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GM delays 3.0-liter Duramax diesel in Silverado and Sierra pickups

Stricter testing protocols around the world are making it harder for automakers to predict launch timelines. GM is the latest to get caught in emissions nettles, the Detroit carmaker forced to delay the launch of its new Duramax 3.0-liter inline-six diesel for the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500. That's what company reps told dealers in a memo seen by Automotive News this week. Dealers and buyers had been promised the Flint, Mich.-built oil-burner in early 2019, but AN wrote that the EPA certification hiccup has turned into a "slight delay." A GM spokesman told Motor1, "[We] did not attribute [the delay] to a single entity, as the truth is this is a collaborative effort between GM and several government entities. We will make the 2020MY Duramax available for dealers orders soon, and expect to deliver the first trucks to customers soon after emissions testing is complete." We know the new 3.0-liter Duramax diesel has 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, outdoing Ford's 3.0-liter PowerStroke diesel by 27 hp and 20 lb-ft. But without final EPA paperwork, GM can't release the numbers that will show how the two engines stack up when considering fuel economy and tow ratings. The certification process has been sticky for a few other makers of late, especially since the Volkswagen Group situation in 2015. BMW had to delay the launch of four diesel models in 2016 over EPA testing. The new Ram 1500 dribbled out in a trickle last year for reasons thought to deal with EPA testing, coming as it did a year after the EPA investigated Ram's EcoDiesel engines in 2017 and 2018. More recently, WLTP testing in Europe caught out just about every automaker over there. Since we're almost halfway through 2019, the delay until the 2020 model year is only a few months. Still, GM told dealers to cancel any orders for the engine for this model year. Dealers will need to resubmit the orders once opening begins, but GM hasn't said when production will begin other than "soon." The company said that it will offer 2020-model-year replacement vehicles to customers and dealers. If prices hold into the next model year, the 2020 Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 with the inline-six diesel will come at a $3,890 premium over the 2.7-liter turbo four-cylinder, and a $2,495 premium over the 5.3-liter V8.

2020 GMC Sierra makes diesel and 10-speed more available

The 2020 GMC Sierra full-size pickup truck doesn't look much different than the previous model, but it brings along a number of new feature updates. Specifically, certain options are now more widely available, including some powertrain options. The model year also brings about the truck's latest towing camera and some towing app updates. We'll start with the 3.0-liter diesel inline-six and 10-speed automatic, as both are more broadly available for 2020. The diesel adds the second-lowest Elevation trim level, meaning it's available in every trim except the base Sierra. The diesel is also now an option for the CarbonPro Edition AT4 and Denali, so you aren't limited to the 6.2-liter V8 for those trims. The 10-speed automatic is finally available on the 5.3-liter V8, but it's restricted to four-wheel-drive versions of the SLT, AT4 and Denali trims – lower trims retain the eight-speed automatic. The 10-speed transmission continues to be standard with the 6.2-liter V8 and 3.0-liter diesel. GMC also added new towing-related features for 2020. It has a newly-optional rear-view camera system that can show what's behind the truck's trailer, and it can project that where the trailer is on the main display, effectively making the trailer disappear. This feature was introduced in the Sierra HD. GMC also added a feature to its trailer app that lets you store and share details on your trailer setup so that it's easier for someone else to hook it up. You can even monitor and activate functions on compatible trailers with the app. There are a number of other more minor updates. Sierras can now be optioned with adaptive cruise control. The Elevation trim is available with the Crew Cab configuration. The AT4 CarbonPro Edition gets a few extra black accents compared with the 2019 version. Pricing and availability of the 2020 Sierra haven't been announced yet, though.

GM will no longer remove parts from trucks to calculate curb weights

Following last week's mild uproar after it was discovered that Ford and General Motors were removing some optional parts from their pickups to lower the curb weight and consequently increase the maximum payload, GM has come out and committed to a base curb weight for its upcoming Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon compact trucks (although it has yet to publish them) and its current Silverado and Sierra. The company will do the same for its heavy duty offerings, although those numbers have not been finalized yet.
"This will make our curb weight and payload specs more consistent with those of most other truck makers, making it easier for customers to compare vehicles," GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson told Autoblog in an emailed statement.
As GM notes - and as every manufacturer has noted since this story broke - customers still shouldn't take max payload ratings as gospel. Instead, they should refer to their truck's Tire and Load Label, like the one shown at the inset, which will offer detailed information on max payload, specific to their truck.