Holden Previews Tough New 2012 Colorado

SYDNEY – Feb 17, 2012: First details of the tough, new-generation 2012 Holden Colorado have been released today ahead of its much-anticipated Australian launch mid-year.

Holden’s 2012 Colorado mini-site will go live today, coinciding with the arrival of a number of pre-production vehicles for local engineering evaluation and promotional activities to be held at Holden dealerships around Australia.

The 2012 Holden Colorado range will offer customers three body styles – single cab, space cab and crew cab – and offer two all-new 2.5-litre and 2.8-litre DOHC in-line 4-cylinder turbo diesel engines.

Both engines are tuned to deliver peak torque low in the rev range for maximum driveability and cargo carrying capability, while the 2.8-litre engine – when paired with the optional six-speed automatic transmission – produces 10 per cent more power and 40 per cent more torque than the outgoing 3.0-litre diesel powertrain it replaces.

The new Colorado will boast a class-leading 3.5-tonne towing capacity across the 2.8-litre turbo diesel range and an impressive 3.0-tonne towing capacity on all 2.5-litre variants.

An extensive list of safety features will be standard across the range, including driver and front passenger airbags, side curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brake force Distribution and Electronic Stability Control.

Colorado will also be equipped with lifestyle and comfort features including Bluetooth® connectivity, air-conditioning, power windows, auxiliary plug and USB port, two auxiliary power outlets and iPod® compatible audio system.

Holden Executive Director Sales, Marketing and Aftersales, John Elsworth said the company had been working hard to finalise the local range ahead of the Colorado’s official launch since the show car was revealed at the Australian International Motor Show in Melbourne last July.

“The new Colorado is a new era for Holden LCVs and will play a vital role in our product renaissance. We’re so excited about its performance as a tough, daily workhorse and active recreational vehicle that we wanted to preview the range as soon as possible,” Mr Elsworth said.

“This is the most impressive light truck ever designed by General Motors, and we expect it to be a serious challenger in the competitive Australian light commercial market.

“Our diesel-only powertrain strategy means we’ll offer two very competitive, responsive engines that boast impressive towing capacity of up to 3.5-tonne, which we know our customers will love.

“A number of new Colorados are already out on the road gathering important data on engine and transmission performance, drive quality and suspension tune. This evaluation work will continue for the next few months to make sure it is perfectly suited for Australian roads and conditions.”

“And in the meantime customers will have the chance to inspect the new range at Holden dealerships from April, with a number of Colorados touring the country as part of our pre-launch roadshow.”

Holden is currently performing local development work on the new Colorado using a series of engineering tests, which includes a rigorous five-month real-world drive quality evaluation on Australian roads.

The Colorado workhorse will be put through its paces in a range of recreational activities typically experienced by light commercial vehicle customers, including four-wheel driving, towing, farming, camping and fishing.