The Fast Lane Truck puts trucks through one of the harshest tests we can come up with – the Ike Gauntlet. Known around the office simply as “The Ike”, the test consists of running a truck up an 8 mile stretch of I-70 high in the Rocky Mountains while towing near its limits to test downhill braking, uphill acceleration, and overall stability, to name a few. Each year, the biggest and baddest towing rig in each segment to finish the test above 11,000 feet above sea level gets crowned with the Gold Hitch Award. Recently, a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4×4 became the first competitor to finish The Ike and set the bar for the challengers.
The top-of-the-line Silverado Crew Cab we tested (pictured above) came equipped with a 6.2L gasoline V8 that makes 420 ponies and 460 lb-ft of rotational force mated to an 8-speed transmission. A fuel-saving 3.23 axle ratio gave it a 9,100 lb max towing capacity, so we loaded up a trailer with 9,000 lbs (just to be safe) and headed up to the “top of the world”. Up and down the steep grades of the Rockies, the Silverado pulled the trailer through cold and icy conditions while feeling confident and in control.
2016 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Crew Cab 4×4
- Engine: 6.2L EcoTec3 V8
- Power: 420 @ 5,600 rpm
- Torque: 460 @ 4,100 rpm
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic
- Rear Axle Ratio: 3.23
- Max Towing: 9,100
- Max Payload:
- EPA-estimated Fuel Economy: 15/21/17 mpg (city/hwy/combined)
- As-tested Price: $
So what kind of numbers did this year’s first Gold Hitch contender produce? We’ll have the video with results for you soon. Until then, check out last year’s Ike Gauntlet run with a 2015 Silverado, equipped with a Max Towing package.
And here is the the 2016 Chevy Silverado Ike Gauntlet run.
