Although the Chevy Colorado has had some issues in the past, the latest model is perhaps the best mid-size truck on the market. And, if you’re looking to go off-roading, the Chevy Colorado ZR2 and ZR2 Bison out-perform the Jeep Gladiator in a few areas. However, the truck can be somewhat low on power for some. Tuners like Edelbrock and Lingenfelter have both created tuning kits for the Colorado ZR2. But now, Lingenfelter has taken things a step further, with a supercharged Corvette engine-swap.

The Lingenfelter-supercharged, Corvette-engine Chevy Colorado ZR2

Up until this point, Lingenfelter had only supercharged the Colorado ZR2’s base 3.6-liter V6, which it shares with the Blazer crossover. However, the tuner also has experience with other GM products, including Corvettes. So, as The Drive reports, one of Lingenfelter’s clients decided to bring both areas of expertise together.

Removing the V6, Lingenfelter installed the 6.2-liter supercharged V8 from the outgoing Corvette Z06, Autoblog reports. Then, the tuner added its supercharger pulley kit. On top of the pulley, this also comes with a new air filter, spark plugs, and a custom ECU tune. The result is a Chevy Colorado ZR2 with 720 hp at the crank.

The power increase was significant enough that the truck’s stock 6-speed automatic couldn’t handle it. Instead, Lingenfelter had to install a recalibrated GM 8-speed automatic. Because of the Colorado ZR2’s four-wheel-drive system and large wheels and tires, there is some drivetrain power loss, Truck Trend reports. However, 534 hp and 526 lb-ft at the rear wheels are still very impressive.

And Lingenfelter’s supercharged Colorado ZR2 retains the stock truck’s other off-road gear. That includes front and rear electronic locking differentials, a 2” lift kit, Multimatic spool valve shocks, skid plates, and rock sliders.

Supercharged Chevy Colorado ZR2 vs. the competition

That much power under the hood puts the Lingenfelter-tuned Colorado ZR2 in a very interesting place. There really isn’t another mid-size truck with this level of power available. Hennessey did make a 1000-hp Jeep Gladiator, but that was a limited-edition. And SVE’s tuned Colorado isn’t a ZR2, and it only makes 455 hp.

All the other off-road-spec trucks are full-size models, which are harder to off-road, especially on tight trails. And in terms of raw power, the Corvette-engine Colorado ZR2 has many of them beat.

Even after the drivetrain loss, the ZR2 puts down more power than the Ford F-150 Raptor makes at the crank. PaxPower does offer an F-150 Raptor with a 758-hp supercharged V8, but that’s an F-150 converted into a Raptor using OEM parts. Even Shelby’s and Long McArthur Ford’s tuned F-150s don’t make as much power.

The Hennessey Goliath 700 and Ram Rebel TRX do come close to the Lingenfelter-tuned Colorado ZR2 in terms of power. However, the Colorado is both smaller and likely cheaper.

Pricing

Lingenfelter has not released official pricing for the engine-swapped supercharged Colorado ZR2. However, Autoblog estimates that, including the cost of the Corvette crate engine, a similar build would cost about $60,585. Meanwhile, a stock Colorado ZR2 starts at $41,400.

A stock Ford F-150 Raptor is about $7000 cheaper. However, tuned to 758 hp, a PaxPower Raptor would cost around $100,000. A Hennessey Goliath 700 would cost about $10,000 more than the Lingenfelter ZR2, and Long McArthur’s Shelby-style F-150 another $10,000 on top of that. Official pricing for the Ram Rebel TRX hasn’t been released yet, but estimates put it at around $50,000-$70,000.

From that perspective, the Lingenfelter-tuned Corvette-engine Chevy Colorado ZR2 looks like a bargain.

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