2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2: Harnessing Off-Road Performance in a Heavy-Duty Pick-Up
Noted for its off-road capabilities, Chevrolet's ZR2 badge debuts on the Silverado HD series, transforming the pick-up segment with the introduction of the 2024 Silverado HD ZR2. This flagship model for heavy-duty off-roading takes off-roading a notch higher with its ZR2 Bison variant. Powered by race-proven technologies, Chevrolet is looking to carve a niche in the heavy-duty off-roading segment.
Enriched Off-Roading Legacy
The 2024 Silverado HD ZR2 and its sibling, the ZR2 Bison, complete Chevrolet's trio of off-road performance pickup trucks. Equipped with numerous enhancements, the Silverado HD ZR2 leverages Chevrolet’s off-road racing success, offering race-proven technologies and off-road enhancements to the refreshed 2024 Silverado HD lineup. The ZR2 Bison, in collaboration with the American Expedition Vehicles (AEV), is for the off-roading enthusiasts who seek an extra degree of grit and capability in their adventures.
Capabilities and Powertrains
Exclusively available in a 2500 Crew Cab configuration, the Silverado HD ZR2 and ZR2 Bison come with either the standard 6.6L gasoline engine or the available 6.6L Duramax Turbo-Diesel. Despite the formidable off-roading capabilities, Chevrolet has ensured that these trucks do not compromise the on-road comfort or heavy-duty truck capabilities, thus retaining the winning aspects of the Silverado 1500 ZR2. With a maximum payload of up to 3,397 pounds (gas engine), and an impressive trailering rating of 18,500 pounds (with the Duramax Turbo-Diesel), these trucks are ready for all sorts of adventures.
Off-Roading Essentials and Features
The Silverado HD ZR2 and ZR2 Bison come equipped with unique features to enhance their off-roading prowess, including distinctive upper and lower control arms, Multimatic DSSV Dampers, larger skid plates, a rear e-locker, and 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires. A new Off-Road Mode is incorporated, which adjusts vehicle calibrations like the anti-lock brakes, traction control and stability control, optimizing their performance for off-road driving. The HD ZR2 Bison, developed with AEV, adds exclusive gloss black 18-inch AEV wheels, a distinctive front bumper with integrated recovery points and winch provisions, unique rear bumper, and tough underbody skid plates, enhancing its off-road capabilities.
Inside the Off-Road Beast
The interior of the Silverado HD ZR2 and ZR2 Bison is also subjected to an off-road makeover. Jet Black and Graystone leather-appointed surfaces, dark trim accents, and materials easy to clean after a day in the dirt, set the tone for the interiors. In terms of technology, a 13.4-inch-diagonal infotainment screen, 12.3-inch-diagonal driver information center, an optional 15-inch Head-Up Display with an off-road inclinometer and HD Surround Vision, further elevate the driving experience in these trucks.
Availability
The production of the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2 and ZR2 Bison is set to start later this summer, at General Motors’ Flint Assembly plant in Michigan. Though pricing details are yet to be announced, it's clear that Chevrolet is expanding its off-roading range with the launch of these two trucks, appealing to a broader spectrum of customers – those looking for a heavy-duty work truck with a penchant for off-road adventures.
Specifications and Key Features
Under the hood, the new Silverado HD ZR2 and ZR2 Bison are available with two powertrain options. The 6.6L V-8 gasoline engine, producing 401 horsepower and 464 lb-ft of torque, is the first. This engine features a cast-iron block with nodular iron main caps, cast aluminum cylinder heads, and direct fuel injection. Its configuration incorporates an overhead-valve, two valves per cylinder, variable valve timing mechanism.
The second option is the Duramax 6.6L V-8 Turbo-Diesel, with its horsepower reaching up to 470 and generating an impressive torque of 975 lb-ft. Like its gasoline counterpart, it features a cast-iron block and cast aluminum cylinder heads. The diesel variant uses a common-rail direct fuel injection system and boasts an overhead-valve with four valves per cylinder.
Regardless of the engine choice, all models are equipped with the Allison 10L1000 10-speed automatic transmission. The gear ratios range from a 4.54 in the first gear down to 0.63 in the tenth, with a final drive ratio of 3.73 for the gas variant and 3.42 for the diesel version.
The truck’s handling and ride quality are enhanced by a short long arms independent front suspension with torsion bars and a semi-elliptic, two-stage, multi-lead springs in the rear. Braking power comes from a hydraulic power-assisted Hydroboost brake booster, with four-wheel disc brakes featuring ABS and Stabilitrak electronic stability assist.
Coming to the dimensions, the trucks sit on a 159.1 inches long wheelbase and stretch up to 252 inches in overall length for the ZR2 Bison and 250 inches for the ZR2. They provide a considerable ground clearance of 11.6 inches for the ZR2 and 11.8 inches for the ZR2 Bison. Both the trucks share the same departure angle of 25.7 degrees, while the approach and breakover angles are slightly better for the ZR2 Bison at 29.8 and 22.6 degrees, respectively.
The interior is roomy with ample headroom, legroom, shoulder room, and hip room, providing a comfortable ride for the crew. The base curb weight varies from 7409 lbs for the ZR2 gas variant to 8495 lbs for the ZR2 Bison diesel variant. As for payload capacity, it ranges from 3397 lbs for the ZR2 gas model to 2811 lbs for the ZR2 Bison diesel model.
Additionally, the towing capacity is equally impressive, with a maximum conventional trailering capacity of 18500 lbs for the diesel variants. On the other hand, the ZR2 gas variant can tow up to 16000 lbs conventionally. Furthermore, the fifth-wheel/gooseneck towing capacity is rated up to 18100 lbs for the ZR2 diesel variant, making these trucks highly capable in all aspects of performance.
Conclusion
With the introduction of the new Silverado HD ZR2 and ZR2 Bison, Chevrolet is undoubtedly making a strong statement in the heavy-duty truck segment. Combining robust performance with extensive off-road capabilities, these trucks are built to conquer the most challenging terrains while offering unmatched towing and hauling capacity. They are a testament to Chevrolet's engineering prowess and its commitment to meeting the evolving demands of its consumers. As we await their launch, there's no doubt these two trucks are set to redefine the standards in their category.
-Ed
2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2
