THE SILVERADO LINEUP
The Silverado 1500 range includes regular cab and two four-door cabs – the double cab and crew cab – body styles, all offered with 4WD. Models and trim levels include:

• WT – available on all three cab styles and configurations
• LS – available on all three cab styles and configurations
• LT – offered in 1LT and 2LT trims; 1LT available on all three cab styles and configurations and 2LT is available only with 4WD
• LTZ – offered in 1LZ and 2LZ trims on double cab and crew cab; 1LZ offered in 2WD and 4WD; and 2LZ offered in 4WD only
• High Country – offered exclusively on the crew cab – 2WD and 4WD.
  Regular cab models are offered with a 6’6” box or an 8’ box. Double cab models are available exclusively with the 6’6” box, while crew cabs are available with a 5’8” box or the 6’6” box. 

The entire lineup is available with a number of features engineered for serious towing, including the available NHT max trailering package, which features a 9.76-inch rear axle, heavy-duty rear springs, unique shock tuning, enhanced cooling and an integrated trailer brake controller to optimize capability and comfort when trailering.
And along with configurations to suit just about every need, Silverado can be tailored to the way customers use full-size pickups, providing the power, efficiency, refinement and dependability:

• Range of powerful and efficient EcoTec3 engines, including a 4.3L V6 rated at 212kw (285hp), a 5.3L V8 rated at 250kw (355hp) and the 6.2L V8 rated at 313kw (420hp)
• Maximum Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 3,447kg (7,600lb)
• Maximum payload rating of 1,025kg (2,260lb) – with the NHT max trailering package
• Maximum trailering rating of 5,443kg (12,000lb) – with the NHT max trailering package.

ECOTEC 3 POWERTRAINS
The Silverado’s trio of EcoTec3 engines – a 4.3L V6, 5.3L V8 and 6.2L V8 – is designed to balance confident performance with efficiency. Each features direct injection, Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) and continuously variable valve timing to make the most of power, torque and efficiency across a broad range of operating conditions:

• The 4.3L V6 is rated at 212kw (285hp) and 413nm (305lb-ft) of torque – the most torque of any standard V6.
• The 5.3L V8 is rated at 250kw (355hp) and 519nm (383lb-ft) of torque. It offers the best fuel economy of any V8 pickup.
• The 6.2L V8 is the most powerful engine offered in any light-duty pickup truck, with 313kw (420hp) and 623nm (460lb-ft) of torque. It is available with LTZ and High Country, and matched with the 8L90 eight-speed transmission.

At the heart of the EcoTec3 engine family is an advanced combustion system that maximizes the potential of the direct fuel injection system, cylinder deactivation, continuously variable valve timing and other technologies. The ability to more precisely control combustion also enables the engines to run with a higher compression ratio – 11.0:1 for the versions with regular fuel recommended. Higher compression is one of the best ways to simultaneously boost power and efficiency.The Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed automatic transmission is matched with the 4.3L and 5.3L engines in WT, LS and LT models. Silverado LTZ and High Country models with the 5.3L and 6.2L engine are matched with the 8L90 eight-speed automatic. 
The GM-developed Hydra-Matic 8L90 is roughly the same size and weight as the 6L80 six-speed automatic. Its 7.0 overall gear ratio spread is wider than GM’s six-speed automatic transmissions. That provides a numerically higher first gear ratio, helping 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.

CAPABILITY AND CONTROL
The Silverado 1500 is engineered to deliver great capability with great refinement, with a quiet, controlled ride, great steering and braking feel – attributes that provide driving confidence when using the truck’s capability to its fullest.  
A fully boxed frame with the main rails and major cross members formed from high-strength steel provides a rigid base for maximum hauling capability, great noise and vibration isolation and excellent crashworthiness.  The stiff chassis enables more precise tuning of the front and rear suspensions, for a more responsive feel with smoother performance and less vibration and shake, particularly on harsh terrain. 
All Silverado 1500 models – 2WD and 4WD – feature a coil-over-shock independent front suspension design. A Hotchkiss-type axle/rear suspension design delivers the load-sharing strength and flexibility that truck owners have relied on for decades. A lineup of more robust axles is used with two-stage, semi-elliptical multi-leaf springs, complementing the higher-torque powertrains to deliver maximum strength under load. It includes:

• An 8.6-inch axle with V6 models offered with a 3.23 ratio in 2WD models and a 3.42 ratio with 4WD
• A larger, 9.5-inch axle is used with 5.3L. A 3.08 ratio is standard with the 5.3L and a 3.42 ratio is optional
• On models with the eight-speed automatic transmission, a 3.42 axle ratio is standard with the 5.3L; and a 3.23 axle is standard with the 6.2L engine
• A high-capacity 9.76-inch axle is matched with 6.2L-equipped models and is part of the available Max Trailering Package, which is also available with the 5.3L engine.

For owners whose work or recreation takes them off road, the Z71 Off Road package – on 2LT and 2LZ trims with 4WD – mixes aesthetic cues with greater capability, including 46mm monotube Rancho shocks, front tow hooks, Hill Descent Control, a transfer case shield and standard 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tyres. Twenty-inch wheels and all-terrain tyres are also available. 
Additional standard and available chassis and suspension features:

• Hill Descent Control is engaged by the driver and uses the anti-lock braking system to enable a smooth and controlled descent in rough terrain. It is included with the Z71 suspension package.
• Automatic locking rear differential reacts in milliseconds in low-traction situations to improve safety and confidence on wet, snowy or muddy surfaces. Without driver input of any kind, the rear axle engages when a wheel speed difference of 100 rpm or more is detected between the left and right wheels, providing instant traction for confident driving. During normal driving conditions, the differential functions as a conventional light-bias limited-slip axle. It is standard on Z71 and LTZ trims. It is included with the NHT Max Trailering Package and is available on other models.
• Electric variable-assist power steering is standard on all models. It reduces steering effort at low speeds. Because there is no engine-driven pump, electric power steering also saves fuel and eliminates the maintenance associated with hydraulic power steering.
• Four-wheel disc brakes. The large, vented front brake rotors measure 13 inches in diameter and are complemented by 13.6-inch rear rotors.
• Duralife™ brake rotors offer up to double the service life. A GM-exclusive process protects against rust that, over time, can lead to steering wheel shudder. It 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.
• StabiliTrak electronic stability control system is standard on all Silverado 1500 models, working in concert with the four-wheel-disc brake system and four-channel ABS to provide more precise and controlled ABS stops, greater traction and excellent cornering stability. It also incorporates rollover mitigation technology, which anticipates tip-up conditions – such as fishtailing – on a flat road surface and rapidly applies brake pressure to help reduce the likelihood of a rollover.
• Trailer sway control is also standard and works with StabiliTrak to provide an added measure of confidence when towing a trailer. It senses conditions of trailer sway and, without input from the driver, intervenes with braking and/or reduced engine power to bring the trailer under control and keep it on its intended path. The system will use electric trailer brakes when a trailer is plugged into the standard wiring harness.  
• Integrated trailer brake controller and hill start assist are two more solutions that help owners do their work with greater confidence and less hassle. The trailer brake controller allows the driver to adjust the amount of output available to the electric trailer brake and to manually apply the brakes. With hill start assist, the brakes hold for about 1.5 seconds on grades of 5 percent or greater when the driver takes his or her foot off the brake pedal, preventing rollback for a more confident take-off on hilly terrain – especially with a trailer. 

The Max Trailering Package is available on 2WD and 4WD V8 crew cab and double cab models and includes a 9.76-inch rear axle, heavy-duty rear springs, revised shock tuning for increased control, enhanced cooling and an integrated trailer brake controller. Also included is the G80 locking rear differential, a trailer hitch and bumper-mounted four- and seven-pin connectors.