2019 Colorado ZR2 Bison Aims To Do For Chevy What Raptor Did For Ford
If you need a truck that's ready for when the apocalypse strikes – or at least looks like you're prepared for the eventuality – then the 2019 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison might just fit the bill. Latest iteration of the Colorado pickup, the new ZR2 Bison cranks up both the ruggedness and the performance, with Chevy turning to American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) for the specialist touch.
So, the duo starts out with the regular Colorado ZR2, and then give it a go-anywhere makeover. First the Bison gets five new skid plates, layering on protection for the engine oil pan, fuel tank, transfer case, and front and rear locking differentials. Built to a custom-design from AEV, they're made from hot-stamped Boron steel, so that aggressively jagged terrain won't screw up your undercarriage.
AEV's talents have been used for new stamped steel front and rear bumpers, too. These get winch provisions and standard fog lights at the front, while the back gets integrated recovery points. Gone is the normal Chevrolet bowtie, replaced with a "CHEVROLET" logo punched through the steel.
As per the normal ZR2, the locking differentials come as standard, along with Multimatic DSSV dampers. There's also off-road rocker protection and cast-iron control arms, together with an Autotrac transfer case. The truck sits 2-inches higher than the regular Colorado Z71, while its front and rear tracks are 3.5-inches wider.
For the Bison, 31-inch Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac off-road tires are then thrown on, wrapped around ZR2 Bison-specific 17 x 8-inch aluminum wheels. They're surrounded by larger fender flares. Bison decals on the sides of the bed and an AEV Bison log on the tailgate make it clear – if it wasn't already – that this is no ordinary Colorado.
The standard engine is the 3.6-liter V6, but Chevrolet will also be offering the Bison with its 2.8-liter Duramax turbodiesel engine, hooked up to a six-speed automatic transmission. That puts out 186 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. It'll be available in either crew or extended cab configurations, the former with a short bed and the latter with a long bed.
The striking snorkel you see in these images, meanwhile, will be a third-party accessory from AEV direct, and improve air quality for the truck while in dusty environments. You don't need a Bison to use it, either, since it's compatible with all of Chevy's Colorado pickups.
Clearly, Chevrolet is hoping to do for off-the-grid trucks what the Raptor did for Ford's F-150, and come up with something so niche that it ends up in a category all of its own. Pricing for the 2019 Colorado ZR2 Bison hasn't been confirmed at this point, though the regular Colorado ZR2 kicks off from just over $43k.
