LAS VEGAS — The all-new #chevrolet #silverado 4500HD/5500HD/6500HD trucks took a design cue from an unlikely source: the #chevrolet #camaro. The “flowtie,” first introduced on the front grille of the 2014 #camaro Z/28 and now standard on the 2018 #camaro ZL1, is the chrome outline of the traditional #chevrolet bowtie but with the center removed, allowing increased engine airflow to help improve performance.
“There is innovation in the design details and a great example is our #camaro Z/28-inspired #chevrolet flowtie,” said Design Manager Kevin O’Donnell. “Our engineers designed it to help win races by using airflow to lower coolant and oil temperatures on the race track.”
Why a flowtie?
During Z/28 aerodynamics testing, engineers noticed that the bowtie on the grille was displacing air away from the radiator, which can impact engine cooling. So, propulsions engineer Richard Quinn took a cut-off wheel to the bowtie’s gold fill, leaving the silver outline intact. He installed the prototype flowtie on the grille and a retest revealed that it allowed more air into the engine, lowering engine fluid temperatures during extended track sessions.
The conventional cab Silverados are heavy-duty cycle trucks, and the designers needed a solution that allowed for maximum airflow with the truck’s pumped-up grille. They found their solution in the performance car toolbox.
“The flowtie is an elegant solution. And it’s going to work on the #silverado exactly the way it does on #camaro,” said O’Donnell.
Other exterior design highlights:
“Chevy’s designers and engineers were obsessed with making this #silverado the most customer-focused medium-duty truck among its major competitors — and this is evident in every design decision,” said Ed Peper, U.S. vice president, GM Fleet.
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