As you read this, we’re on our way to the 2013 New York International Auto Show. We warmed up for the trip by spending some time at our local car show, the Albany Auto Show. There was added incentive to attend this year; General Motors was bringing a pre-production 2014 Chevrolet Silverado to Albany for display. This is rather unusual for a small-town show, so we were intrigued as to why Albany was chosen. Surprisingly, Upstate New York is one of Chevy’s most active pickup truck markets. So active, in fact, that Chevrolet’s Communications Manager, Tom Wilkinson, was on hand to give us a guided walk-around of Chevy’s latest full-size offering.

The 2014 Silverado is all new, though the passing show attendee may not immediately notice. It’s clearly a Silverado, now with a bolder and more stouter physique. Keen-eyed fans will notice the new CornerStep bumper that, along with new recessed handholds in the box rail, make climbing into the bed much easier. The real changes occur below the paint. The cab is now stiffer and better sound-proofed. We noticed felt lining in the front wheel arches and plastic inserts in the rear, both designed to reduce road noise. Three new EcoTech3 engines, a 4.3L V6, a 5.3L V8, and the top-end 6.2L V8 send power though a 6-speed automatic transmission. All three engines now feature direct injection, variable valve timing, and cylinder deactivation, making the new Silverado less thirsty yet more versatile than the current generation. Inside, the Silverado gets an upscale interior featuring an 8″ screen and Chevy’s latest MyLink infotainment system.

We couldn’t drive the pre-production model, but Chevy did have a new Malibu Turbo and Camaro Hot Wheels Special Edition to take for a spin. The Malibu Turbo, essentially a more efficient replacement for the outgoing V6, is everything you’d want in a family sedan. Horsepower and fuel economy increase by 7 and 4 respectively. It’s a smooth and quiet operator, loaded with Chevy’s latest MyLink touch screen system and a slightly more spacious interior. Unfortunately, it didn’t attract much attention in downtown Albany when it was parked next to the Camaro Hot Wheels Special Edition.

For $6,995, you can distinguish your Camaro SS with the Hot Wheels Special Edition package. It comes in Kinetic Blue Metallic with 21″ wheels, an extra front splitter and rear spoiler, and plenty of Hot Wheels logos. The car we drove was also fitted with the optional dual-mode performance exhaust, so the Camaro sounded as good as it looked. If you think your Camaro needs to be more attention-grabbing without going for the full ZL1, this is your car. This was our first Camaro experience, and it left us wanting more. Driving the 6-speed manual Camaro around the city made us yearn for some open roads to really explore the car’s abilities.

We’ll be on scene to see the updated 2014 Chevrolet Camaro at the New York International Auto Show starting tomorrow. We’ll be posting live updates on our Facebook Page and Twitter Feed all week. Be sure to check back for all the latest coming out of New York.

-Christopher Little

Related: Check out our 5 Best/Worst from the 2012 New York International Auto Show