The Silverado is on deck for a new generation and this could be it. Line drawing of the front and side of a pickup truck with a detailed grille and headlight design. The next-generation Chevrolet Silverado might’ve just inadvertently revealed itself. Detroit’s Golden Bowtie recently filed a new patent at the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its design and in the filing, sketches of its exterior design are in plain sight. While patents don’t necessarily confirm anything, these sketches may give us a sneak peak as to what to expect aesthetically from Chevy’s fifth-generation full-size pickup. Evolutionary rather than revolutionary This could be what the front of the new Silverado could look like. The current fourth-gen Chevrolet Silverado has been with us since 2019, meaning it’s about to crest the age of six years old. Given that the Silverado’s general series production cycle lasts anywhere between six and eight years, a new model should be on the horizon. Compared to the current model, similarities could be drawn between today’s Silverado and the design sketches. This of course means a new design both inside and out, upgraded features and powertrains, and more. But while all of that remains under wraps, officially, these patent filings give us a clue as to what it could look like. From the drawings, if accurate, the next-gen Silverado could be keeping some of the current model’s bespoke design features. The front end resembles the current model, but with certain distinctive elements repositioned. If accurate, the new Silverado appears to retain the current truck’s C-shaped LED daytime-running lights, among other details. Such includes the thin-profile gun-slit LED forward lighting fixtures at the top of the headlight fixtures and just under the hood line. The new front end also appears to retain the current model’s C-shaped daytime-running lights inspired by the ones found on the current Tahoe and Suburban. More creases and folds could be in store for the new Silverado’s design. The grille, as always, remains large and in charge. The front fascia also appears even more rugged-looking with its pronounced bumper trim. On the sides, the wheel wells look more pronounced. And the side panels appear to feature a few more creases and lines, in what could be an attempt to make the Silverado’s stance look more muscular. The wheel wells also look more pronounced for a potentially more muscular appearance. And at the back, the taillights rake on a cleaner design, versus the notched shape of the current ones. Implied, but not confirmed New taillight designs look cleaner and more fluid. In response to the discovery of the patent filing, which our friends at CARandDRIVER uncovered, General Motors issued an official statement noting that the sketches aren’t official. The new design features open slots for what could be exposed exhaust tips. “GM regularly files with the US Patent Office to protect our IP, trademark, and technologies. Filings are not always indicative of future product. We cannot comment on speculation on future product,” a spokesperson wrote to C/D. Regardless of their accuracy, we’re still anticipating a new next-gen Silverado to surface sometime next year. You can potentially say goodbye to the notched taillight design if the sketches are accurate. We also expect the new Silverado to benefit from Chevy’s latest line of V8 engines. Earlier this year, the Golden Bowtie pledged a large investment into updating its V8 engines and assembly lines. Considering the circumstances and the Silverado’s traditional use of Chevy’s small-block V8, all roads point to a new model lurking around the corner. About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his). Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results. add as a preferred source on google