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Zane Merva Executive Editor / Publisher - GM-Trucks.com October 10th, 2019 Chevrolet is giving the not so subtle hint that the rumored Silverado ZRX model is about to become reality. Today, the brand announced that a "Silverado Race Truck" would compete in this weekend's Laughlin Desert Classic alongside the Hall Racing Colorado ZR2. Interestingly, the Silverado will compete in the Desert's 1200 Stock Class, which limits changes to suspension, under body, and race-safety equipment. What does that mean? This truck is not only ready to race, it's close to production too. The "Silverado Race Truck" is outfitted with a number of aftermarket goodies that look like they were ripped right off a Colorado ZR2. Starting as an LT Trail Boss with the 6.2L V8, the Silverado Race Truck is outfitted with a long travel suspension, front and rear jounce shocks and Multimatic DSSV dampers. In short... the modifications that Chevy applies to the Colorado for the ZR2 model. Why didn't Chevy just come out and call this the ZRX Race Truck? We're not sure, but there's no doubt this is a low flying announcement made to pave the way towards an eventual Silverado model that emulates the ZR2's success in a larger package. Whether that's enough to take on the Ford Raptor is too early to determine. Stay tuned for updates on the "Silverado Race Truck" and future Silverado ZRX.

Zane Merva Executive Editor / Publisher - GM-Trucks.com October 8th, 2019 Chevrolet is ready to race the 2021 Colorado. Like, really ready to race. This week in fact. The new face for the Colorado mid-size truck will make its public debut October 10th during the 2019 Method Race Wheels Laughlin Desert Classic and will be driven by Hall Racing. Here's a sneak peek at the all new face of the Colorado. Chevrolet also gave us a showing of the production 2021 ZR2 that will debut in one month at the 2019 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Check back with us in November for our first hand take at the new ZR2 when we visit the SEMA Show. Anyways, let's take a look at the changes. What's new with the 2021 Colorado? First off, the changes so far seem to be cosmetic and packaging only. No new features or changes in specs have been announced yet. However, the exterior has been warmed over to bring it in line with the Silverado's front end, without breaking the bank on a full redesign (which is expected in the 2023-2024 MY time frame). Here's the announced 2021 changes. New front end appearance for ZR2 model. Only Colorado model to have "Flow-through Chevrolet Fascia". WT, LT, and Z71 trim levels will receive updated center bars, lower fascias, and new front skid plates. WT and LT will feature "all-new" gold Chevy bowties while the Z71 trim is adorned with a black bowtie. All models receive embossed 'Chevrolet" tailgates and ditch the traditional bowtie on the rear of the vehicle. A new "Sand Dune Metallic" will be offered on Z71 and ZR2 models only. What do you think about the new face of the Colorado?

John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 5-10-2018 A Colorado ZR2 owner, Joe F., at the Facebook Colorado ZR2 Club has reported a disturbing airbag deployment that occurred during some relatively benign soft-roading. If you’d like to jump directly to the club’s page you can do so here. Joe’s truck was just under a month old when this occurred. He had not modified the truck in any unusual way. He had added a winch and LED lights. Other than that his truck was bone stock. Joe says that just prior to the side curtain airbag deployment, “I was moving up a hill slowly in 4WD LOW with OFFROAD MODE on, passenger side wheel in a rut which had me leaning to the right. It certainly wasn’t leaned over too much. Going maybe 3 mph.” Joe’s image above shows the road that he was on. Joe says the event “…was quite a violent deployment (explosion).” He was not injured, and the truck was able to run after the event. Joe has provided a long version of the events that took place after the improper deployment. He has had difficulties with GM. Neither the dealer nor GM wants to handle fixing the truck, which has an estimated repair cost of $6,500. Since the circular firing squad is only just now being put together, we will hold off on saying GM won’t take responsibility at the end of the debacle. You can read Joe’s full overview of the situation to date at the link above for all the gory details on his struggles to get help. If Joe posts a final outcome story we will update this post, or add another. This sad story leaves us wondering if any other GM-Trucks.com members have ever had an airbag deploy during off-roading. YouTube does have some videos of airbags deploying when they should not, but there are surprisingly few. If something similar has happened to you, or you witnessed it happening, please give us the story.

John GorehamContributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com11-8-2018 General Motors made an unusual request today of GM-Trucks.com. Our contact at the Chevy Truck department asked us to report that GM is launching a new campaign to adjust the sensitivity of the airbags in the Chevy Colorado ZR2. This is a refreshing change from the industry standard practice of soft-pedaling recalls and product programs. Here is the unedited information we were asked to convey: As you are aware, there have been reports of Colorado ZR2 owners whose roof-mounted side airbags deployed while off-roading. Upon learning of this issue, Chevrolet took immediate action to understand the root cause and create a solution. Today, we notified Chevrolet dealers of a customer-satisfaction initiative to recalibrate the thresholds for the roof-mounted side airbags for ZR2 owners. The updated calibration is available as of today, and will be installed free of charge the next time the customers takes their ZR2 to a Chevrolet dealer. There have been 11 reports of Colorado ZR2 owners whose roof-mounted side airbags deployed while off-roading. Chevrolet is working to reimburse those ZR2 customers for the cost of repair, provided the event data was available to confirm the incident. We are incredibly proud of the ZR2 and the off-road capability it offers, and are encouraged to see customers are using the truck as intended. If customers have questions, they should contact their local dealer or Chevrolet Customer Assistance at 800-833-2438 GM-Trucks.com readers may recall that in May we covered the news that owners were beginning to report that the airbags in their Colorado trucks were deploying while off-roading (and not in a crash). You can read the prior full report here and see more images. Our reporting leaned heavily on images and reports from GM-Truck.com member Joe F. Since Joe's information was made available, other owners have also reported the same problem. We will do our best to get new information from Joe F. and how he is reimbursed. Our thanks to GM for asking us to be involved in disseminating this important product update program.

Thom Cannell Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com December 6, 2018 Last month Chevrolet invited us to test the Chevrolet Bison, a ZR2 derivative with distinctive upgrades that add to its already solid off road capabilities. Built off the already-capable Z7R2, American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) provided the collaborative additions that created Bison. It retains the class-exclusive front and rear locking differentials from ZR2, and high-zoot Multimatic DSSV dampers. The design of the Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve dampers uses hollow cylindrical sleeves instead of familiar discs. These were used first on race cars including Champ cars, LeMans prototypes and F1 They provide superb off road damping, particularly on rough trails where they offer greater passenger comfort. Getting to the grit of it, a pickup is hard-pressed to have the approach angle of a Jeep, and impossible for a production bed to provide a really short departure. Nonetheless, Bison does a very good job of going over rocks. One of the AEV additions is a set of five hot-stamped Boron-steel skid plates to protect the oil pan, fuel tank, transfer case and front and rear locking differentials, which we tested extensively. “As this is the first Chevrolet vehicle we’ve given the AEV treatment to,” said Dave Harriton, founder and president of AEV, “we wanted to do something special with the industry’s first use of hot-stamped Boron steel.” We think he’s referring to the off-road industry, as hot stamped High Strength Steel is the basis for modern crash-worthy chassis. However, those skid plates kept the rocks out of our oil pan. Some of the Bison upgrades are more cosmetic than necessary, like replacing the bowtie grille a free-flowing CHEVROLET front grille, Bison decals on the bedsides and an AEV Bison logo on the tailgate plus an embroidered AEV on the floor liners and front head rests. Branding, eh? Performance-oriented changes include the stamped steel front and rear bumpers. The front bumper allows adding a winch (would you go off roading without a winch??), fog lamps and integrated recovery points. As a truck designed to venture deep into open spaces, Chevy added 31-inch Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires mounted on Bison-specific 12x8-inch aluminum wheels. We tested those, too, and they have plenty of grip on rocks, and in loose dirt. Note that the ZR2 cast-iron control arms and Autotrac transfer case are retained, along with the ZR2’s 3.42:1 axle ratio and front/rear tracks wider by 3.5-inches. Compared to a ZR1, Bison is lifted by two-inches. Our test vehicle was powered by the new 2.8-liter Duramax diesel (186 hp., 369 lb.-ft.) mated to a six-speed transmission. It was the crew cab model; with the short bed which including some AEV upgrades. On our highway drive towards an off-road park, we noted that the Bison was extremely quiet, and not just “quiet, for a truck”. No, it was quiet for any kind of vehicle, including a Cadillac. After switching the transfer case into 4WD-high, we bucked our way towards the promised bigger challenges. Along our trail—nothing extreme but way off the beaten path—we again noted there hadn’t been a single squeak, rattle, or buzz. The only odd sounds in the cabin were from the zippers on our camera bags. Bison’s frame is stiff; there’s no tweaking, everything is absolutely tight. There was no way to call out the suspension and its Multimatic spool-valve-type dampers, however the suspension was supple on the rough trail. Another noise-related note, we picked up no rock noise in the wheel wells despite being pushed around by potholes, rocks and dips. We might as well have been on the freeway, from a noise perspective. Our truck had almost every American Expedition accessory available. There were LED fog or trail-search lights on the hood, a ladder rack and a storage bin system mounted below a false bed. We only lacked the Baja-style intake snorkel. The bolted-on roof rack may have added stiffness to the already ultra-stiff box frame, which allowed the suspension do its work. Watching the vehicles ahead of us, we could see how steady the beds were, and how much the suspension was working. For a stock vehicle, there was plenty of travel available. Bison has a solid rear axle and independent front suspension, and there is a divide among off roaders and rock climbers as to whether a solid axle or independent rear suspension is better. Rock climbers seem to prefer solid rear axles. We thought the ZR2-based Bison chassis with a Duramax diesel made off roading almost a no-challenge event. The diesel engine was totally on-point with torque, needing only a light application of brakes for stability when balancing on rocks. Comparatively, those who had the standard V-6 gasser had a harder time of it, using more throttle to obtain torque, then having to feather the throttle and brake to stay on track. If you've never done rock crawling, you must apply power to get up, apply brake to stop, before being guided down in the correct direction. Yeah, it's really hard to see the front wheels through the engine. One of the options Chevy will offer through dealers is a shorter, cut off exhaust tip. We strongly recommend this if you’re going rock crawling. Many of us “modified” the longer exhaust tips when crawling off rocks. After crawling a rock canyon we grouped to head for lunch. Parked on a hill with loose sand and the tranny set in 4WD high, there wasn't enough traction. Locking the rear differential made climbing the hill as simple as stepping on the throttle, in that low traction situation. Having complete control over axles and each wheel made off roading and rock crawling easy, even for beginners. Note that, in our opinion, the Duramax doesn't deliver optimum fuel economy for the Bison. It's good, but not great. Where it shines is in torque availability for off roading. We can see the Bison with Duramax as a perfect combination for off road camping, adventuring, and modest towing. It's quiet. While on our rock crawls, there was never a sound from the chassis, no wracking, graunching, squeaks or rattles other than when we skidded over rock on those Boron steel protectors. It was billet solid. In fact, we'd go so far as to say our Bison was quieter than a standard Silverado and totally ready for any off road adventure. Interested in the Colorado ZR2? Join the GM-Trucks.com Colorado ZR2 Facebook Group!

So My current 2001 4 door Blazer plow truck/daily driver needs a ton of work. It has over 243K on the clock, very low oil pressure, a leaky heater core, cracked windshield, and multiple emissions problems that I've been leaving unfixed because I don't care (EGR, Air pump, etc.). Oh, and lots and lots of rust. Did I mention it's a 4 door, I hate 4 doors. Anyways, I saw a 1999 Two door ZR2 show up on Facebook Marketplace with 134K and an engine knock for $580 bucks with brand new tires so I immediately message the seller and went to look at it. I talked him down to $500 and towed it back to my shop. Oh, and it even had a full tank of gas. (bonus!) Sounds like a bad rod knock. Will most likely need a crankshaft, rod and rebuild, but I might be able to find a cheap used engine. I already located the correct pushplates locally to mount the fisher plow, So I'll pick those up sometime this week (they are different plates than the standard Blazer takes). Tomorrow after work I will pull the oil pan and see what actually failed. So here's a pic of the truck: and here's a picture of my current 2001 Blazer that is going to be retired (junk yard) after I keep it for a few months to rob any parts that I may need for the new one. And my beat Fisher Plow:

John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 5-15-2019 The same folks that GM turned to for the specialty equipment on the Colorado ZR2 Bison have created a fantastic tray bed concept of the truck. America Expedition Vehicles (AEV) built the concept for Overland Expo West. The concept truck shows off new high-clearance fender flares that AEV has developed. AEV took the new tray bed concept Bisons on a three-day off-road desert adventure to see how well they new bed would hold up. The post-trip report is that it worked flawlessly. The new fender flares allow for the fitment of 35" wheels without a lift kit. The new tray bed and fender flares are presently in development. AEV hopes to have more information for those interested soon. Follow AEV via its website, or at the company's Facebook page. Images courtesy of AEV and Scott Brady.

John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 11-13-2018 Chevrolet announced a new list today for Colorado ZR2 race components. The list consists of 15 off-road racing parts ranging from the ZR2's special Multimatic DSSV shocks ($4,187.50) to jounce shock systems ($1,231.35 front and $1,543.75 rear). The parts are presently all suspension-related. Chevy has not included any engine upgrade parts. These parts were developed by Chevrolet Performance in conjunction with Multimatic and Hall Racing. Chad Hall drove over 10,000 miles in two race series using beta versions of these components to wring out any bugs and to ensure a perfect final product for Colorado owners. “Off-road racing is a brutal test of a vehicle, and especially its suspension components,” said Mark Dickens, executive director of Chevrolet Performance Variants, Parts and Accessories and Motorsports. “Over two years, Chad mercilessly pushed these ZR2 parts to the limit for the ultimate in development and validation. After seeing the success of the Colorado ZR2, customers have been hounding Chad for help building their own ‘Hall Racing ZR2,’” Dickens continued. “For the first time, you can buy the same Chevy Performance Parts that raced and won in the desert. All you need to add is the required safety equipment to build a pre-runner for scouting the Baja 1000 or a full-blown race truck capable of competing in the race itself.” Chevy says that these racing versions of the similar parts already on every ZR2 focus on desert running while preserving low-speed off-road performance. For example, the parts can add an additional 1-inch suspension lift and a 1.5-inch Body Lift on top of the ZR2’s factory ride height and up to 15 percent more suspension travel for extreme high-speed off-roading. AThe racing Multimatic DSSV dampers are engineered to go beyond the already formidable bandwidth of ZR2’s stock DSSVs. The available Multimatic Front Long Travel DSSV Shocks provide customers with a 15 percent increase in overall front suspension travel, while the Multimatic long travel rear shocks increase rear suspension travel by as much as 10 percent. “These parts can be purchased individually to suit each customer’s needs, or as a complete package,” said Dickens. “This gives customers the flexibility to build their truck up over time, purchase only the parts they need for their particular interest, or buy the complete set to build their own ‘Hall Racing’ ZR2.” Jump to the new online list here.

John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 11-9-2018 Chevrolet announced the prices for its Colorado ZR2 Bison today. The V-6 extended cab Colorado ZR2 Bison starts at $48,045, or $49,645 for crew cab models (including $995 destination). This represents a $5750 premium over the ZR2. Given the additional content which includes rear steel bumpers, full skid plates, and fender flares, plus the Chevrolet-backed warranty, Chevy says this represents a relative bargain. GM offered a comparison to a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited. GM says the equivalent Jeep would ring in at $50,025. Dave Harriton, president and founder of American Expedition Vehicles (GM's partner for the Bison), commented on the Bison's pricing, saying, “Although they play different roles, and are for different customers, a fully loaded Rubicon with similar levels of capability and equipment will be over $50,000. However, when looking at other factory off-road vehicles on the market, the ZR2 Bison is unmatched for all-around versatility.”

John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 11-9-2018 Chevrolet is building upon its huge sales success of the new generation Colorado with two new special editions. GM credits the Colorado and Canyon with helping the company to become the largest seller of pickups. “The success of Colorado helped reignite the midsize truck segment, which increased 27 percent from 2015 to 2017,” said Sandor Piszar, director of Marketing for Chevrolet Trucks. “It changed what customers expected from a midsize truck, brought new customers to Chevrolet and has inspired competitors to follow Chevy’s lead.” The first Colorado special edition is a street-focused RST is based on the LT trim. The new RST features a monochromatic exterior offset with a black beltline and body side moldings. The RST also adds a black tailgate bowtie, Colorado and RST badges. The RST becomes first Colorado trim to offer 20-inch wheels, finished in low-gloss black. Like the Bison, the RST will wear the flow-through “CHEVROLET” lettered grille. The new Colorado Z71 Trail runner begins with the Z71 package and adds the Colorado ZR2’s underbody protection and rubber. These include aluminum front and mid skid plates, functional rocker protection and Goodyear Duratrac tires. With this new trim, Chevrolet offers four distinct Colorado levels of off-road capability: - Colorado Z71: Z71 Off-Road Suspension, automatic locking rear differential and unique 17-inch painted wheels and all-terrain tires. - New Colorado Z71 Trail Runner: Adds additional off-road protection to the Z71 trim with the Colorado ZR2’s front and mid skid plates, rocker protection and 17-inch Goodyear Duratrac tires standard. - Colorado ZR2: Compared to a standard Colorado, the ZR2 features a factory-installed 3.5-inch wider track and a suspension lifted by 2 inches. Class-exclusive features include front and rear electronic locking differentials and Multimatic DSSV Dampers. The ZR2 also features front and mid skid plates, rocker protection and front and rear bumpers modified for better off-road clearance. - Colorado ZR2 Bison: The ZR2 Bison adds even more extreme off-road capability with five hot-stamped Boron steel skid plates and stamped steel front and rear bumpers with front winch provisions and rear recovery points.

John Goreham Staff Writer 8-30-18 Take our quick poll - Which of these two new Chevy Colorado ZR2 colors do you prefer? Crush (orange) or Shadow Gray Metallic?

Two months with my new smaller truck and loving it! My Sierra was an amazing truck but I didn’t need a 6.2L. I own a small ranch but I never need to pull anything over 5 thousand pounds. Mostly I am crossing the fields carrying equipment, crossing a creek or checking fence lines. This smaller package makes sense for me. More maneuverable and better fuel economy. The added lift gets me over creeks and streams. Clears stumps and other debris.

Zane Merva Executive Editor, GM-Trucks.com 5/7/18 Our trusty Spy Photographer has just caught the all new ZR2 Bison undergoing testing. We first talked about the Bison in early April when GM first registered a trademark. Here's what our photographer has to say followed up by the photos they captured.

Turns out the Rebel TRX concept is heading to production very soon. Has anyone seen this new unveil from Ram? Been waiting for a performance truck from GM for almost 2 decades now. Not a street unit, but apparently this beast will have options for a 575hp 7.0L NA Hemi, or the supercharged 6.1L Hemi making 707hp as found in the Hellcat and Trackhawk. I never thought I would consider a Dodge, but this thing puts the Raptor and anything GM makes to shame in the truck department. https://www.ramtrucks.com/en/limited-editions/ram-1500/rebel-trx/ https://www.caranddriver.com/features/the-2018-ram-rebel-is-a-car-worth-waiting-for-feature What do you guys think?

John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 2-5-2018 Tomorrow, GM will host its investors’ earnings conference call. The news will be good. These things are never left to chance, and GM has already issued "guidance" memos saying what will be disclosed. We don’t pretend to be experts on the finance side of the automotive business, but we can read over a facts sheet as well as the next guy. Here are a few things to consider and then we will get to the ZR2. - GM’s sales are flat, not really up or down over the past 18 months or so. - GM’s (U.S.) Profits are not flat. They are up. - GM’s profits have been increasing since about 2015 - GM’s Colorado ZR2 is a pricey truck for the size. A gent named Anton Wahlman, who is an expert on the finance side of the auto business, says that the ZR2’s percentage of Colorado sales has hit 12% in 2018. That is a pretty remarkable slice of the Colorado pickup pie. His point is that pricey specialty trucks, and to a lesser degree crossovers, is having a big impact on GM’s ability to wring out more profits from the same unit volume of vehicles. We went looking for evidence that he may be right and found it in GM’s latest sales report. It was actually the very last item on the report. It said, “Average transaction prices were up $1,270 year-over-year, according to J.D. Power PIN estimates.” So there you have it. Two data items that both point to the same conclusion. Trucks like the ZR2 are working well for GM and the added profits they bring are helping GM to make more money, while not selling more vehicles. Ditching unprofitable markets like Europe, India and South Africa didn’t hurt, but making more money on the things you sell is always a good strategy. Here's GM's future strategy: “Reshaping the company over the last few years has allowed us to deploy resources and capital to higher-return opportunities including our next-generation trucks and establishing leadership in the future of mobility,” GM President Dan Ammann said. “The all-new full-size truck family that launches this year will generate very strong returns for years to come.”

Zane Merva Executive Editor, GM-Trucks.com 4/6/2018 On April 2nd, just a few days ago, Chevrolet applied for a new trademark. "ZR2 BISON" What does it mean? Is there a "BISON" edition ZR2 in the works? Does someone at Chevy just really like the name? Does it mean something entirely else? We don't know. Most of the time Corporations use trademarks that they register but sometimes they don't. Just because GM registered this logo doesn't mean a BISON Edition ZR2 is a sure bet. Then again, maybe it does? Read the Trademark Application Here at USPTO.gov SHOUT OUT to "Todd Wilson" on our Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Facebook page for bringing this to our attention.

John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 3-30-2018 Autotrader has named the Chevy Colorado ZR2 a Must Test Drive Award Winner. Of the 12 vehicles that Autotrader honored, the ZR2 was the only pickup. The publication says that the ZR2 is “a true off-road machine, rugged and ready for almost anything you can throw at it.” The group also noted that the ZR2 has “easy-to-handle dimensions” as well as its “cool off-road capabilities.” “We’re honored by this recognition and thrilled that Autotrader has picked up on the versatile footprint and serious off-road capabilities of ZR2,” said Anita Burke, vehicle chief engineer for Midsize Truck, General Motors. “ZR2 builds on the already-capable platform of the Colorado, and we agree that all customers looking for a great truck, not to mention an excellent off-road vehicle, should give it a spin, as it’s every bit as enjoyable on paved roads as it is on sand dunes, two-tracks and while rock crawling.” Check out the Autotrader story to see what else they had to say about the ZR2.

John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 4-5-2018 Rocky Mountains States-based online publication, The Fast Lane Truck, has chosen the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 as its top pick for two out of five of its Gold Hitch Awards. In fact, the Colorado ZR2 won every category it could. The ZR2 earned the Gold Hitch Truck of the Year award as well as the Best Off-Road Truck award. Writing the summary for the awards, Andre Smirnov said, "Good ground clearance, approach angle, front and rear lockers, and the Goodyear Duratrac tires carried the Colorado ZR2 to the top of the mountain. The truck’s midsize dimensions allowed us to choose just the right line over the large rocks. When the dust settled, the ZR2 did not get stuck and navigated the trail with more ease than the other competitors." Smirnov also pointed to the ZR2's livability as a daily driver. TFLTruck prides itself on its difficult mountain course. The publication's Cliffhanger 2.0 course includes sections with cool names like Truth or Dare and Razor's Bend. These folks have a true passion for their truck testing and the makeup of their overall winners list shows they don't lean just one way when it comes to brands. TRFTrucks' 2018 GOLD HITCH AWARD WINNERS ARE: Best Towing SUV – 2018 Ford Expedition Best Towing Heavy-duty pickup truck – 2018 Ford F-250 Super Duty Best Off-Road truck – 2018 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 2018 Gold Hitch Truck of the Year – 2018 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 2018 Gold Hitch SUV of the Year – 2018 Ford Expedition

John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 11-1-2017 Chevy has shown two hot Colorado ZR2 concepts at this year's SEMA show in Las Vegas. The first is the AEV Concept shown at the top of page. The AEV starts off with a new suspension setup including high-angle ball joints and increased stiffness high-angle tie rods. The truck also adds front and rear jounce shocks and a long-travel rear leaf-spring suspension. The differential gets a cover as part of the full underbody protection kit. The ZR2 AEV also gets custom wheels and tires, a winch kit, recovery hooks, and rocks a snorkel. In back, Chevy added a refrigerator cooler and there is an air pump and more substantial jack and tire kit. Check out the video for a walk-around on this off-roader.

John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 1-17-2018 The Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 has earned Cars.com's Pickup Truck of 2018 Award. The Colorado was joined by the Silverado 3500 HD as a nominee. Mark Williams of Cars.com in his write up of the ZR2’s win said the ZR2 is, “…the most distinctive vehicle that's come along in years.” Williams went on to say that besides its off-road capabilities, Cars.com testers were also impressed with, “…how well it does standard pickup truck work, like hauling 1,200 pounds or more of payload in the bed or towing a 5,000-pound trailer off the bumper." That must be one heck of a bumper! We typically tow using the trailer hitch, but that's just us being silly. Paul Edwards, U.S. Vice President, Chevrolet Marketing, commented on the win by the ZR2, saying “…ZR2 builds on the boldness of the Colorado program. Our midsize truck line has defied naysayers by selling more than 300,000 trucks in three years, and ZR2 adds forward-looking technology and innovation to the recipe to reach an entirely new group of off-road enthusiast customers.” By “Naysayers”, Edwards is referring to the knuckleheads at RAM and Ford who have sat out the midsize truck explosion for the past half-decade, missing out on literally millions of vehicle sales as a result of that poor planning. Image Note: Mark Williams (left) presents the Cars.com award to Chevy's Global Communications Executive Director, Joe Jacuzzi.

John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 1-11-2018 Four Wheeler Magazine has chosen the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado as its pick for Four Wheeler Pickup Truck of the Year. The Colorado certainly deserves the win, but given the publication’s rules, it seems like it was snuck in. The group says its picks for Four Wheel truck of the year “…was determined by a weeklong, invitation-only competition open to all-new or significantly revised pickup trucks for the upcoming model year.” The Colorado ZR2 is was introduced in 2017 as a 2017 model year truck and is not scheduled to receive any major (or minor) changes in 2018. Hmm. We reached out to Four Wheeler Editor, Sean Holman, who was glad to help explain. Sean tells us that the 2017 Colorado missed the cutoff for the last POTY award due to its late introduction and therefore eligible. Automakers' crazy model and calendar year combos are the reason. Last year, the Raptor won. Four Wheeler Editor Ken Brubaker commented on the ZR2’s win, saying, “The ZR2 takes the capable Colorado platform to a new level with a dizzying array of modifications including front and rear electric differential lockers, Multimatic Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve shocks, a 2-inch-taller ride height, 3.5-inch-wider track width, additional skidplating, 31-inch tires, and many more off-road-centric goodies. The result is a truck that is willing and able to conquer terrain that would leave most other trucks behind.” The ZR2 was pitted against just two other trucks for the title this year, the Ram 1500 Harvest Edition, Ram 3500 Cummins turbodiesel. Read the full story at Four Wheeler.

John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 12-4-2017 A new recall for the Chevrolet ZR2 has surfaced in owners' clubs and groups. The recall, GM 17345, is related to a failure of the front shock. Those who follow this new off-road truck may recall that GM opted to use a new-style shock developed by an F-1 racing supplier. The recall notices posted say the failure is, "...may have a leaking front shock absorber. noise as a result of contact between the upper control arm and service stop, as well as a potential fractured shock absorber piston rod." Owners are reporting that the inspection is related to manufacture date and that not all ZR2 trucks have the defect that leads to the failure. If you are an owner of a ZR2 and have not received the recall notice by mail yet, you can check to see if your truck is affected at this GM recall lookup site. For more information on the special DSSV shocks on the ZR2, check out this story and video.

John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 10-19-2017 Just in time for the annual SEMA aftermarket show in Las Vegas, Chevy has dropped two great-looking special edition Colorados. The ZR2 is already styled differently than other Colorado trims with a more aggressive hood and grille as well as modified front and rear bumpers for added off-road clearance. These two new special editions take the looks up a notch. The 2018 Colorado ZR2 Midnight Edition is painted all-black, and also has black Chevy bowtie emblems and custom 17-inch five-spoke black wheels - including the spare. There is also a black sport bar with off-road LED lighting and sport-bar sail panels, which bring back the Avalanche look in a way. The ZR2 Dusk Edition offers the same features as the ZR2 Midnight, but isn’t black. It can be purchased in any other ZR2 exterior finish, but the black accents remain. The ZR2 Dusk Edition show in our images is Summit White with the available 2.8L Duramax turbo-diesel and the diesel-exclusive Performance Cold Air Intake. “The Colorado ZR2 Midnight and Dusk Edition models offer customers even more personalization choices from the only company with three distinct trucks: midsize, full-size and full-size heavy-duty,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president, Truck Strategy, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “Chevrolet offers more choices because the truck market is too diverse for a ‘one size fits most’ strategy.” Chevy has not said when the new trucks will be available, but we suspect late Fall.

John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 5-15-2017 This past week, journalists from around the country converged to drive the ZR2 at the media launch. Our own report is in video processing and we plan to post it up tomorrow. As a preface of our own full report, we'd like to offer a montage of what our fellow drivers thought of the truck. Autoblog - Alex Kierstein "The meaty 31-inch Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires are churning like those old-timey steam shovels, but instead of grinding through to a payday of ore we're turning the surface of the track into laughs and dust plumes." "If you were imagining Raptor-like Trophy Truck float, the relative firmness of the ZR2's DSSV shocks will be a surprise." "...the lockers really made a difference on the ice-slick stone." Road and Track - Bob Sorokanich "The first time I laid eyes on the production Chevy Colorado ZR2, it was catching air. The second, third, and fourth times, it was doing the same." "The ZR2 swallows up landings with absolutely zero drama. The trick dampers, with a unique rebound valve up front to handle full-extension air time, ease the truck down without clanging or bottoming out. No other factory 4x4 makes landing a jump feel more unremarkable." "Even the full-size off-road pickups that overshadow the midsize Colorado in size and price don't feel this well-rounded." Motor Trend - Miguel Cortina"...what impressed me the most was how easy it was to maneuver the Colorado ZR2. When pushing the off-road button, the ABS and the stability and traction control systems do not intervene as much, allowing the ZR2 to easily drift on the dirt." "The diesel engine roared, and seconds later there was silence in the cabin as we caught a few inches of air." Trucks.com - Jerry Hirsch "...the ZR2 will be leading its midsize competitors on just about any dirt trail." "The squishy feel a driver encounters in other off-road trucks at highway speeds is absent in the ZR2." Gear Junkie - Byron Dorr "With aggressive lines and functional upgrades to front and rear bumpers that greatly improve entry and departure angles, it looks downright mean." "This is a versatile machine though, and in driving, it shined in a WIDE range of off-road situations. And while it really impressed off the tarmac, this truck is snappy and responsive on-road too." "This suspension technology has raised the bar. It works equally well on- and off-road. It truly shines in tight paved corners and at speed off-road." Car and Driver - Jared Gall "...you need to bully the Colorado through turns more than you do the Raptor, with heavier inputs required to unsettle it, but it takes the abuse with a shrug, and the dampers keep the tires in contact with the dirt no matter what sort of shenanigans the driver tries." "The gas V-6 is more flexible and yields a truck that is 250 pounds lighter than the diesel. In our testing of regular Colorados, an example with the six hit 60 mph in just 6.1 seconds, while a similarly-spec’d diesel needed 9.2. The diesel acquits itself quite well in higher-speed stuff if you drive with two feet to keep the turbo spooled, but it’s more work and less fun." "...this Colorado is a potent crawler, a capable desert runner, and the Chevy truck division’s best ever application of the letters Z and R."

John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 8-28-2017 GM seems to be downplaying its towing capabilities in non-full-size truck offerings. The first, and most surprising revelation was that Chevy is only rating the new Colorado ZR2 at 5,000 pounds for towing, regardless of its engine. That means the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro's gasoline engine's 6,400 lb towing rating tops the diesel ZR2. Toyota has for years been conservative in its tow ratings and adopted the current standards prior to GM. We doubt this is specmanship on Toyota's part. The newest towing surprise was the all-new 2018 Equinox diesel compact crossover. The new diesel engine costs almost $4,000 more than the base engine in the Equinox. Yet, its towing is limited to 1,500 pounds, the same rating almost all compact crossovers come with (the CR-V for example). Where is the diesel towing advantage we often see in larger pickups and sport utes? Perhaps Chevy assumes with these two diesel vehicles owners don't care much about towing. That would not be our impression based on posts to the ZR2 clubs* we participate in. What say you GM-Trucks.com faithful? No big deal, or sort of surprising? Image Note: GM-Trucks.com received permission to use the FB post and image above from the member who posted it.