New Concept Car: Chevrolet Colorado

Ahead of its public debut at the Bangkok Auto Show, General Motors has taken the wraps off of the preview version of its next-generation midsize pickup, which has been (not so) imaginatively dubbed the Chevrolet Colorado Show Truck.

Why Thailand? As it so happens, the southeast Asian country is the number one market for midsize trucks in the world and about 43% of the new cars sold there are trucks.

Technical details on the Show Truck are few. GM has said that under the hood is a 2.8-liter turbodiesel engine and that it's equipped with all-wheel drive, which helps to lend it a taller stance. GM currently uses a 2.8-liter diesel inline-four in the Brazilian-market Chevrolet S-10, where it makes roughly 138 horsepower and 251 pound-feet of torque. It's likely that the Colorado Show Truck is employing a version of this mill.

The extended-cab truck sports the same dual-port grille that's become a signature of Chevrolet's design. In this case, it looks much like that of the Malibu midsize sedan. The truck rides on 20-inch aluminum wheels fitted with off-road tires and its exterior features details such as LED turn-signals in the rear-view mirrors, Pepperdust Metallic paint with aluminum details in the fascias, projector-style headlamps with LED accents, and LED taillamps. GM vice president of global design Ed Welburn says that "its broad-shoulders proportions are derived from nearly a century of Chevrolet truck heritage."

Much time and money was reportedly spent on the interior. It features a dual-cockpit instrument panel that flows into the doors that's highlighted by motorcycle-inspired, three-dimensional gauges in the instrument panel. Other interior details include contrasting trim, chrome accents, and soft-touch materials. There are copious storage compartments throughout the cabin, including a covered center console and dual glovebox. The truck is also equipped with dual-zone climate control and a seven-inch LCD display in the center stack.

As for whether the truck will replace the existing U.S.-market Colorado/Canyon, GM continues to remain silent. However, a GM official we spoke with said that the automaker has no plans to abandon the midsize truck market and that a new version of the truck is on the way. We're betting it will come out looking much like the show truck, with different engine options and a steering wheel on left side, of course.

Whatever it ends up being, it will surely built somewhere in the NAFTA area to avoid the so-called "Chicken Tax" that makes importing trucks from countries like Thailand unprofitable. GM says details for the production model will come later in the year, so stay tuned.

Thanks to: Motor Trend