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Blacklake's XT1 tuned version of the Chevy Silverado is an off-roading beast, made for the most devoted go-fast and go-hard truck enthusiasts.

Detroit-based Blacklake Research and Development firm recently shared a monster creation that began with General Motor's Chevy Silverado 1500 Trail Boss platform. The decked-out truck from Blacklake is the epitome of hardcore wheeling technology and outperforms anything currently offered on the Chevy lot.

Blacklake calls the XT1 “the ultimate truck” and states that its creation involved merging the best of OE design, engineering, and function with off-road readiness into a fully integrated wide-body truck. The XT1 has a lot to offer and was “built for the true enthusiast,” although not every off-road devotee will be able to afford its hefty price tag.

It is no secret that GM’s current offerings have fallen behind, especially with the incredibly popular and capable Ford F-150 Raptor to compete with. Now that Blacklake has stepped in, they may have just brought the Silverado to a new level, one that might see their iteration as the Raptor-slayer that GM should have built.

Let’s take a closer look at the Blacklake XT1 Chevy Silverado 1500 that may just be the Raptor-slayer GM should have built!

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Built on GM’s original platform of the 2022 model year Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Trail Boss, the Blacklake XT1 is an off-road beast and has an appropriately intimidating stance. Under the hood is a choice of either a 5.3-liter or 6.2-liter V-8 engine equipped with a Lingenfelter exclusive Magnuson TVS 2650 Supercharger. The truck boasts a lot of power - up to 650 horsepower at the rear wheels.

The truck comes equipped with a 10-speed automatic transmission and electronically shifted transfer case as well as an updated suspension. The long-travel suspension in the front includes two three-inch double-adjustable bypass coil overs from JRi Shocks and Lanternmark hydraulic jounce shocks from Kudela. In all, the front end has 11.8 inches of travel (the Raptor has this beat with 14 inches). The front end also features huge lower control arms milled from 7075 billet aluminum that can take a beating.

The Blacklake XT1’s rear suspension is also unique from the original base Silverado. Where the original featured leaves, the updated iteration has a five-link suspension system with horizontally oriented Watt’s Links. The pair of 4130 aluminum trailing arms attach to JRi three-inch double-adjustable coil overs which extend into the truck bed. These are also paired with Lanternmark hydraulic jounce shocks and allow up to 17.5 inches of travel (the Ford Raptor can boast just 15 inches).

Surprisingly, the XT1 does not have locking differentials. Rather, the driver is in control and can actuate the rear locker at low speeds. The locking differential can also utilize GPS technology to disengage when the truck reaches higher speeds. Each differential has a set of 3.73:1 gears. While most slow rock-crawlers opt into locking differentials on the front and rear (such as those on Chevy’s Silverado 1500 ZR2), Blacklake chose to play to their go-fast audience.

Working to make the XT1 as off-road ready as its competitors, Blacklake really put in the time and effort. The integrated winch hidden behind the custom front bumper is a Warn ZEON Platinum 12-S. The truck includes an aluminum skid plate that runs from beneath the thimble towards the transmission pan. LED fog lights from Rigid Industries also attach to the side of the fairlead.

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The interior of the XT1 comes from the original Silverado Trail Boss, but with some upgrades. The sPOD touchscreen now integrates with the lower center stack controls and the interior upholstery is a more luxurious Katzkin leather. They have also integrated metallic trim and auxiliary controls for accessories such as the winch and fog lights.

Luckily, Blacklake also refused to sacrifice cargo space. The spare tire mounts in the bed of the truck, vertically, and the reservoirs and coil over towers are in the same space as the spare carrier as well. The truck features power running boards, a carbon-titanium hood extractor, and integrated LED lightning.

While Blacklake stayed mostly true to the original body design of the Chevy Silverado, they went with Carbon and Kevlar fenders and bedsides that flow with the truck’s body lines. Additionally, the truck takes on a wider stance to accommodate the mud-terrain tires and includes felt liners within the wheel wells.

Three marker lights grace the grille and the center has “Blacklake” on it when they are lit up. The truck will cost around $130,000 to convert into an XT1, which does not include the supercharged engine or the original Chevy Silverado needed for the conversion. All in the cost of the truck will come in around $250,000. The Blacklake iteration certainly will not be the only available specially-tuned Chevy Silverado available (in fact, Specialty Vehicle Engineering has their own plans to build a limited run themselves). However, it is the first to hit production as they are already taking pre-orders for production on their website.

Blacklake has come in clutch where GM fell short in their designs, with over-the-top off-roading capabilities and features, more power than the original base Chevy Silverado 1500 Trail Boss, and an impressive aesthetic. The research and development company’s tuned Silverado XT1 is truly the Raptor-slaying off-road beast of a truck that GM should have built.

Nikia Hunt inherited her love of cars from her dad as she grew up watching him work in his garage on everything from classics to diesel trucks. Currently a huge fan of American muscle and off-road-ready vehicles and with an acute interest in the future in EVs, Nikia splits her time between writing for HotCars and teaching high school language arts. Nikia has many contributive works in several creative writing publications and holds a Master's degree in English with emphasis in Creative Writing from the University of Nebraska at Kearney.