[Auto] Meet the new Defense ISV designed by General Motors for the US Army.

[FNX Magokiler]

The manufacturer has already delivered the first units of this versatile and lightweight combat off-road that is derived from the civilian Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison model.

In 2019, the manufacturer General Motors won the competition called by the United States Army to develop a new light troop transport vehicle. The prototype presented was the GM Defense ISV, an off-road vehicle derived from the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison civilian model, which stands out for its incredible off-road capabilities. The first units are already in the hands of the US military and as reported it has stood out among its peers for its high performance, since it not only allows the transport of 9 people, but also faces complex terrain that would be impossible for any other conventional 4x4.

Although there are not too many specific details about the model, indicates the site Motor.es, a series of videos with images of the GM Defense prototypes and now the first videos of the official model have been revealed. In the latter, not only is the final design of the military vehicle shown, but it also flaunts its enormous off-road capabilities.

Although it may not seem so at first glance, the Defense ISV inherits much of its frame configuration from the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison, including the high-performance DSSV Multimatic shocks, or its 2.8-liter, 189-hp Duramax diesel mechanics. In fact, General Motors indicated that the military vehicle shares 70% of its elements with the mid-size civilian truck, including its 6-speed automatic transmission.

 

 

Regarding its size, GM had to accommodate it to the indications required by the United States Army and which mainly aimed to have a capacity for nine people, fit in a CH-47 Chinook helicopter for rapid deployment and have a reduced weight to be transported by a UH-60 Blackhawk. Hence, the model presented has almost no bodywork, which allows it to considerably reduce its weight. Furthermore, this facilitates access to different configuration possibilities, as it can be used as a vehicle for transporting personnel, supplies or even rescue.

According to the Motor.es site, the production of these copies reaches 649 units that will be delivered in a period of eight years for which exclusive facilities for vehicles are being built in Michigan and North Carolina. For now, the first specimens were assembled in makeshift facilities at GM's Milford test complex.