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The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Premium sports a 6.2-litre EcoTech 3, V8 engine that delivers 313kw (420hp) with 624Nm torque giving power and thrust in abundance.
Electric cars and big American trucks can both bring a little anxiety, but for different reasons.
The former centres around the amount of kilometres to your destination on a single charge and the latter about how many litres of fossil fuel are needed to cover 100km.
Having recently spent a week with a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Premium, I’m happy to report that fuel consumption is a particularly overrated anxiety that’s not worth worrying about.
Obviously in a different league to those pesky one tonne utes, with its wide chrome enhanced front end with daytime running lights and long flanks, its higher seating position gives a panoramic view and the assistance of multiple camera views means oversize doesn’t mean overawed in the tight spots.
Sporting a 6.2-litre EcoTech 3, V8 lump that delivers 313kw (420hp) with 624Nm torque means power and thrust in abundance. This combination means the 100km/h speed limit comes up at a leisurely 1240rpm. Complemented by a silky smooth 10-speed transmission, out on the open road, it’s really a case of selecting D and then letting the big Yank do its thang!
Looking at the transmission in a little more detail, a strange foible is certain to irritate many users. After starting, the seat belt must be engaged before forward or reverse is activated. This becomes a nuisance in the yard when you want to hitch up to a trailer at low speed. Strangely, after that first movement, the seat belt engagement isn’t then required, so one can predict a trip to the breakers yard to get a spare seat belt buckle.
Weighing in at 2500kg, with a wheelbase of 3745mm, means the cabin is spacious. It has wide, deep fronts seats – equipped with heating and cooling – and the rear occupants are treated to comfort and importantly plenty of legroom.
A wide central 13.4- inch colour touchscreen offers an expansive array of settings, audio and visual links. Meanwhile, ahead of the driver is a 12.3-inch instrument cluster that offers comprehensive vehicle info – including that allimportant fuel consumption data. Particularly useful is the heads-up display that helps confirm speed and cruise control settings on the open road. This will hopefully reduce the chance of an impromptu interview with the boys in blue.
Talking about driver aids, the LTZ features an expansive safety suite. These include the cameras, the likes of Rear Cross Traffic Alerts, Electronic Stability with Traction Control and Front Collision Alert with Low Speed Autonomous Braking.
For those looking to tow a heavy load, the Silverado trumps the best ute with a solid one tonne extra, with a rating of 4500kg, the push-button, two speed transfer case means venturing off the tarseal is also anxiety- free.
Back to those fuel consumption figures, a swift 600km round trip across the Waikato and the King Country to National Park certainly wasn’t too bad on the wallet. This returned an average for the trip of a rather sensible 11.4 l/100km, using the set and forget cruise control. A trip to Jaffa Land dropped that figure to only 10.2 l/100km, meaning those with a good understanding on how to deliver a light touch to the two-pedal layout, should arrive at their destination without a furrowed brow.
Massey Ferguson has announced a strategic supply partnership with International Tractors Limited (ITL), a manufacturer of low-horsepower and compact tractors, with recognised brands such as Sonalika and Sollis, to expand its portfolio with a new tractor range.
With the biannual Italian EIMA machinery Expo less than a month away, Case IH has taken out a Technical Evolution award for the Advanced Vehicle Suspension system available on its Optum 360–440 series tractors.
The Advanced Vehicle Suspension system, available on Optum 360, 390, and 440 models, responds to changing conditions, automatically adjusting how the suspension reacts to absorbs shocks and controlling vehicle movement.
In operation, sensors monitor the vibrations transmitted from the tractor chassis to the operator cabin, allowing the system to adjust suspension damping in real time. The control system incorporates key priorities, such as comfort at lower speeds and stability as speed increases, while also reacting to factors such as lower tyre pressures, where the tyres absorb more of the initial shock.
Case IH said as suspension requirements change throughout the working day, as tractors move between the paddock and road transport, the system manages suspension response in the background as tasks, speeds and conditions change, leaving the operator without the need to make manual adjustments.
Richard Hollins, Optum series tractors global product manager, said: “Pioneering technology must earn its place in the working day. Farmers and contractors will judge an investment by what it delivers, including manageable ownership costs, dependable up-time and the versatility to tackle different jobs. With AVS, we are putting intelligent control to work for comfort and stability, without giving the operator another setting to manage.”
Organised by FederUnacoma, the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, the contest has been part of EIMA since 1986, with the Technical Evolution distinction awarded to products that introduce original improvements to solutions already manufactured or patented.
www.caseih.com
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