A ZR2 built for racing on rougher terrain
by Mark McNabb, onChevy brought two custom Colorado ZR2 pickups to SEMA this year with some heavy modifications that make them even better off-road. One was built in collaboration with American Expedition Vehicles and meant for over-landing while this, the Colorado ZR2 Race Development Truck, is built for high-speed desert running. In fact, many of the upgrades on this truck were first tested on Chad Hall’s Colorado ZR2, which ran in the “Best In The Desert” race series.
The list of modifications isn’t overly extensive, showing just how capable the Colorado ZR2 is from the factory. The truck’s crown jewel is its DSSV spool valve shock absorbers from Multimatic. DSSV shocks were developed for supercars and F1 race teams, so its adoption for an off-roader was unconventional. The factory truck also has better ground clearance than a regular Colorado, along with bespoke bodywork that improved approach and departure angles. Adding to its capability are front and rear electronic differential lockers – something not found on any other Colorado. Still, Chevy improved on the ZR2’s design for hard-core racing.
Continue reading to learn more about the Chevrolet ZR2 Race Development Truck.
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2017 Chevrolet ZR2 Race Development Truck
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Year:2017
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What makes the Chevrolet ZR2 Race Development Truck special
- 1.5-inch body lift
- Long-arm front suspension
- Long-travel DSSV shocks
- Skid plates for rear shocks
- Skid plate for rear differential
- 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler MT/R tires
- Cold-air intake for 3.6-liter V-6
- Performance exhuast
The list of modifications isn’t overly extensive, showing just how capable the Colorado ZR2 is from the factory
Chevrolet started off with a stock Colorado ZR2 with the 3.6-liter V-6 and crew cab. They then added a 1.5-inch body lift to help fit larger, 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler MT/R tires. The stock wheels were retained, but wheel spacers and longer wheel studs were added to widen the truck’s already wide stance. Underneath, the rear DSSV shocks got skid plates for added protection from trail damage. A skid plate was also added to the rear differential. An upgraded steel driveshaft was added, too.
Suspension enhancements make the biggest difference, however. A long-arm suspension kit was added to the independent front suspension, and long-travel versions of the DSSV shocks were added. The shocks also have a slightly modified tuning to better handle high-speed runs in the sand.
An off-road air intake was added, as well, helping filter out dirt and sand
An off-road air intake was added, as well, helping filter out dirt and sand. On the other side of the V-6, Chevy added a performance exhaust system. There’s no word on how these changes affected power output, but we’d certainly guess the 3.6-liter makes more horsepower and torque.
All told, the Colorado ZR2 Race Development Truck is a beast for high-speed desert running, while staying close to the factory ZR2 anyone can buy. Chevy undoubtedly is preparing for battle against Ford’s upcoming Ranger Raptor – a mid-size pickup with parts styled after the F-150 Raptor. It seems Chevy is definitely ready to throw some punches.
References
Chevrolet Colorado
Read our full review on the 2017 Chevrolet Colorado.
Read our full review on the 2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2.
Read more news on the 2017 SEMA Show.
Press release
The ZR2 Race Development Truck builds on the ZR2’s desert-running capability with a long-travel version of the stock truck’s DSSV shocks. These are tuned for high-speed off-road use, adding unique parts validated by Chevy Performance Engineering and legendary off-road racer Chad Hall in the Best in the Desert racing series:
1.5-inch body lift
33-inch Goodyear Wrangler MT/R tires
Rear shock skidplates
Rear differential skidplate
Steel driveshaft
Wheel spacers with extended-length wheel studs
Off-road air intake and performance exhaust
The ZR2 Race Development Truck also shares the 3.6L V-6 and segment-exclusive eight-speed transmission with ZR2. Both trucks leverage the electronic locking front and rear differentials, Off-Road Mode and additional elements from the regular production ZR2.
“Colorado can play any way you want,” said Campbell. “The work with AEV and Hall Racing acknowledges the strengths of our midsize platform, with both SEMA entries showcasing the versatility that’s already made Colorado a resounding success.”
Colorado celebrates its three-year anniversary this month, with more than 250,000 sales in 36 months. Colorado also boasts the segment’s first applications of 4G LTE Wi-Fi and Apple CarPlay, along with safety features such as Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning.
The Colorado ZR2 AEV concept and ZR2 Race Development Truck join approximately 20 additional Chevrolet models this week at the SEMA Show, Oct. 31-Nov. 3. Follow the action at ChevySEMA.com, #CHEVYSEMA, @ChevroletPerformance on Instagram and Chevrolet Performance on Facebook.
