Chevrolet Returns to Medium-Duty Class With Monster-Duty Chassis Cab
Chevrolet revealed its first-ever medium-duty Silverado chassis cab for Classes 4, 5 and 6 today at the 2018 Work Truck Show in Indianapolis. Those with long memories may remember that in 2009 GM killed the Chevy Kodiak and GMC TopKick medium-duty trucks that ran all the way up to Class 8.
But now GM has partnered with big-rig maker Navistar to create an easy-to-upfit mid-range player that looks similar to the Silverado 2500/3500 pickup trucks and shares the same 6.6-liter Duramax diesel engine and Allison transmission for its one-and-only powertrain.
To be built at Navistar's Springfield, Ohio, plant, the new work truck will produce 350 horsepower and 700 pounds-feet of torque. The Allison transmission backing up the engine will be available in several versions; pairing depends on how much weight the chassis cab is rated to carry. Those transmissions will include the 1000 and 2000 vocational series along with several other stronger versions to accommodate the expected Class 6 loads that go all the way up to a 22,900-pound gross vehicle weight rating. Many of those transmissions will be offered with a power takeoff option as well.
The new Silverado medium-duty truck will be offered in regular- and crew-cab configurations in 4×2 or 4×4 drivetrains with seven different wheelbases ready to accommodate the forestry, cargo-hauling, mining and construction industries. Several upfitters already designed compatible dump beds, cargo boxes, flatbeds, RV shells and other types of bolt-on bodies for the new truck, and we're guessing there might even be a version with a full-size one-ton bed.
The Silverado 4500/5500 will have a newly designed tilt-forward clamshell front hood to make routine maintenance easier, and, new for the class, the Chevy will offer the only factory-installed rear air suspension that can adjust by as much as 4 inches up or down. Other thoughtful additions include putting the diesel exhaust fluid tank fill spout on the opposite side of the fuel filler so you can now fill up both tanks at the same time (as many truck stops are equipped to do) and the entire frame is painted to help minimize rust and corrosion.
Finally, although there is no mistaking the interior for a function-first medium-duty truck, Chevy will be making OnStar and Commercial Link available in the base Work Truck and more well-equipped LT trims along with a built-in 4G LTE Wi-Fi hot spot (data plan required), wireless cellphone charging, Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
The new truck will be available in the fourth quarter of this year, with ordering guides out a few months before that. No word on pricing yet.
Manufacturer images
