GMSV beefs up truck range with the 2021 Silverado 2500 HD LTZ Premium

GMSV is set to add a bigger brother to its Silverado range later this year, announcing today it will be converting the diesel-powered 2021 Silverado 2500 HD LTZ Premium to RHD from November this year.

The new 2500 HD LTZ Premium will join its smaller Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium and LT Trail Boss siblings as part of GMSV’s Silverado range, one of the biggest differences being the 2500 offered by GMSV will use diesel power rather than the 313kW 6.2-litre EcoTec3 petrol V8 found in the 1500s.

Under the enormous bonnet is Chevy’s 6.6-litre Duramax diesel V8, which in the US makes 331kW and 1233Nm, backed up by an Allison 10-speed automatic.

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At the time of writing, GMSV has yet to specify towing and payload ratings for the Australian-converted 2500 HD, but in the US the MY21 2500 HD Duramax has a maximum tow rating of 8395kg (18,510lbs) and a payload of 1723kg (3800lbs).

By comparison, the Silverado 1500 currently offered by GMSV has a maximum towing capacity of 4500kg (4.5-ton).

At this stage, GMSV is only offering the 2500 HD in LTZ Premium trim, with pricing starting at $144,990. For comparison, the 1500 LTZ with Tech Pack is $114,990.

The 2500 HDs will feature the Z71 Off-Road Package, consisting of off-road suspension with twin tube shocks, hill descent control and skid plates with Z71 badging.

Also included as part of the LTZ Premium trim is the Appearance Pack, which includes; colour-matched bumpers and door handles, black bonnet vent, skid plate and tubular side steps, belt moulding and exterior badges. Completing the pack is a set of 20-inch gloss black alloy wheels.

The tub gets a coat of spray-on liner, and measures 2104mm long by 1814mm, with a maximum space of 1968 litres. There’s 12 tie-down points rated at 127kg each, and the 2500 HD also has a power up and down tailgate like the smaller 1500.

To make use of the mammoth eight-ton towing capacity, the 2500 HDs come fitted with the Advanced Towing Package, which consists of rear-vision camera with hitch guidance, trailer brake controller and power extendable door mirrors.

GMSV has also specified the Technology and Safety Pack 2 for all 2500 HDs, which, along with ESC and traction control, includes; lane change alert, side blind-spot and rear cross traffic alert, pedestrian and low-speed emergency braking.

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MY21 Ram 1500

Inside, the LTZ Premium scores a heated leather steering wheel, as well as heated and vented leather seats, dual zone climate control, an 8-inch interior screen, power sunroof and a multi-colour 15-inch head-up display.

The re-introduction of the 2500 HD Silverado has been a while coming for GMSV, which discontinued the previous generation 2500 HD to focus on its current petrol-only 1500 Silverado as a direct competitor to the hugely popular Ram 1500.

The 2500 HD will serve as a direct rival to the Ram 2500 and 3500 Laramie, the latter of which uses a 6.7-litre Cummins diesel developing 276kW/1152Nm, and is converted to RHD configuration in the same factory in Clayton as the Silverado 1500 and soon-to-be 2500 HD..

GMSV will fully confirm local specification once final certification for the Silverado 2500 HD LTZ Premium is completed later this year.