Holden Colorado Z71 Xtreme unveiled

Holden has unveiled its answer to the Toyota HiLux Rugged X and, to a lesser degree, the Ford Ranger Raptor.

The Colorado Z71 XTreme lands in Holden showrooms from October, its origins tracing back to the Colorado Xtreme concept vehicle back in 2016.

The Colorado Z71 Xtreme is priced from $69,990 drive away, a circa $10,000 premium on the regular Z71 on which it is based. Holden says the limited-edition model boasts over $19,000 in genuine accessories over the Z71, with the modifications having been designed and assembled by the car-maker’s Port Melbourne-based design team.

Changes extend to what Holden claims is a “best-in-class” winch system and heavy-duty bash plate, an LED light bar, vehicle recovery hooks, towing package, roof tray kit, rear steel step, fender flares, black tubular side steps, black grille, tonneau cover, bonnet bulge and extended rear sports bar.

The Z71 Extreme wears off-road ready 18-inch Goodyear All Terrain rubber.

Unlike HSV’s Sportscat, priced from $68,990 (plus on-road costs), the Colorado undergoes no significant change to its braking system or suspension. However, the car’s front suspension has been tweaked to deal with the additional weight over the nose.

The Xtreme’s 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engine is likewise unchanged from standard, offering carry-over 147kW/500Nm outputs and correlating with a 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity.

“The Colorado Xtreme was a concept car that resonated with our customers, and to not only put it into production, but elevate it, is very exciting,” said Holden’s marketing Manager, Andre Scott.

“As a base vehicle, Colorado Z71 is already very capable, so we’ve expanded our Genuine Accessories range for additional off-road capability. Cue the Holden Winch system, the Xtreme’s hero accessory, which is a game-changer.

“Backed up with a long list of accessories, customers can have confidence that their ute will not only look rugged but will be able to perform in the harshest of environments,” he added.

The Colorado Z71 Xtreme touches down from October 1. It is expected some of the limited-edition model’s accessories will be available to other Colorado buyers.