Chevrolet upgrades its Ford Ranger Raptor rival with a new version of the Colorado ZR2 Bison.
Spy photographers have caught the upcoming Colorado ZR2 Bison – a rival to the Ford Ranger Raptor – testing in heavy camouflage on home soil in Detroit.
Locally, the Holden Colorado was axed at the same time General Motors pulled out of Australia in 2020. However, GMSV has since taken to converting the Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck which will land in ZR2 specification this year, and also sells the factory right-hand drive Corvette supercar. It has not indicated any plans to convert the Colorado ZR2, however.
The Colorado ZR2 Bison was first launched in 2019 in collaboration American Expedition Vehicles (AEV). The first model launched with steel front and rear bumpers and boron-steel skid plates underneath for improved protection of vital parts compared to the base ZR2 which came with an aluminum plate. Beefing up its look, the 2019 model launched with a larger, more aggressive grille, fender flares, and unique 12-spoke wheels that look to have evolved.
These latest spy photos of the new model indicate that the Colorado ZR2 Bison follows the same formula but the 12-spoke beadlock wheels have larger rubber, likely wrapped with 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory tyres – a similar setup to the Ford Bronco Sasquatch – which is a big upgrade over the existing 31-inch hoops.
It’s not known if the model will get a power hike to its engine. Currently, the third-generation Colorado is powered by a 2.7-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine producing up to 231kW of power and 583Nm of torque.
Outside, there is an evolution of similar add-ons such as the fender flares, big front grille and bodywork. All of the details are expected to be revealed by around mid-2023.