Yesterday evening, Chevrolet finally graced us with a production version of the Colorado ZR2 and the brand took great care to ensure it was truly a segment of its own when it comes to off-road capability.
The details really begin to differentiate the 2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 from other off-road solutions, but the standard DSSV dampers may push the truck into a league of its own.
These dampers may sound familiar to any fans of the fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro Z/28. That’s because Chevrolet used the technology, hailing from Multimatic Inc., based in Markham, Ontario, for its track star in 2014. However, the 2017 Colorado ZR2 marks the first time DSSV dampers have been applied to an off-road vehicle.
“From our experience on Z/28, we knew the performance advantages offered by DSSV dampers, ” said Mark Dickens, executive director, Performance Variants, Performance Parts and Motorsports Engineering, Chevrolet. “We also know that Multimatic’s motorsport development mentality would allow us to bring a uniquely precise and repeatable custom damper to market even more quickly than a traditional damper system.”
The aluminum bodies of the dampers each house two spool valves providing both compression and rebound damping optimized for everyday driving. But, the 2017 Colorado ZR2 adds a third spool valve optimized for off-road performance. The third spool valve is piston mounted for uniquely tuned compression damping and works in conjunction with the front dampers, which also employ a separate rebound valve.
The DSSV dampers are merely one small piece to what seems to be an incredibly capable off-road machine. And we can’t wait to drive it.
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