Holden shutdown its last manufacturing plant in May 2017 and has been a mere importer ever since. The former automaker has been importing General Motors cars and marketing them under its brand name. However, this has allowed Holden to deliver upgraded products to the market, and this time, it’s the Colorado Z71 Xtreme.

Overview

The Xtreme was showcased as a concept vehicle by Chevrolet in Bangkok two years ago. It will be a limited-production truck, with numbers based on overall demand. As the name suggests, the Xtreme is a more powerful version of the existing Colorado Z71 and boasts an upgraded front suspension, all-terrain tires, flared fenders, black grille, hood bulge, roof rack, tubular side steps, recovery hooks, LED auxiliary lighting, and a 10,000-pound winch with a 30-meter (nearly 100-foot) synthetic tow line. It rides on 18-inch Goodyear All-Terrain Wrangler tires. Most of the accessories have been in Port Melbourne.

What Do They Have To Say

“The Colorado Xtreme was a concept car that resonated with our customers, and to not only put it into production, but elevate it, is very exciting,” said Holden’s Product Marketing Manager, Andre Scott. “As a base vehicle, the Colorado Z71 is already very capable, so we’ve expanded our Genuine Accessories range for additional off-road capability. Cue the Holden Winch system, the Xtreme’s hero accessory, which is a game-changer. Backed up with a long list of accessories, customers can have confidence that their ute will not only look rugged but will be able to perform in the harshest of environments.”

Under The Hood

The Colorado Xtreme gets the same 2.8-liter Duramax Turbo diesel engine that churns out 197 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to all the wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. Although you get a switchable four-wheel drive system with low-range, there's no mention of a locking rear differential.

Our Take

Be for it shut down its manufacturing operations, it looked like Holden wouldn't be able to survive, especially considering how competitive the market is today. In fact, sales of its best-selling model, the Commodore, has been declining consistently over the past 16 years. However, Holden took up this challenge to cut down on those overheads and focus on re-badging quality vehicles that customers can relate to.

The Colorado Xtreme looks competitive, but one should note that it’s going against the likes of the Toyota Hilux, a model that has been around for 50 years and is currently in its eighth generation. There's also the Ford Raptor which has been on fire lately with new add-ons every now and then to keep the model fresh. Now, the real challenge for Holden is to keep its costs in check, since it does not manufacture the Xtreme. The price is estimated to be around $52,000 at the time of launch in October of this year. Will the Holden Xtreme be a successful model for Holden? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2015 Holden Colorado.

Read our full review on the 2016 Holden Colorado Z71.