Chevrolet Colorado Pickup Still Coming to the U.S., Launch Date Was Never Firm

Speculation regarding delays to the domestic launch date of the Chevrolet Colorado replacement has been swirling. Although GM confirmed some time ago that the new mid-size pickup would be built and sold in the U.S., it still hasn't given a firm date for the new truck's arrival. Designed largely in Thailand, the new Colorado will be assembled in several locations around the globe. In a conversation with Tom Wilkinson, Chevrolet Trucks communications manager, he stated to us that GM has "never given a timeline for the new Colorado's American debut. There's been plenty of speculation in the media, and we have never confirmed any questions related to the scheduling of its release. If anyone says they know the date, they're wrong." Wilkinson added that Chevrolet would "build out" the current-generation Colorado in GM's Shreveport, Louisiana, plant. Basically, GM's official stance seems to be that we'll get the truck when we get it. When asked if GM was taking some time to rethink the Colorado's highly sculpted, semi-ellipsoid styling for the American market, Wilkinson said GM was "leaving that door open, but was unaware of any negative reactions."  Considering a new full-size Chevy Silverado truck likely will make its appearance in the 2013 calendar year, it's also plausible that the Colorado might steal some spotlight—however little—from the full-sizer's debut: "Not so," said Wilkinson. "Sure, there is some sequencing involved to spread out the tooling investment, but it's not a major factor in this instance." Of course, placing the Colorado directly in the shadows of Chevy's new full-size pickup might illustrate how much more truck you can get for not much more money; when is the last time you chose a "small" popcorn at the movies to save a quarter? Domestic powertrains, too, remain unspecified; pleas for a diesel haven't gone unheard, but the business case needs to be made. "If everyone who said they'd buy a diesel actually bought one, it'd be a lot easier to get into production. We'll watch the numbers on the [upcoming] diesel Cruze, but we're leaving our options open. We have numerous powertrain possibilities to work from." Those possibilities could include the 2.0-liter turbocharged four or the naturally aspirated corporate 3.6-liter V-6, both of which see longitudinal use in the Cadillac ATS. The new Colorado is slated for assembly alongside Chevrolet's Express and GMC Savana full-size vans in GM's Wentzville, Missouri, facility. In November of 2011, GM announced an investment of approximately $380 million the facility to prepare it for production of the new Colorado. No official comment has been made regarding a GMC variant. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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