Spied: 2019 GMC Sierra - Not Just Another Pretty Face

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

General Motors earned kudos from the TTAC crew by announcing a diesel inline-six for its redesigned 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, as well as for efforts to shave hundreds of pounds from the body and adopt a more slab-sided look. The front end met with resistance from this author, however, and still does.

Bold, unconventional, and above all else, tall, the Silverado’s polarizing visage will surely add fuel to arguments between brand loyalists for years to come. But what about the Silverado’s equally revamped sibling, the GMC Sierra?

Here it is. Our money’s on this one winning the beauty contest.

As you might expect, the overall body is pretty much a dead ringer for its bowtie twin. Gone are the bulging wheel arches, replaced by flusher openings of more or less the same shape. The same lower character line runs between both aches. No surprise, the greenhouse carries over the Chevy unchanged, too.

While the taillights remain cloaked in impenetrable plastic, there’s more to see of the face, and what there is to see looks alright. Forgoing the Silverado grille’s layer cake look, this 2019 Sierra shows an offset eggcrate mesh pattern, not too dissimilar from the 2018 Sierra Denali’s grille. Depending on what variant we’re seeing here, the old horizontal slats could stage a return on lesser trims.

The same general grille shape, albeit a little rounder, carries over here, and the lower part of the opening cuts into the very flush bumper much like it does on the current generation. LED running lights set into the bumper move from a horizontal orientation to a vertical one. C-shaped headlamps appear very Ford-like, with the same front fender crease seen on the Silverado flows rearward from the truck’s peepers.

Depending on your view of the Silverado, the Sierra’s facial redesign seems much more conservative — which might be right up your alley. Expect the same powertrain options in the new Sierra: two 5.3-liter V8s, a 6.2-liter V8, and the 3.0-liter inline-six diesel. GM’s 10-speed automatic should find a home in most models.

Expect to see the 2019 Sierra wearing far less clothing at either the Chicago or New York auto show. Sales begin in the second half of this year.

[Images: Brian Williams/SpiedBilde]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • EBFlex EBFlex on Jan 23, 2018

    After the new Ram, this is disappointing. Nothing can touch the capability of the Ram.

  • S_a_p S_a_p on Jan 23, 2018

    Im pretty surprised at this re-design, and equally surprised at the need for there to be continued GMC/Chevrolet twins. It looks as if they purposely make the chevy version ugly, only to have a handsome alternative in the GMC. If there were true differentiation between the two models it would be one thing, but it is little more than badge engineering and maybe a trim level difference between the two trucks. I remember that ford was in danger of losing their sales lead for a while, but the f-150 now comfortably outsells the two(at least as of October '17) They didnt do themselves any favors with this redesign...

  • Dartdude The bottom line is that in the new America coming the elites don't want you and me to own cars. They are going to make building cars so expensive that the will only be for the very rich and connected. You will eat bugs and ride the bus and live in a 500sq-ft. apartment and like it. HUD wants to quit giving federal for any development for single family homes and don't be surprised that FHA aren't going to give loans for single family homes in the very near future.
  • Ravenuer The rear view of the Eldo coupe makes it look fat!
  • FreedMike This is before Cadillac styling went full scale nutty...and not particularly attractive, in my opinion.
  • JTiberius1701 Middle of April here in NE Ohio. And that can still be shaky. Also on my Fiesta ST, I use Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires for the winter and Bridgestone Potenza for my summer tires. No issues at all.
  • TCowner We've had a 64.5 Mustang in the family for the past 40 years. It is all original, Rangoon Red coupe with 289 (one of the first instead of the 260), Rally Pac, 4-speed, factory air, every option. Always gets smiles and thumbs ups.
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