Chevrolet Silverado - GMT900

GMT900

The redesigned GMT900 generation of the Silverado/Sierra arrived in the last quarter of 2006 as a 2007 model. It features a redesigned exterior, interior, frame, and suspension as well as a power increases on certain engines. It takes styling cues from the 2007 GMT900 SUVs and the Chevrolet Colorado pickups. Like the GMT900 SUVs, these pickups also have greatly improved aerodynamics over their predecessors like steeply raked windshields and tighter panel gaps which improve fuel economy. The GMT800 models were continued in 2007 badged as "Classic", just as the GMT400 models continued for a year after the GMT800's introduction.

The new Silverado earned the North American Truck of the Year award for 2007 and was Motor Trend magazine's Truck of the Year for 2007. Like its predecessors, the new Silverado offers buyers a choice of two door regular cabs, four door extended cabs (with rear doors that now open 170 degrees similar to the Nissan Titan) and four door crew cabs with the rear doors opening in the same direction as the front doors. GM also offers the trucks in the traditional two and four wheel drive configurations.

The Generation III small block V8 engines offered in the GMT 800 trucks will be replaced in the GMT 900 series by the Generation IV small block V8 engine family, featuring upgrades such as increased power and Active Fuel Management on the 5.3 L and 6.0 L V8s. A new high performance 6.2 liter V8 (with 403 hp (301 kW) and 417 lb·ft (565 N·m) of torque) was introduced with the 2007 Cadillac Escalade and 2007 GMC Denali line, and is now available on the Silverado LTZ trim line. This addition now makes the Silverado/Sierra trucks the second most powerful half-ton trucks available, after the Ford F-150. After skipping the 2008 model year, with 2007 being the last for the GMT800 hybrid line, a two-mode hybrid model will be introduced in late 2008 as a 2009 model.

There are two dash options offered in the new Silverado and Sierra. A luxury-inspired dash that closely mimics the dash in their GMT900 SUVs, and a "pickup" dash that is more upright to make way for a passenger seat in place of a center console.

As of 2008, General Motors full size trucks are no longer sold in United States and Canada with manual transmissions, they are only offered in Mexico in the Silverado 1500 V6 engine and Silverado 3500.

All Silverado & Sierra 1/2 ton models received a revised bumper and shortened front fascia mid-way through the 2009 model year and a full mid-cycle refresh followed with all 2010 models, including new interior door panels (which moved the handle forward and added an additional cup holder) and a six-speed automatic transmission on regular and extended cab models with V8's was also made standard. Two new exterior colors were added: Taupe Gray Metallic and Sheer Silver Metallic.

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The 8.1 L big-block V8 is no longer offered on the Heavy Duty models, and no replacement has been announced. The majority of the GMT 900 trucks continue to be equipped with the four speed transmission that was found on the GMT 800 platform. A more modern 6L80 6-speed transmission is standard equipment on the GMC Sierra Denali and the similar 6L90 is standard in all Heavy Duty models. As production capacity is established, 6-speed transmissions are expected to replace 4-speed transmissions on most truck models in coming years.

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