General Motors is finally selling a midsize truck that competes with the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco. Literally “a” truck.
The automaker’s GM Defense division has been building an Infantry Squad Vehicle for the U.S. Army since 2020 that’s based on the last-generation Chevrolet Colorado ZR2.
The M1301 retains the ZR2’s high performance off-road suspension, including the Multimatic DSSV dampers, and is powered by a 186 hp 2.8-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder.
The body has been replaced by an open roll cage with attachment points for equipment and arms, and the vehicle can be configured to carry up to nine passengers.
It weighs about 5,000 pounds and has a 3,200-pound payload rating. It’s also designed to be slung from a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter or carried inside a CH-47 Chinook for rapid deployment.
GM Defense builds it in partnership with Hendrick Motorsports at a facility in Mooresville, North Carolina. Unfortunately for off-road fans, despite the fact that it uses 90% off-the-shelf parts, GM Defense doesn’t offer a version for retail sale. At least until now.
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To help celebrate the USA’s 250th Anniversary, GM Defense is auctioning a brand-new ISV for charity at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Palm Beach on April 18. The entire hammer price paid will be donated to the Medal of Honor Foundation. This will be the first ISV ever sold to the public.
“Partnering with the Medal of Honor Foundation to offer this ISV-U[tility] at Barrett-Jackson is a powerful way to connect our mission-focused technology with a cause that honors the very best of American service,” GM Defense president Steve duMont said.
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“This vehicle was designed to help soldiers accomplish their missions in the toughest conditions, and we’re proud that its first public sale will directly support the Foundation’s work to care for Recipients, preserve their stories and inspire future generations with the values embodied in the Medal of Honor.”
The vehicle has been customized with graphics commemorating the anniversary, the Medal of Honor foundation and names of the Army divisions that ISVs are deployed with. However, it is being sold as na ot street legal vehicle, so Jeep and Ford don’t have anything to worry about … yet.
