Photo: Chevrolet
Long before General Motors began development of the 2023 model year Chevrolet Colorado, there were rumors that GM will develop a brand-new platform for said pickup. But as fate would have it, General Motors had to compromise by updating the 31XX of the outgoing truck into the 31XX-2.
Why did the biggest of the Big Three in Detroit cancel the 32XX program in favor of 31XX-2? There currently are no clear answers to this question, but it’s pretty obvious that electrification has something to do with this decision.
Legacy automakers are taking a liking to electric vehicles due to emission regulations and consumer preferences. BEV development costs a lot, which is why something has to give. In this case, that something was the Colorado’s platform. Designing a brand-new architecture is an expensive ordeal, whereas updating an existing architecture that has already paid for itself seems like a no-brainer from a financial standpoint.
Nick Katcherian, whose current role is vehicle chief engineer of next-generation mid-size pickup trucks, is much obliged to explain how different the 2023 Colorado is from the outgoing truck.
He told GM Authority that the entire front end is new. Considering that every single configuration of the Colorado and GMC-branded Canyon for the United States comes with an engine that was previously unavailable in these trucks, the redesigned front end isn’t much of a surprise. Nick further explained that chunks of the rear end are new as well, whereas the middle section of the frame is shared with the 31XX of the previous-gen pickups.
Tipping the scales at 4,716 pounds (2,139 kilograms) for the WT and 5,298 pounds (2,403 kilograms) for the ZR2 off-road specification, the Colorado features a wheelbase of 131.4 inches (3,337 millimeters). The specs sheet attached below reveals that the WT and LT trims get an open differential, the Trail Boss and Z71 level up to a G80 limited-slip differential, and the ZR2 is rocking power-locking differentials fore and aft.
Available exclusively with a 2.7-liter turbo four-cylinder engine and eight-speed automatic transmission, the 2023 Colorado and GMC Canyon will both enter production at the Wentzville plant in Missouri in January 2023.
Legacy automakers are taking a liking to electric vehicles due to emission regulations and consumer preferences. BEV development costs a lot, which is why something has to give. In this case, that something was the Colorado’s platform. Designing a brand-new architecture is an expensive ordeal, whereas updating an existing architecture that has already paid for itself seems like a no-brainer from a financial standpoint.
Nick Katcherian, whose current role is vehicle chief engineer of next-generation mid-size pickup trucks, is much obliged to explain how different the 2023 Colorado is from the outgoing truck.
He told GM Authority that the entire front end is new. Considering that every single configuration of the Colorado and GMC-branded Canyon for the United States comes with an engine that was previously unavailable in these trucks, the redesigned front end isn’t much of a surprise. Nick further explained that chunks of the rear end are new as well, whereas the middle section of the frame is shared with the 31XX of the previous-gen pickups.
Tipping the scales at 4,716 pounds (2,139 kilograms) for the WT and 5,298 pounds (2,403 kilograms) for the ZR2 off-road specification, the Colorado features a wheelbase of 131.4 inches (3,337 millimeters). The specs sheet attached below reveals that the WT and LT trims get an open differential, the Trail Boss and Z71 level up to a G80 limited-slip differential, and the ZR2 is rocking power-locking differentials fore and aft.
Available exclusively with a 2.7-liter turbo four-cylinder engine and eight-speed automatic transmission, the 2023 Colorado and GMC Canyon will both enter production at the Wentzville plant in Missouri in January 2023.
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