How much does the latest American pick-up cost?

Interest in American-sourced pick-ups is growing – and Aussie buyers are willing to pay for it.

Pricing for the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium Edition launched in March has been detailed, with the single variant coming in at $113,990 – as long as you opt for Summit White paint.

All other hues are an additional $1250.

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Included in that price is the cost of converting the Silverado to right-hand drive, which is carried out by HSV in Clayton, Melbourne.

The initial batch of converted American pick-ups is due to land in HSV dealerships by April 20.

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According to HSV there is “strong interest in the vehicle”, with dealers already holding orders. The company says demand has increased since the Government announced its changes to tax treatment for vehicle purchases, which ends June 30.

Supply-chain constraints could limit production, but HSV believes it will still sell this year’s allocation of vehicles.

So what do you get under the, ahem, hood for your $113,990?

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The Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium Edition is endowed with a 6.2-litre V8 petrol engine producing 313kW and a substantial 624Nm. The EcoTech3 bent-eight comes with cylinder deactivation and returns a combined fuel consumption figure of 12.3L/100km.

To put the $113,990 figure into perspective, the Ram 1500 starts at $89,950 and punches out 291kW/556Nm from its petrol V8. The twin-turbo diesel four-cylinder Ford Ranger Raptor serves up 157kW/500Nm via its 2.0-litre donk from $76,490, and the $72,790 Volkswagen Amarok Ultimate 580 offers 165kW/550 from its 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel.

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The highly specified LTZ Premium Edition, with its dual-cab-style four-door body and petrol V8 engine, is the only offering available.

Different form factors and turbo-diesel power are options to be assessed in the future.

Despite tipping the scales at 2588kg the 1500 shifts, with the 10-speed auto offering smooth and intuitive responses. (Read our first drive for full driving impressions.) Power is sent to all four wheels, and there is also a two-speed transfer case and a heavy duty locking rear diff.

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HSV is offering upgrades to the Silverado 1500. There are between 30 and 40 accessories you can ask to be fitted to make your LTZ look even tougher, but performance isn’t being overlooked. An air intake and a 3.5-inch exhaust system will up the outputs by 9kW and 10Nm. HSV is also working on its own bespoke suspension set-up, but it’s yet to be signed off.

However, buyers in this market want towing capacity – and the Silverado doesn’t disappoint with a braked towing capacity of 4500kg. The gross combined mass is 7160kg and the maximum payload is 712kg. Safe to say that while the 1500 might be the ‘smallest’ in the range, it’s still very capable.

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The cabin is vast with ample seating room for five. The list of standard features is long, too, with enough cow hide to cover Texas, heated/cooled electric leather seats, head-up display and smartphone mirroring to name just some of the kit.

Tell us what you think. Would you pay $114K for a big hunk of American-sourced pick-up?