Unless you have been living under a rock, or are otherwise uninterested in the automotive industry, chances are you have heard of the international SEMA Show that takes place in Las Vegas every November. Each and every year, big and small car brands come together, to present their newest and most unique concepts to the world. SEMA, or the Specialty Equipment Market Association, showcases the brilliance that ensues when automotive manufacturers and after-market product companies combine their talents for our benefit. Chevrolet has been hard at work this past year, and while they won’t be displaying any dump trucks in Vegas this week, they certainly are showing off some impressive heavy-duty trucks.
Not Your Grandma’s Pickup
The Chevy Colorado might be small in size, but it certainly makes up for this minor stumbling block with a big heart. After resuscitating its compact truck back in 2012, Chevrolet has been working hard to prove that small size does not equal minimal performance. The bowtie brand has unveiled its newest Colorado concept ahead of the start of the SEMA Show, and it certainly has us intrigued.
Dubbed the Chevrolet Colorado Z71 Hurley Concept, this compact pickup truck is not one you will find parked in your Grandma’s carport. In fact, it might not even be the truck spotted on rugged job sites, driven by bearded men in flannel. As polar opposite from its original namesake as it can possibly be, the Colorado Hurley Concept is unlike anything ever created by the Chevy brand.
Designed to appeal to the hippies, beach bums, and free spirits roaming the coastal cities of the United States, this Colorado concept is attempting to hang ten, and fill a niche that we aren’t sure even exists – featuring a custom surfboard rack complete with storage compartments for all of your surf-necessities, and a bed-mounted Thule rack, the perfect spot to dry your wetsuit.
We have to admit, the Colorado Hurley truck looks pretty awesome, but we are skeptical whether it will appeal to its intended demographic. In our estimation, the chill surfer dude isn’t concerned about whether his truck has a designated drying rack for his wetsuit, or a cupholder for his Swell water bottle. The interior is designed to stand up against wet board shorts and sandy-sediments that are guaranteed to make their way inside of every nook and cranny. The quick-drying fabric is a great touch, but with the Thule drying rack, it might be convenience over-load for the otherwise go-with-the-flow surfer personality.
Will it Make It? Only Time Will Tell
Just as it is with any collaboration for a concept vehicle, it will ultimately be up to the public to determine whether or not Chevy will move forward and offer the Colorado Hurley pickup for public sale. For now, the only version of this interestingly-yet arguably unnecessary Colorado sits inside of the Las Vegas Convention Center in Nevada.
We will be waiting in the wings to see whether Chevy will sell this truck, dump it, or tweak it to better suit the needs of the surfer community.
