NEW HOLDEN COLORADO ROX

Holden New Zealand has taken a no-holds-barred approach to this ambitious, one-off Colorado concept. Built in conjunction with Auckland-based customiser Retro Vehicle Enhancement, the high-rise super-truck will spark the imagination of utility buyers as it showcases the potential of Holden’s hard-working Colorado range.
After making an emphatic statement at the annual Fieldays event, where the home-grown behemoth upstaged all other road-going 4x4s, the Colorado ROX began a lengthy nationwide tour on which it will haul its own fully-laden event trailer and show off its 3500kg towing capability.
Restricted by a 10-week timeframe for the build, RVE engaged various suppliers in Asia, Europe and North America but fabricated the majority of aftermarket components from scratch, which meant extensive one-off CAD engineering. A bespoke carbon-fibre high-rise bonnet and a hand-crafted steel bumper dominate up front, while an extended roof bar incorporates retractable lights and a roof basket. A rear deck cargo system combines with a 500mm tray extender.
But it was accommodating 35-inch mud terrain tyres – a prerequisite demanded by local Holden MD, Marc Ebolo – that posed the biggest design challenge. The special Blackbear rubber is housed within custom monster flares while a 150mm suspension and body lift increases ground clearance to such an extent that ‘Rock Sliders’ with removable drop steps are employed to help passengers climb up and into hand-made leather sports seats.