Shown off at the recent Specialty Equipment Market Assn. (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, Chevrolet put together some concept pickups designed for special function as well as form. They include a Silverado 3500HD outfitted for race track safety and two Colorado ZR2s that push the off-road capability package.
The 2018 Silverado 3500HD NHRA Safety Safari concept truck is aimed at first-line drag-racing safety team use. It features fire-suppression gear with nitrogen cylinder and an 80-gal. tank. Such a truck needs flashing lights as a response vehicle, so the pickup has red and green LED strobes as well as "incident support" equipment including shovels, brooms, fire extinguishers, jacks, car dolly and oil-absorbent material.
The Safety Safari concept truck is also treated with 2018 Midnight Edition elements including black exterior and bumpers, black mesh grille, and heated/ power trailering mirrors. Motivation is provided by Chevy's 6.6L Duramax turbo-diesel producing 445 hp. and a metal-twisting 910 lbs.-ft. of torque.
Meanwhile, showcasing "how owners can get even more from their trucks," Chevy unveiled the Colorado ZR2 AEV (American Expedition Vehicles) and ZR2 Race Development Truck. The amped-up concept trucks take the already aggressive ZR2 package up a notch and explore heavy-duty hardware and modifications, possibly to inform ZR2 design going forward.
Both ZR2 concepts have a special suspension featuring front and rear "jounce" shocks, longer-travel rear leaf springs and other suspension modifications. They differ, however, in that the Race Development Truck gets Chevy's 3.6L V6, while the ZR2 AEV utilizes the OEM's 2.8L Duramax turbo-diesel.
The ZR2 Race Development Truck also has a longer-travel version of the stock ZR2's shocks tuned for high-speed off-road use. In addition to its off-road air intake and high-performance exhaust, the concept truck also sports a 1.5-in. lift, protective skid plates underneath, and large, 33-In. Goodyear Wrangler MT/R tires.
The ZR2 AEV was designed in collaboration with American Expedition Vehicles. It's outfitted with AEV front and rear off-road bumpers, underbody skid protectors, high-clearance fender flares and high-rise snorkel, with that last feature presumably to grab intake air from above the sand and dust clouds the truck is likely to kick up.
Check out our slideshow for more info and views of the three concept trucks.
