We’ve said it before and we feel like we have to say it again. Don’t hold your breath for a supercharged Chevrolet Silverado from GM. You’ll have to be content with the stock V8 power of the Silverado ZR2. Based on our experience with it, 420 hp and 460 hp is plenty. Certainly not scary fast, but plenty. Now… that’s not to say the perpetual desire for more is somehow nullified. And to that end, Michigan-based Blacklake Research and Development have taken matters into their own hands to create a Chevrolet Silverado that can out-run, out-jump, and out-climb the Ford F-150 Raptor and Ram 1500 TRX. It’s called the Blacklake XT-1, and its quickness was recently demonstrated by pitting itself against a stock Silverado ZR2 at the drag strip.
The chosen powerplant for the Blacklake XT-1 is a 6.2L L87 V8 with a Magnuson/Lingenfelter supercharger attached making the truck capable of pushing out 650 horsepower, equivalent to the LT4 engine found in the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
Along with the power upgrade, the mighty Blacklake XT-1 has a plethora of go-anywhere modifications that include a Warn winch, Borla exhaust system, 17-inch Method Racing BeadGrip wheels wrapped around beefy 37-inch rubbers, and custom 5-link long-travel rear suspension to name a few.
Image via Blacklake Research & Development.
According to their website the XT-1 is a “fully integrated, fully functional, off-road masterpiece.” With all its capabilities and features comes a hefty price tag. Towards the beginning of its lifecycle it was priced closer to a quarter of a million dollars, however order books are open now with prices starting at just $200,000. Production on the super Silverado is supposed to start this month.
Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 VS Blacklake XT-1 Drag Race
The Fast Lane Truck channel on YouTube took both the Blacklake XT-1 and the Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 to the drag strip to find out which was quicker. Spoiler: the XT-1 blew the ZR2 away posting a 7.62 0-60 time. Considering its output, one would assume it would be a fair bit quicker. But knobby 37-inch tires on flat pavement isn’t exactly the best setup for a drag race. It’s all about what this $200,000 truck can do when the pavement ends.
