Photo: Chevrolet
Remember the Silverado ZR2 Concept that Chevrolet revealed in 2009 with 550 horsepower on deck? The one-off pickup features a supercharged LS under the hood, but the series-production model is said to rely on natural aspiration.
Muscle Cars & Trucks doesn’t expect forced induction for the Raptor and TRX competitor, which is a bit of a missed opportunity at first glance. The cited publication also understands that General Motors is modifying the LT4 small-block V8 for the full-sized Silverado, but that plan is still on the drawing board.
The biggest argument in favor of the L87 engine with natural aspiration is the “All-Electric Future” approach to the automaker’s upcoming models. EV and autonomous driving technologies take a lot of money, time, and talent, leaving fewer resources for internal-combustion vehicles such as the Silverado ZR2.
MC&T also understands that Chevy favors this designation over ZRX – which has been trademarked in August 2019 – because of the Hellcat-engined Ram 1500 TRX. It’s also worth highlighting that the most off-road specification of the mid-sized Colorado also bears the ZR2 suffix, and this gets us to engine options.
Take a look at the Colorado ZR2 in the online configurator. Notice that it comes with a 3.6-liter V6 as standard and the Duramax four-cylinder turbo diesel as an optional extra? Because of this precedent, the Silverado ZR2 is very likely to top 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque from the 6.2-liter aspirated V8.
Looking at the bigger picture, Chevy may be onto something here. Ford doesn’t mention how many Raptors make up the quarterly and yearly sales figures for the F-150, and don’t expect Ram to sell too many TRX trucks either. These two cover a niche within a niche, if you will, and their starting prices reflect their rarity.
Chevrolet, therefore, may choose to cut development costs by sticking to the current roster of engine options for the Silverado ZR2. Given that an all-electric Silverado is also in the pipeline along with the GMC Hummer EV pickup, it’s easy to understand why General Motors isn’t willing to join the Ford-Ram brawl.
The biggest argument in favor of the L87 engine with natural aspiration is the “All-Electric Future” approach to the automaker’s upcoming models. EV and autonomous driving technologies take a lot of money, time, and talent, leaving fewer resources for internal-combustion vehicles such as the Silverado ZR2.
MC&T also understands that Chevy favors this designation over ZRX – which has been trademarked in August 2019 – because of the Hellcat-engined Ram 1500 TRX. It’s also worth highlighting that the most off-road specification of the mid-sized Colorado also bears the ZR2 suffix, and this gets us to engine options.
Take a look at the Colorado ZR2 in the online configurator. Notice that it comes with a 3.6-liter V6 as standard and the Duramax four-cylinder turbo diesel as an optional extra? Because of this precedent, the Silverado ZR2 is very likely to top 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque from the 6.2-liter aspirated V8.
Looking at the bigger picture, Chevy may be onto something here. Ford doesn’t mention how many Raptors make up the quarterly and yearly sales figures for the F-150, and don’t expect Ram to sell too many TRX trucks either. These two cover a niche within a niche, if you will, and their starting prices reflect their rarity.
Chevrolet, therefore, may choose to cut development costs by sticking to the current roster of engine options for the Silverado ZR2. Given that an all-electric Silverado is also in the pipeline along with the GMC Hummer EV pickup, it’s easy to understand why General Motors isn’t willing to join the Ford-Ram brawl.
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