Chevrolet’s First Silverado ZR2 Bison Pickup Boosts Off-road Capability

The Chevrolet division of General Motors Co. in Detroit has introduced its first special edition Silverado ZR2 Bison in collaboration with American Expedition Vehicles (AEV), a premium off-road aftermarket manufacturer.
539
Chevrolet has introduced its first special edition Silverado ZR2 Bison that promises greater off-road capability. // Courtesy of Chevrolet
Chevrolet has introduced its first special edition Silverado ZR2 Bison that promises greater off-road capability. // Courtesy of Chevrolet

The Chevrolet division of General Motors Co. in Detroit has introduced its first special edition Silverado ZR2 Bison in collaboration with American Expedition Vehicles (AEV), a premium off-road aftermarket manufacturer.

“Our most recent collaboration with AEV resulted in the much-acclaimed Colorado ZR2 Bison,” says Scott Bell, vice president of Chevrolet. “We’re thrilled to team up again to bring customers Chevrolet’s next chapter of off-road dominance, this time on Silverado. The 2023 Silverado ZR2 Bison unlocks the pinnacle of the nameplate’s off-road capability.”

The 2019 Colorado ZR2 Bison became the most popular special edition package offered with the Colorado ZR2, according to Chevrolet. Similar to the Colorado ZR2 Bison development, AEV and GM engineers and designers collaborated on the tooling and design to produce the Silverado ZR2 Bison with “unique overlanding componentry.”

“The Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison is the ultimate half-ton truck for backcountry adventures,” says Dave Harriton, founder and CEO of AEV. “The Silverado ZR2 Bison checks all the boxes — robust stamped steel bumpers, complete underbody protection, a factory-tuned off-road suspension, and locking differentials front and rear. We are confident off-road enthusiasts are going to love this truck.”

When compared to the 2022 Silverado ZR2, the Bison special edition is expected to feature improved stats for off-road adventure. The front approach angle increases to an estimated 32.5 degrees (compared to 31.8 degrees). The departure angle improves to an estimated 23.4 degrees (compared to 23.3 degrees). The trucks are expected to share the same ground clearance at 11.2 inches.

This truck reaches new levels of off-road confidence, Chevrolet says, also in part due to the high-quality steel integrated in the AEV bumpers and underbody protection. The AEV-stamped steel front and rear bumpers are constructed of 3-millimeter-thick steel and are powder and e-coated. 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.

Bolstering the truck’s resume for off-road strength, the Silverado ZR2 Bison comes standard with:

  • AEV stamped steel front and rear bumpers with heavy duty recovery points and integrated step pads. The front bumper is compatible with an available winch accessory.
  • Five unique hot-stamped boron steel skid plates providing protection for the front, rear differential, transfer case, and fuel tank.
  • Steel rocker panel protection.
  • A three-piece durable steel front bumper with integrated black, vertical front tow hooks
  • Exclusive gloss black 18-inch AEV wheels paired with 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires.

Bison also has ZR2’s standard features including:

  • Standard 6.2L V-8 engine with 10-speed automatic transmission delivers 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque to power through tough terrains.
  • Multimatic 40-millimeter DSSV spool-valve dampers.
  • Uniquely tuned springs that, with the Multimatic dampers, increase maximum front and rear suspension travel, compared to the Silverado Trail Boss.
  • Front and rear e-lockers.
  • Specific off-road chassis and suspension calibrations, including Terrain Mode, which allows one-pedal rock crawling.

On the exterior, the Silverado ZR2 Bison’s exclusive body-color grille bar provides contrast to the black grille design and prominently features the signature ZR2 badge on the front of the truck to the right of the iconic Chevy “flow-tie.” On the rear, the black matte finish on the standard Multi-Flex tailgate is unique to the Bison design and allows the centered Chevrolet bowtie to stand out.

The Silverado ZR2 Bison is expected to start production in early 2023 with an MRSP of $78,490 with dealer freight charge included.

Also new for the 2023 model year, is the second-generation 3.0-liter inline-six turbo-diesel Duramax that is expected to deliver additional power and torque.

This engine is designed to deliver an increase in power and torque for diesel customers. The max power is 305 horsepower, a 10 percent increase (277 hp in 22MY), and max torque 495 lb.-ft., a 7.6 percent increase (460 lb.-ft in MY22).

The Duramax engine will continue to be assembled at GM’s Flint Engine Operations and will be available on select trims of the 2023 Silverado 1500 by the end of this year.