Motormax 1:24 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT Z71

2018 marks 100 years of Chevrolet Trucks and if you haven’t noticed lately there is a lot of celebration in special diecast models of Chevrolet Trucks.  One of the brands to celebrate is Motormax who released the updated 2016 Silverado 1500 last year and continues the trend with various colors and now even the 2018 100^th special edition package with blue paint, CHEVROLET inside the bowties, and new wheels.

The current Silverado was updated for 2014 with more refinement, fuel efficiency, and up-to-date technology added to the trucks, yet despite the updates there was a lot of criticism of the styling that looked more evolutionary that revolutionary and really didn’t speak all new when compared to the previous-generation.  For 2016 Chevrolet resolved that issue with a new front-end that features a body-colored (or chrome) grille with lights that stretch across more and are slimmer with projector headlights up top and LED signal lights just below and canted on the sides at an angle.  The grille now sinks into the lower bumper while the lower silver bumper chin spoiler creeps up to almost meet the grille, while out back the taillights get L-shaped brake lights inside the taillight assembly.  The overall look is more sportier and follows the lines of the just-released Colorado pickup.  Motormax released this 1:24 as the first of the updated Silverado and while there are a few more competitors entering the ring, only the upcoming Welly version would be its true competition.

The front has a body-colored grille and front bumper that are separate from the body and contain the large black grille with gold bowtie and Z71 badges, lower bumper with silver chin and side vertical foglights, and dual power bulges on the hood.  This white color tends to blur the inside details of the projector lamps that are more visible in darker colors.  The sides have four doors, Silverado badges, large exterior mirrors, silver trim that I added myself, and chrome 5-spoke wheels, while the rear has large taillights, badges on the tailgate, and a body-colored rear bumper with side steps.  As usual for Motormax the tailgate does not open and the inner bedliner is plastic, but at least the outer bed walls are metal instead of plastic as in recent Motormax 1:24 pickups.  The base shows off detailed engine, drivetrain, suspension, exhaust system, and rear spare tire in typical one-piece construction with no short cuts visible and the wheels lack detailed brake calipers, steerable front wheels, and individual rotation of the wheels.

Also not found is opening rear doors nor an opening hood to show off the 5.3L V8 with direct injection and cylinder deactivation that is connected to a six-speed automatic transmission and also with a part-time two-speed transfer case.  The interior has a very proper setup with seating for five, plenty of room, detailed door panels, and the dashboard where you can find a four-spoke steering wheels, detailed gauges, and the center stack with controls and touch screen infortainment system.  The downside of the interior is the all-black look and dirty appearance, which I resolved by cleaning it up and adding silver trim accents where appropriate to spice up the interior.  Motormax is not known for making highly-detailed castings on the cheap and get really bad negative points for construction and lack of opening parts, but this new Silverado does pretty well for being the first 2016 Silverado on the block.

Update 4/8/2020: Like the Silverado, but don't like the size?  Motormax has you covered with a 1:43 scale version that was released in 2018 at some Wal-mart stores.  The difference here, other than size, is the cargo area in the bed that is shorter to allow for the pullback motor to reside in the rear.  Detailing is just the same as the large-scale version and that includes opening front doors, same interior details and base details.  The difference here is the lack of detailing in some areas, specifically to the window trim and front and rear bumpers so you may have to add some details to those areas.  Considering the lack of opening parts in the large-scale models the 1:43 scale versions are a better alternative for a compact size and price.  Expect to see more reviews of Motormax 1:43 scale models in the future.