Stiffer and quieter than ever

We're high above the point where the Bay of Fundy runs into the Minas channel and yet, the clifftops of Cape D'or tower over us.

Winding down and around the jagged cliffs and thick forest, a rough road

(Photo: Lesley Wimbush)

resembling a logging trail ends at a ledge that juts out into the Bay. Perched on this ledge, the Lighthouse of Cape D'or overlooks the hauntingly remote panorama of the Fundy shoreline.

Our arrival at the lighthouse turned bed and breakfast was a scheduled lunch stop on a two-day driving program - a Canadian press launch for General Motors new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks. Our journey had begun in New Brunswick, with photo stops at the fossil strewn shoreline of Joggins, where fishing boats were left stranded by the receding tide.

We'd reached our rest stop via the harrowing forest road, bordered only by a battered guardrail. Parking our trucks and making our way to the edge of the cliff, more than one person remarked that it could just be the end of the earth.

It seems appropriate that the overwhelming silence was a recurring theme throughout our trip.

One of the outstanding features of the new Silverado/Sierra and one

(Photo: Lesley Wimbush)

that's continuously emphasized, is the extreme level of quiet achieved. This was proven again and again, as we pushed through muddy red earthen trails, and washboard mountain roads, dodging potholes and deep ruts.

The ride quality begins with the foundation of the vehicle. Instead of reskinning the existing models, the trucks are new from the inside out. They're built on the new GMT900 platform, the same architecture underpinning the 2007 Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Tahoe and Avalanche. The fully boxed hydroformed frame is all new, with longer, straighter front frame rails - and more than 230% stiffer than the outgoing model's. Torsion bars give way in front to new coilover shock suspension. In behind, splayed rear shocks help to smooth the ride when the box is empty. Several of the testers were loaded with machinery or shingles so we had an opportunity to test the handling capability of the nose heavy unloaded vehicles. Although they were noticeably lighter in the rear, they stayed glued to tight sweeping roads, and were fairly composed over the washboard.

After a couple of hours driving time, the seats were still comfortable. Materials used inside are of good quality, and fit well with tight gaps.

There are two interior treatments: WT and LT models come with what's

(Photo: Lesley Wimbush)

called the Pure Pickup, and the LTZ models feature the Luxury package. Pure Pickup features a 40/20/40 split front bench seat, with the centre folding down for an arm rest with storage capacity. Switchgear and door handles are large and simple, easy to operate with gloves. Centre control stack is plainer than the luxury version.

The Luxury version, borrowed from the Tahoe and Yukon SUVs, features bucket seats, with optional leather, a larger, closer centre stack and permanent centre console. There's plenty of faux wood trim and optional electronic gewgaws, including enterainment centre and Nav system.

Three cab styles are offered: regular, extended and crew cab. Both extended and crew cab offer plenty of leg room in back, and the rear seat bottoms can be lifted up in one motion to accomodate cargo. There's an under-seat locking cargo box in some models. Rear doors open a full 170 degrees on extended models.