Chevy Colorado ZR2 Concept Hint of Possible Off-Roader

Striking while the iron is hot, General Motors today pulls the cover off the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 concept, a glimpse of the off-road possibilities for the automaker’s popular new midsize pickup truck.

The Colorado ZR2, which builds on the capabilities of the production ’15 Colorado Z71 off-road package and advances the legacy of Chevrolet’s previous ZR2 production models, also exhibits the 2.8L 4-cyl. Duramax turbodiesel engine coming to the Colorado and GMC Canyon next year.

“From the bold stance to the trail-ready special equipment, the Colorado ZR2 is all about the fun of driving where the pavement ends and doing it in characteristic Chevy style,” Tony Johnson, marketing manager for Colorado, says in a statement ahead of the unveiling at the Los Angeles auto show.

“Chevrolet has a heritage of the ZR2 representing the ultimate in production-based off-road capability and we’ll gauge the public’s interest in this concept as we continue to explore the possibilities for the all-new Colorado.”

The Colorado ZR2 boasts a stance 4.0 ins. (102 mm) wider than a production Colorado Z71 for better stability, as well as unique front and rear fascias with greater approach and departure angles (30.7 and 22.7 degrees, respectively) for off-roading. The fascias add flip-out aluminum tow hooks and the front piece incorporates a built-in winch activated by controls inside the cabin.

“The design of the ZR2 concept is all about functionality,” Johnson says. “It is inspired by the needs for traversing rock-strewn trails, as well as the aesthetics of competition-style vehicles such as pre-runners, with all elements contributing to safe, sustainable off-road driving.”

Additional features include Mono-tube coil-over shock absorbers by King designed for greater suspension travel; electronic-locking front and rear differentials; 275/65R18 off-road tires wrapping 18-in. aluminum multi-spoke, bead-lock-style wheels; and custom wheel flares covering the larger off-road tires complemented by custom rocker guards.

Other exterior elements unique to the Colorado ZR2 include new grille and headlamp housings with blacked-out accents, a domed hood, and Cyprus Green exterior paint with Henna Orange accents and custom ZR2 badging on the rear fenders, tailgate and grille.

Inside, the off-roader brandishes ZR2 logos embroidered into the front-seat headrests and embossed on custom Chevrolet Accessories-based floor liners. The ZR2 logo also appears on the instrument cluster display, which adds an inclinometer showing degree of incline from front to back and side to side.

The 2.8L Duramax turbodiesel offers an estimated 181 hp at 3,400 rpm and 369 lb.-ft. (500 Nm) of torque at 2,000 rpm, and is married to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Production models of the Colorado and Canyon began arriving at U.S. dealers last month and early orders were much higher than expected.

[email protected]