Zac Quinn 
In 2021, a Michigan-based team known as Blacklake Research and Development released the XT1. It’s a Chevrolet Silverado-based truck that seeks to out-perform both the Ram TRX and Ford F-150 off road, which is not something that GM plans on doing directly. If you can spare a couple of hundred grand, the high-tech, extreme off-road truck could be yours. And for 2023, the Blacklake XT1 has received some updates to match the visual refresh of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500.
2023 Blacklake XT1 Silverado: Details
Beyond adopting the devilishly good looks of the 2022+ Chevrolet Silverado, the 2023 Blacklake XT1 continues to retain the extensive upgrades that take the truck from a decent off-roader to a hardcore, high-speed baja runner. Under the hood, customers will get a Magnuson/Lingenfelter TVS2650 supercharger bolted to either a 5.3L or a 6.2L V8. With that and an HP Tuners unlocked ECU, the truck can produce up to 650 horsepower, putting it within a similar ballpark to the Ford F-150 Raptor R and the Ram 1500 TRX, though about 50 ponies short. No matter: the suspension system of the XT1 allows for longer travel, higher jumps, and farther full sends.
If customers prefer the pre-refreshed look of the XT1, Blacklake will continue to offer that version to them for a limited time.
The 2023 Blacklake XT1 is also equipped with 37-inch BFGoodrich KM3 high-performance off-road tires, and behind that is some revised suspension. At the front, the truck has been equipped with customized XT1-specific A-arms to accommodate the 8-inch wider track and far more extreme suspension travel than the stock truck. The modified truck offers 12.1 inches of front travel while retaining some OEM components like the lower ball joints, bushings, and spindles to make it easier to service at a dealer. At the back, Blacklake replaced the leaf packs of the factory Silverado with a set of coil springs, but beyond that, it retained some factory components, including the axle housing, axle gears, and braking components.
That’s not all; the Blacklake XT1 features a system called “Align-Lock,” a mechanical device that helps keep the front of the truck in alignment, even if you bump into things or have a hard landing when going over a jump. The XT1 also has JRi internal bypass front shocks with compression and rebound adjustment and dual external reservoirs to dial in solid, controlled performance during high-speed.
These are just some modifications done to take the Chevy Silverado to another level off-road. But is the $200,000 price tag worth it? That’s for you to decide.
