HSV’s Gunning For Ford Ranger Raptor With Hardcore Colorado ZR2

The Chevy Colorado ZR2 is a pretty rugged mid-size pickup. A Raptor, however, it is not. But a veteran tuner of GM vehicles is reportedly out to change that.

That tuner is HSV – shorthand for Holden Special Vehicles. The Australian firm has a well-established track record amping up Commodores, but is now said to be turning its attention to the Colorado.

This past December, HSV rolled out the Colorado SportsCat, featuring upgraded suspension, brakes, and other components. But that may be just the tip of the proverbial iceberg on its plans for the ute.

“We are not very far down the line,” HSV director Tim Jackson told Motoring. “We have done one Colorado SportsCat, now what does the next one look like? Where should we take it? Where should we go? You can see from a Ranger Raptor, from the ZR2, there are those kinds of vehicles around. So, what are the parameters that are different, what are the benefits that you get and what are the things you don’t get?”

The project could either seek to upgrade on the Aussie-market Colorado, or import and improve upon the US-market ZR2. Either way, GM’s mid-size pickup has a ways to go before it catches up with the Ranger Raptor. The Ford packs a 2.0-liter twin-turbo diesel four good for 210 horsepower (157 kW) and 369 lb-ft (272 Nm) of torque.

The Colorado (in the US) is offered with a 2.8-liter turbodiesel four rated at the same amount of torque but considerably less power at 181 hp (135 kW). The 3.6-liter gasoline V6 offers much more power at 308 hp (230 kW), but much less torque at 275 lb-ft (203 Nm).

To challenge the Raptor, the Colorado would need a significantly upgraded suspension, rolling stock, and other components as well. The bigger question on our minds, though, is whether such a vehicle would stand a chance of making its way to North America. If it takes the US-spec ZR2 as its starting point, it could – just maybe – but we’d hardly call that a foregone conclusion, by any stretch of the imagination… or suspension travel.