2019 GMC Sierra Spied Sporting A Diesel Engine

General Motors has been outflanked by both Ram and Ford when it comes to diesel engines in half-ton pickup trucks. Ram was first with its EcoDiesel engine, and Ford will launch its own F-150 diesel for the 2018 model year, in the spring of 2018. Things will likely change for GM’s next-generation trucks, though.

The 2019 GMC Sierra has been spied with the necessary equipment to house a diesel engine, and it follows spy shots of the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado also sporting diesel-engine equipment. The spy shots specifically show equipment that looks like a tank for diesel exhaust after treatment and a particulate filter.

The bigger question is what engine will be fitted under the hood. We all recall the stillborn 4.5-liter Duramax V8 engine, but it’s unlikely it will rise from the ashes anytime soon. GM also has the 2.8-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel engine, but it may not be the right fit for GM’s full-size pickups. The 2.8-liter Duramax diesel engine can be had with the Chevrolet Colorado or GMC Canyon.

Instead, it’s very possible GM has a new diesel engine in the works to rival the 3.0L V6 turbo-diesels from Ford and Ram, but that’s purely speculation on our part. However, it makes the most sense if Chevrolet and GMC are serious about half-ton diesel pickups.

Spy shots: Autoblog