There was a time in the '90s and '00s when the cool trucks on sale were about improved on-road performance, rather than off-road prowess. In this era of street trucks, Chevy launched body kit-endowed, sporty versions of the S10 and Blazer with the "eXtreme" moniker. They were visually striking if nothing else. But now the name has disappeared in the U.S. to appear on the S10's successor, the Colorado, in Australia in the form of the 2018 Holden Colorado Z71 Xtreme.
Despite being a modified version of Chevy's small pickup, the Holden is different from the old S10 and Blazer in many ways. For one thing, it drops the "e" from "extreme" for maximum coolness. It's also an unabashed off-roader, as its standard equipment list includes a winch rated for 10,000 pounds with a 30-meter cable, and off-road tires and suspension.
But the two do share striking visuals. The Colorado Z71 Xtreme is available in a bold, matte orange color with a terrible name (Furness). It's complemented by matte black decals on the hood and tailgate, huge plastic fender flares, and black steel off-road bumpers front and rear. It also has tubular side steps, big sport bars over the bed, and a nifty looking roof tray. The front bumper features a big skid plate and an LED light bar.
It's a great-looking package, and we could see it being popular here, or at least some of the parts. Odds are we won't get it in America. Don't feel too bad, though. We do still get the Colorado ZR2 with its stunning Multimatic shocks and front and rear diff locks. Australia doesn't.
