Chevrolet has earned a reputation for creating stellar pickup trucks. When one thinks of a trailblazing pickup truck, the Silverado and Colorado may come to mind. While these cars are commendable, Chevy fans shouldn't overlook the S10 Extreme. Sure, it was more compact. But the car had impressive qualities and was well-suited for the younger generation.

The Chevy S10 Extreme was just one car that was part of the automaker's "S" series. The truck enjoyed popularity because of its modest price and sufficient engine. While it was smaller than most standard trucks, the S10 Extreme could satisfy each driver's needs.

We're examining this car's history, all of its achievements, and its impact.

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Why the S10 Extreme Was Manufactured

A red Chevy S10 Extreme truck stands parked on grass.
Via: 2040-cars.com

The Chevy "S" series traced its origins back to the second half of the twentieth century. The first S10 was launched in 1982. Drivers could choose between a four-cylinder engine or a six-cylinder engine. The six-cylinder option was more successful, as it had greater horsepower. As the years progressed, Chevy released a V6 engine. The improved engine, suspension, and tires made the S10 an intimidating vehicle when it came to driving on difficult terrain. Water, mud, and snow were no match for the S10.

It was evident that the S10 had superior performance after several revisions, and 1998 meant that this car received additional revisions to its interior.

1999 was the year that the good old S10 Extreme was presented to the public, and it was smaller than the average truck. Its affordable price was enticing, as the price hovered around $15,000.

The not-too imposing appearance and low price made this car perfect for teenagers who were just starting out to drive and for young people who were looking to make their first major purchase. As the twentieth century came to a close, along with the historical events associated with it, Chevy was looking to catch the attention of youth fascinated with cars. AutoTrader mentioned in an April 2017 article that, "These trucks gained quite the reputation for being souped-up. The youths of the late nineties, unburdened by the worries of the now ancient Cold War and blissfully unaware of the struggles of the early 21st century just around the corner, started modifying them with big turbos and superchargers. This led to the S10 Extreme being a fairly regular staple at the drag strip."

Its Exterior Appearance

A white Chevy S10 Extreme truck stands parked.
Via: Six Performance

One of the biggest differences between the S10 Extreme and current trunks was that the Chevy car was extremely low to the ground. This low height was attributed to the ZQ8 suspension, a distinct type of suspension that was installed into S10 trucks and GMC Sonoma (It's now present in the Colorado). Chevy's objective was to attract the 18-24-year-old crowd, and this suspension was just one of the many ways they succeeded: A lowered truck was seen as a dependable car for those who were new to the car world.

The ZQ8 suspension also came with sway bars, a crucial component of this car. When the S10 Extreme started to turn, the sway bars were responsible for projecting exertion on the left and right sides of the suspension. The sway bars were fastened to the wheels and reacted to two major external circumstances: the wheels growing when there was a bump on the road and when the wheels sinking after an extremely sharp turn.

The car further had 16-inch wheels and a monochrome grill.

Its Capabilities

A blue Chevy S10 Extreme truck stands parked on a road.
Via: Motor1

This four-wheel-drive car could be equipped with a 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine. However, buyers can also choose to have a 4.3-liter V6 engine that generated 100 horsepower and 245 lb-ft of torque. This choice certainly meant that the S10 Extreme made no apologies when it hit the road.

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Its Legacy and Aftermath

A white Chevy S10 Extreme truck stands parked on a road.
Via: Motor1

2004 was the last year of S10 Extreme production. The Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon were substituted for the S10 trucks and GMC S-15 Sonoma. This marked a defining moment in Chevy history, as the automaker wasn't focused on creating compact trucks and was now experimenting with more mid-sized cars.

The S10 Extreme seemed to have faded from memory and an August 2019 GM Authority mentioned nostalgia when they wrote, "Interestingly, the Chevrolet S10 Extreme has largely fallen into obscurity, and remaining examples did not seem to command any notable price premiums over standard S10 units. However, we suspect that some amounts of nostalgia, perhaps from our former high school parking lot goons, will eventually give these trucks something of a bump in prestige and prices. Who knows, maybe the S10 Extreme will one day be considered alongside the 454 SS as the cool retro-sport truck to have."

Everything about the Colorado was bigger: its wheelbase, length, height, and width. This S10 Extreme replacement received stellar reviews, and the Colorado was named Motor Trend's 2015 Truck of the Year. Still, the S10 Extreme had an endearing reputation among the younger crowd: It was the ideal car for those who weren't interested in a heavy-duty truck just yet and simply wanted to test out the performance of a lesser-known car.

Altogether, some people may have overlooked the qualities of the S10 Extreme. But this truck proved that small cars aren't linked to reliability issues or poor performance. It was all a matter of perspective: While you can't compare the S10 Extreme to a modern truck like the Dodge Ram or Toyota Tundra, the S10 Extreme was a momentous car for its time because it was marketed for younger people and showed new owners that buying a car wasn't intimidating.

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