Off-road.com has taken a peek at the official dealer order guide for the upcoming 2019 Chevrolet Silverado, revealing all sorts of details including specs for the trick new LT Trail Boss.
Chevy quite literally dropped the new 2019 Silverado on us in December at the Texas Motor Speedway from a helicopter. Since then, the company has spilled plenty of details about the truck, including particulars about engines and transmissions. The order guide gives us a bit of additional insight.
READ MORE: Internet Commenters React to the 2019 Chevy Silverado
Of most interest to the off-road crew is the LT Trail Boss trim, a version in which Chevy promises a factory lift and meaty rubber. The order guide codes the Trail Boss option as Z7X and includes the expected Z71 Off-Road equipment with a 2-inch lift. Also onboard will be monotube shocks, hill descent control, skid plates, heavy-duty air cleaner, and a Z71 hard badge.
Not bad at all. What’s really interesting is the Z71 package offered on the other four trims (LT, RST, LTZ, and High Country). That familiar option adds off-road suspension, hill descent control, skid plates, heavy-duty air cleaner, and a Z71 hard badge.
It seems, then, the new Trail Boss will basically add a lift, shocks, and beefy tires on top of the newly-stout Z71 package. This is great news for Chevy fans, as Z71 can be ordered on any of the four listed trims, from LT all the way to High Country. Customers selecting the Trail Boss will find LT275/65R18C Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires wrapped around black-painted aluminum rims as standard equipment.
This is not wholly unlike the situation at Ram, where the Off-Road Group can be spec’d on machines as diverse as the Laramie or fancy-pants Limited. Seeing a high-spec truck with off-road gear pleases this author to no end. It’s great to learn the trend will continue over at the bowtie brand. Boots measuring P275/60R20 will be an option. Don’t bother.
Two engines are listed, the expected duo of 5.3L and 6.2L V8 mills. GM’s 8-speed automatic is paired with the smaller engine, while the 10-speed is reserved – for now – with the 6.2L option. The mighty 6.2L will not be limited to the top trim; it will be offered in the LTZ as well. Both motors are branded EcoTec3 and will employ start-stop technology in a bid to boost fuel economy ratings.
The fabulous NHT Max Trailering Package, a must have on the previous-gen truck, shows up on all trims save for the Trail Boss, meaning that’s the only model that won’t have 3.42 rear end gears as an option. There’s no mention of a diesel mill in the document we saw.
Other details about the Trail Boss? The neato power tailgate found on LTZ and High Country trucks will not be offered, nor will the trick surround-view camera that would be a boon on the trail, but there will be an optional sunroof and optional leather seats. Up front, one can spec either a bench or buckets, both of which can be shod in cloth or leather. Sign me up for a Trail Boss with a cloth bench, please.
The boringly-named Convenience Package II will bestow a 120v in-bed outlet on the Trail Boss and other trims. Spotters take note of the grille designs:
- LT: Chrome bars with high gloss Black mesh inserts.
- RST: Body color bars with high gloss Black mesh inserts.
- LT Trail Boss: High gloss Black bars with high gloss Black mesh inserts.
- LTZ: Chrome bars with high gloss Black mesh and Chrome inserts.
- High Country: Chrome bars with high gloss Black mesh and Chrome/Bronze inserts.
LT, RST, and LT Trail Boss trucks will offer a choice of eleven colors. LTZ and High Country will have a selection of ten hues, with Red Hot being the shade deleted from the lineup. High Country trucks will have the interior option of black/brown seats that has become the standard for top-trim pickups; five exterior colors can be paired with it ranging from Havana Brown to Satin Steel.
Expect to see the 2019 Silverado, in all its trims, on dealer lots as the summer winds down. We’re looking forward to getting behind the wheel, especially in a Trail Boss. Stay tuned.