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Consumer-Grade Silverado Medium Duty Rendered As Modern-Day Chevrolet Kodiak

As General Motors has ramped up production of its Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 light-duty pickups, is currently ramping up production of the Silverado HD and Sierra HD variants, and is investing in the GM Wentzville assembly plant to prepare the plant for the next-generation of the midsize Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, GM truck fans have plenty of models and configurations to choose from. However, there’s something still missing at The General: a pickup truck that’s over the top and unapologetic about anything and everything. So we rendered that very thing in this modified Chevrolet Silverado Medium Duty.

Simply put, GM currently does not offer the Silverado Medium Duty pickup truck for regular people to buy at retail. Instead, the Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD and 6500HD medium-duty trucks are reserved for fleet and commercial customers who need this type of truck for (real) work purposes. For that reason, the Silverado MDs are currently not offered with a pickup truck bed from the factory. Instead, they are shipped in the chassis cab configuration ready for upfitting with anything after the cabin – a cargo box, bed, or platform needed to get the job done. Not offering the Medium Duty Silverado to the public makes sense, as there is little real-world retail demand for such a vehicle. Luckily, we can dream with our renderings.

Our Silverado MD creation aims to show what the Silverado MD would look like if it were available to the public. We were inspired by the 2007 GMC TopKick from the Transformers movie series, also known as Ironhide. Using a Silverado MD as a base, the first thing we did was add a widebody bed to cover the truck’s dual rear wheels. The cab is pretty jacked up, so we also installed some tubular running boards with steps to allow passengers to gracefully enter and exit the vehicle. We also gave it a third step for easier side access to the bed, much like the BedStep feature of the new GM HD trucks.

Chevrolet Silverado MD Rendering

Next, we thought the Chevy Silverado MD pickup could use a more sinister look, so in addition to a black paint job, we added the Chevrolet Midnight Edition package, which rounds up black body elements, including body-color bumpers and door handles, a black grille and headlight surrounds, and black wheels. The Silverado MD gets the FlowTie Chevy bow tie badges straight from the factory, so that was left untouched. However, we did give them a black surround, replacing the chrome trim of the current models.

And though the Ironhide GMC Topkick sported bed-mounted exhaust stacks, we decided that our Silverado MD could do without them, and that semi-truck look isn’t something we were going after, either. However, we do prefer the dually setup for additional visual flair and capability, so we left that as is, too.

The Chevrolet Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD and 6500HD Medium Duty trucks are the result of a collaboration between GM and Navistar, with Navistar building the trucks in its Springfield, Ohio assembly plant. The trucks are equipped with a 6.6L L5D V8 turbo-diesel Duramax engine matched to a six-speed Allison automatic transmission. Output is rated at 350 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque. A gasoline engine has been rumored to join the lineup in the near future.

So, what do you think, beloved readers? Does our rendering of a consumer-oriented Chevy Silverado MD tickle your fancy? Is it just as mean-looking as the Transformers Ironhide GMC Topkick or a consumer-level Chevrolet Kodiak? Let us know in the comments section, and be sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevrolet Silverado news, Chevrolet news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.

Mike is a seasoned automotive journalist that loves both old-school muscle cars and environmentally friendly EVs.

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Comments

  1. Oh he11 to the yes!!!! This looks like a beast. I would buy one to replace by K2 Silverado dually. GM should offer these to non fleet people like me with a few more options and better looks.

    Reply
    1. I hopenyoundont use your bed now, or plan on using this one. I’m over 6ft tall, and it is hard to reach over the lowered tailgate.

      Reply
      1. No it’s not 6 ft tall bed.
        You must be a very small person ? Thinking that is 6 ft. And lots of misinformation…

        Reply
  2. Summit White w/ Black Trim. That’s what I’m talking about… as long it’s a gasser….

    I’d make it my daily driver looking for EV’s to run over ,
    Must have train horn to match…. etc…..
    ???

    Reply
    1. In America, where we’re all free to choose what we want, why does it bother you if *someone else* drives an EV? I know a guy who has a Tesla as a daily driver, and says he spends $30/month charging it up at home. I spend twice that every time I fill up my Silverado.

      Reply
      1. @Robert

        Bothers me? Not in the least..

        Next time your EV breaks down, flat tire, etc

        ITS ABOUT BIG BOYS WITH BIG TRUCKS…

        What kind of vehicle do you think is going to help you out of your situation ???

        ???

        BIG DINO JUICE BURNING TRUCK…

        Reply
  3. ill take one!!!!!! we’ve been missing an over the top beast for a long time even on the lines of the hummer h2 sut would be nice

    Reply
  4. If it was available to the public as this package appears it would sell like wildfire & smoke the other two competitors. Why not the L5P? Much more power…..
    Also the Military would scarf these trucks up in a hurry too!

    Reply
    1. No, when they sold these with the pick up bed, a really small amount were ever sold. You can’t use the bed to work out of, and actually need a step ladder to get in it, even with the tailgate down.

      Why would the Military want them?

      Reply
  5. I bought one 2 weeks ago and I love it I bought it for my farm it’s a 4×4 and sits taller than a lifted ford f250 it’s bad ass

    Reply
  6. They should use that. “Ironhide” and use it as raptor and rebel killer lol

    Reply
  7. This is funny. I just bought a 68 International Harvester Loadstar 1700 4×4 with a Chevy 88-98, 8 foot c/k fleetside bed . If you don’t know, the Loadstar is rated at 25,000 GVW or above with special axles, etc. Then i grabbed a 73-87 (87 i think? ) 8 foot Chevy stepside bed to match the front lights and fender curves, its going to be beautiful. I will just use it for coal, gravel, and other light homeowner stuff that was beating my Avalanche to death, but its a work of art and im a reluctant celebrity the few test drives I’ve taken, its mint too, minimal rust, 80,000 miles, i wish this site had pics but all of this blabbering is to agree that it really is a limited use vehicle. if it wasn’t cheaper than a used half ton trailer, i wouldn’t have bought it but so glad i did.

    Reply
  8. I drive a Chevrolet Silverado and sometimes drive my Wife’s small gas engine SUV. A-holes that talk about running over EV’s, are idiots that should be shot along with the coal-rolling morons.

    Reply
    1. You’re funny rock…
      LOL

      Reply
    2. Ck out my thumb up on that comment old rock ?

      Just stay out of the way…

      Reply
      1. I don’t look at this website very often. I’m not sure that I’ve looked at it since I made the comment about morons that should be shot for being morons. I haven’t opted to receive notifications when someone comments on one of my very infrequent posts, and now I know why it’s best to just read the body of the article and skip the comment section. Opinions, as the old saying goes, are like anal orifices, everyone has one. Sometimes the person making the comment not only has an anal orifice, they are one.

        Reply
        1. Happy Easter, Marble Head…
          😆

          Reply
          1. On the chance that your “Happy Easter” is sincere and not sarcastic, I’ll say “Happy Easter” to you, also.

            Reply
  9. I don’t think it would hurt to offer the 4500 with a regular bed. You would likely still need to go to a commercial GM dealer to get one, and you would likely have to take it to a commercial dealer for warranty work. However if your willing to do that, why not offer it? I had a 05-5500 4X4 CC. It wasn’t a lot of fun to drive, roughest thing I have ever driven. I had dump trucks that rode better, but it worked well for what I needed it for. I have checked out these new MD’s and they are nice. There are a lot of race people, horse people and serious RVers that would benefit from this vehicle. Also when they get tricked out like the one in the pic above, it speaks well of the brand.

    Reply
    1. Apparently you haven’t seen one of these in person with a regular bed on it, let alone tried to use or work out of the bed. It is too tall, and you can barely reach in over a lowered tailgate.

      Reply
    2. It would be nice, but only if you Do Not put a regular pick up bed on the back. It will be useless, just like all of the other Top-Kicks out there with them on the back.

      Reply
  10. I would love for this beautiful truck to be offered just like this! Or in summit with the midnight package!! But who can offer these things anymore! I’m a 47 yr old self employed Bricklayer and operate a small Masonry Company with 3 children in college and 2 in high school between health insurance, college tuition, and car insurance.. we can barley afford a used truck payments!!! Although it would be a freacking dream come true to be able to own one of these handsomely aggressivebeasts! by the time I could afford it I probably wouldn’t have a use for it!!

    Reply
  11. Those Kodiak and TopKick pickups were not ‘factory’, they were upfitted chassis-cabs built by Monroe Equipment. I wouldn’t be surprised if Monroe has plans to offer a similar upfit for the new Silverado medium duty.

    Reply
  12. Just least a new high country most luxurious vehicle I have ever owned and I’ve had many Fast smooth and very comfortable Gas mileage is reasonable even with the 6.2 leader The elecktronicks are mind boggling I couldn’t be more pleased

    Reply
  13. Silver with silver satin accents please!

    Reply
  14. I don’t think it bothers anyone that people choose an EV for their daily as long as they understand that it costs the environment as much or more to make the electricity to charge them. The savings are really not accurate. If you could develop a reliable solar charging station for them & noT depend on the “grid” to do it then we would be somewhere with it.

    Reply
    1. That simply is not true. A gas car would have to get 80mpg to equal the same emission’s output of the power grid to charge an EV.

      Reply
      1. @JWL

        Manufacturing batteries, then disposal…

        What fossil fuel do you think will produce your electricity ???

        Think about it….

        Reply
  15. It’s ridiculous that they are selling so few MDs. I know why too, if I hadn’t been on the internet watching them come out, I would barely know they were released. Most people I know who would buy one haven’t heard about them or have only heard a little. They need some advertising BAD.

    Reply
    1. Why? This is a chassis cab that you see the power company using with the huge boxes or lift arms, or the guys that fix tractor tires with their huge working box on the back.
      The pick up bed is a JOKE. You have to climb up a step ladder to get in over the lowered tailgate.

      Reply
  16. If it don’t have no more power than the 2019 c5500 then I would not want it .my 2000f350 can run rings around it. One sick puppy

    Reply
  17. You know, I had a 2 friends that had the Top Kick with the pick up bed. Both were just as obnoxious as the truck, and to tell you the truth, both were about as useless as the trucks were, unless you only wanted to drive e family around town during a flood.

    I like the looks of this bad ass truck just as much as every other testosterone filled dude, but if I wanted a useless pick up, I’d go back to slamming mini-trucks and filling the tiring bed with speakers.

    I’ll take a 6500, but with a flat bed and a 5th wheel set up so I can put it to work and have it pay for itself.

    Reply
    1. Jerry Jerry jenny…
      It’s a Man’s truck,
      Purposed build, cig boat, race car trailer, you out of the hole you’re digging yourself into ? Sorry about you being narrow sighted.

      Reply
  18. With GM pulling out of Europe and Russia .
    The C8 is a flop camaro going away the rest are junk fleet rentals. Hopefully U haul will buy those MDs. GM has missed the mark and will continue to miss the mark . No one wants underpowered trucks in their fleet. The colorado another fleet special will get passed by ford ranger because buyers already purchase f150s for fleet and municipality .
    The Tahoe may sell to car services. Dodge will dominate other classes for performance style and a wide array of buyers desires.

    I’m an old Gm guy I will keep my CTS V and my 2010 Z06 and my kids 06 trailblazer ss. But I don’t expect much in the future. Spent a week at SEMA in vegas major disappointment for GM but good luck hopefully the rental car and truck industry keeps the doors open

    Reply
    1. C8 is the best Vette ever. How is it a flop?

      Reply
      1. Small minded troy…
        C8 hasn’t done what it was ment to do yet.

        May suggest it’s a flop…

        My Camaro is faster on all surfaces and tracks…

        May suggest it’s a flop…

        Here’s your sign…

        Reply
        1. To be a flop would mean that it isn’t selling. You have any evidence to back that up? And your Camaro will definitely not beat it.

          Reply
          1. You don’t know my Camaro, now do you ?
            lol

            Reply
            1. Thought we’re talking truck here ???

              Not GOLD CHAINS and LEATHER GLOVES

              Reply
            2. No, but we all have a running bet that you named it “Greased Lightning ” because it is soooo fast. Not even a police man’s radio can catch you and the radar read out doesn’t even go high enough to be able to clock you.

              Reply
          2. They sold everyone that will be built for the first year and about 3/4ths of the second year already, and none of them have even been delivered to dealerships yet. So, yeah, not selling… a complete flop. Nor will a Camaro beat it.

            Reply
        2. Chevrolet has sold all 2020 Corvette C8s before the first one arrived at dealerships. I have a Camaro too (2017 SS 1LE) but I’m not going to pretend that the Corvette C8 isn’t groundbreaking for Chevy.

          Reply
  19. You nailed it! I think the public would go crazy for it. Filling the gap in the trucks currently offered.

    Reply
  20. No doubt you have nailed it. Every man’s dream truck, but the problem is trying to make it available to the public is going to be the sticker price. If the 3500HD looked that mean, I would have bought it. Definitely loving the direction GM is going.

    Reply
  21. They should definitely open the market up to the public on these trucks for personal use. They are limiting themselves for sure.

    Reply
    1. Have you seen one of these in person? They are actually open to the general public to buy. The problem is, if you out a bed in it like this one has, you won’t be able to use it like a pick up. It is too tall to even reach in over the lowered tailgate.
      GM actually made a few of these a few years ago, and sat on more of them than they actually sold. So they removed the truck beds and sold them as chassis cans, which is what they are typically sold as.
      This is the truck that you see the power company using, or one with a large set of toolboxes on the rear for heavy equipment maintenance.

      Reply
  22. Does anyone know if anyone is making this bed yet or attempted a fit off another vehicle?

    Reply
  23. We are currently building these trucks If anyone is interested. [email protected]

    Reply
  24. We are currently upfitting these trucks if anyone is interested.

    Reply

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