The pickup truck wars wage on, and the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado has fired a shot at Ford and Ram. The Silverado 1500, and its GMC Sierra 1500 cousin, feature best-in-class power figures for a light-duty pickup equipped with a diesel engine.
General Motors announced at the 2019 Silverado's debut at the 2018 North American International Auto Show that a 3.0-liter Duramax inline-6 turbodiesel engine would be introduced for the new pickup. At the time, the automaker was also confident it would have the best-performing diesel engine for the segment. Chevrolet confirmed with Motor Authority the engine will make an SAE-certified 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, which tops Ford's Powerstroke V-6 and Ram's EcoDiesel V-6. Ford's diesel engine makes 250 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque, while Ram's rival engine was rated at 240 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque in the last-generation Ram 1500.
2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Ram is prepping a new EcoDiesel engine, which leaves room for the brand to outdo Chevrolet and GMC. For now, though, Chevrolet and GMC are on top.
The 3.0-liter Duramax inline-6 turbodiesel rounds out a wide range of engine options for the 2019 Silverado and Sierra. The old 4.3-liter V-6 remains, but it's relegated to Work Truck models. In its place as the base engine for most models is a new 2.7-liter turbo-4. The 5.3-liter V-8 also remains and may be had with GM's new Dynamic Fuel Management, which can shut down as many as six cylinders to save fuel in light load conditions. The 6.2-liter V-8 sits at the top of the powertrain hierarchy.
2019 GMC Sierra
According to an Automotive News (subscription required) report on Tuesday, the diesel engine will be paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and cost $2,495 more than the 5.3-liter V-8. Buyers will face a $3,890 upcharge when selecting the diesel engine over the standard 2.7-liter turbo-4. Chevrolet said it will share more information about towing and payload capabilities, plus fuel efficiency, at a later date.
The first Silverados with the diesel engine should reach customers this summer.