As far as Europeans were concerned, in 1986, a pickup-based station wagon with cloth upholstery and a dashboard from the Seventies wouldn’t qualify as a status symbol. But Texans knew that while a Mercedes-Benz S-Class or a Jaguar XJ6 wouldn’t seat nine people, a Suburban could, for a fraction of the price. And it’s not like the Suburban’s 47-foot turning radius was much of an issue in the Lone Star state.
Powered by the 6.2-liter diesel V8, the two-wheel drive Suburban boasted 23-25 MPG (using the old EPA method) and a zero-to-60 rush in 15.1 seconds. It also came with a tailgate with a roll down window, an optional rear heater, and the towing capacity of a medium tugboat. Its empty weight of 5700 lbs. gave it a surprisingly good ride, and at $21,000, Americans weren’t asking for more. After all, anything more would have probably qualified as a school bus. Words by Road & Track
The 6.2L diesel was introduced for the 1982, following the retirement of Oldsmobile’s 5.7L diesel. The 6.2 was manufactured by Detroit Diesel, a division of General Motors at the time. GM never intended for Detroit’s 6.2L diesel to perform the heavy lifting. They wanted an engine that could haul hay to, from, and around the ranch while consuming as little fuel as possible.
Additional, the robust design of a diesel would mean the engine would outlast a comparable gasser. Properly tuned and maintained, the engine was good for fuel economy figures well into the 20’s; hard to beat with a small block gas V-8 choked down by emissions equipment. Being naturally aspirated, the 6.2L diesel has a relatively high compression ratio. The heart of its injection system is the Stanadyne DB2 injection pump, the same pump used on the 5.7L Olds, International’s 6.9L/7.3L IDI, and the later 6.5L diesel. 6.2L diesel engine block’s and cylinder head’s were produced from cast iron. Interestingly, the engine was offered in 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, and 1 ton GMC/Chevrolet pickups, as well as Blazer and Suburban models. As a result, GM is considered the original pioneer of 1/2 ton diesel in the United States.
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