Chevrolet Silverado to kick off at $114,990 BOCs

CHEVROLET’S Silverado full-sized pick-up will be launched next month in Australia in a five-variant range with pricing from $114,990 plus on-road costs – $25,510 cheaper than the most affordable pick-up from rival Ram.

The Detroit-built Silverado will be converted to right-hand drive by Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) – the sister company to Walkinshaw Automotive which converts Rams for American Special Vehicles – and distributed through HSV’s network of 56 dealerships in Australia and five in New Zealand.

The Silverado will be sold alongside the HSV-enhanced Colorado SportsCat one-tonne ute, giving dealerships much needed throughput after the demise of HSV’s performance sedan business with the closure of the Holden Commodore factory last year.

Unlike Ram, which bases its pick-ups on the up-spec Laramie in Australia, Silverado will offer a workhorse aimed at farmers, miners and the like, along with a Laramie-rivalling LTZ, and two special editions for those who like a bit of glam with their grunt.

All Silverados sold here will be based on the 4x4 crew cab and powered with Chevrolet’s Duramax 6.6-litre turbo-diesel V8 putting out 332kW of power and 1234Nm of torque, mated with an Allison six-speed automatic transmission.

While the Silverado’s 975kg load capability pips the Ram’s 913kg, the Ram has the upper hand on braked towing capacity, 6.94 tonnes to the Silverado’s 5.89 tonnes.

Production of RHD Silverado 2500HD will commence at HSV’s new Clayton South factory in Melbourne in April, with initial deliveries to dealers later in the month.

The bigger 3500HD will follow about mid-year, with first sales about July.

The 2500 is expected to be the biggest seller, and thus will get the biggest range of four variants.

These will start with the six-seat 2500HD WT – standing for work truck – at $114,990 and moving up to the better-specced, five-seat 2500HD LTZ at $134,990.

Above those are two special editions based on the LTZ – Midnight Edition and Custom Sport Edition, both priced at $139,990.

When it comes, the big 3500HD will top the range at $147,990.

HSV marketing general manager Damon Paull told GoAuto today that dealer feedback suggested the Midnight and Custom Editions were creating the most interest from customers wanting to get in the queue for a new Silverado.

“They appeal to customers who want that little bit extra,” he said.

Mr Paul declined to disclose sales targets, but said HSV was aiming for quality, not volume.

Production is schedule to ramp up progressively at the Clayton plant in Melbourne, with stock spreading across the dealer network through May.

The base 2500HD WT gets a 40/20/40 split-fold front seat that can seat two – with the middle section folded down as an armrest – or three as a bench seat with the middle section lifted.

The interior is described as “dark ash with jet black accents”. Standard equipment includes a 7.0-inch touchscreen with MyLink connectivity – familiar to owners of new Holdens – along with a six-speaker sound system, air-conditioning, remote keyless entry, remote-locking tailgate, reversing camera and heated power exterior mirrors.

A heavy-duty locking rear differential is standard, as is GM’s StabiliTrak roll avoidance technology, traction control, trailer anti-sway control and hill start assist.

Wheels are 18-inch steel rims with Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tyres.

The LTZ adds 18-inch alloy wheels, foglights, more chrome trim and – for off-roading ventures – what Chevrolet describes as the Z71 pack, which includes twin-tube shock absorbers, fatter front stabiliser bar, transfer case shield and hill-descent control.

Inside, upmarket items include 10-way power-adjusted perforated leather front bucket seats with heating and ventilation, dual-zone climate control, and leather-wrapped steering wheel with reach and rake adjustment.

The MyLink touchscreen goes up to eight inches and gains full colour. A seven-speaker Bose sound system is standard, along with Bluetooth audio streaming, hands-free smartphone integration, voice activated radio, and phone controls and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Safety is stepped up with forward collision alert, lane departure warning, and front and rear park assist.

The Midnight Edition is fundamentally a black-hued version of the LTZ, with items such as black alloy wheels, black bumpers, black grilled with chrome bars and so on.

It also gets the spray-on bed liner that it’s a $1500 option on lesser variants.

The Custom Sport Edition is also based on the LTZ, but designed to be a little less macho.

Highlights include 20-inch polished alloy wheels, white bumpers, white grille with chrome bars and the spray-on bedliner.

Full specifications for the 3500HD will be released closer to launch, but it will mirror the 2500HD LTZ in equipment, but get truck-style roof marker lamps and 17-inch wheels shod with fat 80-ratio all-terrain tyres.

2018 Chevrolet Silverado pricing*

2500HD WT (a)	$114,990
2500HD LTZ (a)	$134,990
2500HD LTZ Midnight Edition (a)	$139,990
2500HD LTZ Custom Sport Edition (a)	$139,990
3500HD LTZ (a)	$147,990

*Excludes on-road costs