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The mid-range Chevy Colorado powers the ZR2 with just one tweak


2023 Chevrolet Colorado trim from left to right: Colorado Z71, Colorado Trail Boss and Colorado ZR2

2023 Chevrolet Colorado trim from left to right: Colorado Z71, Colorado Trail Boss and Colorado ZR2
image: Chevrolet

Now the new one Chevy Colorado was announced, obviously mid-size truck segment is having a moment. The 2023 Chevy Colorado will bask in the light for a bit, before the spotlight returns to full size Chevy Silverado. But Colorado just got the Silverado to thank for it four-cylinder engineOriginally developed for full-size trucks and now adapted for mid-size trucks.

Powerplant has proven to be versatile; The new Colorado range will be powered by one engine in three variants. But the claimed output power of the motors has such a large power range that it makes us wonder: what makes the difference to the output? And, more importantly, if the engines are the same, what stops the base Colorado WT from producing the same power as the Colorado ZR2?

Image for article titled Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss and Z71 can power the ZR2 thanks to engine tuning

image: Chevrolet

For reference, the base engine will be standard on the Colorado WT and LT. Chevy calls it the 2.7-liter Turbo, and it makes 237 HP, 259 lb-ft. of torque. The Colorado Z71 and Trail Boss will have a 2.7-liter Turbo Plus engine with 310 hp, 390 lb-ft. of torque. And the Colorado ZR2 will have a 2.7-liter Turbo High, 310 HP and 430 lb-ft. of torque. That’s full size power!

In the mid-sized Chevy Colorado, that power is better than all. Chevy wanted a balance between performance and performance, so all three engine variants featured two-cylinder decommissioning. Indeed, the engines share the same features and hardware. The power difference comes from engine tuning and management via software.

But it turns out that the engine hardware is only the same on the 2.7-liter Turbo Plus and Turbo High-Output engines. No as assistant chief engineer at Chevy, Kevin Luchansky, the 2.7-liter Turbo, explains.

You may be surprised – like me – that the engine is not only in the Chevy Silverado coming out, but also in the present. Cadillac CT4-DRAW also.

Image for article titled Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss and Z71 can power the ZR2 thanks to engine tuning

image: Cadillac

The powertrain team at Chevy wanted the CT4-V’s higher output, making 325 HP and 380 lb-ft of torque. But the goal is for Colorado to generate more power using conventional fuel. The CT4-V produces more HP than the Colorado, but this car uses premium gasoline; The truck’s 2.7-liter Turbo Plus pleases with less expensive fuel, reducing the cost of ownership.

Then the team pushed the 2.7-liter Turbo Plus further. Although the 2.7-liter High Power produces the same HP and the same 7,700 pound-feet of towing, torque has increased to 430 lb-ft. This towing rating is higher than the base engine’s 3,500 pounds, and the big bump comes from the third fan, creating better “airflow through the intake intercooler.” Overall, this is the highest performance the team has been able to use the engine with while still meeting durability standards.

An engine cut of the 2.7-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine used in the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado.

An engine cut of the 2.7-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine used in the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado.
Illustration: Chevrolet

As the engineer explains, not everyone need performance of higher specification motors. So they stripped out parts and optimized others for the Colorado WT’s lower curb weight. They removed the piston cooling nozzles, as the 2.7-liter Turbo has a much lower power density. And they optimized the catalytic converter to reduce the weight of the lower trims.

That means the base Colorado WT engine won’t handle the power density of the Colorado ZR2 engine. So it’s not just a matter of adjusting or increasing power via software on the WT to get ZR2 performance. But since the two taller engines share the hardware, the Z71 or the Trail Boss can power the ZR2 via a chip/tun, and Chevy will sell owners an “accessory calibration” to put the Turbo on. Plus 2.7 liters to High Capacity 2.7 liters . Like the new Colorado, the price of the upgraded engine tuning is currently unknown.

Image for article titled Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss and Z71 can power the ZR2 thanks to engine tuning

image: Chevrolet



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