Chevrolet debuts 6.2-litre Silverado ZR2 off-road beast
Chevrolet has unveiled its new 2022 Silverado, packed with a raft of improvements across the line-up, as well as a new off-road variant, the ZR2, set to face off against the Ford F-150 Raptor.
From the outset, the model is outgunned on a performance basis relative to the F-150 and Ram’s equivalent, the 1500 TRX. Its 6.2-litre V8 makes less power and torque than both rivals, with Chevrolet indicating outputs of 313kW and 624Nm. Chevrolet claims that the ZR2 isn’t really a rival for those models and instead sits in a class of its own.
The ZR2 gets a bespoke suspension set-up relative to the rest of the Silverado line, featuring Multimatic 40mm DSSV spool-valve dampers with three fluid flow chambers, springs that offer additional travel, and e-lockers front and rear.
Ground clearance is rated at 285mm, with approach, break-over, and departure angles rated at 31.8 degrees, 23.4 degrees, and 23.3 degrees respectively. The former number sees the largest growth thanks to a new steel front bumper (complete with a bash plate designed to take a beating).
It’s not all about the ZR2, though. Chevrolet has also unveiled its standard Silverado models, featuring a handful of slight changes on the outside, a big lump of new tech on the inside, and a very notable four-cylinder engine.
Starting with the latter, Chevrolet will offer the new Silverado with a 2.7-litre turbocharged four-banger. This might sound a little undercooked for a full-size American pick-up. But, it actually develops more torque than the 5.3-litre V8 still used in some Silverados. It makes 231kW/569Nm.
A 3.0-litre turbo-diesel Duramax unit is also available, as is the aforementioned 6.2-litre V8 from the ZR2. The former is a towing dynamo, capable of hauling over six tonnes thanks to a raft of new refinements.
Perhaps the biggest change to the 2022 Silverado though is an all-new dash layout. The look is far more premium than that of the outgoing model, with a 12.3-inch digital cluster and 13.4-inch primary touchscreen acting as the tech epicenter.
Built-in Google compatibility (including ‘Hey Google’ voice controls), wireless phone connectivity, and Bose audio also feature. But the Silverado’s biggest score is most likely the addition of Supercruise; General Motors’ proprietary level two autonomous system.
This offers over 300,000km of supposedly hands-off driving capabilities on pre-plotted roads, with Chevrolet even claiming that it can be used while towing a trailer. Its engineers have reportedly given the system additional calibration to take into account the weight of a trailer into things like its braking distances. The caveat here is that the feature is only available on the High Country trim level.
Normally updates to the Silverado aren’t a big deal down under. However, with the model now a regular fixture on our shores thanks to General Motors Speciality Vehicles and its right-hand drive conversion business in Clayton, Victoria, we can look forward to seeing some of these on Kiwi soil in the future.
