Production-model Chevrolet Colorado debuts in Thailand

Chevrolet has finally revealed the production-model Colorado, General Motors' (GM) toughest, highest-performing and most-refined midsize pickup truck ever.

A product of a five-year, $2-billion vehicle program developed across five continents for more than 60 markets around the world, the Chevrolet Colorado offers more technology and delivers more features and value than ever. Interiors, exteriors and major mechanical features are all new, representing the most-extensive clean-sheet midsize truck program in Chevrolet's 100-year history.

In Thailand, where it will be produced, Chevrolet will offer Thai customers 26 combinations of Colorado models, powertrains, cabins, and ride heights when the highly-anticipated pickup truck goes on sale this month. These include single-, extended- and crew-cab bodies in high- and low-stance configurations, wide- and narrow-body options, as well as two- and four-wheel-drive configurations.

"Thailand is excited to be the first market in the world to introduce the all-new Colorado, which represents GM's most significant play in the midsize pickup truck market ever," GM Thailand president Martin Apfel said. "This is a vehicle built tough for the people of Thailand, by the people of Thailand. It is a truck of which Thailand can be proud."

The Colorado will be offered with two different GM-developed Duramax turbo-diesel four-cylinder engines, which will be built at GM Thailand’s newly opened $200 million engine plant.

The 2.8-liter turbo-diesel features a variable-geometry turbocharger, letting it produce 180hp and 470Nm of torque with its six-speed automatic transmission--440Nm with a five-speed manual transmission--while the 2.5-liter engine is rated at 150hp and 350Nm of torque.

Design highlights of the exterior include a power dome in the hood to go with the raised cowl, higher-mounted dual projector headlamps positioned beneath the power dome, the dual-port grille that carries a three-dimensional grille mesh, chrome appointments in the grille surround, door handles, tailgate handle, mirror caps, headlamps, fog lamps and LED-illuminated tail lamps.

Inside, the Colorado has a flowing instrument panel, integrated center stack, Chevrolet's trademark dual cockpit design and extensive use of chrome appointments around the shifter and shifter head, steering wheel bezels, heating and air conditioning controls, door pulls, door appliqués, and around the in-car entertainment system. The Colorado also includes several storage locations designed to be best in class. The regular cab has 16 storage locations while the extended cab has 19 and the crew cab has 30.

"The new Colorado represents our largest-ever engineering and manufacturing program and demonstrates the outstanding skills and capability that exist in this country. Our manufacturing operations have the ability to meet the needs of the local and global marketplace now and well into the future," Apfel added.