Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Suits up for Duty
GM Defense, a subsidiary of General Motors, has just secured a contract worth nearly $300 million to build and sustain the U.S. Army’s new Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV).
The initial Army Procurement Objective is 649 vehicles, but the contract calls for a total of 2,065 vehicles.
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Light enough to be sling loaded from a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter and compact enough to fit inside a CH-47 Chinook helicopter for air transportability, the ISV is based on a 2020 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 pickup.
It has been adapted to carry a nine-Soldier infantry squad moving throughout the battlefield, including five in the cabin and four others where the cargo bed normally is. The unique structure in the rear is designed for protection and equipment transportation.
GM says the truck uses 90 percent commercial off-the-shelf parts such as Multimatic dual spool-valve dampers and Chevrolet Performance suspension components, making them easy to replace. The durability and performance of those components have been proven in the grueling Best in the Desert race series, where the Colorado is one of only four vehicles to complete 11 consecutive races (out of a total of 434 competitors).
For the engine, the Army turned to the Colorado’s 2.8-litre Duramax turbo-diesel, which produces 186 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque via a six-speed automatic transmission. Considering the application, we’d say they chose wisely.
And if you need a reminder of what the non-military Colorado ZR2 is capable of, watch this: