Press Release
Page 1 – Overview
Page 2 – Chassis
Page 3 – Design
Page 4 – Interior
Page 5 – Safety
Page 6 – Heritage
Designs
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Bold, distinctive designs, with brand-unique styling and differentiated sheet metal for Silverado and Sierra
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Strong proportions conveyed through segment-widest track and tailored wheel-to-body relationship
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Sleek design, including faster windshield angle and segment-best aerodynamics
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Stronger, higher-capacity cargo box with lower-effort tailgates
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Innovative cargo management system
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World-class fit, finish and refinement
When GM??????????????????????????????????????s designers focused their attention on the all-new 2007 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra, they were guided by a ???????????????????????????????????pure pickup???????????????????????????????? philosophy. What they delivered were trucks that have an unmistakably functional appearance and reflect a substantial increase in refinement, fit and finish. Distinct design differentiation, including unique sheet metal, separate Chevy and GMC models and reflect their respective brand philosophies.
???????????????????????????????????The new trucks convey power and strength with great refinement,???????????????????????????????? said John Cafaro, design director for full-size trucks. ???????????????????????????????????There is a broad-shouldered, purposeful stance with the vehicles that speaks to the ?????????????????????????????????real truck?????????????????????????????????????? needs of customers.????????????????????????????????
Silverado and Sierra are sleeker and more aerodynamic, including a faster, 57-degree windshield angle, reducing wind noise and improving fuel economy despite a larger frontal area. Wider, segment-leading front and rear tracks and a tailored wheel-to-body relationship provide a stance that is both muscular and agile. The trucks are more refined looking, too, with doors that extend over the rockers for a smooth, uninterrupted look, and lamps that have a jeweled appearance. Tolerances between panels are greatly reduced ??????????????????????????????????????? including a 50-percent reduction in the space between the cab and cargo box.
???????????????????????????????????Trucks are very personal vehicles and the refinements seen inside and out reflect customers?????????????????????????????????????? desires for a truck that works hard by day and looks great for a night out,???????????????????????????????? said Cafaro. ???????????????????????????????????The engineering and design departments worked closely to deliver a balance of do-anything capability and go-anywhere style.????????????????????????????????
Complementing the trucks?????????????????????????????????????? three cab designs ??????????????????????????????????????? regular, extended and crew cab ??????????????????????????????????????? are three cargo boxes, including 5-foot 8-inch (short), 6-foot 6-inch (standard) and 8-foot (long) lengths. New features, such as 170-degree-opening rear access doors with fully retractable power windows on extended cab models, offer increased versatility. Also, an innovative cargo management system is available with a diverse range of work and lifestyle accessories, giving GM??????????????????????????????????????s new trucks unmatched capability for any task.
And while the new trucks deliver a muscular and refined appearance, as well as strong brand identities, they were designed foremost for functionality. To that end, a host of new and improved features is woven into the Silverado and Sierra, including improved lighting, a stronger cargo box with more cargo capacity and reduced-effort tailgates.
Chevy Silverado design details
Silverado??????????????????????????????????????s design complements its heritage as the industry??????????????????????????????????????s toughest, most dependable and longest-lasting truck. It has a broad, chiseled ???????????????????????????????????face,???????????????????????????????? which accents a broad-shouldered stance and gives the Silverado a powerful, muscular presence. The front-end appearance is unique to the Silverado and includes a specific power dome hood, grille, front fenders, bumpers and flared rear fenders. Headlamps and taillamps are also unique to Silverado designs.
A large grille ??????????????????????????????????????? wider and taller than previous models ??????????????????????????????????????? and prominent gold bow tie emblem are flanked by premium-look, reflector-optics headlamps. The power dome hood rises from the front end, alluding to the workhorse power plant beneath it, and the fast, 57-degree windshield conveys sleekness. The large, vertically-stacked headlamps are pushed to the outer edges of the body and have a detailed, jeweled appearance that reinforces the trucks?????????????????????????????????????? refinement.
Chrome bumpers are standard on LS and LT models, while LTZ models receive body-color bumpers. The door handles are robust, grab-style designs, which are designed for easy use with gloves. The popular Z71 Off Road package returns with unique exterior appointments and body side identification.
Silverado models are offered with a range of 17-, 18- and 20-inch wheels. Eighteen-inch wheels are standard with the Z71 package. Twenty-inch wheels are standard on LTZ models and available on LT models.
GMC Sierra and Sierra Denali design details
GMC Sierra and Sierra Denali models are designed with a strong and refined appearance befitting the brand??????????????????????????????????????s professional grade philosophy, including muscular character lines and rounded edges. The front end appearance, front fenders, bumpers, hood, grille, headlamps, tail lamps and rear fenders are unique. A ???????????????????????????????????center-focused???????????????????????????????? hood, which flows outward to meet the front fenders and stamped-in rear wheel flares, enhances the muscular look.
A prominent GMC emblem set in a chrome-ringed grille (black grille surround on Work Truck models) is a brand hallmark. Sierra Denali models are distinguished with a signature chrome grille, with a new lower chrome grille. All models except the fleet-oriented Work Truck model come with a distinctive chrome hood molding. Sierra??????????????????????????????????????s grille is complemented by large, jeweled-appearance headlamps.
Sierra models come with chrome bumpers with body-color top and end caps, while Denali models feature body-color bumpers, top and end caps. Denali also comes with chrome door handles. All door handles feature large, grab-style designs that are easy to open with gloves.
A family of 17-, 18- and 20-inch wheels and tires is available throughout the Sierra range. Sierra Denali comes with standard 18-inch polished aluminum wheels, with 20-inch chrome wheels available.
Body structure and exterior details
The new trucks use a single-piece body side stamping and bolt-on door hinges, which foster significantly increased fit and finish. The single-piece stamping reduces production complexity, as multiple pieces of sheet metal are not required to be welded together to form the body side. The bolt-on hinges ??????????????????????????????????????? rather than weld-on hinges ??????????????????????????????????????? enable more accurate door-roof alignment. The new hinges and improved door sealing also help reduce door closing effort. Changes to the latch mechanisms also improve opening and closing efforts on the rear access doors of extended cab models.
Build precision is seen in the flush, virtually seamless transition between the hood and front fenders, along with very tight tolerances around the grille, fenders and front bumper. The hood-to-fender gap is targeted at 4 mm. The grille-to-bumper gap has been reduced to 17 mm and headlamp-to-fender gap is reduced to 1.5 mm. The accuracy of the body and tighter tolerances enhance aerodynamics.
Wind noise also is minimized with the trucks?????????????????????????????????????? sleek shapes, which deliver best-in-class aerodynamics. Additional contributors to low wind noise include outside mirrors shaped in GM??????????????????????????????????????s wind tunnel and new door seals. The primary door seal uses a sculpted shape with internal chambers and hinging, which allows the seal to collapse on itself for a tighter fit. An auxiliary door seal is attached to prevent movement or ???????????????????????????????????walking???????????????????????????????? during driving, ensuring continuous contact with the door edge. Also, an improved windshield-to-roof seal contributes to interior quietness with a tighter fit between the windshield and the roof.
Silverado and Sierra??????????????????????????????????????s segment-leading aerodynamics are the result of thousands of hours of wind tunnel testing, result in a 0.43 overall coefficient of drag, making them the sleekest in the segment. Silverado and Sierra??????????????????????????????????????s fast, 57-degree windshield rake is a large contributor to their aerodynamic proficiency. Other contributors include:
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Flat-style windshield wipers
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Flush-mounted front lighting
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Improved engine compartment sealing for optimized grille airflow
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Fog lamp and tow hook closeout pockets
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Doors-over-rockers design
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Streamlined outside mirrors
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Aerodynamically styled trailing edge of the roof and center high-mounted stop lamp
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Flush-fitting, push-to-open fuel door
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Gap between cab and box reduced by 50 percent (28 mm vs. 56 mm), with new seal added
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Tailgate top cap with integrated spoiler lip
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Streamlined rook rack (optional)
Rear access doors: The rear access doors on extended cab models open a wide 170 degrees, offering virtually unobstructed passenger and cargo loading. This feature is especially helpful in close areas, where side access is limited. The 170-degree opening is one of three stop detents in the hinge mechanism; the other two are at 60 degrees and 90 degrees. Fully retractable power windows are available on the 170-degree rear access doors, making the combination a segment exclusive for Silverado and Sierra.
Lighting: Large, bright reflector-optics headlamps blend smoothly into the fenders. Clear lenses and bright metallic reflectors inside the headlamp housings provide a premium, jewel-like appearance. The headlamps have a ???????????????????????????????????four-bulb burn???????????????????????????????? design, meaning the low beams remain illuminated when the high beams are turned on. Lighting performance is significantly improved over previous models. Daytime running lamps are standard and integrated fog lamps are available.
Vertically arranged taillamps put out more light than previous models. They use three-cavity housings and premium-look lenses. Cargo area lighting also is improved, with lamps that throw more light than before. They are integrated into the CHMSL housing and designed to flood even the long bed with sufficient light to make nighttime work easier and safer.
Outside mirrors: Streamlined outside mirrors contribute to the trucks?????????????????????????????????????? low wind noise and superior aerodynamics. Power-folding mirrors are available and offer heated glass to clear frost or ice. The power mirrors also have a curb feature that allows the glass to tilt down while the vehicle is reversing, allowing the driver to better judge the distance to the curb or other close objects. Also, in-glass turn signal repeaters operate in tandem with the front and rear signals.
Camper mirrors and trailer towing mirrors are available. Both styles offer extendable mounts and 60 square inches (3,871 sq mm) of glass area. The trailer towing mirrors add power-adjustable, heated glass and turn signal repeaters.
Flat-blade windshield wipers: Silverado and Sierra use flat blade windshield wipers with unique wiper arms. The flat blade design offers improved glass clearing, providing more uniform pressure on the glass and virtually eliminating the chance for ???????????????????????????????????chatter???????????????????????????????? due to impaired or frozen joints. The wiper arms are aerodynamically styled to reduce wind noise. Heated windshield washer fluid is available.
Roof rack: New for 2007, a roof rack is available on crew cab models and styled to provide an integrated appearance with the vehicle??????????????????????????????????????s design. Cargo support cross bars are accessories available through dealerships.
Pickup box and tailgate details
Silverado and Sierra are offered with three pickup bed lengths: short (5 foot 8 inches), standard (6 foot 6 inches) and long (8 foot). Like the front fenders and hoods, the rear box sides are unique to both vehicles. Rear fender styling on the Silverado includes an elongated fender flare, with slightly rounded top corners. Sierra??????????????????????????????????????s fenders have a more rounded overall flare design.
The pickup boxes have been redesigned with enhanced versatility, increased strength and greater capacity. A one-piece wheelhouse and inner box side adds strength and a smoother, more integrated appearance ??????????????????????????????????????? it also eliminates the ???????????????????????????????????pencil???????????????????????????????? lower fender support brace of previous models.
The boxes are 1.18 inches (30 mm) deeper in the front and 1.57 inches (40 mm) deeper at the rear, with stronger inner walls that use a single steel panel instead of two welded pieces. The stronger boxes offer improved performance when fitted with ladder racks, tool boxes and other accessories. The new inner box panels also enabled a slight increase in bed width.
All models and box lengths come with a two-tier loading design, with pockets stamped into the inner side panels that are designed to accept several 2 x 8s across the width of the box. Provisions for bulkhead dividers also are built-in.
New tailgate designs on Silverado and Sierra include a lock, with torque-rod assist. Despite being larger than previous models, the new tailgates are easier to use, thanks to revised construction that reduces overall mass. The torque-rod assisted tailgate has a minimum effective weight of only 15.7 pounds (7.1 kg). The tailgates use welded-on hinges and stronger handle assemblies.
The tailgates are easily removed by simply opening to 45 degrees and pulling straight out and away from the vehicle. A standard end cap on each tailgate features an integrated spoiler lip that enhances aerodynamics.
Cargo management system
A new, innovative cargo management system is available on all Silverado and Sierra models, and it is complemented by a range of dealer-ordered accessory packages. Three rails that run the length of the box sides and the forward box wall are secured with high-strength anchors and, unlike competitors?????????????????????????????????????? systems, incorporate upper and lower tracks. Four adjustable tie-down brackets are included with each system and can be located anywhere on the tracks. Each is rated for a load point of 500 pounds (227 kg).
At the heart of a comprehensive accessories portfolio for the new pickups is a group of specific accessory products that is designed to integrate into the cargo management system. The rails enable the use of an overhead utility rack rated at 500 pounds (227 kg) loading capacity, a sliding diamond-plate tool box, a sliding bed divider, diamond-plate side storage boxes or a bicycle mount. These accessories use either the upper or lower rails, allowing numerous combinations that can easily fit together or bypass one another as they slide along the rails. The tool boxes and bicycle mount use a codeable lock, enabling the vehicle key to be used for locking and unlocking the accessories.
It provides moveable, high-strength tie-downs for the left- and right-hand sides of the pickup box, onto which a number of work and lifestyle accessories can be attached. Aluminum rails that run the length of box sides allow the use of a commercial overhead rack, sliding tool box, sliding bed divider, sliding side storage boxes or a locking bike mount. Tonneau covers also are available as accessories.
