General Motors recently unveiled the all-new 2023 Chevy Silverado ZR2 Bison, offering up a brand-new off-road package developed in collaboration with American Expedition Vehicles (AEV). Now, we’re learning that development of the Silverado ZR2 Bison took less than two years.
In fact, the Silverado ZR2 Bison program only took 18 months to flesh out, a relatively quick timeline.
“We’ve been doing some work on it for some time now and it probably wasn’t official until the beginning of ’21, so that puts us at just around 18 months,” Silverado Product Manager Sean Cratty explained to GM Authority Executive Editor, Alex Luft, in a recent interview.
The reason for the speedy development timeframe is the already-established relationship between GM and AEV. In fact, the 2023 Silverado ZR2 Bison is the second vehicle created as a result of the collaboration between the two firms, with the last-gen Colorado ZR2 Bison being the first.
The fruits of the collaboration don’t end with the Silverado ZR2 Bison or the Colorado ZR2 Bison, as GM recently revealed the GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X AEV Edition. In fact, the “regular” Sierra 1500 AT4X will get AEV components as standard in mid-2023. From there, GM and AEV are working on a GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition, which would also mean that a Colorado ZR2 Bison variant of the new-for-2023 Colorado isn’t that far off.
Last-gen Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison
As a reminder, the 2023 Chevy Silverado ZR2 Bison is an optional package offered on the Silverado ZR2 that aims to deliver enhanced off-road performance and protection. These upgrades include custom AEV stamped front and rear steel bumpers with integrated recovery points and step pads, as well as compatibility up front for an available winch accessory. Additionally, the off-road pickup gets factory-tuned off-road suspension with 40 mm DSSVÂ spool-valve dampers and 11.2 inches of ground clearance.
Shielding the underbody, the Silverado ZR2 Bison is equipped with skid plates, which are mounted to protect the front, rear differential, transfer case, and fuel tank. The press-hardened steel used for the underbody skid plates is three-and-a-half times stronger than an equivalent cold-stamped high-strength steel plate and provides incredible resistance to underbody damage.
As for rollers, we find exclusive gloss black 18-inch AEV wheels wrapped in 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires.
Under the hood, the new Silverado ZR2 Bison is equipped with the familiar naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 L87 gasoline engine as standard, rated at 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Output is directed through the GM 10-speed automatic transmission, while front and rear e-lockers ensure that the power will reach the ground.
Production of the 2023 Chevy Silverado ZR2 Bison will begin early next year. Pricing starts at $78,490, including destination freight charge (DFC).
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Comments
$78k+ for a 1/2 ton pickup? No thanks!
Ever since Mary bag of donuts became CEO of GM things have turned into crap. Cheap ignition locks that have killed people. Now they’re overpriced trucks have transmission problems valve problems countless engine problems and they still expect you to pay almost 100 grand for the pile of crap. And why would anybody name a truck after a bison and I suppose adding the ZR logo adds another 10 grand to the truck.
That’s impressive. I bet it’s engine will have multiple issues. The transmission will shift hard and shudder. The wheels will have cracking problems and all the other problems GM vehicles have that GM doesn’t give a damn about as long as my check clears. Just a trash company. Pontiac has been gone 13 years and you see maybe 2 a day on the road. And you see trucks under 15 years old with rusted out frames. Total BS.
Not sure why you feel the need to lie. GM does not have frame rusting issues, period. Their body panels back in the day did, but the frames didn’t. You are thinking of Toyota, as the wax dip frames is superior to long term protection especially inside the frames.
Just because you hear of a few rogue issues doesn’t mean it is wide spread (except 8speed trans shuddering that has been addressed and the bad batch of valve springs), you just want to troll around huh?
I love my ZR2 but GM really needs to hire street smart designers to turn this company around.
Bring back the Chevelle and El Camino and ditch those horribly designed cars like the Montana, Cruze and Trax.
Let see you will replace the models that sell in large volumes and help GM meet the federal regulations for two models that would sell less than 60k units?
Look I would be the first one I. Line for A El Camino but I also am smart enough to realize the limited market for them. You do know they stopped making them because people stopped buying them.
We had Chevelles in our family. Love the car but sedans are not selling.
Today you need market sense as street smarts is the path of bankruptcy.
As for the Bison it is not a big jump from ZR2 to Bison as they just add sone shields and a few other options that make a good add on profit but do not tamper with MPG or emissions as it is the same driveline.
it took them over a year just to add bumpers and wheels? yikes
The real problem is they think that’s impressive.
What did they do in the other 15 months?
Many of you complained that it took 18 months to develop the ZR2 Bison. Then you have no idea how the development of a product takes place. It’s not just add some hardware and it is nowhere like those TV auto shows that are a 23 minute long video, half of which shows how it is done and the other half an infomercial.
First Marketing must make a business case for any product and list specifications. Business case is expected number of sales, dollars and for what market segment. A time line is also added to the specifications.
Then engineering reviews the specifications and come up with drawings, cost to produce, manufacturing changes, suppliers provide cost and a time line
Next the financial dept must look it over to determine cost, budget and is it a profitable product. Once approved by upper management on the go ahead, engineering must finalize drawings for new parts and sent to suppliers or it’s own factory. Documentation is added for production and the assembly line changes must be implemented. Mock-ups and testing needs to be performed, suspension tested that it no adverse effect for the additional weight. Some changes may need crash testing.
I can go on and on but I hope you get the idea. The ZR2 Bison is not a bolt on though it may look that way.