When the Golden Bowtie redesigned the Silverado for the 2019 model year on the T1 platform, many people were surprised to hear that a six-speed automatic came standard while the Ram 1500 featured and still offers an eight-speed transmission. Even the Ford Motor Company leveled up to a 10-speed automatic on the base V6 of the F-150 for the 2021 model year, which is why something had to change at General Motors.
Scheduled for a mid-cycle refresh, the half-ton Silverado and plusher Sierra will drop the Hydra-Matic 6L80 in favor of the 8L90 with two extra forward ratios. This information comes courtesy of a recent presentation from General Motors that also confirms an interesting change in terms of engines.
As the headline implies, the RPO code LV3 4.3-liter V6 had to go. To be replaced by the L3B 2.7-liter turbo four-cylinder mill next year, this powerplant and the six-speed automatic are currently offered on select body styles in the Work Truck (WT), Custom, and Custom Trail Boss trims.
General Motors is further discontinuing the L82 5.3-liter V8, which shouldn’t be confused with the L84 despite their similar displacement. The biggest difference between these motors is that one features Active Fuel Management and the other Dynamic Fuel Management. AFM is a cylinder-deactivation technology designed to shut down four of the cylinders to save fuel whenever possible while DFM can turn off up to seven cylinders.
GM didn’t mention any bumps in horsepower and torque, which is understandable because we’re still a ways off the official launch of the 2022 Silverado. Whatever the future holds, there’s no denying the output figures for the 2.7- and 5.3-liter mills will be similar to the outgoing powerplants.
To whom it may concern, the four-cylinder turbo that replaces the 4.3-liter V6 is rated at 310 horsepower and 348 pound-feet (472 Nm) of torque from 1,500 all the way to 4,000 rpm. As for the AFM-equipped 5.3-liter V8, make that 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet (518 Nm) from 4,100 revolutions.
Potentially teased by GM Design on Instagram, the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 will further be treated to redesigned dashboards and semi-autonomous technology. Super Cruise is how General Motors calls the Level 2 driver-assist system, which is available from $15 per month with an OnStar plan or $25 per month on a standalone basis.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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