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2023 CHEVROLET SILVERADO HD CAUGHT TESTING IN COLORADO

The Prototype Trucks Get Put Through Their High Altitude Paces

2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD LTZ Dually Max Towing
2021 Silverado 3500 HD. Image via Chevrolet.

For GM truck fans, all eyes are on the upcoming model year updates for the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 pickups. However, today we’d like to turn your attention to what’s going on with the bigger, stronger Silverado HD and Sierra HD. Recently, a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD prototype was caught testing in high altitudes out in the mountainous state of Colorado. And, thanks to TFLtruck.com, the world is privy to a few key details. Check out the video just below.

2023 Chevrolet Silverado HD Spy Video Details

The front grilles, fenders, headlights and taillights of these 2023 Chevrolet Silverado HD prototypes are all camouflaged, which hints to a possible facelift and minor cosmetic changes. Right now, the Silverado 2500 HD and 3500 HD come with two engine options, the 6.6L L8T gas V8, or for torque-hungry diesel fans, the 6.6L Duramax L5P V8. It’s expected that these powertrains will carry forward, but we could see updates in either emissions controls, power upgrades, or improved cooling to help boost the tow ratings of these big GM trucks.

2021 Silverado 3500 HD LTZ. Image via Chevrolet.

Could The 2023 Silverado 3500 HD Possibly Tow 40,000 Pounds?

The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado HD prototype trucks were spotted near Golden, Colorado, an ideal location for testing towing capacity.

The current Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD is capable of towing up to 35,500 pounds. While that number still doesn’t beat the gooseneck towing capacity of 37,000 pounds in the 2022 Ford F-450 Super Duty, perhaps the camouflaged models are gearing up to best that number.

As TFL first noticed in the Silverado spy shots, one of the trailers being used for testing is the BigTex 4XGN. At the moment, Big Tex does not list a 4XGN trailer on its website, so this could also be an upcoming product on offer from the popular trailer company, being tested by General Motors in tandem with its future Silverado HD. As the Ford Super Duty, Ram HD, Silverado HD and Sierra HD are all knocking on a 40,000-pound max tow rating, it would only make sense for trailers to become more capable, also.

In the meantime, Big Tex does offer a 3XGN trailer, which has a gross vehicle weight rating of 30,000 pounds, thanks to a pair of 15,000-pound axles. A 4XGN trailer would perhaps mean that the unit is rated at a 40,000 pounds GVWR. Currently, the Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD Dually features a max tow rating of 35,500 pounds. Therefore, the mysterious Big Tex 4XGN trailer and constant leapfrogging happening in the commercial light duty truck space that Ford, Ram and GM contest in has us expecting that the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD could debut with a gooseneck max tow rating of 40,000 pounds or more.

Other Updates

While it’s expected that the high-end trims of the upcoming 2022i Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2022i GMC Sierra 1500 will receive integrated Super Cruise autonomous driving technology that can handle trailering, we can’t be sure that the heavy duty trucks will also receive it just yet, but it would be a massive leap for the segment if that were eventually be the case.

The interior design of the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado HD, and 2023 GMC Sierra HD, are expected to eventually mirror the big updates coming for the smaller Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500. This means more technology, a larger center screen, a digital instrument cluster, and so forth.

Look for these big new trucks to debut sometime late next year.

2022 Chevrolet Silverado HD 2500 3500 Carhartt Edition Multi-Flex MultiPro Tailgate multifunction
Image via Chevrolet

Written by Liam White

Student of the car industry. Automotive Media Padawan.

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