Chevrolet unveiled its new 2015 Colorado at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013, in Los Angeles. And there was much rejoicing for those looking for a modern, contemporary pickup that also happens to be somewhat smaller than a full-size truck!
Hyperbole? Possibly, but not when you consider the midsize pickup market segment in North America is down to two offerings – the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier – both of which haven’t been substantially revised since their introductions in 2004.
"The market used to be huge," concedes Jeff Luke, GM’s chief engineer of truck platforms. "But when you stacked a compact or midsize truck up against a modern full-size truck, that value proposition was lost. The fuel economy was almost the same; the cost was almost the same; so the buyer looked at that and said ‘why not buy bigger?’ That’s why full-size trucks pushed out midsize pickups, but we believe that market will expand if there’s not as much overlap as before."
The 2015 Chevrolet Colorado’s front fascia is unique, and more upright than its international siblings. The squared-off hood is pure Silverado, but the Malibu-like split grille neatly flows into tapered composite headlamp assemblies. While the global Colorado uses round wheel arches, the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado adopts square wheel wells – something Chevy’s design staff views as a hallmark for its North American trucks – and wraps them in deep, chunky flares.
To find out more, read the full article at AutomobileMag.
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