FEATURE – 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ
Photos: HSV
Only days after General Motors announced that the Holden brand would be discontinued, HSV made the next step in their move away from Holden-based products, revealing in February that they will bring the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 to Australia.
Joining the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 that was introduced to HSV dealerships in 2018, the Silverado 1500 LTZ has now arrived, aimed directly at the RAM 1500, which has been a successful model for RAM Trucks Australia following its local launch last year.
Premium Offering
In the North American market, the 1500 LTZ is at the upper end of an eight-model Silverado range that runs from the entry-level Work Truck, through Custom, Custom Trail Boss, LT and RST model grades. The LTZ grade sits above these, and with a starting price of just over US$50,000, only the LT Trail Boss and High Country are priced above it in the MY20 lineup for North America.
There’s a variety of engine options across that range, too, from a 6.2-litre naturally-aspirated petrol V8, to a 5.3-litre petrol V8, 4.3-litre petrol V6, 2.7-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder and new-for-2020 3.0-litre turbodiesel inline six-cylinder.
Automatic transmissions are the norm for US-spec Silverado 1500s, with a six-, eight- or ten-speed available, depending on engine and model grade.
The US also gets three body styles – single cab, double cab (aka extended cab) and crew cab.
As the Silverado 1500 was subject to a major makeover for 2019 (including a longer wheelbase and new frame that’s 40kg lighter than the old one), changes for the 2020 model that’s being imported and converted by HSV are minimal.
Those updates for the North American market are mainly confined to technology and include improved trailer assistance and a camera-based sensor for the optional adaptive cruise control.
Aussie Spec
The Silverado 1500 launches in Australia with the ‘LTZ Premium Edition’ which comes with the Z71 pack as standard and is the sole variant available for now. A de-spec’d, standard LTZ will likely follow, but any other model grades, like the sporty RST and off-road focussed Trail Boss, are unlikely to be introduced here in the short- to medium-term.
Powering the HSV-converted Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium Edition is the same 6.2-litre EcoTec petrol V8 offered in the US, producing 313kW and 624Nm, which exceeds the output of the RAM 1500 petrol V8 in both measures. Standard features on this naturally-aspirated engine include auto stop-start and Dynamic Fuel Management to improve fuel efficiency.
Optional to this is a performance exhaust system that adds 9kW and 10Nm, according to HSV, as well as a cold air intake and Brembo brake upgrade – the first items in a range of performance parts that HSV will offer on the Silverado 1500 in the future.
A ten-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive will be standard on all Silverados that are RHD converted and complied at HSV’s facilities in Clayton, Victoria.
The four-wheel drive system on the Aus-spec Silverado 1500 LTZ includes an Autotrac 2-speed transfer case (that’s normally limited to Z71-equipped variants in the US) and heavy-duty locking rear diff that’s also part of the Z71 pack fitted as standard to the Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium Edition.
Also included in the Z71 pack are underbody skid plates, Rancho shock absorbers and a heavy-duty air filter, as well as identifying badging.
With the Silverado 1500 LTZ’s Drive Mode Selector, the throttle response, transmission shifts and traction control systems can be adjusted to suit various driving conditions. The modes are:
- Tour, for everyday driving
- Off-road, for low traction and slippery conditions
- Sport, for more immediate throttle response and faster gear shifting
- Tow/Haul, for improved torque when towing
Tow Master
Speaking of towing, the Silverado 1500 can pull up to 4500kg using a 70mm towball and 3500kg using a 50mm ball.
As well as the Tow/Haul mode, further towing assistance comes from standard Trailer Swap Control, Hill Start Assist and auto grade braking.
An optional Advanced Trailering Package adds Hitch Guidance with Hitch View, an Advanced Trailering System controllable from within the cabin, an integrated trailer brake controller, trailer theft alert and more.
The Silverado 1500’s suspension is made up of an independent coilover shock set-up at the front, with semi-elliptic two-stage leaf springs at the rear. HSV will offer tuning of this suspension package as an extra-cost option.
Maximum payload in the 5’8” (1.72m) tub is 712kg and GCM is 7160kg. It should be noted that a 6’6” (1.98m) tub is optional on US-spec Silverado 1500 LTZs, but only the shorter version will be offered by HSV.
LTZ Bling
Defining the LTZ against other Silverado 1500 model grades is an abundance of exterior chrome trim. This starts with the grille and front bumper and continues with the side assist steps, rear bumper with corner steps, door handles and mirror caps.
Complementing all this brightwork are 20-inch polished alloys fitted with 275/60 all-terrain tyres.
Front recovery hooks are standard, while the 1500 LTZ tub gets a power-operated tailgate with its own puddle lamp, 12 tie-down points and a spray-on liner.
Lux Interior
As well as lots of exterior chrome, LTZ spec also means a well-appointed interior for five occupants, comprising leather-accented seating front and rear, with a heated and ventilated seat for the front passenger and heated rear outboard seats. The driver gets a heated, cooled, ventilated and 10-way power adjustable seat with memory function, while the leather-trimmed steering wheel is also heated and includes audio and cruise controls.
Electric power steering is standard, with the motor for this enlarged on the 2020 Silverado 1500s.
Chevrolet’s ‘Infotainment 3 Plus’ system features an 8.0-inch touchscreen and voice recognition. There’s also a rear camera mirror and a multi-colour 15.0-inch diagonal head-up display to augment the 4.2-inch display in the instrument cluster.
The sound system is a Bose Premium unit with seven speakers, including a Richbass woofer.
A power sunroof and power-operated sliding rear window are standard, with keyless entry/start and remote starting, dual-zone automatic climate control air con, rear seat air vents, Apple Car Play and Android Auto, Bluetooth, wireless phone charging and dual USB ports front and rear also standard
Heavy-Duty Safety
Silverado 1500 LTZ safety specs include Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Forward Collision Alert, Low Speed Forward AEB, Front Pedestrian Braking, Safety Alert Seat, Following Distance Indicator, blind spot monitoring and auto headlights.
StabiliTrak ESC with rollover mitigation tech, trailer sway control, Hill Descent Control and Hill Start Assist are also standard, along with ABS on the all-round disc brake set-up, six airbags, a reversing camera and parking sensors front and rear.
Premium Price
Officially launched on 20 April, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium Edition is priced from $113,990 plus ORCs - that’s more than $14K above the RAM 1500 Laramie.
A non-Premium Edition of the Silverado 1500 is likely to come in under $100K to compete more directly with the Laramie, while a Silverado 1500 Custom or LT would be required to fight against the RAM 1500 Express quad cab and 1500 Express Crew, which list for $79,950 and $89,950, respectively.
Regardless of its price premium, the Silverado 1500 should find a market here, if the success of the RAM 1500 is any indication. More importantly for HSV, the arrival of this new model helps fill the gap made by the departure of the Holden Colorado (and HSV’s SportsCat variants of that model) from the Australian market before the end of the year.
For more details and full specs, see your HSV dealer, or go to https://www.hsv.com.au/
