Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Concept unveiled at SEMA

With its widened body, tall stance and powerful LS supercharged engine, the Silverado ZR2 concept appears to have been built to hit the berms, dry washes and gullies of the Baja Peninsula.

Based on an extended cab/short box body, the Silverado ZR2 has custom bodywork that includes carbon fiber fender flares that stretch outward to cover the 35-inch-tall Goodyear Wrangler off-road tires and widened stance. The truck’s body is mostly made of carbon fiber, including the front fenders, extractor-style hood, rocker extensions and tailgate. Also featured on the vehicle are large, debossed CHEVROLET lettering, which is reminiscent of the Chevy trucks of the past.

The pickup box features a unique locking storage system mounted to the extruded aluminum Cargo Management System rails from Chevy Accessories. The pickup box has a spray-on liner that protects it. What makes it distinctive is its carbon fiber parts, including the hood, that are clear-coated rather than painted. This shows off the intricate weave pattern of the high-tech, lightweight material. Those parts that aren’t clear carbon fiber were painted with Dune Metallic, a color that blends with the desert terrain. Included in the package is a large, more prominent grille, which represents a vision of what designers would like to see in a production or accessory part.

It is very functional as it feeds cool air to the 550-horsepower LS supercharged crate engine from GM Performance Parts. To help in negotiating through desert trails, the vehicle has 20-inch BBS RD wheels, which are similar to the historic Chevy truck wheel. It also has aggressive Goodyear Wrangler MT/R tires. They connect to the chassis via BDS shocks and a four-inch lift kit. The new front fascia significantly improves approach angle while skid plates protect the chassis. More carbon fiber details are found on the dash. For increased comfort, the interior has black leather and suede-trimmed seats with contrasting stitching.