Muscled-up, facelift Chevrolet Silverado HD shows it brawny self

Just shy of a year after unveiling the heavily updated Chevrolet Silverado 1500, parent company, General Motors (GM), has taken the wraps off of the substantially brawnier Silverado 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty (HD).

The bowtie brand’s answer to the Ford F-Series Super Duty (F-250 and F-350) and Ram Heavy Duty (2500 and 3500), the facelift Silverado HD premiers first as the most capable hark working generation to date, according to GM.

Offered as either a single cab, double cab or added length version of the latter Chevrolet calls the Crew Cab, the exterior enhancements are similar to that of the Silverado 1500 and comprises new C-shaped headlights, a redesigned grille, Chevrolet script on the bonnet vent and the renamed Multi-Flex tailgate that first debuted on the updated GMC Sierra 1500.

As before, five trim levels are offered; Work Truck, Custom, LT, LTZ and High Country with new 20-inch alloy wheels debuting on the LTZ and 18-inch polished alloys on the dual rear wheeled 3500 HD LTZ and 3500 HD High Country.

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In addition, the Z71 package now consists of four separate items; Sport, Sport Chrome, Midnight and Off-Road, with a new inclusion being the Alaskan Snow Plow Pack.

A choice of six new colours rounds the exterior off; Dark Ash, Sterling Grey, Auburn Metallic, Meteorite Metallic, Radiant Red and Lakeshore Blue Metallic.

Inside, the Silverado 1500 influences continue with a new centre console on LT, LTZ and High Country, rear passenger climate control vents, a physical audio dial, upgraded materials and real wood inserts on the High Country.

Standard on LT models and up is the new 13.4-inch digital instrument cluster, the 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a redesigned wireless smartphone charger.

Unlike the Silverado 1500, the Heavy Duty retains the column shift gear lever, but receives Adaptive Cruise Control, a specifically designed surround-view camera system with transparent trailer display, Trailer Blind Spot Alert and a unique backwards facing load bed camera.

Reserved for the High Country, meanwhile, is a seven-speaker Bose sound system with acid-etched speaker grilles, electric, heated and ventilated front seats with memory function, High Country badges, leather seats with fabric piping and a new colour option called Nightshift Blue.

Up front, the Silverado Heavy Duty remains unchanged with motivation coming from two engines; the 6.6-litre L8T V8 petrol outputting 299kW/629Nm and the acclaimed 6.6 Duramax turbodiesel V8 revised to produce a thumping 350kW/1 322Nm.

The standard transmission is the Allison-sourced ten-speed automatic. No details regarding payload or towing capacity were revealed.

Going on-sale across North America in early 2023, the Silverado will be produced with right-hand-drive, but only for Australia from 2024 via General Motors Special Vehicles (GMSV) that replaced the disbanded Holden Special Vehicles last year.