Lots of truck and van news is coming out from the 2018 Work Truck Show in Indianapolis, IN. In this, TFLnow (Almost) Live video show we highlight several new truck accessories and all-new model debuts, including the 2019 Ford Transit Connect cargo van, the 2018 Nissan Titan commercial grade accessories, Smokin’ Titan, and the all-new 2019 Chevy Silverado medium duty trucks.
2019 Ram 1500 Tradesman
Naturally, there are also a lot of news that we did not get to cover in detail. Ram unveiled the 2019 Ram 1500 Tradesman and in-truck telematics system to help fleet managers manage their Ram trucks. We have already had a chance to drive and tow with the 2019 half-ton Tradesman. Please see the video below for many more details. The driving impressions for the 2019 Ram 1500 trucks is still embargoed until March 16th in order to make it fair for all of the journalists who are driving it over the next week or so.
2019 Ford Transit Connect
Ford took the wraps off the new 2019 Ford Transit Connect cargo van. It follows in the footsteps of the passenger version of the van that made its debut at the 2018 Chicago Auto Show last month. The big news here is the upcoming 1.5 turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine that Ford is expecting to get over 30 MPG on the highway. Pricing and official fuel economy ratings will be announced later.
Nissan Titan
Nissan unveiled a couple of new Nissan Titan dealer-installed accessories. First on the list is the in-cab shelf system that fits a Titan King Cab with rear seat delete option. It offers several shelfs and pull-out drawers. The other is a dual exhaust system that goes though one muffler and comes out the passenger side with two tips. Nissan says the system offers a more pronounced V8 exhaust note. The shelf system is a dealer-installed option that is available now. The exhaust system is also dealer-installed and will be available at the end of this month.
Finally, the all-new 2019 Chevy Silverado 4500, 5500, and 6500 medium duty (MD) trucks. GM has been absent from this segment for nearly a decade since the last 2009 Chevy Kodiak rolled off the line.
The new trucks have a lot going for them, but also have a couple of disappointing points. The new MD trucks offer a lot of choice: regular or crew cab, 2WD or 4×4, up to seven cab-to-axle frame lengths, and several more frame extensions behind the rear axle. There is only one engine option, which is the 6.6L Duramax V8 turbo-diesel (codename: L5D). It’s rated at 350 hp and 700 lb-ft of torque. It can be mated to either Allision 1000 or 2000 6-speed automatic transmission. Power Take Off unit is also available, as is the factory-installed rear air suspension with an engine-driven air compressor.
The disappointing points include the maximum GVWR and GCWR ratings. The 2019 Chevy Silverado medium duty trucks have a maximum Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 22,900 lbs. Competitive class-6 trucks, such as the bigger Ford F-650, are able to go up to 26,000 lbs and above for Class-7. The Silverado 6500 maximum Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) is 30,000 lbs (this is the maximum rating for the truck plus trailer). This means the Chevy medium duty is not rated to tow anywhere near 30,000 lbs as the competitors do. Ram 5500 Class 5 truck has a max GCWR of 38,500 lbs and is rated to tow around 30,000 lbs.
We will continue to follow a lot of these news stories as they develop. Check out this TFLnow (Almost) Live video for more behind the scenes look from the 2018 Work Truck Show.
