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2023 Chevrolet Silverado HD reportedly getting mammoth torque

Chevrolet just gave the light-duty Silverado a significant round of updates. It hasn't detailed the changes it has in store for the heavy-duty model yet, but a recent report claims the truck will arrive with significant engine upgrades. Without citing sources, website TFL Truck reported that the current pickup's 6.6-liter Duramax turbodiesel V8 will return in the updated model. Its displacement won't increase, but its output will reportedly grow to 505 horsepower and a mammoth 1,085 pound-feet of torque. To put those figures into perspective, the 6.6-liter makes 445 horsepower and 910 pound-feet of twist in the 2022 Silverado HD; GMC's Sierra HD is available with it as well. Bumping the Duramax's output is a way to keep up with the competition. Arch nemesis Ford offers buyers who have extremely heavy things to tow 475 horsepower and 1,050 pound-feet of torque from a 6.7-liter turbodiesel V8. Over at Ram, the most powerful engine available in a heavy-duty truck posts numbers of 420 and 1,075, respectively. If the report is accurate, Chevrolet will enviably take the horsepower and the torque crowns in the segment. What remains to be seen is what effect the increases will have on the Silverado's towing capacity. As of writing, it's capable of towing up to 36,000 pounds (approximately 15 times the weight of a 2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata). Moving out of the engine bay, the 2023 Silverado HD will receive an updated exterior design that will again help differentiate it from the smaller, light-duty model. We're expecting the next round of updates will also bring new tech features, and it's reasonable to assume that the trim structure will evolve; Chevrolet might notably shift the HD in a more outdoorsy direction to satisfy a growing demand for off-road-focused trucks in the United States. None of this is official; Chevrolet is keeping its lips sealed about the updated Silverado HD. Full details will likely emerge in the coming months, and sales are tentatively scheduled to start in time for the 2023 model year.

Next-gen Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra may use carbon fiber

It's been generally accepted that the next generation of full-size GM trucks will use some sort of strong, lightweight material for the beds while retaining steel for the cab. While aluminum seems like the most obvious choice, according to Automotive News, the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra will incorporate both aluminum and carbon fiber in their beds. The publication cites sources from within GM, though it seems the introduction of this comparatively exotic material mix is still a few years off. While carbon fiber is both stronger and lighter than steel and aluminum, it takes significantly more time and money to produce, essentially relegating the material to small-volume cars. The main benefit for trucks is the resulting reduction in weight to improve fuel economy without sacrificing the tough, rugged capabilities truck buyers expect. The Ford F-150 made the switch to aluminum for the 2015 model year and it's proved highly successful. It seemed like it was only a matter of time before the competition followed suit. Automotive News says that the next-gen trucks will launch with aluminum beds and that it will take a couple of years before we'll see any carbon fiber incorporated into the design. Even then, only look for the composite material on higher-trim models, with a trickle down to lower-spec trucks possible further in the future. In 2011, GM announced it was working with Japan-based Teijin Limited on a carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic. There's a good chance that material's introduction will be on trucks. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News Plants/Manufacturing Rumormill Chevrolet GM GMC Truck

Mustang, Camaro, Challenger gallop onto USPS pony car postage stamp set

Some of America's most iconic cars are about to be immortalized on postage stamps. A new set by the U.S. Postal Service will celebrate the the golden era of pony cars, featuring five classic examples of Detroit iron. Each one is beautifully illustrated in oil-on-canvas style, with subjects in motion and sunlight glinting off the chrome, and would add a nice touch to any first-class letter. The pony car segment was all about (relatively) small, sporty alternatives to the full-size land yachts of the 1960s. They typically came equipped with 6-cylinder engines or small-block V8s. The category was named after the Ford Mustang, hence  the name. Some, though, argue that the Plymouth Barracuda, which was launched a couple of weeks before the Mustang, is the first. Luckily, the Falcon-based Mustang's distinct styling generated a sales sensation, or we might be calling them fish cars. Appropriately, one of the featured cars is a Mustang. But it's not just any Mustang. The 1969 Boss 302, seen here resplendent in Bright Yellow, was created for the hotly-contested SCCA Trans-Am racing series. One of its main rivals would have been the 1969 Chevy Camaro Z/28, also created specifically for the series, and is included in the set in Fathom Green. Representing Auburn Hills in the set is a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T in Plum Crazy, while Southfield's American Motors gets a nod with an AMC Javelin in Big Bad Orange. The Mustang's platform cousin, a 1967 Mercury Cougar XR-7, is portrayed in a gorgeous Burgundy Poly that almost looks incomplete without Neko Case on the hood. It's not the first time the USPS has honored America's rich car culture on its stamps. In 2013, it issues a series of muscle car stamps with the help of Richard Petty. That set featured a 1966 Pontiac GTO, 1967 Shelby GT-500, 1970 Chevelle SS, 1970 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda and, of course, a 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona. Another set in 2016 featured classic pickup trucks. Going further back, a 2008 release had chroed and finned automobiles of the 1950s and a 2005 release featured sporty American cars of the same era. The pony car stamps will debut on August 25 at the Great American Stamp Show in Sacramento, California in partnership with the American Philatelic Society. The public is free to attend the dedication ceremony, but you must RSVP first. After that, they will be available at local post offices and on line at the USPS store.