2008
CHEVROLET NEW TRUCK MODEL GUIDE
Trucks
bearing the bow-tie badge of Chevrolet
appear in conventional formats of mid-size,
full-size and super-size dimensions with
the Colorado, Silverado LD (light-duty)
and Silverado HD (heavy-duty). Yet Chevy
also promotes unconventional concepts,
like the Avalanche, which is built with
the abbreviated bed of a pickup and the
cabin of a SUV.
Silverado
1500
Chevy's full-size Silverado truck scored
a remake in 2007 based on a new platform
with best-in-class power, trailer tow
ratings and fuel scores. For 2008, the
Silverado 1500 LD (half-ton) shows three
cab configurations and bed lengths, multiple
suspension setups and a slew of powertrains.
The base engine is a 4.3-liter V6 pumping
195 horsepower or 4.8-liter V8 with 295
horsepower. A flex-fuel, 5.3-liter V8
with 315 horsepower comes in iron or aluminum
with GM's Active Fuel Management (AFM)
technology on tap to conserve fuel. The
Silverado's tow capacity climbs to 10,500
pounds.
Silverado
2500/3500
Chevrolet's heavy-duty work trucks under
the Silverado banner ripple with strength
from revamped gas and diesel engines teamed
with six-speed automatic transmissions.
The series includes the 2500 HD (three-quarter-ton)
and 3500 HD (one-ton) trucks with cabs
of regular and extended lengths, plus
the Crew Cab, two traction systems, two
truck box lengths and choices for a gasoline-driven
V8 or 6.6-liter Duramax turbo-diesel.
The turbo-diesel hitches with a remarkable
Allison 1000 six-speed electronic automatic.
Maximum conventional trailer tow weight
for the Silverado HD trucks rises to 13,000
pounds.
Colorado
Chevrolet's mid-size pickup offers many
variations. Cab options include a two-door
regular cab, the extended cab with two
rear-hinged doors and a four-door crew
cab. The truck box for the Colorado regular
and extended cab versions stretches 73
inches, while the box on the crew cab
is 12 inches shorter, keeping the wheelbase
at a reasonable length. Two engines with
in-line arrangement work for the 2008
Colorado. The base 2.9-liter, four-cylinder
plant with VVT delivers 185 horsepower,
while an optional 3.7-liter, five-cylinder
VVT plant climbs to 242 horsepower.
Avalanche
Equipped with a five-seat cabin like the
Tahoe SUV, the Avalanche discards the
Tahoe's cargo bay in favor of the shortened
pickup bed. There's a big V8 aboard, a
four-wheeling traction mechanism and a
heavy-duty automatic transmission. The
back wall of the cabin called a
Midgate folds flat after the back
seat tumbles forward, forming a generously
extended truck box. The Avalanche totes
a 5.3-liter V8 with AFM, but also offers
a flex-fuel (E85-compatible) version or
a big 6.0-liter AFM V8 rated at 366 horsepower.
Curtain-style air bags are aboard all
2008 models.
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more information on Chevrolet
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