Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison unveiled, gets rugged design elements

KUALA LUMPUR: Chevrolet has unveiled a special edition version of the Colorado pickup. This new model, called the Chevrolet ZR2 Bison, has been built with a specific purpose in mind – to tame the most challenging terrain. It thus comes with various off-road and performance-inclined elements.

Chevrolet has built the Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison in partnership with American Expedition Vehicles (AEV), which is one of the leading after-market off-road part manufacturers in the United States. In addition to various performance upgrades, the special edition pickup also gets undercarriage and body protection.

Revealing the vehicle, Sandor Piszar – Director of Marketing at Chevrolet Trucks, claimed that the Colorado ZR2 Bison comes with the maneuverability of a midsize truck and a fully loaded equipment list of off-road components while offering a driving range similar to that of a conventional diesel engine powered SUV.

The Colorado ZR2 is equipped with first-in-class locking differentials at the front as well as rear, along with Multimatic DSSV dampers. The partnership with AEV has led to the addition of five skid plates in total, which play a vital role in protecting the engine’s oil pan, fuel tank, transfer case, as well as the front and rear locking differentials. These skid plates are made using hot-stamped Boron steel that is said to be of an extremely durable structure.

Additionally, the front and rear bumpers are now made from steel, rather than plastic units found on the regular model. This helps the pickup to be protected from any debris or off-road obstacles. The front bumper gets fog lamps as standard and a provision to plant a power winch in the middle. Meanwhile, the rear bumper houses exposed recovery points which help in easy towing/pulling.

The front grille has been replaced with an aggressive looking unit with the Chevrolet brand name embossed in the middle. The tailgate gets ‘AEV Bison’ and ‘Bison’ brand monikers, while the wheel arches get significantly flared black plastic cladding. However, the most noticeable change on the ZR2 Bison is the set of 31-inch Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac off-road tyres wrapped over multi-spoke alloys.

Powering the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison is a 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine that is capable of churning out 308 PS at 6,800 rpm and a peak torque of 373 Nm at 4,000 rpm. Transmission duties are handled by an 8-speed automatic gearbox that transfers power to all four wheels. There is also a 2.8-litre, four cylinders, turbocharged Duramax diesel engine rated at 188 PS and 500 Nm of torque while being mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

It is important to note that the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison will most likely be sold only in the US markets. As a result, there is no possibility of it coming to the Malaysian market anytime soon.