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GMC Sierra 3500HD Wins Best Overall HD Truck

Beats Ford and Ram in PickupTrucks.com’s “HD Hurt Locker” Comparison

2011-08-15

DETROIT – The GMC Sierra 3500HD won PickupTrucks.com’s “Heavy Duty Hurt Locker” comparison test, a grueling showdown among industry heavyweights that included towing 19,400-pound fifth-wheel trailers up and over some of the most demanding grades in the United States.

“We procured similarly equipped trucks from Ford, Ram and GMC and put them through the paces, towing up and down some of the toughest grades in the country covering a total of 2,200 miles,” said Mike Levine, editor of PickupTrucks.com. “When we analyzed the data, the GMC Sierra 3500HD simply outperformed the trucks from Ford and Ram.”

The results of the comparison conducted July 11-18 between Denver, Colo. and Laughlin, Nev., reflect improvements to the 2012 Sierra 3500HD that give Sierra best-in-class towing for both conventional and fifth-wheel trailers.

“Customers choose full-size trucks for their capabilities,” said Rick Spina, vehicle line executive for full-size trucks. “For 2012, we built on the foundation we created in 2011, with engineering changes and additional validation designed to make the most capable heavy-duty pickup even better. Based on PickupTrucks.com’s test results, it looks like we got the job done.”

For enhanced fifth-wheel towing, engineers strengthened the pickup box sills and other box structures, rear springs, u-bolts and box mounts, and upgraded the shock tuning. As a result, Sierra 3500HD now has a best-in-class tow rating of 23,000 pounds, up from 21,700 pounds in 2011.

Sierra also will lead the class in dually payload, with a 7,215-lb. payload for the 3500HD regular cab gasoline dually. Updates to the trailer hitch receiver increase conventional towing to 18,000 pounds, up from 17,000 pounds. Both changes will be on models arriving in dealerships in the fourth quarter.

“We know heavy-duty pickups are one of the most-competitive segments, with some of the most knowledgeable customers there are,” said Spina. “For 2012, we worked on making our trucks even more capable than before.”

	2012 GMC Sierra 3500HD	2012 Ford F-350	2012 Ram 3500
Max. fifth-wheel towing (lb./kg):	23,000 / 10,433	22,700 / 10,297	22,700 / 10,297
Max. conventional towing (lb./kg):	18,000 / 8,165	17,500 / 7,938	12,050 / 5,466
Max. payload capacity (lb./kg)	7,215 / 3,273	7,110 / 3,225	5,190 / 2,354
Max. GCWR (lb./kg)	30,500 / 13,835	30,000 / 13,608	30,000 / 13,608

Other updates for 2012 Sierra HD trucks include a new navigation radio with enhanced display and a hard drive, eliminating the need for discs with map data.

Sierra continues to offer OnStar, a segment exclusive, SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth for phone and USB connectivity.

Sierra delivered its best sales month of the year in July, driven by increased demand for heavy-duty models. Retail HD sales are up 29 percent and total HD sales are up 34 percent year to date, and nearly as much in both categories year over year. Retail sales for the full Sierra lineup grew 2 percent year over year, with total sales up 6 percent.

Similarly, Silverado leads the class in payload, with a 7,215-lb. capacity. And as Chevrolet demonstrated in its recent HDtoHD video series, Silverado HDs strengths are evident on the road as well as the spec sheet.

“We encourage customers to test drive the Silverado HD against the competition,” Spina said. “Based on our testing, we are confident that the Silverado HD will prove to be the best choice for real-world towing and hauling.”

Chevrolet offers 10 2500HD models and eight single- and dual-rear-wheel 3500HD models, including regular cab, extended cab and crew-cab body styles offered in 2WD and 4WD. All share key architectural and performance features, including:

Fully-boxed, high-strength-steel frames
Available 6.6L Duramax diesel delivers 397 horsepower and 765 pound-feet of torque and B20 biodiesel capability
36-gallon fuel tank and engine efficiency to enable up to 680 miles (1,090 km) between fill-ups with the 6.6L Duramax turbo diesel
Smart exhaust brake feature provides greater control on grades and reduced brake pad wear
An array of standard and available control features, including trailer sway control, integrated trailer brake control, hill start assist, automatic grade braking, intelligent brake assist, and large brakes.

Purposeful technology

For 2012, Silverado HD offers a number of technical features that enhance the capability of the truck for both work and recreation, including a new navigation radio. It offers an enhanced display and now has a hard drive that eliminates the need for discs with map data. Silverado also continues to offer segment exclusive OnStar Directions & Connections with Turn-by-Turn Navigation and Automatic Crash Response, SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth for phone and USB connectivity.

Chevrolet WiFi powered by Autonet, available through Chevy dealers, turns the Silverado HD into a mobile hot spot and an office on wheels, providing multiple users with full internet access inside the vehicle or up to 150 feet from the exterior of the vehicle.

For work sites, Chevy WiFi offers instant access to online ordering sites, municipal sites with building permits and building code information and more. For families on the go, passengers can connect with friends on social media sites, stream videos, find maps, check weather or search for fishing and camping sites.

Silverado HD also offers comprehensive confidence and control features. Trailer Sway Control, which uses the truck and trailer brakes and the powertrain controls to keep the vehicle and trailer on the intended path, is now part of StabiliTrak, as is Hill Start Assist, which avoids roll-back before accelerating on inclines.

New Z71 Appearance Package

Even trucks that work for a living should look good while doing it, so for 2012 Silverado HD will offer a HD Z71 appearance package for LT and LTZ models that includes a body-colored grille surround with a chrome mesh grille, body-colored bumpers and lower fascia, 18-inch polished forged aluminum wheels and other details.