I don’t need a Silverado 3500HD. I live in the city and own neither a mansion nor a yacht. But, if I did, this is the truck. Look at those haunches. They’re not just buff for showing off, but are designed to put power to the pavement expeditiously. Ask any locomotive engineer and they will tell you that moving a heavy load is a matter of traction and applying that traction with grace that belies the Silverado’s massively stylish stance.
General Motors really knows how to shape a truck. The Silverado looks tough with its curved chrome grille, stacked headlamps, and extended trailering mirrors, but also has a smooth aero look that greets the wind as friends. Steel wheels with an uncountable number of lug nuts makes it clear the truck has come to work. You’re sure of its intensions and abilities when you see the flared rear wheelwells.
If the dualie rear fails to move your freight, let the available four-wheel-drive system help things along. A switch on the dash easily changes from two-wheel-drive to 4Hi and 4Lo. Zeus his godly self couldn’t stop the Silverado in 4Lo. A foot of snow, muddy road, or small boulders wouldn’t even tame this animal. I should know - I tamed 6” of the white stuff without the truck losing its cool.
The soul of the beast is a 6.6-litre V8 turbo diesel, connected to an Allison 6-speed automatic transmission that generates a tub-thumping 397-HP and 765 lb.-ft. of torque. Those two options will add $8,395 to the 3500’s considerable sticker, but if serious hauling is on the menu, they are a fair price for the main course. To save some coin, you could stick with the standard 360-HP 6.0-litre gas V8. If you’re going to go full-loco, get the diesel. Once at speed, big torque combined with a smooth turbo is absolutely delightful – like flying a jet powered by Hercules. I’ve seen 18-MPG on the highway, which is amazing for a truck of this size. Chevrolet claims the 36-gallon tank is good for a range of 680 miles, or roughly the distance from Houston to Oklahoma City and back to Dallas.
This muscular roadliner can tow up to 21,700 lbs or carry 6,635 lbs. in its bed. A friend suggested I should put my Smart in back in case I needed smaller transport in town. He lacked vision. By weight, I could actually stack over 3.5 Smarts in the bed or tow 12 behind! Chevrolet gives credit for this ability to an all-new frame, strong suspension, and an engine that can disturb the earth’s gravitational pull.
Chevrolet baked in a couple of other features to make the Silverado a trailering trooper. Duramax diesel-equipped models come with an exhaust brake system that uses the turbocharger and engine compression to generate backpressure and thus slow the vehicle without brakes. The system works with cruise control to vary braking according to grade and vehicle load - a lifesaver for brakes on long downhill drives. When you do have to use the brakes, you’ll rely on anti-lock discs at all four corners. Single rear wheel models come standard with electronic stability control, trailer sway control programming, and hill start assist that momentarily holds the vehicle on an incline when lifting from brake to throttle.
None of the outstanding engineering within the Silverado will derail a serene ride inside the four-door crew cab. In LTZ trim, the cabin is trimmed in heated leather bucket seats up front, a fold-up bench in back, and Suburban-style dash with woodgrain trim. Bose audio with USB input, Bluetooth phone connection, automatic dual-zone climate control, rear seat DVD player, power sunroof, and adjustable pedals should keep everybody happy on long drives. Safety is enhanced by a rear vision camera. Touch screen navigation can find almost any destination and warn of clogged traffic along the way.
You do not want to buy a Silverado 3500HD to pull a motorcycle, speedboat or pop-up camper. You buy a truck like this because you have serious hauling in your future. Almost all are purchased by business owners who will keep them busy with hard work. To prove Chevy is behind you for the long haul, it slaps a five-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, including roadside assistance, on every one. An as-tested price of $60,719 makes the Silverado 3500 competitive with the Ford F-350, Dodge Ram 3500, and full-on semi tractors. None of them are Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year like the Silverado HD!
2011 Chevy Silverado 3500HD
Five-passenger, 4x4 Pickup
Powertrain: 397-HP, 765 lb.-ft. torque,
6.6-litre V8 turbo diesel,
6-speed Allison auto. trans.
Suspension f/r: Ind./Solid axle.
Wheels: 17”/17” f/r.
Brakes: Disc fr/rr with ABS.
Must-have feature: Power, comfort.
Tow capacity: Up to 21,700 lbs.
Fuel economy: 18-MPG combined.
Assembly: Flint, MI.
As tested price: $60,719.
