Here's the Chevrolet ZR2 Bison Prototype We Just Saw in the Desert

Chevrolet Performance engineers showed a camouflaged ZR2 Colorado to an assembled group of journalists that had just finished a first drive of the 2023 Colorado ZR2.They did not expressly admit that it was the new ZR2 Bison, but we discovered the word “Bison” on a sticker attached to one of the prototype DSSV Dampers that was on the truck.No longer an accessory showcase, the Bison is now a higher-performing ZR2 variant that rides on unique long-travel suspension and 35-inch tires that conspire to raise the truck an estimated two inches over a standard ZR2.
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McCarran, Nevada—Just as we were catching our breath and celebrating the finish of a three-day Vegas-to-Reno off-road blast across the Nevada desert, Chevrolet Performance engineers rolled out a distinctive camouflaged ZR2 that sent our jaws dropping. That it had massive 35-inch tires (actually, LT315/70R-17) on beadlock-capable rims was unmistakable, but a quick look underneath showed this to be much more than a garden-variety ZR2 with taller tires.

For one, the truck stood about two inches taller than a regular ZR2 parked next to it. The one-inch larger radius of the 35s explains half of that, so the rest is an additional inch of suspension lift. The Multimatic DSSV damper were engineering sample “take-apart” pieces, which indicates this new ZR2 variant will have unique suspension tuning, which makes sense considering the taller stance and larger tires.

But it also appeared that the new high(er)-performance ZR2 also had extra suspension travel above and beyond the 9.9 inches of front travel and 11.6 inches of rear travel found on a regular ZR2. This speculation was not merely due to the higher stance and extra fender gap, but also by the presence of unique Chevrolet Performance-branded hydraulic front and rear bump stops, there to cushion the landing and soak up the extremes of compression travel when driven at high speeds off road.

What makes us think this higher octane ZR2 is a Bison? For one, the new ZR2 Desert Boss is the accessory showcase variant this year, and that leaves headroom for the Bison to be transformed into an extreme performance model. Secondly, and most certainly, we found the word “Bison” on one of the ID stickers affixed to one of the tunable engineering-sample DSSV dampers.

Inside, there wasn’t much to see except different seat trim — black with a dash of red. No badges or embroidered logos were in evidence. And we didn’t see anything remarkably different under the hood during the brief almost accidental glimpse that we got. But that’s not definitive because the usual plastic cover was there, and the standard ZR2’s 2.7-liter turbo engine’s 380 hp and 410 lb-ft output could be ratcheted up by less-obvious means involving software and turbo boost.

Whatever the engine story turns out to be, the prospect of a genuine ZR2 Bison with a tangible performance difference has our motor running. And that is exactly what the new ZR2 Bison will become, thanks the prototype we saw with a taller stance, 35-inch tires, and long-travel suspension with hydraulic bump stops. The midsize truck performance wars are in full swing, and we’re here for it.

Technical Editor

Dan Edmunds was born into the world of automobiles, but not how you might think. His father was a retired racing driver who opened Autoresearch, a race-car-building shop, where Dan cut his teeth as a metal fabricator. Engineering school followed, then SCCA Showroom Stock racing, and that combination landed him suspension development jobs at two different automakers. His writing career began when he was picked up by Edmunds.com (no relation) to build a testing department.