GM uses lightweight, advanced materials to reduce weight on 2015 Colorado pickup

Mass comparison, 4x4 crew cabs. Click to enlarge.

The 2015 Chevrolet Colorado uses engineering techniques and lightweight materials to create fuel-efficient pickup capability in a mass-efficient mid-size package. The 2015 Colorado 4x4 crew cab, which GM expects to be the most popular version of the new trucks, weighs 880 to 1,400 lbs (363 to 635 kg) less than a full-size truck. Chevrolet expects EPA fuel economy estimates for Colorado this summer.

This weight saving is a result of the slightly smaller overall dimensions of the Colorado, along with extensive use of lightweight materials, including high-strength steels and aluminum.

The Colorado will begin arriving in showrooms this fall at the same time as the new Ford F-150 (earlier post), setting up a contrast between two strategies for reducing the weight of pickups. Aluminum alloys are used throughout the F-150 body for the first time, improving dent and ding resistance and also saving weight. Overall, up to 700 pounds (318 kg) of weight have been saved.

When it comes to building lighter pickups, there is more than one answer. Building on our experience with the new Silverado, we engineered the Colorado to be highly mass-efficient, while still providing the performance, capability, dependability and features that midsize truck customers are asking for.

—Jeff Luke, executive chief engineer

In overall size, Colorado fits neatly below the Silverado 1500 in the Chevrolet lineup. The short-bed crew cab is 212.76 inches long, 17 inches shorter than a comparable Silverado 1500. Colorado’s overall width of 74.3 inches is five inches narrower than Silverado and two inches wider than the Equinox.

However, GM expects this slightly smaller package to lead the mid-size segment with up to 6,700 pounds (3,039 kg) of available towing capability.

Like Silverado, Colorado extensively uses lightweight, high-strength steels. Fully boxed frames formed primarily from high-strength steel reduce weight and increase stiffness for a quieter ride and better handling.

Steel structure of the 2015 Colorado. Click to enlarge.

Key areas of the body structure also benefit from high-strength steels, reducing mass and enhancing strength and safety. Overall, about 71% of the body structure uses high-strength steels.

The pickup box consists of roll-formed steel, which is lighter and stronger than traditional stamped steel.

Major aluminum components include the hood, front steering knuckles, and cylinder heads and engine blocks for both the 2.5L four cylinder and 3.6L V-6. Reflecting the attention to weight savings found throughout the Colorado, the aluminum heads for the V-6 feature integral exhaust manifolds, which save about 13 pounds (5.9 kg) over traditional cast-iron manifolds.

The front of Colorado features a composite grille opening reinforcement with active shutters that seals the front of the truck, reducing aerodynamic drag and improving cooling performance. Another weight-saving feature, electric power steering, also helps improve steering assist for easier maneuverability in tight situations.

Because of its mass-efficient design, Colorado engineers skipped the cost and complexity of turbocharging Colorado’s four-cylinder and V-6 engines.

In addition to the lightweight aluminum cylinder heads and blocks, both engines feature direct fuel injection and continuously variable valve timing for better performance and more-efficient operation. Based on current GM testing, the standard 2.5L four is estimated at 193 hp (144 kW), while the available V-6 is estimated at 302 hp (225 kW).

Both the Colorado and its engines have been tested and validated to the same tough standards as the full-size Silverado.

2015 Chevy Colorado: A Midsize Pickup Packing Diesel Power

The rumors have proven true, and the answers of truck owners everywhere has been answered. Maybe. Today Chevrolet pulled by the covers on the all-new 2015 Chevy Colorado, a mid-size pickup packing a pair of small-displacement gasoline engines. A year after its 2014 debut, GM will begin offering a 2.8 liter Duramax diesel, making it America’s smallest diesel pickup.

With bolder looks and a lighter weight than its big brother, the Chevy Silverado, the 2015 Chevy Colorado manages to weigh some 900 pounds less than its larger sibling despite only being offered as an extended or crewcab model. The Colorado will be offered in WT (Work Trim), LT, and Z71 configurations for those looking to get some off-roading in.

At launch a pair of gasoline engines will be available, with the base motor being a 2.5 liter four-cylinder making 193 horsepower and 184 ft-lbs of torque. A 3.6 liter V6 will offer 302 horsepower and 270 ft-lbs of torque for those needing more grunt, but the real reason to get a Chevy Colorado won’t arrive until the 2016 model year.

That’s when the 2.8 liter Duramax diesel four-cylinder engine will become available, and while specific fuel economy and power specs aren’t available yet, we have a lot to look forward to. The Thai-built global Chevy Colorado uses the same engine to make some 200 horsepower and a monstrous 368 ft-lbs of torque. A six-speed automatic is the exclusive transmission option as of now, and isn’t likely to change given recent advancements in automatic transmission efficiency.

An all-new, much nicer interior seems to be a step up from the mid-size pickups of the past, and GM is betting it will have best-in-class fuel economy. The 2015 Chevy Colorado price hasn’t been discussed as of yet, though it should start right around $20,000, a bit more-expensive than the aging competition.

While we still have a ways to wait for fuel economy figures from the upcoming diesel engine, I have a very good feeling about the new Colorado. A diesel-powered midsize pickup? Just what I’ve been waiting for.

Source: Chevrolet

Chevrolet unveils Colorado diesel show truck for global debut at Bangkok show

Chevrolet revealed the Colorado Show Truck in advance of the Bangkok International Auto Show, where it is making its global public debut. The concept previews the next-generation Colorado midsize pickup truck; the Colorado goes on sale in Thailand later this year.

Thailand is the world’s-largest market for midsize pickups, so this was the perfect location in which to unveil our new Colorado.

—Susan Docherty, vice president, GMIO Sales, Marketing and Aftersales

Colorado show truck. Click to enlarge.

The show truck features an extended-cab body atop a high-stance AWD chassis and rides on large, 20-inch wheels and off-road tires. Power comes from a 2.8L turbo-diesel engine, which produces a broad torque band for cargo and towing capability.

While the new Colorado was developed within GM’s global product development organization, engineers took careful steps to ensure it would meet local market needs. Roberto Rempel, GM’s global vehicle chief engineer, lived in Thailand for several months during the truck’s development, immersing himself in the market and observing how the Thai people use their trucks and the road conditions they experience.

More details about the production model will be released later in the year.

Source: Green Car Congress