Remember When Chevy Quietly Sold A V8 Colorado For A Limited Time?

Chevy’s current Colorado is one of the better midsize pickups out there, offering everything you need but missing the one thing you probably don’t really need but definitely want; a V8 engine. Rewind the clock back to 2009, though, and the Colorado did offer that meaty eight-cylinder engine.

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While that version was short-lived, only lasting a few years, you can still find a few lingering in the used market. In fact, two V8 Colorados just sold for over $17,000 in the past couple of months, proving there’s still some love for these trucky throwbacks.

The V8 That Almost Wasn’t

At first, the Colorado didn’t come with a V8 option. Chevrolet originally offered it with either a 2.9-liter inline-four or a 3.7-liter inline-five. But after GM decided to pull the plug on Hummer, it was left with a stockpile of 5.3-liter V8 engines with nowhere to go. Since the two trucks shared a chassis, it was a seamless fit.So, in a rare moment of engine overstock serendipity, GM decided to stuff these V8s into special editions of both the Colorado and the GMC Canyon.

Chevy offered the V8 as part of a limited edition 3LT package priced at $,3995. It was available in different configurations, including extended cab and crew cab options. The 5.3-liter V8 produced 300 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of peak torque, providing a healthy boost of 60 horsepower and 115 horsepower over the 5-cylinder and 4-cylinder models respectively.

The Chevy models were badged the 3LT and was offered as $3,995 package. They were sold in different configurations, including an extended cab and a crew cab. The 5.3-liter V8 produced 300 hp and 320-lb-ft of peak torque offering a healthy bump of 60 hpo and 115 hp over the 4-cylinder and 5-yclunder modesl.

The V8 was paired with GM’s Hydra-Matic 4L60 four-speed automatic transmission, with MotorTrend magazine clocking the 0-60 mph (97 km/h) sprint at a brisk 6.9 seconds, and the quarter mile in 15.2 seconds. For comparison, the 240-horsepower 5-cylinder model took 9.6 seconds to hit 60 mph and 16.7 seconds for the quarter mile.

Beyond the beefy V8, Chevy also equipped the limited-production Colorado with the ZQ8 suspension, which lowered the truck by an inch. This was part of the 3LT package, which also included six-spoke wheels with 235/50 tires, body-colored bumpers and grille, plus special seats.

Modified or Original? Both Have Their Appeal

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Last month, a 2011 model was sold on Bring a Trailer for $17,500, showing that there’s still plenty of demand for these special trucks. That’s hardly a surprise as GM is understood to have only produced a few thousand of them.

This particular 3LT had been modified with a new camshaft, upgraded cylinder head components, and long-tube exhaust headers. It also sits on lowered suspension, Monroe shocks, Calvert Racing traction bars, and includes a new limited-slip differential. The four-speed automatic transmission had also been built with a new clutch and shafts. It was sold with 96,000 miles on the clock.

Earlier this year, a lower-mileage, more original Colorado 3LT traded hands for $17,100. That truck was painted black with red pinstripes and was a rare extended-cab model, making it one of just 312 built between 2009 and 2012. The V8 engine of this model was mostly standard, but did include a cold air intake and an aftermarket catback exhaust.

While there are still several pickup trucks available with V8s in the US, including the recent return of the full-size Ram 1500 with a Hemi, there are no mid-size pickups with eight-cylinder engines. That’s a shame and perhaps explains why people are looking at bygone eras of pickups to get their V8 fix.

John Halas contributed to this story.

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