Off-road focused pickups are big business, so it comes as little surprise the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado offers no less than three different options. While the new Trail Boss variant will undoubtedly attract attention, the pinnacle of the lineup remains the ZR2. We’ve already written about the truck, but we’re using this article to delve a little deeper and talk about the new ZR2 Desert Boss special edition. Since there’s no better place to start than styling, let’s take a look at the new pickup. It immediately stands out thanks to a distinctive front fascia and a unique grille with ZR2 badging as well as a Flow Tie emblem featuring red accents.

Further below, there’s a high-clearance front bumper that helps to maximize the truck’s approach angle. If things get a little too close for comfort, drivers will be thankful for aluminum skid plates, rock sliders, and red recovery hooks. Those aren’t the only changes as the truck comes equipped with bulging fender flares to accommodate the roughly 76 mm wider track. The model’s stance is further improved by 17-inch wheels wrapped in 33-inch mud terrain tires. Rounding out the highlights are a clearance-maximizing rear bumper and a 5’ 2” bed with a spray-on bedliner.

 

Moving inside, there are unique Artemis heated front seats with Strike-colored accents. We can also see camouflage trim and ZR2 badging as well as an 8-inch digital instrument cluster and an 11.3-inch infotainment system. Full details will be released closer to launch, but the truck will also come equipped with an eight-way power driver’s seat, a dual-zone climate control system, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. On the performance front, the truck has been equipped with a 3-inch (76 mm) lift, Multimatic DSSV dampers, special cast-iron control arms, and exclusive outboard mounted shocks. That’s just the tip of the iceberg as the model also sports four-wheel drive, front and rear electronic locking differentials, and a modified rear axle with a 3.42 ratio.

The 2023 Colorado ZR2 promises to be an off-road beast with 272 mm of ground clearance as well as approach, departure, and breakover angles of 38.3, 25.1, and 24.6 degrees. The good news doesn’t end there as the model features a high-output, turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder pumping out 310 hp and 582 Nm of torque.

 

To celebrate the ZR2’s desert racing legacy, Chevrolet is offering a special edition ZR2 Desert Boss. It features a host of race-inspired touches including a rugged front bumper with a safari bar. It’s joined by a roof-mounted light bar, a sport bar with sail panels, and 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels shod in 33-inch tires. Other highlights include an underbody camera, Desert Boss decals, and black badging. There’s no word on how much extra the Desert Boss will cost, but Chevrolet noted “it will not go unnoticed.”