ATLANTA, Ga. — General Motors’ Fleet and Commercial Operations today introduced its new Express and Savana 4500 cutaway vans designed to offer best-in-class payload and horsepower in their market segment.

“The new 4500 chassis brings real choice to Class 4 customers, with great capability, exceptional engineering and numerous best-in-class attributes,” said John Gaydash, director of marketing, GM Fleet and Commercial Operations. “And we are the only OEM to offer an emissions-compliant V8 diesel in this GVW category.”

The 4500 features a 14,200-lb GVW rating, allowing for payloads of 9,100 lbs. It can be spec’d with a gas V8 or GM’s 6.6-litre Duramax diesel V8. The Express and Savana 4500s offer a 20,000-lb GCWR for improved towing capabilities, the company said.

Both models come with GM’s five-year, 100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty. Other features of the new medium-duty 4500 include: reinforced frame assembly; new rear axle with reinforced housing, gears and axle tubes; upgraded rear spring hanger bolt attachments and leaf spring shackle assembly; high-capacity rear spring assembly; upgraded front ball joint material; and revised front and rear shock tuning.

GM officials said the frame enhancements and robust body structure will allow the 4500 to thrive in the demanding duty-cycles that are the norm for cutaway vehicles.

Although the chassis was built stronger, engineers also minimized mass to as to not decrease payload. The 4500 boasts 2,500 extra pounds of GVCW.

“The engineering of the new Express and Savana 4500 allows them to do more with less,” said Gaydash. “The competition offers a 14,500 GVW, but due to the 4500’s lower mass we’ve got a higher payload – 9,100 pounds versus their 8,900 pounds.”