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Next-gen Chevrolet Silverado is here

Liberty Automobiles unveiled the next-generation 2014 Chevrolet Silverado Texas Edition full-size pickup at a themed customer event held at its showroom in Sharjah, attended by Shaikh Khalid Abdul Aziz Al Qasimi, chairman of Liberty Group, and Maurice Williams, president and managing director of General Motors Middle East.

The Texas Edition — so named because one out of every six Silverado pickups are sold in Texas signifying strong Texan passion for full-size trucks — comes with a 5.3L Ecotech V8 gasoline engine with 355HP. Chevrolet describes the new edition as the “strongest, smartest, and most capable Silverado ever”.

The Silverado Texas Edition comes with 20-inch aluminium wheels, chrome mirror caps and door handles, premium Bose audio system and prominent signature Texas Edition badging. It features direct injection with active fuel management and variable valve timing. In test conditions, it gives an average of 10km per litre.

Shaikh Khalid said: “We are pleased to bring to our UAE customers the sensational 2014 Chevrolet Silverado Texas Edition, which is visually distinctive and functionally superior to its competitors. It is loaded with features that make it a pleasure to drive, particularly in off-road terrain. We are sure loyal Silverado customers will find the new edition a powerful, off-road truck that delivers joy and comfort.”

Williams added: “We are delighted to see Liberty launching the 2014 Silverado in the UAE. Liberty Automobiles has a long-standing partnership of 38 years with General Motors and recently earned the prestigious 2013 Chevrolet Grandmaster Award. This is the eighth consecutive year in a row they qualified for this award. Congratulations to the entire Liberty Chevrolet team; our Middle East customers, especially those with passion for desert outdoors, will find the new Silverado an inseparable companion and friend.”

The Silverado Texas Edition was launched at a function that recreated the milieu of the Wild West at the Liberty Automobiles Showroom, complete with music and food.

Harry Vanderschoot, product manager for Chevrolet, SUVs and Trucks at General Motors Middle East, in his presentation brought alive the key features of the new-generation Silverado trucks.

In a raffle draw held for all the invitees, Khalid Al Marri was picked as the lucky winner of a Kawasaki Brute Force quad-bike, which was displayed on the occasion. Al Marri, who owns a Silverado, said he was delighted to have won the quad bike and excited to view the new Silverado Texas Edition.

Liberty Automobiles is largely targeting UAE nationals who are loyal patrons of the Silverado because of its rugged features, advanced technological value-additions and higher carrying capacity. The UAE market for full-size pickups is around 12,000 units annually, and growing at a healthy rate of 15 per cent.

Among the other features of the Silverado Texas Edition are the rear locking differential and trailer package, a stabilitrak and rollover sensor. The under-body shield protects the engine and transfer case. The new Silverado features a stronger, quieter, more comfortable cab, a refined new interior with features and connectivity tailored to the needs of truck customers, powerful, intuitive connectivity via Chevrolet MyLink and upgraded steering, suspension and brakes for improved ride and handling.