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2007 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Preview

GM Introduces 2007 Pickups

In 1909, a truck from the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company became the first vehicle to climb the now-famous Pikes Peak. That same year, Rapid was bought by a fledgling General Motors Corporation, eventually transforming to become GMs truck-only brand, GMC. Nine years later a successful car company called Chevrolet folded into GM, releasing their first ever pickup truck to celebrate GMs acquisition of the popular brand. Designed to compete directly with Fords Model T; the 1918 Chevy 490 Light Delivery was based on the 490 car, with one exception: there was no cab or body.

Since then GMs truck divisions have come a long

Totally new from the ground up, the GMT900 is an undeniably important vehicle for GM. (Photo: General Motors)

way, with the most recent iteration of the GM full-size truck lineup being introduced to the world earlier this month. Coined GMT900 series, the new Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra light truck lines are GMs most important models; accounting for 30 percent of total sales. As such, these new trucks represent a big gamble on GMs behalf, with

Thus far the new trucks look good on paper, but will it stand up to the rigors of truck life? (Photo: General Motors)

the struggling automaker working hard to recover from the massive (and much talked-about) losses suffered last year and during the first half of 2006. But from the figures on paper, the new Silverado and Sierra look promising; posting class-leading towing capacities and excellent fuel mileage, both important specs in todays hard-working/hard-playing, fuel-conscious society.

Designed

The redesign takes more lengths to seperate the GMC and Chevy derivatives than in past models. (Photo: General Motors)

to be slightly more dissimilar from one another than in previous years, the Silverado and Sierra benefit from styling that, while sharing a modicum of family resemblance, is unique enough to make both models distinctive. The GMC, for example, has a bold rectangular grille above its square-jawed wraparound bumper, as opposed to the Chevys bisected mouth that houses the largest bowtie ever produced (seriously) above a more sporting looking snout. Additionally,

The GMC Sierra Denali is especially handsome. (Photo: Dan Fritter, American Auto Press)

the two trucks hoods are also unique, with both sharing the GM-trademark "Powerdome" design, yet with the GMC using a faux-scoop design to break up the expanse of steel while the Chevy relies on a pair of 57 Chevy Bel Air-esque strakes to accomplish the same task. Finally, the front ends are capped off with the new trucks most distinct features: the headlight designs. After relying on two separate sealed beams for decades, the new trucks revert to a single headlight design that wraps around the fender and, in the case of the

The GMT900 uses a nifty one-piece box that includes the wheelwells, meaning gunky seal sealer is no longer required. (Photo: Dan Fritter, American Auto Press)

Silverado, flows into the noticeably chiseled fender flares, while the GMCs lights complement the Sierras squared-off grille with equally geometric headlight buckets behind the lenses (the Chevys are oval).

Both trucks flanks are equally distinctive, with the Silverado continuing the heavy-set theme started by the grille with big, cinder block fender flares both front and back, while the Sierra prefers more low-key and arguably better-looking flares that are just as aggressive, but not nearly as obtrusive as the Silverados.

Both

The new box is tougher too, and the large wheelwells promise plenty of room for big, off-road tires, especially on the capable Z71 model. (Photo: Dan Fritter, American Auto Press)

trucks share the same rakish 57-degree windshield angle that works in concert with sufficiently smaller gaps (thanks to tighter tolerances and a torsionally stiffer chassis, the formerly huge gap between the bottom of the grille shell and the top of the bumper has actually been cut in half) to reduce the big trucks coefficient of drag. Those smaller gaps are also prevalent on the fender, door, and especially the box-to-cab gap, which is also reduced by half, giving the new GM pickups a much more solid appearance.

Moreover, the more exacting manufacturing processes have allowed GM to produce a stronger

The GMT900 has one, but two interiors to choose from, this one being the base-models "pure pickup" design. (Photo: General Motors)

box than ever before. Available in short, regular and long box configurations (to complement the regular, extended, and crew cab models), the bed is a new one-piece design that tosses out the old models separate wheel housings and all the associated sealer. Additionally, the one-piece design saves space that in turn correlates into a box thats deeper by about 1.5 inches overall.

Inside, the new GMT900 pickups continue the GM tradition of car-like luxury in full-size trucks, but with a twist. First off, theres the "pure pickup" interior standard on all base and mid-level Sierra and Silverado models. Featuring a dash layout similar to the popular outgoing models, the new base-level

The upscale interior comes from the new GM SUVs and it looks really, really good. (Photo: General Motors)

cabin also sports larger door pulls and special door panels, as well as a unique lockable storage bin underneath the center seat position that has a capacity of 0.3 cu-ft and has a built-in 12-volt socket for plugging in cell phones, laptops and the like. The dash supplements that storage area with not one, but two glove boxes; one upper and one lower. Extended cab models also feature windows that roll all the way down into the 170-degree opening doors and a power sliding rear window.

Opting for the upscale models nets the premium interior that totally revises everything from the dashboard to the seats. With an SUV-inspired dashboard, the more luxurious interior is well appointed, with wood grain accents on the doors, center stack, and dash, with the power

The Silverado and Sierra boast bigger, stronger frames that up the tow rating to an impressive 10,500 pounds. (Photo: Dan Fritter, American Auto Press)

adjustable and heated front seats now covered in rich leather and the middle position deleted in favor of the industrys largest center console storage big, measuring a gargantuan 0.7 cu-ft. This premium interior, mind you, deletes the cool double glove box, replacing it with a larger single box design, and moves the gauge cluster even farther down and away for a more commanding view of the road. The range-topping Sierra Denali edition also adds deeper-pile carpeting and a covered center console plus cupholder openings alongside unique trim pieces including special wood trim, and revised steering wheel and gauge cluster designs.

All of these upgrades ride on the new, fully-boxed and hydroformed frame that is 234 percent stiffer than the outgoing models. Providing wider front and rear tracks, the new truck also

The plethora of engine options, drivetrain choices, and suspensions mean the GMT900s should offer something for everyone. (Photo: Dan Fritter, American Auto Press)

benefits from the application of coil-over shocks that allowed GMs suspension engineers to better tune the ride for more comfort and control; something weve already experience in the GMT900-underpinned SUVs; Tahoe, Suburban, Avalanche, Yukon, Yukon XL and the Cadillac Escalade in its various forms.

That car-like ride is supplemented further by the rack-and-pinion steering that should make the new trucks much more precise and provide better feedback than the old models, while the whole package is finished off with a Hotchkiss-type rear suspension that splays the rear shocks outwards for both better ride characteristics (think less body roll) and increased payload (a max of 2,160 pounds) as well as a class-leading towing rating of 10,500 pounds.

Of course, a tow rating like that doesnt happen without some serious power, and the new GMs certainly arent

Unique to the Denali is a 400 horsepower 6.2L sourced from the Escalade. (Photo: Dan Fritter, American Auto Press)

left wanting in that department. With a plethora of V8 engines and a singular V6, Silverado and Sierra buyers can choose from 195 horsepower all the way up to 400. Starting at the small end of the scale, the 4.3L Vortec-headed V6 soldiers on, providing a fleet-friendly (and gas miserly) 195 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque.

A step above, the 4.8L V8 is the smallest displacement V8 available in the full-size pickup line, and promises 100 more horsepower than its V6 brother. Torque, however, is only up 45 lb-ft from the 4.3L.

Next up, four 5.3L V8s promise identical power and torque ratings (315 horsepower, 338 lb-ft of torque) while giving the buyer the option of an aluminum or iron block as well as the option of running E85 ethanol or regular unleaded.

If thats not enough to get the job done, a 6.0L V8 sits as the top-of-the-line engine within GMs entry-level half-ton lineup, providing 367 horsepower and 375 lb-ft

These new trucks have big shoes to fill, and an important role to play in GM resuscitation, to say the least. (Photo: Dan Fritter, American Auto Press)

of torque. Available on the upper-echelon Chevys and GMCs, this motor is second only to the Sierra Denali-specific 6.2L V8. Sourced from the Cadillac Escalade, this huge motor produces 400 horsepower and a mammoth 417 lb-ft of torque, and is sure to be a popular choice among those looking for a seriously fast, but still useful, truck. All the 5.3L and larger V8s include GMs Active Fuel Management cylinder deactivation system for increased fuel economy, while a pair of four-speed automatics with sufficiently long gearing help the 4.3, 4.8, 5.3 and 6.0L engines get comparatively good gas mileage. The Denalis 6.2L comes with a six-speed autobox that includes an even longer 6.04:1 overall ratio.

As the heir to the GMT800 throne, these new trucks have some big shoes to fill. Also, accounting for such a large portion of GMs sales (the two brands actually sell more 1500s combined than Ford sells F-150s), they have an equally important role to fulfill within the Generals ranks; however, its questionable as to whether

Heres the one they dont want you to see yet; rumored to debut in five months time, the? Heavy Duties improve on the new trucks chiseled looks. (Photo: Dan Fritter, American Auto Press)

or not these trucks can boost the Generals bottom line to the level it needs lifting. With gas prices climbing, GM has really missed an opportunity to introduce more efficient diesels into their light-duty pickup lineup (heavy duty models are rumored to show in five months time), and the old Hybrid, as unsuccessful as it was, is nowhere to be seen. Although the Active Fuel Management system does endow the 5.3L and larger engines with very respectable fuel economy figures, General Motors needs to do better than respectable to dig themselves out of the hole theyre in.

Chrysler found solace in the critically acclaimed 300C and Magnum designs, while Fords savior is the retro-themed Mustang, and to some extent the new Fusion; not to mention the in-your-face F-series. In comparison the new GMT900s look relatively conservative, and without drawing on some serious heritage a la DCXs HEMI marketing machine, these trucks will really need to redeem themselves with their real-world performance, capability, and comfort; all of which you can bet well be testing as soon as possible.

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