Getting dirty never felt so good
Chevy’s dedicated off-roader a comfy ride thanks to Multimatic shocks
TGATEWAY, Colo. he engineers at Chevrolet are a sneaky bunch. They needed an excuse to get out of the office and have some off-road fun, so they conceived a plan that allowed them to participate in several offroad rallies across the U.S. and on the company’s dime no less. They disguised these thinly veiled recreational diversions as “engineering tests” and headed out to renowned off-road parks and trails across the States, where they proceeded to cross deserts, climb rocks, wade through deep mud, plow through sand dunes and snake along tight, technical trails. Their excuse was the 2017 Colorado ZR2.
These tests were done in conjunction with Multimatic, the automotive engineering firm based in Markham, Ont., which helped develop the ZR2’s suspension components and it’s the resulting DSSV (Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve) suspension that contributes significantly to the ZR2’s off-road ability.
Perhaps best known lately for manufacturing the Ford GT, Multimatic also builds suspension dampers mostly for motorsports applications and these can be found in cars competing in Formula One, DTM, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Indy Lights … and the list goes on. They also provide the OEM suspension for the Mercedes-AMG GT and previously for the Aston Martin One-77 (as well as that car’s chassis). Chevy’s first collaboration with Multimatic came with the 2014 Camaro Z/28.
Peek under the ZR2’s fenders and you’ll see blue and gold anodized, aluminum-bodied shock absorbers that resemble premium aftermarket items rather than OEM parts. These shocks incorporate Multimatic’s DSSV damping technology, which features position-sensitive damping that varies the damping rate depending on how far the wheels travel, while external reservoirs enhance cooling. Barring any external damage, the shocks are designed to last for the life of the vehicle.
You can’t just bolt on a set of Multimatics to a regular Colorado, though, because new control arms provide more wheel travel. Wheel track has also been widened by 8.8 centimetres, while ride height has increased by 5 cm.
Other off-road-enhancing features include electrically locking differentials, 31-inch-tall Goodyear Duratrac tires on 17-inch wheels and an abundant application of skid plates to protect the undercarriage. The added off-road equipment has dropped payload by about 300 to 1,100 pounds, while towing capacity is 5,000 lb.
Visually, the ZR2’s most striking feature is the front bumper, which has cut-outs that expose the front tires, giving the pickup an aggressive stance, while providing additional clearance when rock climbing.
Powertrains are shared with other Colorado models (except the base 2.5-litre gasoline four). The standard engine in the $44,215 ZR2 is the 3.6-litre V-6 that claims 308 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque mated to an eight-speed automatic. For an additional $4,090, you can get the 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four, which claims 181 hp and 369 lb.ft. and powers the wheels through a six-speed auto. Initial numbers put combined fuel consumption at 13 L/100 km for the gasoline engine and 10.7 L/100 km for the diesel.
Despite the added ride height, it’s easy to climb into the cab, where you’ll find the familiar Colorado cockpit, the biggest difference being the added buttons in the centre stack that lock the differentials. Interior amenities include heated front seats, wireless phone charging, an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with MyLink, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 4G LTE on-board Wi-Fi, a rear-view camera and sliding rear window.
Other standard features include keyless entry, automatic cruise control, a spray-on bed liner, damped tailgate operation, a full-sized spare mounted on a matching aluminum wheel and a trailer package that includes a hitch, seven-pin connector and a trailer brake controller.
Since the emphasis is off-road driving, our test drive includes a highspeed closed course that emulates desert racing and an off-road loop that takes us to Bangs Canyon and the Tabeguache Trail outside of Grand Junction, where we perform some serious low-speed rock crawling.
The high-speed course is laid out on sand and hard-packed dirt and includes tight bends, higher-speed sweepers, and several jumps. Approaching one of the jumps at about 70 km/h launches the ZR2 into the air, with all four wheels dangling from the chassis. Anticipating a hard landing, I brace for impact only to be greeted by a surprisingly cushy touchdown. The added suspension travel combines with the shocks’ position-sensitive damping to soak up the landings without bottoming, while allowing excellent straight-line stability upon touchdown. Even higher speeds over these jumps result in equally soft landings, a true testament to all of the “testing” done before the ZR2 hit production.
The rock-crawling portion of the test drive is equally as impressive, especially since our hosts did not drop tire pressures from standard for convenience. With the transfer case switched to 4 Low and both differentials locked, the ZR2 treads effortlessly over some impressive geological features, including rather tall stone steps. While it’s impressive to see pictures of trucks driving over obstacles with one wheel high in the air, the truth is this is more a demonstration of electronic torque management rather than actual offroad capability. The ZR2 negotiates the extreme course without ever getting a wheel in the air.
Aside from its taller stance, there are no concessions made in ride quality on the road. The ZR2 is remarkably composed and quiet with only a faint howl coming from the aggressively treaded tires.
If you’re not serious about off roading, you really don’t need the ZR2; spec the Z71 with the V-6 or the diesel and save several thousand dollars. But if you spend weekends on the trails, the ZR2 can climb rocks and handle the toughest trails among the most capable competition, even among modified custom jobs, right off of the showroom floor.