Ricky Carmichael helps develop package to demonstrate the new Colorado’s cargo capability and flexibility.
Motocross racing legend Ricky Carmichael has teamed with Chevrolet to develop a concept vehicle that supports the active lifestyle while showcasing the capabilities of Chevy’s new mid-size pickup truck.
The Carmichael-ized Colorado made its debut this week at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturer’s Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, this week.
“Where I take my bikes, a full-size truck isn’t always the best solution, so a maneuverable midisize truck like the Colorado is just the ticket,” Carmichael said. “Besides a cargo bed that’s not only large enough to haul a motocross bike and a mountain bike, the Colorado has the power to confidently take them where the pavement ends.”
Carmichael consulted with Chevrolet on the unique concept equipment to facilitate the bikes’ mounting in the Colorado crew cab’s 6-footm 2-inch cargo bed (the bed allows items up to 8 feet long with the tailgate down). A concept tailgate extender helps secure the bikes, while the Colorado’s standard CornerStep rear bumper makes it easier to step up and reach into the bed to tighten hold-down straps or retrieve other gear.
The concept mounting features on Carmichael’s Colorado were developed with the same eye on integrated functionality that’s offered in production accessories available today for Colorado customers–including the patent-pending GearOn system. It’s designed to hold larger items such as bikes, boards and kayaks above the bed, leaving room for smaller gear such as tents and sleeping bags in the bed. It can even accommodate 4×8-foot sheets of plywood above the wheelhouses.
Customers can have the accessories installed when they purchase their new truck and can even roll the cost of the accessories, including any installation charges, into their factory financing package for the Colorado, and all carry a warranty backed by General Motors.
The Carmichael Colorado’s exterior and interior give it a one-of-a-kind appearance, reflecting the hall-of-fame racer’s competitive spirit. The truck was given a unique matte gray exterior color accented with high-gloss silver and yellow accents–and a graphic of Carmichael’s signature. The production 17-inch Z71 aluminum wheels are accented with yellow highlights and wrapped in Goodyear Duratec off-road tires. A concept sport bar is also added to the bed.
Yellow accents spruce up the truck’s interior, which also features Carmichael’s racing number 4 embroidered into the front seat headrests. Like the production Colorado, Carmichael’s concept version boasts a Chevy MyLink system with a built-in 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. There’s also a standard rearview camera system that’s helpful when backing up with tall cargo, such as a motorcycle.
Chevrolet claims that the Colorado delivers the segment’s most powerful and efficient engine: an available 3.6L V-6 rated at 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque that delivers an EPA-estmated 26 mpg on the highway (2WD models). The Colorado also boasts a 7000-lb. maximum trailering capacity with available heavy-duty trailering package, and a maximum payload capacity of 1590 lbs.
“The Colorado does everything I want in a pickup truck,” said Carmichael. “It simply does it in a smaller package that fits the lifestyle of a lot of people like me.”
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