2016 Colorado Diesel

[Blind_Io]

I thought you guys would be interested in this:

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2015/07...-officially-debuts-with-duramax-diesel-power/

The Chevrolet Colorado has been an utter hit for The Bowtie brand, with demand continuing to outpace production capacity — not a bad problem to have in the slightest. Now, Chevrolet has officially introduced the configuration many mid-size truck buyers have been waiting for, at least from the sounds of it: the 2.8-liter Duramax turbo-diesel has officially arrived for the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado.

Chevrolet says the engine, which makes 369 pound-feet of torque can, withstand 7,700 pounds of towing capacity, while delivering fuel economy that surpasses the gasoline-powered Colorado. It is also the cleanest diesel truck ever produced by GM.

“Simply put, there's no other midsize truck that can do what Colorado can with its all-new Duramax diesel,” said Sandor Piszar, director of Chevrolet Truck Marketing. “Along with greater capability and efficiency, it expands the Colorado lineup to give customers more choices and the capability of exploring more possibilities on and off the road.”

The 2.8-liter Duramax turbo-diesel has global roots within General Motors. The engine has been engineered with a variable-geometry turbocharger, providing smooth power delivery across the power band. Horsepower figures are officially rated at 181 ponies, but the low-end grunt of 369 pound-feet arrives at 2,000 RPM.

“It is a no-compromise turbocharged engine that is also really fun to drive, with excellent responsiveness,” said Scott Yackley, assistant chief engineer. “It was also designed specifically for trucks and has undergone many of the same validation tests as the 6.6L Duramax, contributing to legendary Duramax durability and reliability.”

Noise and vibration has been kept to a minimum in the 2.8-liter Duramax oil burner, too. The engine's Centrifugal Pendulum Vibration Absorber (CPVA) controls harsh vibrations and unpleasant noises, marking the first time the device has been used in a GM vehicle, and in the mid-size truck segment. The 2016 Colorado diesel even takes a cue from bigger brother, the Chevy Silverado, in providing a driver-selectable exhaust brake system, thereby, reducing brake pad wear.

Chevrolet states the 2016 Colorado diesel will arrive this fall, and will be offered on LT and Z71 Crew Cab models, in two- and four-wheel drive. Expect the price to be $3,730 higher when compared to a similarly-equipped 2016 Colorado with the 3.6L V6 LFX gasoline engine.

Those are some pretty impressive torque figures. The engine brake is a nice feature and the fuel economy of a diesel seem to make this an ideal midsize overlander.

 

[Wolvee]

Now, if they could just figure out how to make round wheel well to fit a round tire.

 

[locrwln]

Nice.

^^GM has been doing it with their trucks since 1973, why would they change now???

And I agree with you by the way. Silly styling.

Jack

 

[jmnielsen]

Now, if they could just figure out how to make round wheel well to fit a round tire.

This is my biggest issue with them. Never understood why they do it. I'll stick with Fords.

Cool to have a mid size diesel though. Hopefully more companies follow suit.

 

[Vandy]

I agree. If ford would bring the new ranger with a diesel I'd be there.

Diesel power mag had an article a while back about the frontier possibly getting a 4 banger cummins. And now talks of the titan getting the 5L cummins. Hopefully it's a trend that keeps going.

 

[Blind_Io]

I believe the Titan is confirmed. As for the Frontier, all I know for sure is that Nissan did make a diesel prototype show truck but it was RWD only. My friend delivered a Frontier test mule in disel to their American hot weather proving ground last year, so they have at least gotten that far with development

 

[calicamper]

I believe the Titan is confirmed. As for the Frontier, all I know for sure is that Nissan did make a diesel prototype show truck but it was RWD only. My friend delivered a Frontier test mule in disel to their American hot weather proving ground last year, so they have at least gotten that far with development

Cummings little 2.8L which is well known in the marine world nice engine. Nissan was pretty open about it even said that the major work and research has been around a revised head design with nissan working with cummings on that. If the new Frontier is based on the new Novara the 4dr rear seat will be pretty snug probably like the Colorado in that respect. Another GM design issue besides the wheel wells are the mini 2nd row doors they do the same thing with the Suburban its just stupid design.

 

[Blind_Io]

I've never had a GM product before, what's the gripe with the wheel wells? They seem like they are similar in shape to my XTerra's and I don't have any problems fitting 285/75/16 tires under there with my lift and a bit of shaping to the front fender liner. My Nissan also has a tight back seat, but that's the price I pay for having a shorter, more maneuverable vehicle. I don't have kids and my two Schauzers fit quite comfortably in the back, so I'm not terribly concerned about rear seat space.

 

[calicamper]

If anyone is looking at the new midsized trucks personally I would stall and just wait till Nissan has the Frontier on the lots also. Given once all the major players have their new midsized rigs on the lots the dealer games being played regarding availability and pricing etc will change its tune. I know that the new Automatics are pretty good and do offer advanced off road ability etc but for some damn reason I really miss rowing gears and would be seriously interested in one with a manual. Perhaps its sorta a mid life crisis wanting that Toyota 4x4 MT pickup of my dreams as a kid? Were selling our last MT car right now and I'm really going to miss the basics of being able to grab the old MT car and row my own gears. I don't plan on doing any rock crawling or trail bashing so the MT would be OK for my interests, the simplicity would be nice too.

 

[Blind_Io]

I have an MT, while it is fun at times, when things get really hairy on the trail an automatic would be nice to have. There are advantages to both, most of the time I like the direct link between my right foot and the wheels. However, suddenly hitting really soft sand while in a high gear sucks; you can only put your foot down and hope you have the power and momentum to get through it in the gear you're in. At times I like the precise throttle control because an automatic feels "mushy" by comparison, but once you get slow enough that you are having to move a wheel by inches, an MT is riding the clutch like crazy. It smells just like burning brakes, only more expensive.

Really, it comes down to preference and situation. There are times I really would like to just stick it in "D" and drive so I can look out the windows or take a drink of water without having to worry about it so much. Other times I wouldn't give up my MT for all the automatic gearboxes the world could offer.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Manual transmissions are as dead as the dodo, so if a platform doesn't have a stick shift now, don't expect it to in the future. Manual transmissions are going to fade away, most likely when vehicles undergo a "generation change" they will just drop the MT option altogether (which I'm pretty sure Chevy did when they resurrected the Colorado.)
.
The whole point of computerizing vehicle controls is to take the human element out of the decision making process as much as possible, so in that kind of a system, having a critical part that depends on direct intervention by a human makes no sense.
.
I know, it sucks, I always liked the feel of shifting gears, it made me feel like I was actively engaged with the driving process. My DD is a 5 speed Mazda B2300 (AKA Ford Ranger) and I do enjoy rowing my way to work.
.
The good news if you're an MT lover is that motorcycles at least seem to be resisting the urge to go auto. There are a few automatic motorcycles out there but I don't know anybody who rides one and I haven't heard anything more than mediocre reviews.

 

[calicamper]

Manual transmissions are as dead as the dodo, so if a platform doesn't have a stick shift now, don't expect it to in the future. Manual transmissions are going to fade away, most likely when vehicles undergo a "generation change" they will just drop the MT option altogether (which I'm pretty sure Chevy did when they resurrected the Colorado.)
.
The whole point of computerizing vehicle controls is to take the human element out of the decision making process as much as possible, so in that kind of a system, having a critical part that depends on direct intervention by a human makes no sense.
.
I know, it sucks, I always liked the feel of shifting gears, it made me feel like I was actively engaged with the driving process. My DD is a 5 speed Mazda B2300 (AKA Ford Ranger) and I do enjoy rowing my way to work.
.
The good news if you're an MT lover is that motorcycles at least seem to be resisting the urge to go auto. There are a few automatic motorcycles out there but I don't know anybody who rides one and I haven't heard anything more than mediocre reviews.

Funny enough my commuter bike was an auto 65,000 miles on it. For a city bike and commuter the auto feature was nice I could just focus on riding the crap out of it vs having to manage clutch and gear choice etc. All my cars up till my recent collection have all been Manuals. The LC being my first non Manual then the Sequoia and current Subaru. However we wanted a manual Subaru but the throttle by wire system had a really poor throttle response lugging an empty car hard on a hill our prior subaru drive by cable would snap to and just go only lugging hard with a 1800lb boat behind it. So we nixed the MT in the subaru and got the CVT which is LIGHT YEARS better than the 4spd Autotragic it replaced.

 

[Blind_Io]

I'm not sure that the MT will ever completely go away, especially in mid- to low-range enthusiast cars. Exotics have already switched to double-clutch systems to get the most performance out of their cars, but smaller enthusiast cars like the 370Z, MX-5, Corvette, and probably a few others, will resist the transition to double-clutch systems. The real threat to the manual is the EPA, as cars are forced to use hybrid or other non-traditional drive trains, the manual transmission just physically won't with many of those systems. You can't shift gears if you have electric motors connected directly to the wheels.

You're right, though, the MT is an endangered species and the future is not looking bright.

 

[Bikemobile]

I had a 5 speed manual S10 ZR2. Loved that truck. The new colorado is on my radar but I'll probably skip the diesel for reliability and maintenance reasons. I hope the 6 speed auto with the 3.6 has an auto stick feature to run it up and down through the gears.

 

[Blind_Io]

The last diesel I had experience with was a W123 Mercedes Benz. I know that new diesels have filters or catalysts that need maintenance, but other than that are there any known issues with this engine system? How about reliability? I thought modern diesels were fairly reliable machines, for the most part.