Friday. May 7, 1999 — North Shore News — 41

REDESIGNED for the first time in 10 years, the new 1999 Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra full-size pick-up trucks have a bigger cab, three new V& engines, more pay- load and towing capacity, and standard four wheel disc brakes.

ickups

LAST Decemter, the 1999 GMC Sierra 2500 and the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 were awarded first and secoad place in the Best New Pickup category of the 1999 Car and Truck of the Year Awards. The Ford Super Duty E-250 and Nissan Frontier were third and fourth respective- ly.

These awards are spon- sored annually by AJAC, the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, an association of about 80 of Canada’s best automotive writers fro: across the

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Unlike a lot of automotive awards which rely on how well a journalist can remem- ber a vchicle he or she might have driven six months ago, AJAC’s awards involve rigor- ous back-to-back testing of all vehicles in each class on a variety of roads and surfaces over an intensive two-day period.

Some people may wonder why the Silverado and Sierra

FRONT BRAKE SPECIAL

79.5

jarner at

(which are virtually identical) won top positions even though neither offers a fourth rear door, a feature offered by the Ford Super- Duty pickup.

My view is that the GM pick-ups’ other benefits, pri- marily a very roomy interior, outweighed the lack of a fourth door.

According to GM’s prod- uct planners, | customer research showed that a roomy interior was very important to pick-up truck owners.

When you think about it, that’s not too surprising since pick-up truck interiors, particularly regular cabs, have always becn small rela- tive to other types of vehicles such as vans and sport-utility vehicles.

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In particular, the rear seating, area of most pick-up trucks is too smail to allow full-sized adults to ride com- fortably.

The Silverado and Sierra now have the largest interior cab of any truck in their class.

And compared to previ- ous GM pick-ups, the door openings are wider and the

Base price: $21,495 Price as tested: $29,635

Type: three-door, extended cab picks up

truck

Layout: longitudinal front engine/RWD/4WD Engine: 4.3 litre OHV V6 Horsepo' Torque: 255 @ 2,800 rpm

‘6S.

wer: 200 @ 4,400 rpm

fleor height is one inch lower for casier step-in.

In addition, the front seatbelts are now integrated into the front seats, making it easier for the rear passengers to get in.

Extended cab models have a larger third door which hinges at the rear, and for safety, can only be opened

Technical data

is for 1999

after the front passenger door is opened.

The rear passenger areca has a forward facing bench seat with adequate leg room and head room for adults, and has a scat back that can now be reclined to 18 degrees. Rear head restraints

See Smaller page 42

Transmission: five-speed manual (four- speed automatic)

Length:

Wheelbase: 4,001 mm (157.5 in.) 6,266 mm (246.7 in.)

Width: 1,994 mm (78.5 in.) Height: 1,798 mm (70.8 in.) Fuel consumption: City 14.6 1/100 km (19

mpg); Hwy 10.4 1/100 km (27 mpg)

Warranty: three yrs/60,000 km

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