Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison allegedly coming with extra off-road goodies

Chevrolet reportedly has plans for another off-road-focused pickup in the near future, and it will more than likely wear the Colorado ZR2 Bison name.

Off-Road.com reported on Tuesday that it had uncovered a patent filed by Chevrolet earlier this month for the Colorado ZR2 Bison name. The publication expects it will arrive this year as a 2018 model with plenty of influence from the Colorado ZR2 AEV concept. The concept truck debuted at the 2017 SEMA show with a host of AEV (American Expedition Vehicles) aftermarket parts and accessories. Bison is an AEV logo.

Chevrolet showed the Colorado ZR2 Bison at the brand's dealer meeting in Las Vegas, according to a Chevy dealer. The production truck will look "nearly identical to the concept vehicle with some minor differences," the dealer source added.

The Colorado ZR2 AEV concept boasted plenty of gear to get off-road enthusiasts excited. Included on the concept truck were a new long-travel suspension from Chevrolet Performance, specially tuned Multimatic DSSV dampers, plunging front half-shafts, stiffer high-angle upper ball joints, and stiffer high-angle tie rods. With the upgrades, the concept placed a focus on overlanding, which by definition emphasizes self-reliant, long-term travel.

Upgraded mechanicals seem like the most obvious additions to the Colorado ZR2 Bison, but the ZR2 AEV concept also included underbody protection, larger fender flares, and even a refrigerator. The dealer source said the snorkel, bed rack, and air-compressor access panel from the concept truck were not on the truck shown to dealers. It's possible, however, that either Chevrolet or AEV may offer even more parts for the ZR2 Bison.

Chevrolet didn't confirm the Colorado ZR2 Bison's impending arrival when OffRoad.com reached out for comment, but it did not outright deny the news, either. Stay tuned.