Chevrolet launches all-new Colorado

Chevrolet has become the latest auto-maker to launch an all-new 1-tonne pickup in the lucrative Thai auto market, which is expected to exceed 900,000 units this year as popularity of pickups and small passenger cars soars under the government’s newly introduced first-car buyer scheme.

The new Colorado is produced at General Motors (GM)’s plant in Rayong under a five-year, five-continent, US$2 billion (Bt62.29 billion) development programme.

It follows the new Isuzu D-Max, which was launched in Bangkok last week, as the second all-new pickup model in the market. Toyota earlier launched a facelifted version of its Hilux Vigo pickup, while Ford and Mazda are scheduled to launch the all-new Ranger and BT-50 nearer the end of this year. 

As a result, the Thai pickup market is expected to grow dramatically this year, especially when the government’s first-car buyer scheme is taken into account. All locally-assembled pickups priced no higher than Bt1 million are eligible for the populist programme.

Producing the new Colorado is the largest engineering and manufacturing programme ever undertaken by GM Thailand. The programme’s total global costs were $2 billion, including a $500-million investment to prepare the Rayong plant to make the new model.

Unlike previous models that were co-developed with Isuzu, the new Colorado has been developed mostly by GM, with cooperation from Isuzu only in the initial stages. In 1999, GM owned as much as 49 per cent of Isuzu. But in 2003 its stake was lowered to 12 per cent and in 2006 it sold the last 7.9 per cent in order to fund its turnaround plan in North America.

According to Chevrolet, there will be 26 variants of the Colorado, with two engine choices (2.5- and 2.8-litre), single, space and double-cab cabins and different ride heights. Transmission choices include a 5-speed manual and 6-speed automatic.

The Colorado will officially go on sale to the public on October 17. 

The 2.5-litre engine (150hp, 350Nm) is totally new, while the 2.8-litre engine (180hp, 470Nm) is a development of its previous engine. Both are manufactured at GM Thailand’s new $200-million plant in Rayong 

“Thailand is the first market in the world to introduce the all-new Colorado, which represents the most significant play that Chevrolet has ever made in the midsized pickup market,” said the president of GM Thailand and Southeast Asia and Chevrolet Sales Thailand, Martin Apfel.

He said 12,000 units of the new Colorado were expected to be produced this year. The company also plans to increase its number of dealerships in Thailand to 120 by the end of next year.

Exports will start with Asean markets and then expand to more than 60 countries.

GM says more markets and production sites for the Colorado will be announced in coming months.

Along with a large number of passenger-car-like features, the new Colorado also boasts low running costs. Chevrolet Sales’ marketing and sales director Antonio Zara said owners would spend no more than Bt20,000 in the first 100,000 kilometres.