-ft of torque to the V6 and 130 lb- ft to the Hemi’s V8. The electric motor is also used to start the truck and power it during idle/stop, as well as help charge the traditional 12V system. Mounted where the traditional alternator would go, the e-Torque system should improve fuel economy by about 10 per cent, according to FCA. The system is standard on the V6 and optional on the V8, but not available on the diesel.
Bigger, roomier cabin: Cab length has increased four inches ( 10 cm) overall to make rear- seat legroom among the best in the segment. Front and rear doors are now one inch ( 2.5 cm) larger on Crew Cab configurations.
A flat floor should make storing tools and carrying gear easy. Folding up the rear bench seat yields 20 L of additional storage space with under-seat compartments. In addition, covered in- floor storage bins are 5.5 inches (14 cm) longer.
Best- in- class aerodynamics: Aerodynamics were key in the design of the new Ram, which helped lower its drag coefficient to 0.357, about as lithe as a Toyota Camry. Active grille shutters, a standard front air dam that automatically extends downward 2.5 inches, and optional air suspension all work to make the new Ram as slippery through the wind as an eel in water. Bed rails raised by 1.5 inches (3.7 cm) help reduce drag, as does a new spoiler on the new aluminum tailgate.