If you like your trucks big and fast, Chevy has the one for you.
The latest Silverado SS has a 300 horsepower, 6.0 litre Vortec V8 and you can have any transmission you want as long as it is the automatic with full-time all wheel drive.
Other items include a locking rear differential and four-wheel disc brakes with ABS as part of the standard equipment.
The locker diff keeps the rear tires from going up in smoke when you plant the throttle and the ABS is supposed to keep you from planting the entire truck in some one else’s trunk.
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After driving the SS for a while, that becomes less of a joke than you may think.
The truck weighs 2,903 kilograms and with the 20-inch tires it rides so smoothly that you have to pay close attention to the speedometer.
Under hard braking, pedal feel seemed a bit vague and stopping did not seem to correlate well with the amount of pressure put on the pedal. The truck always stopped, I just didn’t always feel confident that it would do so when I wanted it to.
It is possible that the ABS system tends to reduce pedal feel slightly and the tall tires mated to stock-sized discs may exacerbate the situation. Keep in mind that what I’m sensitive to may not even bother someone else.
The 20 inch tires make for a smooth ride, but the tall side-walled versions used on trucks do a couple of other things to handling, too. Tire side wall windup will occur if you push real hard in a corner.
You can feel the truck start to push out and then the nose lets go. Empty, this probably won’t happen unless you make a big mistake in a corner.
Towing a loaded trailer is a different story. The laws of physics apply even if you can’t feel them in the seat of your pants.
This truck is comfortable when towing your vacation home, but you can’t let your brain go on vacation.
The Vortec V8 in the SS is a touch different than the regular 6.0 litre engine.
It uses the same iron block, aluminum head design and the same two valves per cylinder. It even runs on regular unleaded.
The differences are in the compression ratio (10.0:1 instead of 9.4:1) and in the electronic engine controls.
Chevy uses slightly different engine management maps to control detonation at higher compression ratios.
This maintains its low emissions vehicle status.
The transmission is a four speed automatic with all wheel drive and a tow haul mode.
When ordered with the trailer towing package, the transmission is rated for a maximum of 3,500 kg trailering capability.
My red SS came with a sticker price of $53,460 and the only option was the trailer towing package for $260.
For your money, you get to sit in comfortable front bucket seats that come with power adjustments and three level heating elements.
If you get relegated to the bench seat in the extended cab portion, comfort is reduced slightly due to a space shortage. I wouldn’t want to be back there for too long.
Instrumentation is regular Silverado with a large tach and speedometer with the customary information centre display in the bottom of the speedo.
On the steering wheel are controls for the display and AM/FM/CD stereo system. Distance on the FM side was better than I imagined and the AM side gave me a strong stereo signal long past where I figured to be listening to static.
I didn’t carry much of a load in the truck box. Somewhere along the line, the bed liner had come adrift and I didn’t want to take a day or so out of my test time to have a non-essential item like that fixed.
My only other wish for the SS is that someone figure out how to make a good looking, practical set of running boards.
I’m tall enough to slide into the driver’s seat, but my wife flat out refused to jump up into the truck when we were to go out.
On the other side, there are plenty of running boards on the market, but for this truck you have to have the right ones or none at all.
Come to think of it, the entire truck is done right. The body work stands out big time, it is comfortable, practical for a short box, lots of fun to drive and competitively priced.
Charles Renny is a freelance automotive columnist and a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada. The opinions expressed in this column are the personal views of the writer.
