We first saw the new Chevrolet Silverado, officially anyways, at its coming out party in Detroit this past January. Just three short months later, the automaker releases a first teaser image of the HD version, expected by fall of 2019. The 2020-model-year truck could well make its maiden appearance at next year’s Detroit show.
That the manufacturer saw fit to lift the veil on what its HD model will look like at this early date is a sign of just how significant the pickup segment, especially its heavy-duty sub-category, has become for U.S. automakers. The profits being raked in on these mastodons is, well, massive, and every inch of market share that can be pried away from competitors represents some major new revenue.
GM has slipped behind Ford in this category in recent years. The latter manufacturer has been proactive in delivering a super-luxury version of its Super Duty 450 4X4, a $100,000+ monster. What’s more, even the heaviest Ram had often outsold Chevy’s equivalent in Canada in the past few years.
GM plans to remedy this situation, and exhibit A for it is the next generation of HD products coming down the pike. So it is that, in addition to the traditional 2500 and 3500 variants, Chevrolet will be proposing 4500 and 6500 (chassis-cabin) versions. These are in large part shipped to other companies for the production of ambulances of all sorts of utility vehicles. Ram also offers this type of product with its 4500 configuration.
The 2020 Silverado HD will be built in flint, Michigan, and production should start near the end of 2019. For its part, Ram is planning a renewed edition of its own HD pickup next year.
Clearly, follow the money and you understand the aggressive moves being put on by the big U.S. automakers.