| Colorado still in right-hand drive mold but left-hand versions to come soon. |
UNVEILED to the world as a mere show truck at the Bangkok auto show in March, Chevrolet’s all-new Colorado pickup recently debuted as a production model already, with the carmaker showcasing its latest through a series of driving events held around Thailand.
The Colorado, according to Chevrolet, “is designed and engineered to be General Motors’ (GM) toughest, highest-performing and most-refined midsize pickup truck ever.” It is the product of a five-year, $2-billion program spread across five continents, and is intended for customers in more than 60 markets around the world. Chevrolet swore the new truck is packed with technology, features and value more than ever, with sheetmetal, cabin and major mechanical pieces that are all new.
Simply, the Colorado is the “most extensive clean-sheet midsize truck program in Chevrolet’s 100-year history,” the carmaker said.
Chevrolet said it will offer Thai customers 26 combinations of Colorado models, power trains, cabins and ride heights, including single-, extended- and crew-cab bodies in high- and low-stance configurations, wide- and narrow-body options, as well as two- and four-wheel-drive configurations. The range features a choice of two all-new Duramax turbo-diesel engines that are purported to provide performance and fuel economy across three specification levels; the entry LS, mid-range LT and range-topping LTZ.
Thailand for the world
Chevrolet said the development of the Colorado was led by a team of GM engineers in Brazil who used their expertise to tailor the vehicle for a number of global markets, including those in Southeast Asia.
“Thailand is excited to be the first market in the world to introduce the all-new Colorado,” said GM Thailand President Martin Apfel. “The new Colorado represents our largest-ever engineering and manufacturing program and demonstrates the outstanding skills and capability that exist in this country. Our manufacturing operations have the ability to meet the needs of the local and global marketplace now and well into the future.”
Chevrolet said the Colorado was penned at the GM South America Design Center in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and takes many cues from the three Colorado concept vehicles revealed at auto shows in Thailand, Argentina, Australia and Germany.
Global truck
Based on GM’s global body-on-frame, rear-drive midsize truck architecture, the new Colorado is designed, engineered and executed to deliver best-in-class appearance, performance, versatility and refinement, Chevrolet said. It has also been developed to meet the highest possible safety standards wherever it is sold, with the carmaker noting that included in the Colorado range are electronic stability control, ABS with EBD, traction control, hydraulic brake assist, cornering brake control and driver and occupant front airbags.
The range also features two Duramax diesels, built at GM Thailand’s newly opened $200-million engine plant, and which are available in 2.8-liter and 2.5-liter displacements. The 2.8-liter engine is rated at 180 horsepower and 470 Newton-meters of torque with an available six-speed automatic transmission (440 Newton-meters with a five-speed manual) while the 2.5-liter engine is rated at 150 horsepower and 350 Newton-meters.
According to Chevrolet, other highlights of the truck include LED tail lamps; segment-leading front- and second-row shoulder room, headroom and seat height; chrome accents outside and inside; LED backlighting in the instrument cluster and HVAC controls in Chevrolet’s trademark “Ice Blue” illumination; several storage locations; and standard auxiliary power and plugs and USB connectivity.
The Colorado is expected to arrive in the Philippines early next year. FAST TIMES
