In a world where everyone is downsizing, including car manufacturers making their engines smaller, GM has gone the opposite way. It’s gone on to upgrade the new 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 with 5.7-liter and 6.6-liter naturally aspirated small-blocks, replacing the 5.3-liter and the 6.2-liter V8s, respectively.
That means both trucks now come with the same engine that debuted in the 2027 Chevy Corvette. The caveat is that while the V8s in these pickups are built for towing, off-road shenanigans, and long road trips, the LS6 in Chevy’s sports car was tuned with the racetrack and canyon carving in mind.
The 5.7L makes 402 hp of peak power and 428 lb-ft (580 Nm) of peak torque, while the 6.6L now makes 481 hp and 501 lb-ft (679 Nm) of torque. That makes the GM small-blocks the most powerful naturally aspirated pickups on the market. GM found a couple of ways to add the extra horsepower and torque. For starters, both of these small-block V8s have higher compression ratios: the 5.7 is now 12.0:1, and the 6.6 is 12.5:1, both of which are lower than the Corvette’s 13.0:1.
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It goes without saying that more displacement equals more power. But there’s also both port and fuel injection, alongside upgraded intake manifolds to control the extra airflow, and wider throttle sizes. What’s more, GM says it added a new lubrication system with an on-engine oil cooler, a continuously variable oil pump, and new oil feed locations for more consistent oil pressure.
All of these touches help with the bump in output, while the oiling upgrades will ensure the engine survives that extra power.
A 2027 Silverado 1500 with the 5.7 engine can tow up to 13,700 lb (6,214 kg), whereas the 6.6 engine can only tow up to 9,700 lb (4,400 kg). 13,500 and 9,400 lb, or 6,124 and 4,264 kg, respectively, are specified for the Sierra 1500.
Coming to towing capacity, the 2027 Silverado 1500 with the 5.7 engine can tow up to 13,700 lb (6,214 kg), while the 6.6 engine is limited to 9,700 lb (4,400 kg). That means the 5.7L is just a tad over the Ford F-150 with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, by 200 lb (90 kg). For the Sierra 1500, that number comes in at 13,500 lb (6,124 kg) for the 5.7L (equal to the aforementioned Ford’s) and 9,400 lb (4,264 kg) for the 6.6L.
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Meanwhile, the max payload rating is stated as 2,170 lb (984 kg) for the 5.7-liter Silverado 1500, while the 6.6-liter model comes with a rating of 1,510 lb (685 kg). The Sierra 1500, meanwhile, comes with a max payload rating of 2,140 lb (970 kg) and 1,450 lb (657 kg) for the 5.7L and 6.6L, respectively.
The reason that the 6.6-liter carries a lighter towing and payload rating is that GM pairs this motor with higher-trim configurations. Win some, lose some, I guess.
All four engines are paired with 10-speed automatic transmissions based on a design co-developed with Ford over the past 10 years.
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On the outside, GM hasn’t exactly gone subtle. The 2027 Silverado gets a broader, more muscular face, a new grille and redesigned LED lighting, while the bodywork has been massaged to make the truck look even more substantial.
The Sierra follows the same basic recipe but wears it in typical GMC fashion, with that enormous signature grille, vertical lighting elements, and a more polished, upscale appearance. There are also animated lighting sequences and available quad exhaust outlets, because apparently even a full-size pickup needs a little theater when you unlock it.
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Inside, however, things have gone properly modern. Both trucks now get a huge 16.3-inch center touchscreen paired with a 12.2-inch digital instrument display, while higher trims can add an 11.5-inch screen for the passenger. That’s a lot of screen for a vehicle whose primary job is still hauling stuff.
Thankfully, GM hasn’t completely surrendered to the touchscreen gods. There’s a reconfigurable center console that can turn into a work surface, along with plenty of storage and wireless charging.
The Sierra takes the luxury angle further with available real and forged wood trim, a panoramic sunroof, and the sort of plush detailing that would have seemed absurd in a work truck a couple of decades ago. And because towing a trailer apparently wasn’t complicated enough already, Super Cruise with trailering capability is available as well.
Pricing starts at US$41,395 for the Silverado 1500 and an even lower $39,300 for the GMC Sierra 1500, with the range-topping Sierra Denali Ultimate climbing to $85,100.
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What really stuck out for me is that, underneath all that modern machinery, GM went and built two new V8s. Not refreshed old engines, not some mild-hybrid workaround, but genuinely new small-blocks designed to keep eight cylinders doing what eight cylinders have been doing for decades.
And here’s the truth: GM is the only manufacturer offering a larger V8 in a light-duty pickup. Every other competitor uses a turbo six-cylinder instead.
Here are trucks that can practically drive themselves down the highway, turn their cabin into a mobile office, and put more than 60 inches of digital displays in front of their occupants. And yet, when you lift the hood, GM still wants you to see eight pistons doing their thing without a turbocharger in sight.
