RIGHT INLINE
THE LAST TIME CHEVROLET OFFERED A STRAIGHT-SIX ENGINE WAS IN THE ’08 Trailblazer. That fuel-injected 4.2L gas-burner made 273 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque, with a combined EPA fuel economy rating of 16 mpg on the 4WD model. The inline-six was impressive, winning numerous awards for its innovations. But it’s nowhere near as impressive as the inline-six Duramax diesel that makes its debut in the ’20 Chevrolet Silverado.
GM’s newest diesel, the third offering in the Duramax family, is 3.0 liters of high-tech innovation wrapped in an aluminum block and head. It delivers 277 ponies and 460 lb-ft of torque, coupled with fuel economy numbers expected to be in the 30s. The 3.0L Duramax has more horsepower than its Ford Power Stroke and Ram EcoDiesel rivals, and it flexes its torque muscle lower in the rpm band than both competitors.
From what we experienced in our first drive of a Silverado with this engine, the inline-six Duramax, which makes more torque than the Silverado’s available 6.2L V-8
