Diesel Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon to go on sale this fall

Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickups powered by the hotly-anticipated 2.8-litre Duramax diesel engine will be able to tow as much as 7,700 lbs. when they go on sale this fall.

The twin trucks, which returned late last year to much fanfare, will soon be available with a 2.8-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder engine that makes an SAE-certified at 181 horsepower and, more importantly, 369 lb.-ft. of torque, pushing trailering capacity 10 per cent higher than those with the gas-powered 3.5-litre V6 under the hood.

The maximum towing capacity for four-wheel drive models is slightly less than their two-wheel drive counterparts, coming in at 7,600 lbs.

Available on SLE and SLT crew cab models of the Canyon and LT and Z71 crew cab models of the Colorado, the diesel engine comes mated to a Hydra-Matic 6L50 six-speed automatic transmission with a centrifugal pendulum vibration absorber in the torque converter, which helps reduce powertrain noise and vibration.

All diesel models also feature an integrated trailer brake controller, a 3.42:1 axle ratio, and an exhaust brake system.

Colorado adds two new special edition trims

Chevrolet also announced a pair of new special edition trim packages will be available starting with the 2016 model year.

Available only in black, the Colorado Midnight Edition features a black grille, black bowtie emblem, and black 18-inch aluminum wheels.

The truck also includes a spray-on bedliner and soft, folding tonneau cover, and is available on LT models in both two- and four-wheel drive, with any one of the three engines offered in the Colorado under the hood.

The Colorado Z71 Trail Boss editions builds on the capability of Chevrolet’s Z71 suspension package with more aggressive tires and off-road-inspired appearance enhancements, including an all-new sport bar with LED trail lighting, fender flares, and tubular side steps.

It also features a black bowtie grille emblem and a spray-on bedliner, and sits on black 17-inch aluminum wheels wrapped in Goodyear Wrangler DuraTec 265/65R17 tires.

The Z71 Trail Boss is available on Z71 extended and crew cab models, and in two- or four-wheel drive.

Like the Midnight Edition, it will also be available with the 2.5-litre inline four-cylinder, the 3.6-litre V6, or the 2.8-litre Duramax diesel engines.

Pricing for all models will be announced later this month.