Truck owners have seen their options for the “biggest and baddest” grow by leaps and bounds over the last decade, as engineering teams developed technology and aftermarket goodies that would make anyone from the 1980s quiver with excitement! The 2024 Chevy Colorado Bison is a very high-performance version of the all-new pickup that was built in collaboration with the “Mountain movers from Montana”, with production now situated in the Motor City. AEV has always been held in very high regard by us here at Jim Butler Chevy of St Louis for taking adventure to the most extreme level on every single project they get their hands on.
The Colorado ZR2 is equipped with a 310-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, and a suspension system precisely engineered for the challenges of high-speed off-roading. One of the vital components of this sheer awesomeness is the shock absorbers developed by Multimatic, using a complex series of spool valves that govern the fluid inside the shocks. This aids in upping the potential for the input damping characteristics, which helps absorb the huge impacts a truck encounters when catching air and navigating challenging unkept trails.
The Colorado ZR2 Bison keeps the shocks, but now adds a set of Multimatic jounce dampers that prevent bottoming out during the many ruts and other abrupt changes in the terrain from below. The Colorado ZR2 Bison is now the only truck out there that comes equipped from the factory with this feature, usually reserved for an upgrade in the aftermarket category. The traction management system is upgraded with launch control that will even do its thing in the dirt and allows you to hold down the brake and gas pedal at the same time.
This feature is so “intelligent” that it even learns the surface’s coefficient friction and then adjusts itself to offer optimal performance on the next try. You’ll also be taking on the challenges of the wild with AEV-designed ultra-tough steel bumpers, and there’s even a space for a winch in front to act as your ultimate “rescue ranger” in times of mud or submerged need. Protecting the vitals on the underside is one of the most important things to consider with a fearlessly capable off-road truck, and the ZR2 Bison boasts a set of five boron steel skid plates on top of its nearly 12 inches of ground clearance.
This shows that yet another stellar AEV build is fit for fishing and hunting trips, contractor’s work, or just kicking up dust on the weekend. It rides on a unique set of 17-inch wheels and 35-inch mud terrain tires and comes with a bed-mounted tire carrier complete with its own very accurate tire pressure monitoring system. The Ford Ranger Raptor and Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro are two souped-up contestants as the competitor’s tend sizing up the Colorado ZR2 Bison, but to be sure, the added juice and capability from the AEV crew renders this model a startling and champion-grade rung above the rest.
On AEV’s blog, they show us in depth the level of key design and capability cues that were adhered to while making this rig so insanely prepped for the challenges of the wild. Professional desert racer Chad Hall’s performance and strategy were examined during this build, which offers best-in-class traction on mud, gravel, loose grass, or deep snow. The new Off-Road Performance Display allows you to closely monitor your performance in real-time on the built-in displays with a very cool 3D pitch and roll element, g-force meter, and altimeter. It also makes staying connected simple, with its extra-large wireless charging pad, and available Trailering App for haul duty.