The phrase “One size fits all” seems hardly applicable when looking to purchase a new vehicle and even less so when your vehicle selection is narrowed down to the trucks for sale at your local dealerships. In an ideal world, you would have your work truck and your home truck; one for mud covered boots and on-site lugging of heavy materials while the other handles the daily grocery shopping errands, drop off and pick up of the kids from school or their many extracurricular activities, or better yet, date night at your favorite restaurant. Heck, you might as well throw in a recreational truck for off-road adventures if we are talking about an ideal world. Your lifestyle is not “one size fits all”, but unfortunately unless you are extremely wealthy, your vehicle may have to fit that tag line as best it can. Fortunately, Chevy’s line of Silverado trucks has been making significant updates and advancements in technology so that your work truck and your home truck can still be the one and the same.
Chevy’s 2019 Silverado 1500s is the most versatile full-size pickup trucks for sale on the market; with six engine options and three transmissions, the trim selection alone allows any potential driver to make their truck selection cater to the needs of their lifestyle. Chevy did not stop with simply options, though. The engineers continue to improve on the Silverado’s legacy with a focus on fuel economy and improving towing capacity; the 2019 Silverado models will introduce Dynamic Fuel Management on updated versions of the proven 5.3L and 6.2L V8s and make advanced towing technology available as well. Now your work truck performs even better when you are at home, and your home truck still maintains the capacity to perform at its best on the work site.
DYNAMIC FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Now I know what your thinking; a full-size truck with an emphasis on fuel economy, that is kind of an oxymoron, right? Chevrolet first introduced Active Fuel Management (AFM) in 2005, and Dynamic Fuel Management (DFM) is a natural progression of that technology. The Active Fuel Management system, still coming standard with the 4.3L V6 and E-85-capable 5.3L V8, allowed the engine to alternate operation between eight and four cylinders depending upon the necessary force applied against the truck. In order to improve fuel economy, the variant displacement technology from General Motors basically allows the truck’s engine to shut-off half of the eight working cylinders when not pulling heavier loads. The technology has effectively improved fuel economy in Chevrolet’s larger full-sized trucks by 6 to 8 percent according to the EPA.
While the AFM alternated between two cylinder patterns, the Dynamic Fuel Management System operates in 17 different cylinder patterns optimizing power and efficiency in fuel economy. Industry-standard tests have shown the 2019 Silverado 2WD with the 5.3L DFM engine operated with less than eight active cylinders 60 percent of the time; that’s nine percent more than was capable with the AFM.
How It Works
Dynamic Fuel Management utilizes an advanced monitoring computer that works in tandem with an electromagnetic solenoid system to restrict or release oil pressure conversely closing or opening the necessary valves of the 17 cylinders. It is a complicated process with a series of calculations being made up to 80 times per second that is better explained by the engineers of General Motors. “Dynamic Fuel Management enables only the cylinders needed to deliver the power you want, seamlessly delivering the best balance of power and fuel economy,” says Jordan Lee, General Motors’ Small Block chief engineer. Basically, “…the engine will operate more often with a reduced number of cylinders, which saves fuel across the board.”
How It Benefits
Now you would think that with a focus on fuel economy, the Silverado 1500’s engine would suffer a decrease in horsepower and overall torque, but that is not the case. Since the system is torque based, you still have all the power of a V8 engine on demand with a push of the gas pedal; with Dynamic Fuel Management System, the engine seamless alternates while maintaining high performance capabilities of a full-size truck. The 5.3L V8 with DFM is SAE-certified at 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque while the 6.2L with DFM, the largest and most powerful gas V8, is SAE-certified at 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. Both posting horsepower and torque figures more than comparable to leading market standards for full-size trucks of any competitor. The EPA reports have yet to be released for this new fuel-saving technology but Chevy remains confident that the Silverado 1500 with DFM will provide substantial savings at the pump, all the while being eco-friendly, an uncommon description for any full-size truck or vehicle.
Advanced Trailering Technology
DFM is the fuel-saving technology that will definitely help you save at the pump no matter if you are at work or home, but what about advancements to increase work performance? The obvious solution to driving your work truck on the weekend is better fuel economy but some truck drivers actually tow things with their full-size trucks. That is why Chevy is introducing the Advanced Trailering System (ATS) made available as a package for their 2019 Silverado 1500 models. The ATS, standard on High-Country and LTZ and an available option for LT, RST, and Trail Boss trims, attempts to satiate many of the annoying hassles involved in towing with an emphasis also on increased safety.
“…GMC spoke with thousands of pickup truck owners who trailer, either on a daily basis or a couple times a month,” said Tony Johnson, Director of Truck Strategy. “We listened to their thoughts on how the trailering process, from connecting the hitch to traveling down the road, could be improved upon, and integrated professional-grade solutions…”
General Motors found solutions to questions like what is the point of owning a truck with all that horsepower and torque if you still need a friend to help to help you hitch the tow? The ATS package has a fix for this. A built-in back-up camera is included that allows the driver to view proximity and distance of the truck and hitch to the intended tow all from inside the cab of the truck. The on-screen viewpoint comes with helpful guidance lines for the truck and trailer hitch to assist in backwards navigation, and the camera also has a Hitch View mode which allows the driver to zoom in on the hitch for closer maneuvering capability. A frustratingly difficult two-person job that was once reliant on mirrors and hand singles is now the relatively stress-free experience of a single person.]
Perhaps the packages most impressive and safety-minded feature, though, is the trailer tire pressure monitoring system. Trailer tire pressure and temperature are made available with the touch of a button on your infotainment screen. No more finding a space long enough to park, and then having to walk back and check the tire pressure manually. A true time saver all truck drivers can appreciate and combined with tire temperature monitoring should help prevent any unexpected highway blowouts.
Eco-Friendly Large Load Capable Trucks
An emphasis on fuel economy, high performance, and safety not only places the Chevy Silverado 1500 at the top of the class for full-size trucks in 2019, but it also emphasizes that Chevy’s focus has been and still remains on the driver and their needs. Who ever thought you would call your full-size truck eco-friendly? Well, maybe eco-minded. More torque, higher horsepower and better city mpg, the future just may hold a one size fits all vehicle to compliment your lifestyle. With all these new features the Silverado is sure to have people looking for trucks for sale from now on.
