2017 Chevy Silverado HD and GMC HD Prototypes Are Doing More Testing [Spied]

2017 chevy silverado hd 2500 3500 duramax diesel allison prototype
2017 Chevy Silverado HD (by Jared C.)

GM is hard at work again with the next generation of the heavy duty trucks. The company has not made any official announcements about the 2017 or the 2018 heavy duty truck upgrades. At this time, we are left with several educated guesses and many prototype images.

TFLtruck viewer, Jared C, caught these trucks in Colorado this week. Several details come into view. First, the Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) tank is located in the same place as with the current Chevy and GMC HD trucks. It’s under the front passenger area. The front-end of the prototypes are camouflaged and covered, but a close-up does not show any dramatic styling changes. The headlights and grille openings are very similar if not identical to those on the current trucks.

Then there is the peculiar mesh cover in the middle of the leading edge of the hood. We have noticed this detail before and it appears to hide an additional air intake built into the hood. GM is expected to boost the power ratings of the 6.6L V8 Duramax turbo-diesel. How far will they go? Can they best the 900 ft-lbs of torque from the class-leading Ram HD? We cannot say for sure. However, the power increase looks to require an additional air intake in the hood. This could make for a more menacing front-end appearance.

2017-gmc-sierra-hd-prototype

GM is likely to stay with the Allison heavy duty transmission for the diesel trucks. The Allison works very in the current HD lineup. We cannot wait for these new trucks to be revealed. At this point, the likely time and place for the debut will the at the 2016 State Fair of Texas at the end of September.

Here is Sierra 3500 HD prototype caught testing at high altitude last year.