4LT GS Roadster
The 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD is a player in the pickup wars.
General Motors Co. released new performance figures Tuesday that show the 2011 Silverado HD and 2011 GMC Sierra can out-pull and out-carry the 2011 Ford Super Duty and Dodge Ram HD.
The Silverado HD 3500 and Sierra HD 3500 can tow up to 21,700 pounds with a fifth wheel hook-up and 17,000 pounds with a conventional hook-up, Chevy officials said. Each also has a maximum payload capacity of 6,635 pounds.
Productions of both trucks began this week. They should roll into dealerships this summer.
For the record, Ford's F-350 Super Duty truck can tow 21,600 pounds and haul 6,520 pounds. The Dodge Ram, overhauled last fall, can tow 18,500 pounds and carry a payload of 5,130 pounds.
With every new vehicle, truck makers seem to have their sights set on becoming No. 1.
"The pickup wars are not developing, they're already on," said Mike Levine, editor for Pickuptrucks.com, an online consumer website. "You're witnessing the war right now."
For consumers, that's good news, Levine said, noting prices for big trucks have remained flat while their capabilities have increased. "This means more capable trucks for the same money," he said.
According to Autodata Corp., full-size pickup sales are up 11.3 percent through April compared with the same period a year ago. Ford sales increased 30.5 percent; Chevrolet, 8.8 percent; and GMC, 6.3 percent. The Ford F-Series and Silverado are the top two selling vehicles this year.
With a fully loaded trailer, the new GM pickups, with a 6.6-liter Duramax diesel under the hood, can haul a gross vehicle weight of 29,200 pounds, which is more than 14 1/2 tons. The engine produces 397 horsepower and 765 pound-feet of torque.
By comparison, Ford Motor Co.'s 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel produces 390 horsepower and 735 pound-feet of torque.
"We encourage consumers to test drive the (GM's heavy duty trucks) against competitive models," said Rick Spina, GM Full-size Truck global vehicle line executive, in a news release. "Based on our test results, we are confident the Silverado HD will prove to be the best choice for real-world towing and hauling needs."
The Detroit News
