Chevrolet Silverado is All About Versatility

    By MALCOLM GUNN Wheelbase Communications

    Whether it's toiling on the job site, towing a trailer or getting spiffed up for a night on the town, the 2007 Chevrolet Silverado plays the versatility card well.

    This full-sized pickup, along with its GMC Sierra counterpart, are the recipients of stem-to-stern remakes this year, and General Motors has gone to great lengths to leave no igneous outcrop undisturbed in its quest for light-duty truck supremacy.

    The latest Silverado is noticeably smoother and less angular than previous iterations, in stark contrast to the bull-nosed designs of its competitors. Body panel gaps have been significantly reduced and even the space between the cab and the box has been cut in half. As well, the windshield angle is steeper while grille and head lamps have been tidied up.

    But don't think that this Bowtie-branded pickup has lost any of its mettle because of its new sheetmetal. Silverado's engineers proudly displayed an unadorned boxed ladder frame, explaining that it's 234 percent more resistant to twisting and 62 percent more resistant to bending. Also, the distance between the left and right wheels had been widened for greater stability and a new front suspension and steering system improve ride and handling.

    The Silverado's interior is a quiet, comfortable and exceedingly squeak-resistant environment, made even more hospitable by the redesigned dashboards. Yes, there are two of them this year, one built for more basic models and a premium version that must have been copied straight from Cadillac's Escalade sport-ute. Both have been given a lower profile to help improve forward visibility.

    There's more - a lot more - to be said about the new Silverado, but spending time behind the wheel and studying the brochures and features list at your Chevy dealer is mandatory at this point.

    After some time spent sampling the '07 Silverado's style and substance, the onus clearly rests on the rest of the pack to, ahem, "pickup" the pace.

    WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

    2007 Chevrolet Silverado

    Rear-/four-wheel-drive full-size pickup

    4.3-liter OHV V-6 (195 horsepower); 4.8 liter OHC V-8 (295 horsepower); 5.3-liter OHC V-8 (315 horsepower); 6.0 OHV V-8 (367 horsepower)

    Four-speed automatic

    Front air bags (with passenger-seat deactivation); side-curtain air bags; anti-lock brakes; stability control

    MPG (city/hwy): 17/21

    Price: $23,600

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