Here we have some of the very first spy shots of the upcoming 2019 Chevrolet Silverado Medium Duty truck.
Caught roaming the streets of downtown Chicago, the camouflaged truck clearly features a four-door, crew-cab configuration, large side mirrors, as well as massive front fenders. In addition, the truck appears to be wearing a front end destined for Navistar variant, with whom GM has partnered to co-develop the trucks back in 2015.
Our spy shooter said that it appeared that the prototype features a tilting hood and that the front doors featured “Navistar Corp” text along with the respective DOT numbers.
Chevrolet first announced plans to introduce a “flagship” conventional medium duty truck in March 2017. In the announcement, the brand stated that the upcoming Medium Duty truck will not be related to the Chevrolet Low Cab Forward medium duty trucks sourced from Isuzu. Instead, they will be co-developed with Navistar, powered by a Duramax turbo-diesel engine mated to an Allison transmission, and go on sale in calendar year 2018.
Chevy did not provide a name for the vehicle at the time of the announcement but did explain that GM would supply commercial components and engines while Navistar would provide its “expertise in rolling chassis configurations and manufacturing capabilities”.
Then, in September 2017, Chevy made a second announcements regarding the upcoming GM Medium Duty Truck. It clarified that its Medium Duty truck plans will entail bringing two trucks to market: one in Class 4 medium duty segment called Silverado 4500 and the other in Class 5 medium duty segment called Silverado 5500. The Bow tie brand also stated that the vehicles will:
- Be “powerful, highly maneuverable, and among the easiest trucks on the market to up-fit with specialized bodies, such as dump bodies, rollbacks, freight boxes and more”
- Be available in Regular Cab and Crew Cab models with 4×2 and 4×4 capability
- Be available in a wide range of GVWRs and wheelbases
- Offer optional OnStar with 4G LTE connectivity that is being embraced by fleet management companies to help improve safety and productivity thanks to tools like OnStar Commercial Link
- “Stand out because [Chevrolet has] designed the trucks around how customers work”
The 2019 Silverado 4500 and 5500 medium duty trucks will team up with the all-new 2019 Silverado 1500 to make a banner year for the Silverado family. Meanwhile, GM’s GMC brand has yet to confirm or deny plans for a GMC version of the GM Medium Dutys, though we wouldn’t hold our breath on Big Red getting a variant for itself.
Hat tip to GM Authority reader Jim for the spy shots.
Comments
Looks bigger than a Ford F-550. More like the old Kodiak
We need that for the bus.
GM will have their work cut out, trying to convince former (and current) Topkick and Kodiak owners that GM is back for real this time.
Readily available parts and service are critical, as is non-extortion pricing. Waiting in line behind some guy deciding on floor mats for his Equinox, only to be told the part for your company truck is on national backorder with unknown availability, isn’t going to earn many fans. GM needs to be serious and in this long-term, or they need to not bother.
The Ford commercial dealer in my area has a serious case of “We’ll help you when we feel like getting to you” and needs competition, but GM needs to get it right.
I like all three but I’ll stick with Ram 5500
Which is not a medium duty truck.
Looks like a ford????another miss step by GM??? Who give the OK on something like this, instead of focusing on the inside of the truck and the engine and trans??? They have had the same issues for year’s and they never fix them??? That’s why they keep losing market share , well I guess sooner or later they will wake up. But one ugly truck, the frame still hangs low and looks bad.
Why would they hitch their wagon to Navistar? Sounds like it failed before it launches.
Navistar? Sounds like union handshakes going on, and not for the good. They can’t build big trucks so good luck with this black hole of a money pit.
Before I retired I was in Fleet Management for a major Drinking Water company (we operated in about 8 states) we had a fleet of GMC Topkick 6500’s what a great vehicle for home & office deliveries. We had a fleet of about 2000 of these vehicles. The bean counters had us buy some Ford F700’s (saved a few buck) didn’t hold a candle to the TopkIck. We went back to GM the next year.The Topkick had much tighter turning radius could make it around any cu de sac without backing, the Ford had to back every time. The Topkick was much easier for our route sales people to get in and out of the cab. also had much better visibility to the front of the cab. Most all preferred the GM truck over the Ford. Needless to say we were sad to see GM cancel building the medium duty truck. I think GM has a great future getting back into medium duty trucks. However they need to build 6500 series again. I got to take a tour of the Jamesville WI Bus & Truck assemble plant when they were building an order of 150 of our new cab & chassis want a shame it had to close.
These trucks will be the best heavy duty trucks
Make them affordable and reliable and people will buy them. Also offer to Tailor them yo customers needs if they buy in volume.
This is what Ford fleet sales does.
You should have seen the trucks they did for lumber companies in the NW. these things looked like road going Bigfoot’s.
All of the class 8 builders can detune any of their cabs to be a class 4/5 truck. The problem is they are just to big. To big to get in tight spots and draw to much attention . In other words, they look heavy and overweight drawing unwanted attention like overweight from the police. The good thing about a pick up based medium is it eliminates the stated above problems. Thus the reason for GM/Navistar hookup.