{"id":30990,"date":"2023-06-01T12:01:34","date_gmt":"2023-06-01T16:01:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=30990"},"modified":"2023-06-01T12:01:34","modified_gmt":"2023-06-01T16:01:34","slug":"the-new-muscle-wars-chevy-colorado-zr2-bison-takes-on-hot-rod-off-road-pickups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2023\/06\/the-new-muscle-wars-chevy-colorado-zr2-bison-takes-on-hot-rod-off-road-pickups","title":{"rendered":"The new muscle wars: Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison takes on hot-rod, off-road pickups"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"gnt_pr\">\n<div class=\"gnt_ar_b\">\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Detroit<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Forget full-size trucks, the hottest pickup wars are in the midsize segment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Chevrolet this week debuted the remade, second-generation Colorado ZR2 Bison \u2014 a steroid-jacked beast to take on similar hellions from Toyota, Ford, GMC and Jeep. With big tires, tech and power (Bison even has sports-car-like launch control), the performance pickups kick asphalt. They are the new, $50,00-plus battleground for vehicle performance, displacing the muscle car wars of old that included the doomed Camaro.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">With bulging fenders, mod-parts and fearsome looks, these pickups take beefcake cues from their muscle car brethren \u2014 but apply it to the sizzling off-road space with sales volumes that muscle cars could only dream about.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/05\/26\/PDTN\/5a99a3c7-ddf6-4bc2-b213-dfabf0e84350-ChevyColoradoBisondebut_side.jpg?width=990&amp;height=599&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/05\/26\/PDTN\/f245704b-5b53-4636-b364-c76b60329225-ChevyColoradoBisondebut_fr3-4-dirt.jpg?crop=4617,2521,x1280,y505&amp;width=660&amp;height=361&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/05\/26\/PDTN\/f245704b-5b53-4636-b364-c76b60329225-ChevyColoradoBisondebut_fr3-4-dirt.jpg?crop=4617,2521,x1280,y505&amp;width=1320&amp;height=722&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"The 2024 Chevrolet ZR2 Bison adds front-rear steel bumpers and 35-inch tires to compliment its 430-torque turbo-4 engine.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The 2024 Chevrolet ZR2 Bison adds front-rear steel bumpers and 35-inch tires to compliment its 430-torque turbo-4 engine.\" data-c-credit=\"Chevrolet\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cIt\u2019s the Golden Age of the pickup truck,\u201d said Andre Smirnov, managing editor of TFLTrucks.com, which benchmarks industry truck performance. \u201cThis is the new muscle segment with multiple manufacturers competing across the board.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Analysts credit the performance explosion to the Detroit Three\u2019s exit from sedans in recent years to focus on popular, higher-riding SUVs and trucks. They also point to regulatory changes that have squeezed profit margins on high-performance cars.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-2\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cThere is precedent for this in the 1970s when fuel economy rules killed off muscle cars,\u201d said veteran auto analyst Karl Brauer of iSeeCars.com. \u201cSo automakers started putting effort into hot-rod trucks like the Dodge L\u2019il Red Express, Dodge Warlock, Chevy Sport and Jeep Honcho that weren\u2019t subject to the strictest government rules.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Automakers are under similar pressure today to make electric vehicles \u2014 facing big fines for making high-horsepower V-8 engines. Dodge, for example, was fined $700 million in 2022 for emissions violations and subsequently canceled the iconic, V8-powered Charger and Challenger muscle cars. Chevrolet followed suit, axing its Camaro model.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Here come the muscle trucks.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/05\/26\/PDTN\/f245704b-5b53-4636-b364-c76b60329225-ChevyColoradoBisondebut_fr3-4-dirt.jpg?crop=4617,2521,x1280,y505&amp;width=660&amp;height=361&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The 2024 Chevrolet ZR2 Bison adds front-rear steel bumpers and 35-inch tires to compliment its 430-torque turbo-4 engine.\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/05\/26\/PDTN\/3aeb5585-5aa4-4a6f-a216-a0b4a5bf1441-ChevyColoradoBisondebut_35-tire.jpg?width=660&amp;height=441&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/05\/26\/PDTN\/3aeb5585-5aa4-4a6f-a216-a0b4a5bf1441-ChevyColoradoBisondebut_35-tire.jpg?width=1320&amp;height=882&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"The 2024 Chevrolet ZR2 Bison comes with 35-inch off-road tires.      \" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The 2024 Chevrolet ZR2 Bison comes with 35-inch off-road tires.      \" data-c-credit=\"Chevrolet\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">With half the cylinders of a 5.0-liter Camaro SS, the Bison puts out nearly the same torque (430 pound-feet vs. 455 for the Camaro) thanks to slapping a turbocharger on its 2.7-liter mill. Despite the reduced displacement, the heavier Bison still gets lower fuel economy than the Camaro. The Bison\u2019s price? An estimated $55,000 when it comes to market this fall, just above the $50k Camaro SS (and shy of the outgoing, top-dog $70k Camaro ZL1). Colorado sales dwarf the Camaro \u2014 89,000 to 24,000 units in 2022 \u2014 meaning the ZR2 Bison (and its ZR2 sister) help generate big profit as halo vehicles for the Chevrolet truck line.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-3\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Combined with GMC (which is expanding its performance lineup with similar AT4X and AT4X AEV hell-raisers), the midsize trucks sold over 100,000 units last year. Even as Chevy commits to making electric cars to satisfy government mandates, the expanded Colorado lineup shows how the brand can still satisfy consumer demand by selling more gas-fired vehicles than ever.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">It\u2019s not alone. The Bison competes against a wave of midsize truck performance that even last decade\u2019s Second Golden Age of the muscle car (as Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis liked to call it) couldn\u2019t match.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/05\/26\/PDTN\/24801181-1057-408d-8719-50b4e297b9ae-ChevyColoradoBisondebut_rr-dust.jpg?crop=2981,1832,x1753,y706&amp;width=660&amp;height=406&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The 2024 Chevrolet ZR2 Bison's 35-inch tires are so big that the spare can't fit under the truck.            \" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/05\/26\/PDTN\/24801181-1057-408d-8719-50b4e297b9ae-ChevyColoradoBisondebut_rr-dust.jpg?crop=2981,1832,x1753,y706&amp;width=660&amp;height=406&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/05\/26\/PDTN\/24801181-1057-408d-8719-50b4e297b9ae-ChevyColoradoBisondebut_rr-dust.jpg?crop=2981,1832,x1753,y706&amp;width=1320&amp;height=812&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"The 2024 Chevrolet ZR2 Bison's 35-inch tires are so big that the spare can't fit under the truck.            \" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The 2024 Chevrolet ZR2 Bison's 35-inch tires are so big that the spare can't fit under the truck.            \" data-c-credit=\"Chevrolet\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Ford \u2014 which made performance trucks fashionable in 2010 with its full-size, desert-mauling F-150 Raptor \u2014 is bringing a Ranger Raptor to market this year with a screaming V-6 engine and 33-inch off-road tires. The Toyota Tacoma, long the king of the middie segment, just dropped an all-new, gym-toned, hybrid TRD performance truck with a class-leading 482 pound-feet of torque and detachable sway bar for rock crawling. Detachable sway bars, of course, are the signature of the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon pickup with a growling V-6 engine that sounds great\u2014especially with all four doors and the roof removed.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"gnt_atomsnc\" class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_anc\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"loadAnc\" aria-label=\"Newsletter signup form\">\n<div class=\"label\" hidden=\"\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"message\">\n<div class=\"title\">Get the\u00a0<span class=\"highlight\">COVID-19 Update<\/span>\u00a0newsletter in your inbox.<\/div>\n<p class=\"description\">Updates on how the coronavirus is affecting your community and the nation<\/p>\n<div class=\"frequency\">Delivery: Varies<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"input-container populated\"><input autocomplete=\"off\" name=\"email\" required=\"\" type=\"email\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"clickable\"><\/div>\n<p><label>Your Email<\/label><\/div>\n<div id=\"bar\">\n<div class=\"highlight\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"progress-primary\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"progress-secondary\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">How does the Bison compete against these weapons?<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Based on the already capable, high-spec ZR2 performance truck, Bison is the product of a GM partnership with after-market, Montana-based American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) \u2014 which has made off-road hot rods for 20 years \u2014 and of extensive off-road racing by driver Chad Hall in the Best of the Desert series.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-4\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">For an estimated upcharge of $5,750, Bison wraps the ZR2 in Boron steel armor for off-road toughness \u2014 not unlike a Camaro ZR1 upgrading to light-weight carbon fiber for on-track speed. Indeed, some of the Colorado\u2019s engineering team came from the Camaro program, where high-performance Multimatic shocks were first used. Multimatics are now standard on ZR2 \u2014 and Bison pairs them with bigger, 35-inch off-road tires, a one-inch wider track, 12.1-inch ground clearance, front-and-rear steel bumpers, and best-in-class 26.8-inch breakover angle.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/05\/19\/PDTN\/23a15f48-4b49-4af4-8a96-9ff030a7c25d-Toyota_Tacoma_TRD_Pro_005-scaled.jpg?crop=2065,1142,x98,y529&amp;width=660&amp;height=365&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/05\/19\/PDTN\/23a15f48-4b49-4af4-8a96-9ff030a7c25d-Toyota_Tacoma_TRD_Pro_005-scaled.jpg?crop=2065,1142,x98,y529&amp;width=660&amp;height=365&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/05\/19\/PDTN\/23a15f48-4b49-4af4-8a96-9ff030a7c25d-Toyota_Tacoma_TRD_Pro_005-scaled.jpg?crop=2065,1142,x98,y529&amp;width=1320&amp;height=730&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro\" data-c-credit=\"Toyota\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cThe ZR2 Bison is a racing truck coming to production without the roll cage and fuel cell,\u201d said TFLTruck\u2019s Smirnov. \u201cThis is essentially the same truck that Chad Hall has been racing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">To emphasize its race roots, Bison boasts class-exclusive launch control in its Full-Monty, Baja drive mode. Flatten brake and accelerator pedals, wait for engine revs to plateau, then release the brake. ZR2 Bison will launch just like a Corvette \u2014 the eight-speed auto transmission firing off quick shifts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">For high-speed Baja runs, Bison boasts 9.9 inches front and 11.6 inches rear suspension travel \u2014 paired with hydraulic bump stops to soak up the punishment of off-road hooning. All this speed comes at a sacrifice to towing capacity, which declines to 5,500 pounds compared with 7,700 in the standard Colorado.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-5\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">You\u2019ll know the Bison by the AEV decal on the bed, AEV stitching on the seats and those enormous tires. The tires are so big that the spare no longer fits under the bed \u2014 it mounts in the bed instead.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">In addition to its stump-pulling torque, the truck&#8217;s blown 4-banger puts out 310 horsepower versus the old V-6&#8217;s 308 horses (and measly 275 torque). This is enough to keep up with the formidable competition. Ranger Raptor leads the heard with 405 ponies from its turbo-V6 (and a Colorado-matching 430 torque). But the Taco TRD Pro takes the torque crown with 465 pound-feet.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/05\/08\/PDTN\/f520d86a-9f83-4063-8c69-18ed463c75ab-2023-0508-dg-ranger0249.jpg?width=660&amp;height=440&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/05\/08\/PDTN\/f520d86a-9f83-4063-8c69-18ed463c75ab-2023-0508-dg-ranger0249.jpg?width=660&amp;height=440&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/presto\/2023\/05\/08\/PDTN\/f520d86a-9f83-4063-8c69-18ed463c75ab-2023-0508-dg-ranger0249.jpg?width=1320&amp;height=880&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"The 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor\" data-c-credit=\"David Guralnick, The Detroit News\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">For all its bulging biceps and deltoids, the 2024 Bison is refined inside. The interior gains twin, configurable, digital screens for the instrument and console displays. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard \u2014 as is a four-door Crew Cab with (tight) rear seats and a 5.5-foot bed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Safety features like auto high beams and emergency brake assist are standard, as is a nifty, 45-inch-wide lockable tailgate storage box. Just like the muscle car era, Chevy offers accessories like a winch, rock rails and snorkel for enthusiasts who really want to push the limits.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-6\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_ss\" data-g-r=\"base_sc\" data-ss-u=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/business\/autos\/2023\/05\/31\/the-new-muscle-wars-chevy-colorado-zr2-bison-takes-on-performance-pickups-from-ford-gmc-jeep-and-toy\/70257938007\/\" data-ss-t=\"The new muscle wars: Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison takes on hot-rod, off-road pickups\" data-ss-d=\"Forget full-size trucks, the new truck wars are in mid-size pickups. Chevrolet this week debuted the remade Colorado ZR2 Bison, an off-road-ready beast to take on similar weapons from Toyota, Ford, G\u2026\">\n<button class=\"gnt_ss_a gnt_ss_a__sa\" data-ss-a=\"s\" data-t-l=\":i|v|c|shareapi\" aria-label=\"Share natively\" data-g-r=\"base_si\"><\/button><\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Detroit\u00a0\u2014 Forget full-size trucks, the hottest pickup wars are in the midsize segment. Chevrolet this week debuted the remade, second-generation Colorado ZR2 Bison \u2014 a steroid-jacked beast to take on similar hellions from Toyota, Ford, GMC and Jeep. With big tires, tech and power (Bison even has sports-car-like launch control), the performance pickups kick asphalt. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30990"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30990"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30990\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30993,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30990\/revisions\/30993"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30990"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30990"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30990"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}