The 2016 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 is a concept truck which has been first released back in November 2014 and even though it has not been released just yet, it seems that the truck may come on the market relatively unchanged from the concept model. This is because GM wants to resurrect the name which made the S10 quite successful and it would give them a unique compact pickup truck which even though it won’t be on everyone’s taste, it would certainly be a great selling vehicle.
The engine range
Engine wise, the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 will come with a single engine choice rather than the usual two petrol engines. This will be the first time the 2.8 liter Duramax inline 4 turbocharged diesel will come on the US market.
The engine will also be available at a later date but for now this should be the only model to use it. The engine will feature urea injection in order to keep pollution down to a minimum and on top of that, a revised turbocharger is going to be installed as well.
The output will remain similar to that of the International model at 181 horsepower and just 3,400 rpm but the torque will increase slightly to 369 lb-ft of it at just 2,000 rpm. This should allow the truck to tow more while being more efficient than the V6.
The massive torque of the diesel will also help it greatly during off-road use as it provides a lot of torque for its size. Unfortunately the engine will not get an 8 speed automatic but rather a more unrefined 6 speed unit.
Outside look
Just as we said, the chassis of the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 has been tweaked for heavy use in off-road so it is stronger than usual. The running gear uses King shocks which not only give it an extra 2 inches of ride height but they also have a lot more travel.
Sturdier control arms, beefier brakes, larger alloy wheels as well as Goodyear Wrangler tires will all come as standard. The truck will also get skid-plates to allow for hassle free off-road use as well as changes on the outside.
These will include new front and rear bumpers which will improve the approach and departure angles slightly, a new grille with a honeycomb mesh that certainly makes it more aggressive as well as new LED headlights and a more aggressive hood.
The front bumper will also feature a winch as well as the external reservoirs for the King shocks for a more stunning look. As standard it will also come with a heavy-duty jack and a spare tire mounted in the bed.
Inside look
The interior of the truck on the other hand will remain mostly unchanged from that of the base version. The seats as well as the steering wheel are going to be new. These will likely feature body-colored stitching in order to offer a nice contrast over the black interior and the seats might even be heated and ventilated, a first for the model line.
2016 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 – Price
While the model is not really available just yet, the production model could be released in showrooms by the start of 2016 and for a good price considering the extras it will come with. In fact, the price is expected to be around $32,000 or little over which is really good value for money for an all out off-road pickup truck.
The ZR2 comes with quite a few changes over the normal version of the truck so the design has been updated, its engine is all new and the running gear is actually quite impressive for such a small truck. Just like the usual model, the ZR2 is based on the International version of the truck which combines a lightweight chassis with a durable body.
