The Chevy brand's very first pickup debuted back in 1918, and professional curator Leslie Kendall of Los Angeles's Petersen Automotive Museum lamented that the differences between past and present models are “night and day”. Here during March at the Mid-Missouri Powerhouse, we are all remembering a very important date in Chevy history: it was one hundred years ago this January that the 490 Light Delivery model was introduced. Basically a stripped-out passenger car of sorts that replaced its body with a pickup bed, and added stronger springs to cart crops, it was the proud owner of a 4-cylinder engine that then produced 24 horsepower.
In the truck realm, there are always many contrasts between the past and present, and the present Silverado model is quite the remarkable advancement. A 5,300-pound truck that comfortably seats five passengers and has the ability to tow six tons, it is now powered by a 5.3-liter V8, producing 355 horsepower. The top-selling vehicle in the GM portfolio, it accounted for 585,000 total models sold last year, ranking it second place among all passenger vehicles. Since the days long ago when Chevy introduced that now very primitive-seeming 490, Chevy has sold an estimated 85 million trucks. During December, the Texas Motor Speedway was the scene of the Chevy Truck Centennial Event, where very loyal customers were able to test the towing capabilities of new trucks, and try their hand at climbing up very steep inclines with the new off-road Colorado ZR2.
Many who were in attendance have owned several Chevy truck models in their lifetime, and have consistently raved about the brand's very high level of dependability, as well as rugged breed of toughness. One very loyal Silverado owner from Round Rock, Texas wholeheartedly claimed that “If he won any other truck in a lottery, he would sell it and buy a Chevy”. The full leather interior, vibrant large touchscreen, and standard WiFi connection are all a departure from the interiors of historic trucks that one would see in a museum hall, and it is truly amazing to think that it was just a bench seat gracing the interior in that very first model.
The modern breed of pickups are among the most well-appointed vehicles that exist on the road, and the heightening of luxury and technology options have greatly assisted in the consumer's preference shift from small passenger cars, to larger light trucks. Our sales and service staff recognize that even though the Silverado is a truck that has gotten much more luxurious over the years, it is one that still has amazing towing potential. Car and Driver lamented this past year that “after 100 years of building pickups, Chevy's formula is nearly perfect”, and gave the Silverado high praise for its hard-working stance and stature.
Every model now has a backup camera, and the eAssist package is now optional on the LTZ, as well as the LT trim. Check out what the off-road package offers: front-running features like Body-color grille surround and headlamp bezel, as well as 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires. There are also optional features such as automated emergency braking: this slows the vehicle when it senses an impending collision at speeds between 5 and 37 MPH. Trucks have changed quite a bit over the years: we have been very excited to see all of the sensational developments for show-stealing models such as the Silverado!
