Trucks remain popular with consumers, and automakers are offering them expanded product portfolios. At General Motors, that has meant adding off-road trims to the Chevy Silverado 1500 and the GMC Sierra 1500 with the ZR2 and AT4, respectively. If a new Muscle Cars and Trucks report is correct, there will be more variety arriving for GM's 2024 lineup.
According to the publication, GM will expand its lineup of off-road-oriented pickups by adding the Silverado HD ZR2 and Sierra HD AT4X trims. The two will sit above the Silverado HD Z71 and Sierra HD AT4 already available, and they'll have the kit justify occupying that space, too. The ZR2 and AT4X will wear 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires, two inches larger than the tires on the Z71 and AT4.
Gallery: 2022 Chevrolet Silverado
GM will allegedly offer the pair with one of two engines – the 6.6-liter gas or the 6.6-liter diesel. Both are V8s. The gas engine makes 401 horsepower (299 kilowatts) and 464 pound-feet (621 Newton-meters) of torque in the Silverado HD. The Duramax diesel pumps out 445 hp (331 kW) and 910 lb-ft (1,233 Nm) of torque.
The two will get a host of upgrades that make them more capable off-road. The report says the parts will include new bumpers for better clearance, skid plates, heavy-duty dampers, and locking front and rear differentials. These parts should significantly improve the truck's ground clearance along with the larger tires.
While the pair will receive similar off-road upgrades, they will have their distinctions. According to the report, the two will have different suspension tuning. The GMC will likely come with better standard equipment and materials and command a higher price, too, typical of the Chevy/GMC price split in GM's lineup.
We will be waiting a while to see the new trucks as the report predicts they won't arrive until the 2024 model year. That's when the current-generation HD pickups are due for a refresh. Both Ford and Ram have tiptoed into this space with their own heavy-duty off-road pickups, the Ford Super Duty Tremor and the Ram HD Power Wagon. We will find out if there is room for two more.
