Manoli Katakis 
It’s finally here. After we first reported all of the details of the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison back in the spring (which followed a few hints and indicators leading up to this point), The Bowtie Brand and American Expedition Vehicles have pulled back the curtain on a uniquely capable, uniquely positioned off-road pickup truck package that seeks to appeal to the more tactical overlanding crowd, instead of the Baja-blasting Ford Raptor and Ram TRX trucks. Let’s peer into the finer details…
2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison: Official Details
Building off the success of the Colorado ZR2 Bison, which came to market in 2018, AEV and GM engineers and designers once again collaborated to bring forth the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison, which follows the same formula as its smaller predecessor.
Upgrading front and rear bumpers means improvements to both approach and departure angles in the Silverado Bison compared to the Silverado ZR2. The front approach angle on the Bison is an estimated 32.5 degrees (compared to 31.8 degrees on ZR2), and the departure angle improves to an estimated 23.4 degrees (compared to 23.3 degrees on ZR2). Because the suspension geometry, tires and axles are all left alone, the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison maintains a ride height of 11.2 inches, as with the base ZR2. The front and rear AEV bumpers on this package consist of 3-millimeter-thick stamped steel, and are both powder and e-coated.
Also adding to the confidence of the Bison package is a swathe of extra underbody armor. The press-hardened steel used for the underbody skid plates is three-and-a-half times stronger than an equivalent cold-stamped high-strength steel plate and provides incredible resistance to underbody damage.
In total, the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison comes standard with:
- AEV stamped steel front and rear bumpers with heavy duty recovery points and integrated step pads. The front bumper is compatible with an available winch accessory
- Five unique hot-stamped boron steel skid plates providing protection for the front, rear differential, transfer case and fuel tank
- Steel rocker panel protection
- A three-piece durable steel front bumper with integrated black, vertical front tow hooks
- Exclusive gloss black 18-inch AEV wheels paired with 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires
- Bison customers will continue to enjoy ZR2’s standard features:
- Standard 6.2L V-8 engine with 10-speed automatic transmission delivers 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque to power through tough terrains
- Multimatic 40-millimeter DSSV spool-valve dampers, which feature three separate spool valves to control damping, and three connected chambers for fluid flow
- Uniquely tuned springs that increase maximum front and rear suspension travel, compared to the Silverado Trail Boss
- True front and rear e-lockers
- Specific off-road chassis and suspension calibrations, including Terrain Mode, which allows one-pedal1 rock crawling
The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison can also be identified by its body-color crossbar and black grille design that displays signature ZR2 badge on the front, as well as the sporty “flow-tie.”A black matte finish on the standard Multi-Flex tailgate also helps the Bison stand out. As for the interior, AEV decals are found on the headrests and all-weather floor liners.
The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison is expected to start production early next year with an MRSP of $78,490 USD, including destination. That’s slightly less than its mechanical equivalent, the GMC Sierra AT4X.
