Walkinshaw Performance is about to redefine the idea of a super ute, with the brand's incoming and supercharged Chevrolet Silverado promising some extremely impressive numbers.
Walkinshaw revealed the HSV-style skunkworks project in a tweet to fans, saying "Silverado 1500 owners – strap yourself in.....it's what you've been waiting for", along with an audio file that contained the tell-tale whine of a supercharger.
But while the numbers have so far remained a mystery, CarsGuide can reveal that the project - which will launch early in 2021 - will produce Australia's most powerful ute, or truck if you'd prefer.
In fact, we understand that the supercharger will lift outputs to around 520kW. More impressive though, we understand the brand is targeting torque outputs of between 800Nm and 900Nm.
Those numbers would put the Chevrolet at the very top of the truck/ute pile, not just above its non-supercharged sibling - which produces 313kW and 624Nm from its 6.2-litre V8 - but also above its arch rival, the Ram 1500, which produces 291kW and 556Nm from its 5.7-litre HEMI V8.
And that's just the big trucks. When it comes to traditional diesel-powered dual-cabs, the Silverado fares even better, besting the new Toyota HiLux (500Nm) and Ford Ranger Raptor (500Nm), as well as the Mitsubishi Triton (430Nm), the Nissan Navara (450Nm), and the V6-powered Mercedes-Benz X-Class (550Nm) and Volkswagen Amarok (580Nm).
Not to be outdone, Ram in Australia is preparing to launch its own supercharged truck, the 1500 TRX, which will produce some 523kW from its supercharged V8 engine.
Expect the supercharged Silverado to launch in early 2021, with pricing yet to be specified.
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