Looking at the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD

Known as the heavy duty (HD) counterpart of Chevy’s conventional Silverado 1500, the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD has entered this model year with a brand new design. Aside from the variations through the 1 ton 3500 and the ¾ ton 2500 series, these HD models of the Silverado come in three unique trim levels, namely the Work Truck (or WT), the LTZ (luxury) trim, and the LT. Further classifications of the HDs are in terms of interior design. They come in either “luxury inspired” or “pure pickup” interiors. Available Cab styles for the HD include a crew cab body style complete with 4 front hinged doors (full size), cabs with 4 doors and doors for rear access (extended), and the regular 2 doors. All three types can come with either a bench that’s split in 40/20/40, or simple bucket seats. In addition to the above, the crew cab and extended versions also have a rear bench that can seat 3 people. The bench has a 60/40-split cushion that can be flipped up. A “long” cargo bed (8 feet) is available to the regular 2500 and 3500 as well as the extended cabs. A “short” cargo bed (6.5 feet), on the other hand, goes to the extended and crew cab versions of the 2500 series as well as the crew cab for the 3500. There are two different engines available. The first one is a standard: the 6.0 liter V8 with 360 hp. The other available engine is the 397 hp turbodiesel 6.6 liter V8. Both are powered together with automatic 6 speed transmissions. An exhaust brake system is incorporated on the diesel engine. It is designed to catch exhaust so that the truck slows down when driving down steep roads. Total towing capacity for this model is 21,700 lbs. You can opt for either of two drive systems. One is the rear wheel system. The other is the four wheel system, which can either come in a full time or part time system. Only the full-time 4WD can stay engaged on dry pavement. Standard to both models are auto-locking rear differentials. For safety features, the HD has traction control, ABS, and antiskid systems. In addition to that, there are also airbags on the front and curtain sides of the vehicle. There’s an optional package called the “off road” package. It comes with chassis skid plates, remote engine start, adjustable power pedals, rear windows with power sliding, rear obstacle detection, and uprated suspension. Note, however, that the regular cabs don’t have power-sliding windows. Another available feature is the tailgate assist function called the “EZ Lift” as well as cargo rails on the bed wall that have sliding anchorages meant for different accessories. Further available options include heated front seats, a navigation system with touch-screen technology, a DVD entertainment system, and a bed extender (swing-out).