Sierra 1500

Make
GMC
Segment
Sports Car

Diesel engines, in case you hadn't noticed, are no longer the exclusive domain of heavy-duty trucks in the pickup realm. Their inherently increased fuel economy and torque have lead the oil-burning engines to expand down-market into light-duty (but still full-sized) pickups, and General Motors is next to join the fray.

Thanks to a leak on GM Canada's dealer site, The Fast Lane Truckhas obtained initial specs for the 3.0-liter Duramax diesel six set to power the new GMC Sierra 1500 – and, it would follow, the Chevy Silverado as well. And they paint a rather compelling picture for GM's full-size light-duty trucks.

According to the leaked spec sheet, the new Duramax straight-six will produce 282 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque. That's more than the competition offers, and all that muscle will be channeled to either the rear wheels or all four through a ten-speed automatic transmission.

The PowerStroke diesel offered in the Ford F-150, by comparison, produces 250 hp and 440 lb-ft, and the EcoDiesel in the Ram 1500 kicks out just 240 hp and 420 lb-ft. All in the same league, in short, but GM's Duramax looks poised to top that league.

Nissan offers a 5.0-liter Cummins V8 diesel with 310 hp and 550 lb-ft, but only on the heavier Titan XD.

The information also indicates that the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 Duramax will be able to tow a good 7,800 pounds, and return 28 miles per gallon on the highway. Of course, it won't be the only engine on offer: the base Sierra (and Silverado) comes with a 2.7-liter turbo four, and there's a 4.3-liter V6, 5.3-liter V8, and 6.2-liter V8 on offer as well. Only that biggest engine, however, offers more torque, with 460 lb-ft to go with its 420 hp.