2027 Silverado V8 Specs Arrive: 5.7-Liter Tows More Than 481-Horsepower 6.6-Liter

Chevrolet’s newly released specifications for the 2027 Silverado 1500 create a counterintuitive result: the sixth-generation 5.7-liter V8 produces 402 horsepower and 428 pound-feet of torque yet carries a maximum towing rating of 13,700 pounds, while the stronger 6.6-liter V8 makes 481 horsepower and 501 pound-feet but tops out at 9,700 pounds. Those figures appear in Chevrolet’s updated 2027 Silverado specifications.

The difference is configuration-specific, not evidence that the smaller engine inherently outpulls the larger one. The 13,700-pound maximum requires a two-wheel-drive Double Cab with the standard bed, 5.7-liter V8 and available Max Trailering Package. The 6.6-liter’s 9,700-pound rating applies to a four-wheel-drive Crew Cab with either the short or standard bed. Chevrolet says the 2027 Silverado Work Truck starts at $41,395 including the $2,795 destination charge, before taxes, title, license, dealer fees and options.

Towing capacity belongs to the complete truck

The comparison illustrates why engine output alone cannot determine a pickup’s towing capacity. Chevrolet’s maximum ratings are attached to combinations of cab, bed, drivetrain and equipment rather than to an engine in isolation. A heavier cab, four-wheel-drive hardware, optional equipment and passengers can consume capacity that might otherwise be available for trailer weight.

Chevrolet explicitly cautions that the published towing figures are for comparison and that an individual truck’s capacity may vary. Owners must check the trailering section of the manual and the vehicle-specific labels. Passenger, cargo, accessory and option weights can reduce how much a truck can tow, so the largest number in a specifications table should not be applied automatically to every Silverado fitted with that engine.

Payload follows the same systems logic. Chevrolet lists a maximum payload of 2,170 pounds for the 5.7-liter V8, achieved with a two-wheel-drive Regular Cab and long bed. The 6.6-liter’s 1,510-pound maximum is tied to a four-wheel-drive ZR2 Crew Cab with a short bed. These are substantially different vehicles, with different body, drivetrain, trim and equipment combinations. The comparison therefore reflects the entire configured truck, not merely the displacement or torque rating of its engine.

The other powertrains reinforce that point. The enhanced TurboMax engine is rated at 350 horsepower, 455 pound-feet and up to 9,400 pounds of towing in a two-wheel-drive Regular Cab with a long bed. The 3.0-liter Duramax diesel produces 305 horsepower and 495 pound-feet, with a 12,000-pound maximum requiring a four-wheel-drive Crew Cab, short bed and Max Trailering Package.

The configurator adds another packaging constraint

Chevrolet’s online build-and-price tool was live when configurations were checked on October 6. A recreated High Country Crew Cab with a short bed, four-wheel drive and the 6.6-liter gasoline V8 totaled $80,890 including destination. That total combined a displayed $74,800 vehicle price, $2,800 for the larger V8, $495 for Pacific Blue Metallic paint and the $2,795 destination charge. Taxes, registration, title and dealer fees were excluded.

On that High Country build, either the 5.7-liter V8 or the 3.0-liter diesel produced a $77,595 destination-inclusive total. Super Cruise and a panoramic fixed-glass roof appeared as standard High Country equipment, meaning the separate $2,820 High Country Premium Package was not required to obtain those two features.

Packaging had a sharper effect on a lower-priced, two-wheel-drive Crew Cab configuration labeled LT in the tool. It began at $55,885 with the 5.7-liter V8. Selecting Super Cruise generated a “Changes Required” notice covering $5,495 in combined equipment changes, raising the displayed total to $61,380. The changes added Assisted Driving, Comfort and Convenience, and Trailer Technology packages while replacing the 40/20/40 front bench with bucket seats.

That $5,495 should not be read as a standalone Super Cruise price. It represents the combined cost of equipment the configurator required for the feature, along with a seating-layout change. Chevrolet includes three years of service supporting Super Cruise on equipped vehicles; continued use after that period requires an active plan. The current system remains driver assistance: the driver must pay attention and be ready to take control.

Online totals are not dealer invoices, and prices, incentives, availability and labels can change. Dealer confirmation is particularly important because some trim names displayed in the configurator did not clearly match Chevrolet’s announced seven-trim lineup. For towing, payload and technology alike, the decisive specification is the capability and equipment attached to the exact truck not the largest engine or the largest number on the screen.

By Thomas Caldwell — AMI’s senior editor for mechanical and mobility engineering, covering vehicle electronics, systems integration, electrification, chassis systems, propulsion, and safety policy.