Automakers such as General Motors, Ford, and others have been expanding their off-road vehicle offerings as a way to boost profits on their trucks and SUVs with far fewer investments than new vehicles.
For instance, GM is looking to continue testing the price ceiling of its highly profitable full-size pickup trucks as it spends billions to transition to all-electric vehicles. On April 13, the carmaker revealed its most expensive off-road model, the Chevrolet Silverado HD 2500 ZR2, and the special edition ZR2 Bison. The bison version was made in partnership with a reliable off-road parts supplier, American Expedition Vehicles.
Ford and other automakers have been growing their off-road vehicle option as a way to boost profits on their trucks and SUVs with far fewer investments than a new vehicle.
Michael MacPhee, director of Chevy truck marketing, said, “ZR2 has been a huge success for us. Currently, the pickup market’s fastest-growing segment is the performance/off-road segment. As a result, adding that to the HD space is only natural.”
The new ZR2 trucks join comparable designs of smaller pickups like the Chevrolet Colorado and Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and a scaled-down version of the 2500 model.. According to MacPhee, the ZR2 models on the market turn more quickly than any other premium trims of the company and attract many new consumers.
The HD ZR2 trucks will only be available in the 2500 four-door crew cab model. The 6.6-liter V8 gasoline engine’s standard output is 464 foot-pounds of torque and 401 horsepower. There will also be a 6.6-liter Duramax turbo-diesel with 445 horsepower and 910-foot pounds of torque. As it does with current HD models, GM predicted that diesel will account for the majority of sales.
To illustrate, between 2020 and 2025, GM has invested $35 billion on electric and autonomous vehicles in part to its hefty fossil fuel-powered pickup trucks.
