To whet our appetite for the upcoming 2014 Chevrolet Silverado, GM just released this photo of the new fullsize truck undergoing final validation testing at its Milford, Michigan proving grounds.
Though the truck pictured is still covered with plenty of cladding and camo, a few new details are apparent from this shot. The beltline on this crew cab model shows a slight upward taper from front to back, as was the case with the GMT-800 trucks. Also showing some GMT-800 influence, the taillights appear to have somewhat of a flared design, like the 2003-2006 Silverado models. We also know this is a 1500-series truck by virtue of the six-lug wheels. HD models, which we've also seen testing, have eight-lug wheels.
Front styling is still somewhat of a mystery, with that area getting the heaviest cladding on the grille, but expect the overall look to be evolutionary, not revolutionary. A close look reveals the outline of a chrome strip bisecting the upper and lower portions of the grille, with the traditional Chevrolet bowtie front and center. Underhood, expect to see a family of direct-injected V-8 engines, probably in the current displacements of 5.3- and 6.2-liters. The base engine is somewhat of a mystery, with some suggesting a V-6 based on chopped-down version of the fifth-gen V-8 and others suggesting it will be a version of GM's widely-used 3.6-liter DOHC V-6. Expect all these questions to be answered at the 2014 Silverado's reveal at the Detroit Auto Show in January.