Chevy rolls out Silverado HD High Country

Wed, 09 Apr 2014

It's been a good week for heavy-duty truck buyers. First, Ram revealed the Black Package for its HD trucks, then it rolled out its new Power Wagon, and now Chevy's getting in on the action with its Silverado High Country HD. Okay, so it may not pack quite the attitude of Ram's latest 2500-series offerings, but the High Country HD will come as a welcome addition to the Chevy Trucks range to those looking to pull their horse, boat or other trailer without skimping on creature comforts.

Rolled out a little under a year ago, the High Country trim is Chevy's answer to the likes of the GMC Denali, Ford King Ranch and Ram Longhorn. It has until now only been offered on the light duty, 1500-series Silverado, but now extends to the 2500 and 3500-series HD models, as well.

So what sets a High Country pickup apart from lesser Chevy trucks? You'll be able to pick it out based on its chrome horizontal grille, body-color bumpers, 6-inch tubular side steps, 20-inch chrome wheels (18-inch on the 3500 and 17-inch on the dualie) and, of course, plenty of special badging. But it's inside where the High Country makes its mark, with a cabin decked out in saddle brown perforated leather, seats that are both heated and cooled, eight-inch touchscreen with full MyLink suite, Bose audio and park assist functions front and rear to keep those color-keyed bumpers looking fresh. (Though Chevy hasn't yet showed us the interior of the HD model, it'll presumably look mostly the same as the cab in the 1500 High Country in the gallery below.)

Coming with a crew cab, buyers of the High Country HD will be able to choose between the 2500 model in two- or four-wheel drive, or the 3500 with single or dual rear wheels. Shoppers can also opt for a sunroof, navigation system, rear-seat Blu-Ray player and oversized power heated towing mirrors. Go for the extra Premium Package and buyers will also get a heated steering wheel, power adjustable pedals and driver alert system with lane-departure and forward collision warning systems.

Powertrain options, as with "lesser" Silverado HD models, include the 6.0-liter V8 with 360 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, a version of the same equipped to run flexibly on CNG, or the 6.6-liter Duramax turbodiesel with 397 hp and a mind-blowing 765 lb-ft of earth-turning torque.

Deliveries begin in the summer, and while Chevy has yet to released pricing, it won't be cheap. Consider that that the light-duty Silverado 1500 High Country fetches over $45k, it's not hard to imagine a High Country HD going for an easy $60k with the right engine. Scope out the details in the press release below.

Silverado High Country: HD Pickups with All-Day Comfort
2014-04-09

- Rugged luxury with heavy-duty capability, Silverado dependability
- Choice of gas, diesel or CNG power
- Advanced chassis controls for more capable, confident towing

DETROIT – When you spend long days on the worksite or long nights towing a heavy trailer, comfort and capability are hardly a luxury.

With its quiet, well-appointed interior and advanced technologies that bring extra confidence to the most challenging towing situations, the 2015 Silverado High Country HD has what it takes to make the tough jobs easier.

Silverado High Country HD, Chevrolet's first premium heavy-duty pickup, combines the refinement and convenience of the Silverado 1500 High Country with the rugged capability of the new Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD pickups.

Luxury for go, not for show
Unique content includes a chrome grille with horizontal bars, and body-color front and rear bumpers – including Chevrolet's CornerStep rear bumper. All models include 6-inch tubular chrome assist steps, High Country badges on the doors and tailgate and High Country logos on the door sill plates.

Silverado 2500HD High Country models also feature a unique 20-inch chrome wheel. Single-rear-wheel 3500HD models have an 18-inch chrome wheel, while dual-rear-wheel models use a 17-inch forged polished aluminum wheel.

Inside, Silverado High Country HD features an exclusive saddle brown interior. Heated and cooled perforated premium leather front bucket seats with High Country logos on the headrests are standard, along with Chevrolet MyLink connectivity with an 8-inch touch screen, Bose premium audio and front and rear park assist.

Options include a sunroof, navigation system and a rear-seat entertainment system with a BluRay/DVD player, as well as a High Country Premium Package that includes heated steering wheel, driver alert package and power adjustable pedals.

New trailering mirrors available
Also available on the Silverado HD High Country are Chevrolet's new up-level trailer tow mirrors. The chrome-capped mirrors manually extend for wider trailers and feature power adjust with memory and power fold. They include heat and turn signals in the glass. They also incorporate auxiliary clearance lamps and auxiliary cargo lamps to help make backing a trailer easier.

Engineered for capability, built for dependability
Under the skin, the new High Country models are 100 percent Silverado HD, engineered to tame the toughest tasks and validated by the team that has helped make Silverado the most dependable, longest lasting pickups on the road.

The High Country comes in 2500HD and 3500HD crew cab models in both two- and four-wheel-drive. The 3500HD High Country will be available in single- or dual-rear wheel models, with maximum tow ratings of up to 22,900 pounds for fifth wheel/gooseneck towing, and up to 19,600 pounds for conventional towing.

Like other Silverado HDs, the High Country HD will offer a choice of three powertrains:
- A 6.0L V-8 specifically tuned for heavy-duty trucks, rated at 360 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque.
- A bi-fuel version of the 6.0L V-8 that can seamlessly switch from gasoline to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
- The 6.6L Duramax turbodiesel teamed with the Allison 1000 six-speed automatic transmission. Rated at 397 horsepower and 765 lb-ft of torque, the Duramax V-8 features a variable-vane turbocharger that acts as an exhaust brake, helping control speed on downgrades for more confident towing.

The foundation of the 2015 Silverado HD lineup is a family of fully boxed frames, which use large cross sections, hydroforming and high-strength steels in key areas. The stiffness of the frames contributes to improved handling and ride comfort while the strength of the frames enhances payload and towing capability.

The Silverado HDs employ an independent front suspension specifically engineered for HD pickup use. Torsion bars tailored to the weight ratings of the trucks allow easier trim height adjustments. In the rear, asymmetrical leaf springs balance ride-and-load carrying and improve control of axle hop.

The new Silverado HDs are engineered to bring new levels of confidence to tough towing through further refinement of Silverado's available cruise control, auto grade braking, and diesel exhaust brake. Integrating these features helps the 2015 Silverado HD maintain a set speed up and down grades, even when towing a heavy trailer in mountainous terrain.

Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD High Country models will be available starting this summer.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4.9 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

By Noah Joseph