Chevy introduced the Colorado ZR2 Bison today, the result of its first-ever collaboration with popular off-road aftermarket manufacturer American Expedition Vehicles.
Like its name implies, the ZR2 Bison is built to be tough. The undercarriage features five skid plates covering the engine oil pan, fuel tank, transfer case and front and rear locking differentials. Designed by AEV, these skid plates are constructed of hard, durable hot-stamped boron steel.
AEV-designed stamped steel front and rear bumpers further shield the truck from obstacles. The front bumper contains winch provisions and standard fog lights, with recovery points integrated into the rear bumper.
“More and more enthusiasts are discovering that Colorado is ideal for off-roading, especially overland travel,” said Sandor Piszar, director of Marketing, Chevrolet Truck.
“The Colorado Z71 offers a full suite of off-road equipment, the maneuverability of a midsize truck and the driving range of a class-exclusive diesel engine,” Piszar continued. “The Colorado ZR2 offers even greater off-road capability with class-exclusive front and rear locking differentials and Multimatic DSSVTM dampers. And now, Bison offers customers an even more extreme turnkey off-road truck ready to tackle your next adventure.”
The Colorado ZR2 Bison joins Chevrolet’s midsize truck lineup as an all-new performance variant. Bison is Chevy’s first collaboration with American Expedition Vehicles (AEV), a premium off-road aftermarket manufacturer.
An exclusive, flow-through “CHEVROLET” lettered grille replaces the traditional bowtie on Bison’s front end. The 31-inch Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac off-road tires sit beneath larger fender flares and wrap all-new, ZR2 Bison-specific 17 x 8-inch aluminum wheels.
This new Colorado variant also features “Bison” decals on the bed sides, an “AEV Bison” logo on the tailgate and embroidered AEV logo floor liners and front head restraints.
“We’ve been following Colorado since its introduction, and the ZR2 really captured our attention,” said Dave Harriton, founder and president of AEV. “As this is the first Chevrolet vehicle we’ve given the AEV treatment to, we wanted to do something special with the industry’s first use of hot-stamped Boron steel. We also expect that Colorado drivers will love the added ruggedness of our front and rear bumpers on ZR2 Bison.”
The ZR2 Bison also duplicates the full equipment list of the Colorado ZR2, including, but not limited to:
- Class-exclusive front and rear locking electronic differentials
- Revolutionary, segment-exclusive Multimatic DSSV dampers
- Off-road rocker protection
- Cast-iron control arms
- Autotrac transfer case
Like ZR2, Bison also features a modified rear axle with a 3.42 ratio, front and rear tracks widened by 3.5 inches and factory suspension lifted two inches over a Colorado Z71.
Available options on Bison include:
- 2.8-liter Duramax Turbo-Diesel paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, rated at 186 horsepower and 369 lb.-ft. of torque.
- Choice of crew- or extended cab configurations (including short and long beds, respectively).
Customers will also be able to purchase an available third-party accessory snorkel for ZR2 Bison from AEV, ideal for air filtration while driving on dusty trails. This feature is compatible with all Colorado pickup variants.
The 2019 Colorado ZR2 Bison goes on sale in January 2019, modified for extreme off-road use and backed by a full factory limited warranty.
This new Colorado variant features “Bison” decals on the bed.
Bison features embroidered “AEV” logos on the floor liners and front head restraints.
Colorado ZR2 Bison features an “AEV Bison” logo on the tailgate.
AEV-designed stamped steel rear bumpers house integrated recovery points and chassis-mounted tubular corner protection.
AEV-designed stamped steel front bumpers feature fog lights and winch provisions.
Colorado ZR2 Bison features five hot-stamped Boron steel skid plates that protect key undercarriage elements.
The Colorado ZR2 Bison is Chevrolet’s first collaboration with American Expedition Vehicles.
An exclusive, flow-through “CHEVROLET” lettered grille replaces the traditional bow-tie on Bison’s front end.
