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Confirmed: 2019 T1XX Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra Diesel

20K views 72 replies 36 participants last post by  sklunk 
#1 · (Edited)
2019 Chevy Silverado Diesel Confirmed in Spy Shots
Off-Road.com

June 23, 2017

A new set of spy photos has revealed that the American automaker is testing a diesel engine under the hood of its Silverado pickup. This was obvious when the test truck pulled into a gas station and filled up with the green handled pump reserved for diesel fuel. One of Chevy’s engineers even filled up a yellow gas container, also usually reserved for diesel.

Exactly what this diesel engine will be is still unknown, with rumors pointing to a 4.5-liter V6 unit. It is also possible that GM will crank up the output of the smaller 2.8-liter Duramax four-cylinder diesel found in the Canyon and Colorado. If the Silverado loses enough weight with the upcoming redesign, the little engine could offer enough grunt for the half-ton.

The truck is expected to heavily use aluminum, although another recent set of spy shots confirmed that GM won’t go to aluminum for the bed of the trucks. More likely, the hood and fenders will go to the lightweight metal.
 
#6 ·
3.5l 5cyl derived from 2.8l 4cyl maybe? Kind of like the 2.8/3.5/4.2l gas engines they used to have...
 
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#7 ·
Honestly I hope they make a V6 Diesel around the 3.2 litre mark and I also hope they make it available in Colorado globally

There is a trend to go for a 2.something litre 4 cyl turbo diesel and a range topping V6 Turbo diesel and if GM don't work on it they get left behind
 
#8 ·
WOW!! Talk about getting caught with you hand in the cookie jar. Or your nozzle in the tank.

Exactly what this diesel engine will be is still unknown, with rumors pointing to a 4.5-liter V6 unit. It is also possible that GM will crank up the output of the smaller 2.8-liter Duramax four-cylinder diesel found in the Canyon and Colorado.
This would be the first I've heard of a 4.5L V6. I would think that's some leftover misinformation with the old defunct 4.5L V8 TD. Someone here said GM may be planning to use (the industry standard) 3.0L V6.

Someone at LeftLaneNews pointed out the size of the fuel door...it's possible the DEF fill/tank has finally been moved back there a la Colorado/Canyon.
You mean, the half ton diesel trucks might not have that ghastly wart under the passenger door?

Worst kept secret in the industry, but I am glad it is confirmed.
I won't call a diesel half ton Silverado/Sierra a big secret. Since Ford announced a diesel for the F150, everybody with one eye has just assumed GM would offer a diesel. I agree, it's nice to see a confirmation.

The Dodge is getting great reviews with the 3.0 liter VM Moteri engine
When they're not getting sued for cheating the emissions tests.
 
#9 ·
You mean, the half ton diesel trucks might not have that ghastly wart under the passenger door?
Sure seems like it. I think it wasn't moved on the HD trucks due to an issue with the K2XX architecture but looking at the fuel door, it looks a lot like the midsize diesels, fuel receptacle on one side and DEF fill on the other.

Hopefully the T1XX HD truck follows suit.
 
#11 ·
Consider this.
GM introduces the 10-speed auto on the '18 Silverado and Sierra, it gets a nice bump in both
performance and fuel economy that keeps the HT steel body sales coming.

Then we get to the introduction of the alloy body / steel bed upgrades in the latter half of next year,
I'm wondering if buyers wll not perceive much change in fuel economy from ont=e to the other and that
could be a looming issue for GM, much like it experienced with adding DI to the PF V6 and V8 engines.
 
#13 ·
Cranked up 2.8, definitely possible. I've been saying for a long time now that might be the quickest way to market GM could get a diesel in the half-tons. Screamin Diesel Performance managed to pump the torque into the 500s and HP to about 300 by adding a larger turbo (on top of the stock turbo) and a tune....thats almost the same power as the 5.0 v8 Cummins in the Titan XD. Other tuners have managed to get torque into the mid 400s and HP to around 240 with a just a tune, and thats about the same numbers as the 3.0 ecoDiesel (but these numbers are at the wheel vs the factory ratings).

I can see it happening that way. GM is already using the 2.8 baby duramax in the work vans...
 
#17 ·
This is one of those situations where its a good thing that both Dodge and Ford has won the argument, Ford proved that you can use aluminum extensively in a pickup truck and sell and Dodge proved that there was a market for a half ton diesel pickup. With that being said in real world fuel economy GM has had an edge (just not compared to the diesel) so getting less weight along with improvements in trasnmissions will just make things better for them.
 
#21 ·
This is one of those situations where its a good thing that both Dodge and Ford has won the argument, Ford proved that you can use aluminum extensively in a pickup truck and sell and Dodge proved that there was a market for a half ton diesel pickup. With that being said in real world fuel economy GM has had an edge (just not compared to the diesel) so getting less weight along with improvements in transmissions will just make things better for them.
"Leading from behind" - Has a nice ring; I like it!
 
#20 · (Edited)
I can see the logic for the 2.8L for commercial half-tons. My take is that given the size of the market for Silverado/Sierra/Tahoe/Suburban/Escalade a strong smooth diesel V6 is the route to take. A lot of V6 diesel Mercedes ML/GL around these parts.

The RAM V6 diesel offers almost identical performance to the old 365 hp V6 EcoBoost up to 3300 rpm, how much more do you really want to rev when towing, gas or diesel?

A lightened truck with a 260 hp/ 460 lb-ft 3.0L V6 diesel and the 10-speed could be a compelling package because sub ~3100 rpm it would actually offer greater torque and HP than the current 6.2L V8. Edit: It would also outgun a 5.3L to ~3700-3800 rpm.
 
#22 · (Edited)
consider the genesis of F150 versus Silverado post 2009;

F150:
Ecoboost + 6AT --> Alloy Body ---> 10AT + PFDI on all engines.

Silverado:
6AT --> HT Steel body +DI --> 8AT + 10AT --> Alloy Body

Maybe GM's buyers doesn't see that much improvement in weight and fuel economy over the HT trucks,
GM developing alloy bodies that arrives almost four years after Ford is really an anti-climax as Ford has
stolen the thunder on that one in trucks and SUVs - "Aluminum done right" is just denying the obvious..
 
#25 ·
consider the genesis of F150 versus Silverado post 2009;
F150:
Ecoboost + 6AT --> Alloy Body ---> 10AT + PFDI on all engines.
Silverado:
6AT --> HT Steel body +DI --> 8AT + 10AT --> Alloy Body
Maybe GM's buyers doesn't see that much improvement in weight and fuel economy over the HT trucks, GM developing alloy bodies that arrives almost four years after Ford is really an anti-climax as Ford has stolen the thunder on that one in trucks and SUVs - "Aluminum done right" is just denying the obvious..
There is an advantage by being there first, but there is also some resistance to moving to something considered radical, like aluminum has been.
There is an acceptance that aluminum is okay, except for sharp puncture actions, so an argument could be made that steel floor bed is better than aluminum, while aluminum works for lighter duty uses such as panels. GM's argument may or may not work to draw new buyers, so we shall see what works.
The bigger picture is GM's movement to VSS-T platforms that produce a new generation of midsize and fullsize trucks and SUVs, that can use smaller gasoline, diesel and hybrid power trains as modules that interchange and can be plugged in to create new combinations that become class leading and more economical to produce, thus more profitable.
The VSS rollout starts in 2018 and is said to be complete by 2025, and IMO is an important cause to GM's slow product rollout. It's GM playing the long game, to improve profitability.
 
#27 ·
Assuming they don't uglify it too bad this will likely be my next truck purchase.

I miss the fuel economy of my Colorado, but they're just way too small for me.
 
#28 ·
How do you know its half ton and not 3/4 or 1 ton? its all camo after all..
Anyhow I dont care for diesels,,better idea would be hybrid electric ala Volt or Workhorse or Viamotors..
If GM doesnt build it,Im shoping elsewhere next time..
 
#33 · (Edited)
I do believe I've seen the wording of that article years before. The website itself is unknown by me & hasn't been linked to before. I'm calling rehash. AH HA! Found them.

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2016/12/14/tonawanda-plant-to-build-new-gm-engine-in-300.html
Sources said the Tonawanda engine line upgrades will be related to the next generation of the L850 line, which includes the 2.0 liter turbo engine and 2.5 liter Ecotech engines, both currently in production in the plant.
And, that infamous quote about the 4.5L V8 being ready to go:
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2010/06/gm-ponders-reviving-45liter-duramax-v8-diesel.html

Extreme4x4 said:
So, a question. What would Ford be testing in a new Superduty that it would have no camo?? It has to be powertrain related, as they were doing heavy towing testing (have seen them running up and down the mountain here, which is a popular heat / stress test for engines due to the climbs and the fact that they go from 1100ft to 5000ft in 60 miles (and a lot of up and down in between). They are running their heavy trailer, which is a large gooseneck with the large concrete weights in it. I don't think we have heard of any different powertrains coming, so it is interesting.
Could be testing new calibrations for the current engine. They have issued revised software before to give a bump in power & torque.
 
#32 ·
Ok, so we have a good idea what is going on on the Silverado / Sierra front.

So, a question. What would Ford be testing in a new Superduty that it would have no camo?? It has to be powertrain related, as they were doing heavy towing testing (have seen them running up and down the mountain here, which is a popular heat / stress test for engines due to the climbs and the fact that they go from 1100ft to 5000ft in 60 miles (and a lot of up and down in between). They are running their heavy trailer, which is a large gooseneck with the large concrete weights in it. I don't think we have heard of any different powertrains coming, so it is interesting.
 
#34 · (Edited)
Food for thought:

blog.caranddriver.com/cadillacs-diesel-program-is-moving-forward-unaffected-by-opel-sale
CarAndDriver Article May 2017 said:
Cadillac’s diesel program, which we’ve been reporting on for the last couple of years, remains firmly on track, Car and Driver has recently learned. The luxury and performance brand has been working on four- and six-cylinder diesel engines for several upcoming models, but the sale of General Motors’ European subsidiary Opel to the French PSA conglomerate, itself a maker of diesel engines, had cast doubt on Cadillac’s future plans. That’s because the new engines were supposed to be shared with future Opel models, and developing diesel engines solely for Cadillac would be far too costly.

But the future of the new engine generation is secured: Opel cars will still be fitted with the new generation of GM diesel engines. The supply agreements are in place, and development has progressed far down the path to production. “The diesel program has been affected, but not catastrophically,” we were told.

The four- and six-cylinder diesels are earmarked for several of Cadillac’s upcoming crossover/SUV models, and they are sorely needed to help the brand make a more meaningful impact on the market in Europe. In the premium-SUV segment there, the take rate for diesels still far exceeds that for gasoline engines.
The market for half-tons is so large and important it'd be hard to fathom why they wouldn't be willing to adapt an all-new premium V6 diesel to help amortize the costs of the program since they'd probably move about 100x more of them in north american trucks/SUVs than Euro market CUVs/SUVs anyways, particularly if they were willing to spend the money for the Colorado's 2.8L I-4 Duramax program.

They've been talking publicly since around 2014 about a successor to the V6 diesel JV with VM Motori that later became the EcoDiesel, and de Nysschen has been quoted saying it would arrive in 2019. It all lines up nicely...
 
#44 ·
Food for thought:

blog.caranddriver.com/cadillacs-diesel-program-is-moving-forward-unaffected-by-opel-sale
The market for half-tons is so large and important it'd be hard to fathom why they wouldn't be willing to adapt an all-new premium V6 diesel to help amortize the costs of the program since they'd probably move about 100x more of them in north american trucks/SUVs than Euro market CUVs/SUVs anyways, particularly if they were willing to spend the money for the Colorado's 2.8L I-4 Duramax program.

They've been talking publicly since around 2014 about a successor to the V6 diesel JV with VM Motori that later became the EcoDiesel, and de Nysschen has been quoted saying it would arrive in 2019. It all lines up nicely...
After spending some time in the Ram EcoDiesel I'm hoping refinement is near the top of the list. Using the same diesel that's set to go in a Caddy is a good step in the right direction.
 
#36 ·
If they get this to market in 3 yrs I'll buy one. While I'm waiting I'll be rocking a 2017 f150 XTR 3.5EB (302a package, kinda a wiener truck) The lease deal was just way too hard to pass up, that, and Ford gave me excellent trade in on my somewhat Ill 14 f150.

I really wanted to wait for a 2018 F150 DIESEL. Now that GM will be coming to the party with a new truck the future looks plenty exciting~!
 
#37 ·
So we're going to get a truck with the best of the best of engineering from all brands!

Diesel in a 1/2 ton from Ram.

Aluminum from the F-150.

And GM can re-use their big tech advancement of the corner bumper step!

:lmao:
 
#41 ·
Well they got inside the fuel door because the truck was being refueled at the time, and anyone could get pics of the undercarriage of any car. Once you start trying undo the camo though I'm sure the engineers might've said something then.
 
#48 ·
Many believe it's absolutely a huge benefit, myself included. Why wouldn't you want a more efficient truck, that will more than likely tow more than the gasser? Especially if it's a little bigger than the EcoDiesel, there's no reason it can't tow more than a 6.2. The only limitation will be the 1/2 ton chassis at this point.

If they make a good half ton diesel, and make a truck that looks nicer than a brick... I'd definitely look at GM trucks if I'm looking at new trucks.
 
#49 ·
I can think of plenty of reasons why.

1. Higher maintenance costs
2. Higher initial purchase cost
3. Slow as hell
4. Unproven reliability

This is just GM, late to the game as usual, playing the "me too!" card.

PS - all pickup trucks are bricks, always have been and always will be. If you're buying a pickup truck for style/status and not to get a specific job done, then congratulations - you're part of the problem.
 
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