Zac Quinn 
We currently live in a day and age where incredible vehicles with massive engines and tire-burning capabilities are fading away—getting replaced by electrification, which brings about, fast acceleration but not much thrill beyond that. But while it’s a sad time, there’s still the opportunity to reminisce and let our imaginations run wild about what could have been if ICE vehicles weren’t getting phased out and regulations weren’t tying the hands of automakers. That brings us to a concept made by JLord8 on Instagram and featured by Brian Mello on YouTube that reimagines the Silverado SS ZL1.
We still have some pretty impressive trucks on the market with potent power under the hood. However, they’re focused more on off-roading than they are keeping to the street, which is why Mello decided to design a modern Silverado SS because there’s undoubtedly still a market for such vehicles. People wouldn’t take their Ram TRX to a drag strip if there weren’t. Just looking at the design of this thing, it really is a work of art and makes it difficult to decide between the Silverado SS ZL1 and the Silverado ZR2.
Chevy Silverado SS ZL1 Concept: Details
According to Mello, inspiration was taken from the Camaro ZL1 and Silverado ZR2, merging both vehicles together to create this beautiful single-cab, short-bed Silverado. With black 22-inch ZL1 1LE wheels with ultra-wide Goodyear Eagle F1 tires wrapped around them. The front bumper on the truck comes from the ZL1 with the very important carbon fiber splitter and canards to help add a bit more downforce to the front end. But it also works to give the truck even more aggression in appearance. Finishing off the aero kit is a set of carbon fiber side skirts.
The raised Silverado ZR2 hood works perfectly with the concept’s overall appearance, giving plenty of room to add a supercharged 6.2-liter LT4 to the truck. Not that that’s visible in the rendering, but since we’re in the realm of imagination might as well go all in. Additionally, a closer look at the lower vents reveals that the rendering also features a new intercooler which shows the artist’s attention to detail. Finally, of course, this truck would be coupled with all of the modern performance features GM has been putting into their vehicles, including magnetic ride suspension. Additionally, the rendering has distinguishable red Brembo brake calipers equipped to the truck, which ensures this Silverado SS ZL1 has plenty of stopping power.
The overall sleek design of this truck makes us wish Chevy would actually make it, and if they did and put a price tag of around $50,000 to $60,000, it’s hard to believe it wouldn’t sell. Though, considering you can’t touch a supercharged V8 truck these days for roughly $100,000, that price point is perhaps the biggest fantasy of this thought experiment.
Regardless, would you buy one of these if General Motors decided to manufacture it? Or would you stick with the Silverado ZR2? Both on the market would give buyers plenty of options; then, it’s just a matter of what they want to use the truck for.
