You might remember the Bison package as part of the Chevy Colorado. Now, its added to the 2023 Chevy Silverado ZR2 making the Bison an amazing off-road truck.
Automakers continually work to add more to the mix. Whether this means going bigger, adding more luxury features, or giving you one of the most hardcore off-road trucks ever made. The Silverado ZR2 Bison falls into this third category. Let’s dig in and see what this incredible pickup brings to make it the off-road half-ton truck you want to drive when you’re ready to head out into the wilderness.
This New Silverado has AEV Written All Over It
The team at American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) has gotten their mitts on some of the GM trucks to show us exactly what these pickups could be capable of on the trails. We’ve seen what they did with the new 2023 GMC Sierra 150 AT4X to add their name at the end and create a more hardcore truck. Now, they’ve done the same things to the Silverado ZR2, giving us the Bison package that brings more off-road equipment to the experience when you take this truck out on the trails.
The Bison Comes with Standard Items, But They Aren’t Your Normal List
The entire purpose in creating the new 2023 Chevy Silverado ZR2 Bison is to improve the off-road strength of this pickup. The Bison trim builds on the already impressive qualities of the ZR2 by adding:
- AEV stamped steel front and rear bumpers with heavy duty recovery points and integrated step pads
- A front bumper that’s compatible with an available winch
- Five unique hot-stamped boron steel skid plates to add protection to the front and rear differentials, the transfer case, and the fuel tank
- Steel rocker panel protection
- A three-piece durable steel front bumper with integrated black, vertical tow hooks
- Gloss black 18-inch AEV wheels wrapped in 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires
The Bison Model Continues the Track Record for AEV
For years, AEV has had a strong reputation for excellence in the trucks and SUVs they upgrade. This isn’t the first time this team has created the Bison package or collaborated with Chevrolet. The 2019 Colorado ZR2 Bison was one of the most sought after special edition trucks you could buy. The success of this previous midsize truck naturally led to the two working together again for this most recent pickup.
If You Thought the ZR2 Was Something…
The Chevy Silverado ZR2 is an impressive truck. It brings a slew of off-road qualities including some of the most useful off-roading angles. The new 2023 Chevy Silverado ZR2 Bison builds on this truck with improved statistics for hardcore overlanding adventures. The angles and clearance improve from the ZR2 to the ZR2 Bison to give us:
- Approach Angle – 32.5 degrees compared to 31.8 degrees
- Departure Angle – 23.4 degrees compared to 23.3 degrees
Both versions of this Silverado have the same ground clearance at 11.2 inches, giving owners plenty of room to drive over obstacles in your path.
Some Appearance Upgrades for the Bison Model
The Bison package includes a body-color grill bar that is in stark contrast to the black grille of the ZR2 model. This bar features a Chevy “flow-tie” in the middle, which is an open emblem that brings more air into the engine compartment for better performance while driving. Around back, the Multi-Flex tailgate has a matte black finish which is only offered for the Bison model of this Chevy truck. This finish allows the Chevy bowtie to stand out from the rest of the tailgate.
What if You Don’t Want the 2023 Chevy Silverado ZR2 Bison?
You might be a little crazy to only want the ZR2 model of this half-ton truck. Even so, if you’re looking for a hardcore off-road pickup that doesn’t have the AEV treatments, the Silverado ZR2 brings you:
- 33-inch tall tires
- DSSV Multimatic spool-valve shocks
- Updated dashboard
- Improved infotainment/gauge cluster screens
- Skidplates
- Strong bumpers
- Terrain mode
- Driver-selectable locking front and rear differentials
These features offer you the off-road qualities you’re looking for when it’s time to head out on the trails for some fun.
Which Powertrain Does the Bison Use?
The Chevy Silverado ZR2 Bison puts the top powertrain of this pickup truck to work. This powertrain is a 6.2-liter V8 engine mated to a ten-speed automatic transmission. This setup delivers 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. When you’re ready to head out for some fun on the trails, this powertrain gives you the impressive power and performance you need in the Bison package. Head out for some driving fun and see where this new truck will take you when its time for some off-road adventures.
This Upgraded Chevy Costs Quite a Bit
The price of trucks has gone up and you would expect a special edition version of this off-road truck to be expensive. The 2023 Chevy Silverado ZR2 Bison comes at a price of $78,490. This is actually a pretty reasonable price in this truck class. When you want something special and significant in your half-ton truck, the Bison package makes the Silverado ZR2 an upgraded and impressive off-road trail-riding pickup. You’ll love showing off when you take this pickup on your next wilderness adventures. Its time for you to have the truck you want to enjoy, which can be the ZR2 Bison.
How Does the ZR2 Bison Stack Up to Other Special Edition Off-Road Trucks?
If you’re looking at the power offered in this Silverado, you’ll realize that it comes in last. The competition in this market is the Ram TRX and Ford F-150 Raptor R. Both of those trucks give you more power for the trails. That doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with the Bison Chevy. When you’re driving slowly on trails, the amount of power isn’t as important as the off-road qualities included. The Silverado ZR2 Bison has the off-road gear you desire and gives you everything that’s required for some amazing overland adventures.
Will you drive the 2023 Chevy Silverado ZR2 Bison? Could this be the truck that allows you to get off the grid for a while?
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