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Chevy Beast Concept Looks Ready to Eat Jeeps and Broncos at SEMA

Chevrolet has really pulled out all the stops with their Silverado-based Beast concept. It features long-travel suspension, two spare tires, and more than 600 horsepower.
Chevy Beast Concept 6 photos
Photo: Via Chevrolet
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"The Chevy Beast concept takes the popularity of high-performance off-road trucks to the next level...It’s a vision for a new dimension of Chevrolet Performance capability from a brand that’s been pioneering performance and supporting customer personalization for more than 50 years.” said Jim Campbell, GM U.S. vice president of Performance and Motorsports.

That's not just PR either. Under the hood of the Beast is a 650-horsepower supercharged LT4 crate engine. It sends power to all four of the 37-inch tires through a two-speed transfer case and a 10-speed automatic transmission. Those tires, of course, are wrapped around 20-inch Raceline TRM260M Avenger True beadlock wheels.

Inside of those wheels, you'll spot Chevrolet's Performance Big Brake Upgrade system. It includes discs at all four corners and six-piston Brembo calipers. The track is set at 91 inches wide. That extra width provides more stable handling at high speeds.

SEMA show attendees will no doubt notice the Beast easily. While it started out on a Silverado chassis, the whole frame was chopped and widened to create what we see here.

Its tubular doors and 13.5-inches of ground clearance give it away immediately. Chevy says that it features an approach angle of 45-degrees, a figure that's absolutely ridiculous in the off-road community.

Its break-over angle of 35-degrees and its departure angle, 46.5-degrees, is also incredibly impressive. Much of that outstanding off-road capability comes down to the special suspension of the Beast.

At each corner is a custom long-travel suspension. Both of the front wheels and tires can travel a maximum of 12 inches while the back extends to 15.5-inches.

That additional flex in the back comes down to the five-link setup including a Panhard bar. Jeff Trush is the GM project manager for specialty show vehicles and he sums the Beast up nicely.

"The Chevy Beast concept sets a new standard for off-road performance...here’s nothing else like The Chevy Beast, it delivers a ton of performance and capability, which makes it adept at conquering rough terrain — and it flat-out flies in desert running," he says.

That performance doesn't stop once we dig into the details of the Beast. In the back sits two spare tires already mounted on additional 20-inch wheels.

In the cabin, drivers will find a pair of 7-inch LCD screens that provide performance data as well as information on vehicle functions. Drivers can even see a readout of their pitch and roll during off-road maneuvers.

It's clear that no matter what kind of off-roaders you might like, very few of them seem as capable as the Chevy Beast. We don't expect it to ever get near production, but wouldn't that be cool?
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