All-New Chevy Colorado Revealed
After a great deal of anticipation and a boatload of speculation, the all-new 2012 Chevrolet Colorado, built in Thailand (with no official announcements yet about the U.S.) debuted today in Asia. We’ve seen the Rally Concept and the spy photos, but now the production model will go on sale later this month in more than 60 countries.
For the past five years, global GM engineers have tested and refined the new midsize pickup truck that will offer 26 different combinations of models, powertrains, cabins and ride heights. The new Colorados will include regular, extended- and crew-cab bodies in high- and low-stance configurations, wide- and narrow-body options, as well as two- and four-wheel-drive.
“The new Colorado represents our largest-ever engineering and manufacturing program (over $2 billion) and demonstrates the outstanding skills and capability that exist in this country," GM Thailand President Martin Apfel said. "Our manufacturing operations have the ability to meet the needs of the local and global marketplace now and well into the future.”
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. It competes with the global Ford Ranger, Volkswagen Amarok, Toyota Hilux and others.
The new Colorado features an all-new global family of GM-developed turbo-diesel four-cylinder engines designed for performance and fuel efficiency. The two Duramax diesels, built at GM Thailand’s newly opened $200 million engine plant, are available in 2.8-liter (pictured below, left) and 2.5-liter (below, right) displacements.
The 2.8-liter turbo-diesel features a variable-geometry turbocharger and a balance shaft for greater smoothness, while both engines feature components designed to last up to 150,000 miles.
The 2.8-liter engine is rated at 180 horsepower and 346 pounds-feet of torque with an available six-speed automatic transmission. The 2.5-liter engine is rated at 150 hp and 258 pounds-feet of torque.
The transmissions to be offered aer a five-speed manual or a Hydra-Matic six-speed automatic transmission with automatic gear selection via a toggle switch on the shift head. The 4x4 configuration will include a new two-speed, electronically actuated part-time transfer case.
Other features include electronic stability control, antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, traction control, hydraulic brake assist, cornering brake control and driver and occupant front airbags.
The development of the all-new Colorado was led by a team of GM engineers in Brazil that used their expertise to tailor the vehicle for a number of global markets, including those in Southeast Asia.
Team members lived in Thailand during the Colorado’s development, immersing themselves in the highly competitive truck market and observing how Thais use their vehicles and the driving conditions they experience. That expertise led to the development of new Colorado models covering three specification levels: the entry-level LS, midrange LT and range-topping LTZ (pictured below).
The new Colorado was designed to deliver much-improved ride and handling characteristics thanks to two levels of chassis and suspension tuning. As a result, it is likely to be more adept at both hauling and towing as well as serving as a day-to-day city commuter.
Design highlights include a power dome in the hood which, combined with a raised cowl, is intended to give the Colorado a strong, purposeful appearance. Higher-mounted dual projector headlamps are positioned beneath the power dome, intended to emphasize visual strength in the face of the vehicle.
Also prominent is the dual-port grille that carries a three-dimensional grille mesh. Higher trims get chrome in the grille surround, door handles, tailgate handle, mirror caps and headlamps and fog lamps. Additionally, in a first for a Chevrolet pickup truck anywhere, the Colorado offers LED taillamps on certain trims.
The premium finish in the Colorado’s exterior extends to the interior, with the use of chrome appointments around the shifter and shifter head, steering-wheel bezels, air-conditioning controls, door pulls, door appliqués, and surrounding the radio head. The instrument cluster and air-conditioning controls are backlit in Chevrolet’s trademark “Ice Blue” LED illumination.
Seats feature flat-woven cloth fabric or optional leather on high-end models with matching instrument panel inserts. They carry sculpted edges and have dual-density foam construction. A front vinyl bench seat is available on base models.
Convenience features such as auxiliary power, auxiliary plugs and USB connectivity are standard across the range.
More pictures below.
Comments
Not bad looking starting to grow on me. That tailgate looks awfully familiar though...
Keep that thing overseas!
The front end on the silver one pictured above looks pretty good. The red LTZ though, reminds me of the Uplander minivan. Definitely not as good.
Nice touch with the photoshopped 2/3 scale skidsteer & trailer! I'd be the 1st in line to get a NA Colorado but won't come to America for 'Silverado' reasons. I mean to hold me over till the next gen Silverados arrives.
If they would bring this thing to the US AND make the announcement at the Texas state fair, they would've stole the show guaranteed. But, they didnt and they still dont know if they'll bring it here.
Looks pretty small, more compact then a midsizer.
Nothing can beat the proven Duramax diesel! Nothing! This is the greatest global truck hands down! Watch as Ford will copy it!
I'm curious - what do they mean by "wide- and narrow-body options" ?
Is that like Raptor and F150 type of wider panels?
or will the cabs and boxes be wider or narrower?
Looks good.
@Bobbeh weren't you dogging the ecoboost for being new and untested and just watch it fail? you're talking this truck up to be the best and no one even owns one yet! talk about hypocrisy
Hopefully they have put storage behind the back seats on the double cab, that was one of the biggest draw backs of the current Colorado's was the back of the back seats where bolted to the cab. In my Toyo dble-cab behind the back seat I have a set of jumpers, a tow strap and chain, a come-along, archery hip quiver, gloves, plastic garbage bags, truck jack and a roll of toilet paper, one never knows when you might need any or all of these things.
I like the looks and by making it more aerodynamic then the current trucks, that have the front ends of a brick, they may eek out a few more MPG's.
@Lou I agree, I seems like a lot of work and cost maining two body-width options across a whole line of configurations, unless it might be limited to a reg cab or something, and with other cab config's you just get what you get
Pretty clear where GM's priorities lie... bailout dollars put to use overseas. This really ticks me off.
Pass!
The American version will be built in Missouri.
Looks like the offspring of a Frontier and a Tundra... Or at least the left over part.
Has the look of a Nissan Frontier from the front, and an mini F150 from the back...
In the top group photo the bottom of the rear window of the extended cab model is level with the door window. Farther down in the article the same window extends below the door window, which is the real deal?
@UncleBud - I echo your sentiments.
"For the past five years, the development of the all-new Colorado was led by a team of GM engineers in Brazil, which represents our largest-ever engineering and manufacturing program (over $2 billion) and demonstrates the outstanding skills and capability that exist in this (Thailand) country," GM Thailand President Martin Apfel said."
I patched that together from the story - to recap:
GMC spent 5 years,
GMC spent 3 billion dollars,
GMC's largest R&D project,
in Thailand,
using Brazilian engineers.
Is that the full explanation as to why there are NO new news on GMC North American Full sized trucks?
Someone, please tell me how an American company is better for the USA and North American Continent than a foreign one that sets up shop on USA soil?
(Comment NOT aimed at Buy American)
How dare they use the slogan "Heart Beat of America".
I'm not even American and this pisses me off.
@Gabe Logan:
"Looks like the offspring of a Frontier and a Tundra... Or at least the left over part."
...The afterbirth or the brown stain on the mattress?
Just kidding. It doesn't look all that bad (although I doubt I'd ever buy one).
In any case: it's got to be a step up from the current Colorado/Canyon.
@Lou:
By the looks of it, I reckon those brazillian engineers (by the way...that's a LOT of freakin' engineers!) pissed most of of that 3 billion of R&D money away on spicy food and Thai hookers.
Thai hookers have families to feed too, ya know...
@Jason H. - that is a lot of fornication, considering how cheep it is in Thailand (I had a friend who spent a year there - no personal experience on my part - honest..)
I think the ext cab in silver must be the narrow body style, the other one will prob be the one that makes it to North America.
Devil's Advocate:
Think about this from GM Corporate's point of view...
First thing you gotta realize is that GM is a corporate entity. It's a machine for making a profit. (not saying it always does, but bear with me here...) As such, it's first priority is to make money (...not to provide jobs, not to make cool trucks for us rednecks).
From a profitablility standpoint, it makes a lot of sense to concentrate on the Asian market. China has money. We don't. China's economy is still growing by leaps and bounds every year. Ours isn't.
GM holds the largest share of the Chinese auto market. They need to strike while the iron is still hot. GM sells more vehicles in China than they do here and the Chinese market is projected to grow much faster than the domestic market.
In this sense, GM absolutely did the right thing by taking the government's money and investing it in R&D for a truck targeted squarely at an emerging Asia. If our government was even HALF as savvy with US taxpayers' money it wouldn't be eleventy trillion fu@#ing dollars in debt.
There. That oughtta piss everyone off! :)
Keep in mind, Ford is also selling the Ranger first overseas before they bring it here. The reason is because 1) the midsize market here is dying and 2) they don't do full-size trucks overseas. So it makes sense to test it their first.
@Lou
Yes, but there was a BRAZILLIAN of 'em!
Capabilities it looks decent.. On the looks side.. fugly. How far it has fallen from the 2nd gen S10.
To spend that much on R&D, and to come up with so many cab lengths and widths right out of the gate must mean they will use this as a base for something else. At least I hope that was in the plans because they are "all in" at this point.
bsides the turbo diesel n pretty darn nice looking interior, that front end has got to be the sissiest looking front end in our solar system. please, throw that front end look back into the black hole.
What I Don't Understand About You Guys:
You will b!tch to high heaven about "Foreign" auto companies that come here, set up a big factory, and sell trucks to Americans...BUT THEN, when "American" companies try to pull the same trick, y'all b!tch about that too!
...I love you guys! LOL!
Part of me hopes the bastards at GM fail with this overseas venture but it would be a welcome addition stateside.
I wanna know what that big SUPER KNOB in the center of the dash does...
My guess: EVERYTHING.
PUTC needs to post a clearer picture of it.
Congradulations GM. It's only a matter of time before the all New Colorado is offered here in the US. The Ford fan girly men will act like well "Girly Men" and try and tear this apart because it's made by GM.
I expect to see this the New Colorado offered in the US by 2013.
GM wins and ford loses AGAIN!
Congradulations GM. It's only a matter of time before the all New Colorado is offered here in the US. The Ford fan girly men will act like well "Girly Men" and try and tear this apart because it's made by GM.
I expect to see this the New Colorado offered in the US by 2013.
GM wins and ford loses AGAIN!
Posted by: Michigan Bob | Oct 5, 2011 2:19:16 PM
Well said, neighbor!!
The comments are pathetic!
Thanks Bob!
I love Ford trucks, but I wish they were as good as GM and Dodge trucks were. Heck their super duty truck is older than dirt at 13 years and the Ranger came over on the Mayflower. At least the 150 is semi-current. Are you listening Ford??!!! Give us some up to date trucks!! Will someone please hand me a tissue? *tears of frustration*
"Congratulations Ford, on the top selling Ecoboost. It's only a matter of time before the Ecoboost is offered in many more vehicles in the US. The Chevy fan girly men will act like well "Girly Men" and try and tear this apart because it's made by Ford.
I expect to see this Ecoboost offered in more vehicles by 2013.
Ford wins and GM loses AGAIN!"
Does that sound as rational now Michigan Bob / Bobbeh / New name every post? You would hate someone posting this and actually meaning it. posts like this make the forum worse, no matter who they support/bash.
also, i fixed your "congradulations" at the beginning. honestly i think a proper "congratulations" is in order, you know, for all of the US auto makers, ever improving and giving us more power, fuel economy, and great features.
I need new neighbors...
it is just like Bob the GAYEST thing i have seen or heard about
IT'S A HILUX!!!
I am no GM fan but I agree with Bob! Bob is on point.
I'll take my U.S. designed and built Tacoma anyday over this HiLux wanna-be!!!
I am sure the UAW is thrilled with all of that cash being sent abroad for a pickup that will NEVER come to the U.S.
More U.S. job losses after they just had a bailout!
My Tacoma says Made in U.S.A. stamped on it vs Made in Thailand on the new Colorado and Ranger!
Jason H, GM is essentially feeding the American taxpayer to the lions in hopes that the lions eat GM last. That's not what I would call sound business planning. I'm pretty much disgusted at the level of US taxpayer resources that were apparently deployed in this project that will do nothing but further drain the US taxpayer's wallet. I'll never buy GM again and am now officially embarrassed to be driving the one I have now.
@Uncle Bud,
Good point. Also, what about all the pre-bankrupt recalls (i.e '09 Impalas) that will not get work on. GM is now being sued.
WTF?
Same old GM!
@UncleBud
well said i and could not agree more, people just don't get it these guys have pissed away so much taxpayers money and people just look the other way say there is nothing wrong with, i am starting to see oxi point (not that i like him) but how can you not look at a Tundra that is built in America and is employing American people and putting money back into our taxpayers pockets vs Gm gets bailout and turns around and goes to China like it is no big deal and we are suppose to JUST FORGET ABOUT IT give me a brake
@Uncle Bob:
Correct me if I'm wrong here...So what you're basically saying is that the BEST place to invest the hard-stolen tax dollars that GM borrowed from our government is:
NOT in the hottest economy and the fastest-growing auto market on earth.
...But in the moribund domestic market that's deep in recession and more or less saturated with competition.
You really think that will give the US taxpayer the best return on his/her money...?
@Jason H - there is nothing wrong with taking advantage of foreign markets. I do not have a problem with that.
The part of all this that bothers me is that GMC was mismanaged into bankruptcy. They recieved around 60 billion of USA tax dollars (probably all borrowed from the Chinese) and around 6 billion from Canada. They walked away from 100 billion in debt. How much damage did that do to the economy?
They would not be in business to exploit the burgeoning Asian market if it wasn't for that bailout.
I'd like to see a return on my investment in North America.
Thailand, Japan, and some of the other countries in that region don't get along well with the Chinese. They might have a hard time getting the Colorado into China. They could re-badge it as an Oldsmobile and that might work.
They've come out with a few decent products - but for the most part have neglected the NA truck market. How long will it take for brand loyalty and patriotism to wear off?
Sure the d-max is a great engine, but how hard is it to tweek something that you've produced for that long?
The interior and exterior designs are ancient. A fellow with an older Chevy commented that he and his wife couldn't see much of a difference with a new one.
I strongly suspect that when the Colorado does show up in North America, it will be imported in some form that circumvents the Chicken tax (like the Transit Connect).
Ain't capitalism great.
We get it. They got a bailout.
Do you understand that this model is coming here next year and will be made in Missouri?
Should they not sell overseas? Only in the US? What kind of logic is that?????????? I'm not even a GM fan but you GM haters are not making any sense. Ford is also selling theirs overseas first!
First off I like the look of it. It isn't offensive but not bland either. The interior isn't wowing me but it loks like it is at least midrange quality which is certainly a step in the right direct.
I do have some questions and comments though:
1. towing and payload figures?
2. On the extracab, where in the hell are the seats? Are they those foam cushion looking things with no backrest?!
3. What size of beds are offered on what models. something less than about 6 feet isn't useful for a truck
4. Why on Earth did they develop 2 "all new" motors with .3 difference in displacement for the same rig? A 2.2 and a 3.0 I could understand but 2.5 & 2.8?!
5. Along the vane of the motors why are they so underpowered for "all new" engines? I know that the rest of the world isn't as power crazy as we are here but 75-80 hp per liter is the new norm and these are 60 & 64 hp per liter. the torque side is adeqaute but nothing better than average for the current crop.
Don't get me wrong I am liking the idea and I am sure that the motors would be tuned up a bit to come here (I highly doubt the making it to the US market part). I would be on board if there are actual, usable seats in the extended cab and the bed is at least 6 feet long, gets at least 20 mpg combined (I personally don't care if it is gasoline or diesel so long as it can hit that number with a top tier motor) and can tow at least 5000 lbs and haul around 1 ton in the bed.
If it can hit those magical marks then I'd be willing to purchase this. I am not a brand snob.
1)
Inside Line says: While GM has yet to publicly confirm that the new Colorado will come to the States, the smoke signals seem pretty clear.
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2)
The UAW's summary of the contract provisions said matter-of-factly that GM's commitments to new products to be built in the U.S. include (at its Wentzville, Missouri, assembly plant), "full shift added and new midsize truck program."
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3)
If anyone needed more confirmation GM intends to build and sell a next-generation midsize pickup in the U.S., the company doubled down on its clues when it issued a press release with a Bangkok dateline this week boasting that "Chevrolet's highly anticipated new-generation Colorado has been put through final testing in Thailand as General Motors prepares to produce the midsize pickup in its Rayong assembly plant." Press releases about GM products being introduced in Thailand typically are not the stuff of U.S. media relations.
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4)
Although we still haven’t heard any official confirmation from General Motors, it seems likely that a version of the new Chevrolet Colorado will make its way to the American market. Under its latest labor contract with the United Auto Workers, however, GM has agreed to build a “midsize truck” at a plant in Missouri, which we think is a strong sign the new Colorado will be coming to America. It would replace the aging Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon twins, which haven’t been significantly updated since 2004.
I live near St. Louis and the Wentzville GM plant is being retooled for a new mid-size truck. That is what is keeping it from coming to the US. GM is sinking 300 million into the plant plus a new labor agreement. So it will take two years to reach our shores and by then the kinks should be worked out. I checked out the Volkwagen Amarok. Pretty cool and awesome gas mileage. I'll wait for the Colorado, if that is the name they will keep here in th US.
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