Trail taker
Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 was made for rugged off- roading
Chevrolet is taking a detour with its midsize Colorado pickup lineup — rolling a new version off city streets and onto challenging wilderness trails. This rugged truck, which is created to lure hardcore off- road enthusiasts, is the 2017 Colorado ZR2.
The robustly engineered, aggressive- looking ZR2 is expected to appear in dealerships in the spring. It will be available in extendedcab and crew- cab configurations. Base MSRP is $ 40,995.
The first look at the ZR2 was at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show. Mark Dickens, executive director of performance variants for Chevrolet, explained that his team’s mission with the ZR2 was to give the truck a wide performance envelope.
“We set out to create a truck equally capable for rock crawling on Saturday, desert running on Sunday and driving to work on Monday,” he said.
According to Dickens, the Colorado is naturally wellsuited for off- road — narrower and lighter than full- size trucks, allowing access to a greater variety of trails and providing greater agility over rough terrain.
Traction, wheel travel and obstacle clearance is enhanced over a standard Colorado with a 3.5- inch- wider front and rear track, 31- inch Goodyear Duratrac off- road tires on 17- by- 8inch aluminum wheels and a 2- inch suspension lift. The ZR2 is fitted with longer, beefier cast- iron control arms to enhance durability.
Ends of the front bumper are tapered to increase tire clearance, and it incorporates a thick aluminum skid plate that protects the radiator and engine oil pan. Eliminating the rear corner steps reduces potential contact with obstacles. Bumper modifications contribute to 30- degree approach and 26- degree departure angles. Trail- scraping encounters are minimized via a skid plate shielding the transfer case and steel- tube rocker protectors guarding the body sides.
Standard power for the ZR2 is an all- new 3.6- liter V- 6. Mated with an eight- speed automatic transmission, it generates 308 horsepower and 275 pound- feet of torque. Fuel economy figures haven’t been announced, but Chevy reports it will provide excellent range to overland drivers.
The ZR2 tows up to 5,000 pounds, which is adequate for hauling dirt bikes, jet skis and snowmobiles. Payload capacity is rated at 1,100 pounds.
A 2.8- liter Duramax turbodiesel I- 4 is available and partners with a six- speed automatic transmission, producing 181 horsepower and an impressive 369 poundfeet of torque.
An AutoTrac four- wheeldrive transfer case teams with electronic- locking front and rear differentials to provide nine drive configurations.
As a truck built to take on the challenges of hostile terrain, the ZR2 looks the part. A bad- boy look is created up front with a raised black dome hood, black grille insert and revised bumper with integrated skid plate.
The Colorado ZR2 is wellequipped to conquer offroad trails, but it’s yet to be seen how successfully it will combat formidable off- road truck competitors.