Chevrolet unveils Silverado ZR2 Bison edition

Chevrolet has launched the special edition Silverado ZR2 Bison — a truck for those who love overlanding.

The newest offering from the Golden Bowtie brand is the product of its collaboration with American Expedition Vehicles (AEV).

“Our most recent collaboration with AEV resulted in the much-acclaimed Colorado ZR2 Bison. We’re thrilled to team up again to bring customers Chevrolet’s next chapter of off-road dominance, this time on Silverado,” Chevrolet vice president Scott Bell was quoted as saying.

“The 2023 Silverado ZR2 Bison unlocks the pinnacle of the nameplate’s off-road capability,” he added.

According to Chevrolet, the premium off-road aftermarket manufacturer “has a strong track record for providing accessories that excel in overland expedition environments. It cited that the 2019 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison quickly became the most popular special edition package offered with the Colorado ZR2.

“The Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison is the ultimate half-ton truck for backcountry adventures,” AEV Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Founder Dave Harriton.

“The Silverado ZR2 Bison checks all the boxes — robust stamped steel bumpers, complete underbody protection, a factory-tuned off-road suspension, and locking differentials front and rear. We are confident off-road enthusiasts are going to love this truck.”

The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison has improved stats to meet the overlanding needs. While the ground clearance remains at 11.2 inches, the front approach angle is currently at 32.5 degrees (compared to the production model’s 31.8 degrees) and the departure angle, an estimated 23.4 degrees (the stock offering has 23.3 degrees).

High-quality steel has been integrated in the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison’s AEV bumpers and underbody protection. The AEV-stamped steel front and rear bumpers are made up of three-millimeter-thick steel (powder and e-coated). Meanwhile, the press-hardened steel used for the underbody skid plates is three-and-a-half times stronger than a cold-stamped high-strength steel plate and provides incredible resistance to underbody damage.

Further, the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison comes standard with the following components

• AEV stamped steel front and rear bumpers with heavy duty recovery points and integrated step pads. The front bumper is compatible with an available winch accessory
• Five unique hot-stamped boron steel skid plates providing protection for the front, rear differential, transfer case and fuel tank
• Steel rocker panel protection
• Three-piece durable steel front bumper with integrated black, vertical front tow hooks
• Exclusive gloss black 18-inch AEV wheels paired with 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires

Powering the pick-up truck is the 6.2-liter V8 engine matched to a 10-speed automatic transmission that can dish out 420 horses and 623.6 Nm of torque.

For its aesthetics, the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison is fitted with a body-color grille bar (instead of the signature blacked-out design on the ZR2. The rear, on the other hand, comes with a black matte finish multi-flex tailgate.

The Silverado ZR2 Bison is expected to start production in early 2023 and will have a suggested retail price of $78,490 (around P4.381 million).

Relatedly, Chevrolet also revealed the second-generation 3.0-liter inline-six turbo-diesel Duramax.

The new power mill is expected to deliver a 305hp (10-percent higher than the 2022 model year) and 671 Nm of torque (around seven percent more versus the 2022 model), that can be attributed to the following upgrades namely:

• New steel pistons with a revised combustion bowl
• Retuned turbo compressor
• New fuel injectors
• Improved temperature control features

“These improvements to the popular 3.0L Diesel Duramax build on the already advanced design of the first-generation engine,” Chevrolet Assistant Chief Engineer of diesel engines John Barta shared.

“We often hear customers express their satisfaction with the outstanding fuel economy and smooth quiet power of the current diesel engine, so we can’t wait for them to experience this advanced engine made possible by the continued design evolution and advances in engine technologies.”

This refined powertrain will be available on Custom Trail Boss, LT, RST, LT Trail Boss, LTZ and High Country, and will continue to be exclusively paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

The Duramax engine will continue to be assembled at GM’s Flint Engine Operations in Michigan and will be available on select trims of the 2023 Silverado 1500 by the end of this year.

Photos from Chevrolet

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