New Chevrolet Diesel Pickup Truck Confirmed

General Motors has been dropping hints concerning a new generation of diesel pickups for some time, and an engineer from Chevrolet has now confirmed to AutoGuide that a diesel will arrive in a non-heavy duty pickup truck in the near future. 

That means that the brand’s half-ton Silverado could receive the oil burner, or it could fall to the smaller Colorado, which is set to return to the North American market in 2014 as a 2015 model year vehicle.

Considering that RAM is now offering a diesel engine in the 1500, a diesel-powered Silverado isn’t out of the question. But it seems that the Colorado is a more viable option for the engine, as it can be introduced from the start, and capitalize on a segment that offers no competition: small diesel-powered pickup trucks. The Chevrolet Colorado offers 2.5 and 2.8-liter diesel engines already in other parts of the world.

SEE ALSO: GM Midsize Diesel Truck Hinted at by Execs

The Silverado is also set for some other enhancements, most notably an eight-speed transmission. While it is not confirmed outright, AutoGuide was told that an eight-speed hooked up to Silverado in the future is a “fair assumption.”

Don’t expect Silverado upgrades for at least another year however, as Chevy is still working to get its bread-and-butter trucks out to consumers, as only one of three assembly plants responsible for the 2014 Silverado is currently online.

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