Chevrolet is throwing a huge turbo four-cylinder in the new Silverado
With a displacement of 2.7-liters and a big turbo, Chevy's new engine is more powerful, efficient and lighter than the V6 it replaces.
When we covered the launch of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 way back in January, we were seriously impressed by how much design and technology GM had thrown at it. It seems like the General heard us and decided to double down, because now it's giving the old 4.3-liter V6 the axe in all but the work-truck spec. It replaces it with -- get this -- a 2.7-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that produces 310 horsepower and 348 pound-feet of torque.
We'll give you a moment to kindly remove your jaw from the floor.
Here is the beast in all its large-displacement four-cylinder glory. Incredibly it weighs almost 400 pounds less than the 4.3-liter V6.
First of all, the idea of a turbo-four being an engine option in a full-size pickup truck in 2018 is kind of mind-blowing. Secondly, holy crap, 2.7-liters! That's halfway between a WRX STi and a Porsche 968 in terms of displacement. Also, keep in mind that the Silverado 1500's chief rival, the Ford F-150, is also available with a 2.7-liter engine, only it has two more cylinders.
Now, Chevrolet is saying that the 2.7-liter turbo four makes 22 percent more torque than the V6 which it replaces while also returning better fuel economy and weighing 380 pounds less. Plus, add in the fact that it has a turbocharger and you start to see a lot of opportunities for the aftermarket to go crazy on this engine, much as it did with the EcoBoost.
The 2019 Silverado RST comes standard with an all-new, advanced 2.7-liter turbo engine.
So, just a recap of the new Silverado 1500's engine range, because it's a little silly. At the bottom, we have the 4.3-liter V6 and the 5.3-liter V8. These are mostly for fleets and work vehicles. Then you have the new four-cylinder and the big-boy 6.2-liter V8 with 17 modes of cylinder deactivation. Oh, right and they're building a diesel too. It will be 3.0-liters and a straight six. Yikes.
Couple all this powertrain tech with the serious lightweighting and electrical system upgrades that Chevrolet has made for this model year and all of a sudden the F-150 might have something to worry about!
