1971 Chevrolet Chevelle 454 Turbo 400 12 Bolt Project Car on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 concept suggests a diesel off-road future

"It takes the Colorado to a whole new place." – Mark Reuss The Chevrolet Colorado looks set to gain a more capable off-road version, with the company previewing a potential design direction with a ruggedized concept Wednesday at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Called the Colorado ZR2, the concept brings back the name used on off-road-tuned S-10 and Blazer models in the 1990s and 2000s. The ZR2 has a track that's four inches wider than the Colorado Z71, which is currently the line's most capable off-roader. The ZR2 is fitted with a new grille, power-dome hood, custom wheel flares and off-road-style fascia that reduces overhang and has flip-out aluminum tow hooks. It's all slathered in an outdoorsy hue dubbed Cyprus Green. The are electronic locking front and rear differentials, skid plates and mono-tube coilover shock absorbers. It all rolls (or crawls) on 275/65R18 off-road tires wrapped around custom 18-inch aluminum wheels. There's also a spare tire assembly mounted in the bed, which has a spray-in liner and 48-inch lift jack should things go afoul on the trail. "It takes the Colorado to a whole new place," Mark Reuss, General Motors executive vice president of global product development, said at the reveal. Power comes from the 2.8-liter Duramax diesel engine making 181 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. This engine will arrive later in the year in the production Colorado. While the ZR2 remains only a concept, it suggests a new path for the Colorado – one we hope Chevy decides to take. Chevrolet Introduces Colorado ZR2 Concept Aggressively styled, more capable and driven by new 2.8L Duramax diesel engine LOS ANGELES – Chevrolet today introduced the Colorado ZR2 concept – a vision of how Chevrolet could take the all-new midsize truck's off-road capability to the next level. It also showcases the new 2.8L Duramax diesel engine that will arrive in the Colorado lineup later next year. The aggressively styled concept builds on the capabilities of the production Colorado Z71 and advances the legacy of Chevrolet's previous ZR2 production models. "From the bold stance to the trail-ready special equipment, the Colorado ZR2 is all about the fun of driving where the pavement ends – and doing it in characteristic Chevy style," said Tony Johnson, Colorado marketing manager.

Why does Chevy want to trademark Camaro Krypton?

The Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang have the type of long-lived rivalry that is often found in the pages of comic books. Is the Camaro the Kryptonite to the Mustang's Superman, though? We might get to find out soon, if two recent trademark filings are any hints. On May 5, General Motors filed trademarks in the US for both Krypton and Camaro Krypton (not pictured above). While the move seemed potentially timed with the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice next year, engineer Al Oppenheiser shot that theory down to The Detroit Free Press. "I think that's just Internet buzz, which is great," he said to the newspaper about the alleged connection. "It's another thing about this segment of cars: there's always Internet buzz." Rather than a special edition connected to next the superhero film, Oppenheiser speculated something else. "Sometimes when we come up with a new color in our studios, they just apply [for a trademark] in case we ever use it," he said to The Detroit Free Press. "We never said we're going to do anything with that color." Still, as Superman's home planet and part of the name for the mineral that can harm him, Krypton undoubtedly has a superhero connection. To maintain the link to the comics, such a color would likely be a shade of green. Although, depending on the depiction in the books, the exact hue can vary between bright neon and a darker tone. Related Video:

Seeing the Detroit Auto Show via drone

Seeing the Chevrolet display at the Detroit Auto Show is worth doing this year, and not just because of the new Corvette Z06, Volt and Bolt concept. In order to attract the new kids, The Bowtie has gone what the old kids used to call "buck wild" with their show stand at Cobo Hall. A Corvette Z06, Trax, and Colorado are parked along a central aisle, called Mainstreet, at the end of which is a 20-foot-tall, 73-foot long transparent screen lording over the new Volt. Elsewhere are five more 20-foot-tall screens broadcasting nine stories today's Chevrolet wants to tell about its vehicles, from performance to belief in the power of play to its 4G LTE-equipped OnStar telematics service. Then there are the social media and virtual reality safety installations, the community presentations and more. Chevrolet flew a drone through the stand to show off what it's doing, which is has replaced eye-level video as the next best thing to being there. You can check it out in the video above.