The 2019 Colorado ZR2 Bison is nothing short of an off-road beast. But one question we’ve been getting over and over again is about the snorkel: since Chevrolet’s initial photos showed the Bison with the prominent breathing apparatus, potential buyers and interested parties have contacted us in droves asking about the feature. So, let’s clarify the situation once and for all: the snorkel is not part of the Bison package on the Chevy Colorado. Instead, it is optional and only available through American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) for $495.
Function Over Form
For those who may be unfamiliar with the snorkel, it has many benefits and serves an important purpose for off-road vehicles. It comes in particularly handy when trekking through (wading) high levels of water – such as a river, lake or other form of water crossing – by raising the height of the air intake.
A secondary benefit of a snorkel is that, thanks to its increased height, less dust and other debris is taken in by the vehicle’s aspiration system. This, in turn, allows for improved performance, fuel efficiency, and overall airflow.
2019 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison with snorkel
2019 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison without snorkel
As AEV itself puts it, the snorkel kit for the Colorado ZR2 Bison improves engine performance by raising the air intake to draw in cleaner and cooler air charge. It includes a 4-inch inlet for maximum airflow and performance. The snorkel features a UV-stable cross-linked polyethylene construction that provides unmatched strength and performance.
The unit is both lightweight and durable, and installs directly into the factory airbox. In fact, the snorkel can even be combined with an optional self-cleaning pre-filter to maximize the amount of clean air entering the engine and trap up to 98 percent of particle debris.
Colorado ZR2 Bison
The Colorado Bison ZR2 package is assigned RPO code ULV and includes the following features:
- Chevrolet lettered grille (RZB)
- AEV Front Bumper
- Fog lamps (T3U)
- AEV rear bumper (VHU)
- Wheel Moldings (B7O)
- Front floor liners (CPX)
- Rear floor liners (CPY)
- AEV Embroidered Headrests
- Fuel tank skid plate (PZ9)
- Front skid plate (PZG)
- Rear differential skid plate (PZL)
- Transfer case skid plate (PZN)
- 17-inch AEV aluminum wheel (RIG)
- 17-inch AEV spare wheel (S4M)
As mentioned, the snorkel is standalone option on the Colorado ZR2 Bison.
2019 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison
The Colorado ZR2 Bison package can be upgraded to include the LPO-level rear spare tire carrier (SAS). It is not available with the following editions and options:
- ZR2 Dusk Special Edition (PDE)
- ZR2 Midnight Special Edition (PDF)
- Chrome Appearance Package (LPO PDZ)
- Premium Interior Package (LPO PCI)
- All-weather floor mats (LPO VAV)
- All-weather floor liner (LPO RIA)
The 2019 Colorado ZR2 Bison, which we drove and liked earlier this year (read our review) starts at $48,045 (including destination) for an extended cab V6 model, while the crew cab version will start at $49,645. Those starting prices are $5,750 higher than the standard (and more-than-capable) Colorado ZR2.
Stay tuned to GM Authority for more Chevy news and Chevy Colorado news.
Comments
The question was never that it was available. AEV has been selling them and GM said it would be a dealer installed option.
The only real question was why was it a dealer install vs factory. Was it shipping, drive by noise? Was it assembly line time to install it?
The ZR2 already ship the spare and rock sliders as dealer installed so it is not unusual.
The question that we are addressing here is whether the snorkel is standard or optional. We’ve received hundreds of emails from interested parties about it, since Chevy’s initial announcement (which showed the Bison with the snorkel) has caused all kinds of confusion. So THAT is the real question.
Other than that, we are trying to get our hands on a ZR2 Bison equipped with the snorkel to potentially get some clues about your questions.
you guys got hundreds of emails about the snorkel?
must be the same people who are “stressed out” about a gas cap.
Andrew and Steve: yes, an overwhelming amount of questions about the snorkel… most of them stating that they don’t want it because they don’t find it attractive.
To those that follow GM closely, it might seem strange that people ask about this kind of stuff en masse… until you realize that most people (even the ones who buy the ZR2 and ZR2 with the Bison package) do not follow this stuff as closely as we do.
It was optional as stated by GZm from the start.
Getting you hands on one answers nothing. You just need to ask GM why it was not installed on the line.
I assume it is because of the time for fitting as the fender needs cut.
Also might want to note it does not fit the Canyon
And who would you ask at GM? Because if you call GM CUSTOMER SERVICE you get ZERO HELP.
I’m still waiting for that #
I love that comment, ” you just need to ask GM why it was not installed on the line”
You know media outlets talk to engineers, designers, PR and media relations people frequently.
That’s an over-simplified, theoretical point of view and doesn’t represent how things work in the practice.
Typically, asking any team within GM “why” something was not done results in the “you know better than to ask that” look from their Communications/PR handlers. I’ll put it this way: they only comment on something when they want to, and when they want to is when there is an agenda that was deemed important enough to be communicated to the public.
There doesn’t seem to be an agenda behind the snorkel… so us getting any answer would be a miracle… but that doesn’t mean we won’t try, as it’s an interesting topic.
Scott: getting our hands on the kit would actually help in identifying any NVH differences. That’s more than “nothing”.
No question about it – it definitely looks hard core!
Nice truck