Every year, SEMA showcases the wildest builds and concepts from automakers like Chevrolet and Ford, and aftermarket modifications companies, alike. Some of these vehicles can be very loopy and often remain as one-off concepts. But there are plenty of others that are well-thought of and can be tapped for long-term use, even if they serve a niche market.
For example, Chevy debuted the Beast at SEMA 2021, a pure off-roader that not just looks wild but has plenty of gumption and pizzaz as well. But the Beast was hardly the only SEMA concept from Chevrolet. Chevy had a whole host of Overlanding and Blackout concepts as well as some cruising ones too. Of course, over the years, Chevrolet has upped its SEMA game and has been making some pretty cool concepts.
And in the past few years, Overlanding has caught up, and in case you didn’t know what it was – remember that it's an adventure trip, in a comfortable off-roading vehicle that can help you camp under the stars.
For 2021, here go the coolest of the lot that Chevrolet displayed at SEMA.
Chevrolet Tahoe Z71 Overlanding Concept
The Tahoe is quite a popular SUV already, but when you turn it into an Overlanding concept, it’s both breathtaking and powerful. The Chevy Tahoe Z71 Overlanding Concept looks formidable, even though it was not blacked out. Riding on air suspension with 18-inch beadlock wheels wrapped in 33-inch tires, the Tahoe carries a tent on its rooftop for the perfect overnight camp stays. And it comes with an off-road recovery kit as well.
The 80-inch premium rooftop tent is by Freespirit Recreation, and large enough to sleep 3-5 people. It's high enough above the ground so you can sleep in peace minus the worry of any creepy-crawlies or critters.
The engine is the same GM 5.3-liter L84 V8 that makes 355 horses and 383 lb-ft of torque. But it has been tweaked to breathe out from a cat-back exhaust with Chrome tips by Borla. So there are little changes done to the Tahoe to make it more adept to a life of adventure and off-roading than being a city slicker.
Chevrolet Colorado Z71 Edition Concept
Here’s the Colorado Z71. Frankly, equipped with the Trail Boss off-road package, it needs no more upgrades because this truck can ride high and smooth over obstacles with enough power to spare. Chevy also wanted to showcase the Colorado Z71 in its stock form so other than a topper and a roof-top tent, what you see is all the Colorado Z71. And in no way is it any less capable than any other off-roader you may see or experience the great outdoors in.
The Colorado Z71 has always been a crowd-puller, and whatever faults Colorado may have don’t travel to the Z71 edition, so it makes sense for Chevy to showcase an Overlanding concept for the same.
Chevrolet Suburban Street Concept
While this is not an Overlanding concept considering it comes minus the tent, it's still a pretty cool concept with plenty of road presence. The air suspension lowers the riding height of this SUV and yet keeps all its ability to smooth over bad roads. But this is a street concept, and something meant to look capable and mean on the tarmac, so it wears low-profile tires on 24-inch custom wheels. There are upgraded brakes, of course, and there is a cartload of black everywhere with a custom grille, badges, a matte decal on the hood, and black mirror caps.
Frankly, if we see this one barrelling down on us in the rearview mirror, we’d only be too happy to move out of the way. If only to ogle it from behind.
Chevrolet Silverado High Country Midnight Concept
Loved the blacked-out look of the street concept but don’t want a street-focuses racer of an SUV? And don’t want the Suburban, at all? Well, how about a Silverado then? It has the blackout treatment again and when we say blacked-out treatment, we mean to say that everything about this pickup is black. The 20-inch wheels, the badges the grille, the exhaust tips, bumpers, mirrors, etc. Everything is black, save for some touches of chrome, as an outline for Chevy's bow tie.
Again, remember this is a Silverado at heart, so perfect all the adventure that is in your soul, be it on roads or off-road.
Chevy’s SEMA offering was fun this year, nothing too outlandish. The concepts seem well thought off and perfect for the pandemic world of today, where it's safer to take your car and travel the outdoors instead of booking tickets on airplanes, only to have them canceled on you later.
And the Chevy Concept SUVs and trucks of SEMA are pretty doable, hailing the same kind of power you expect from stock versions of the same, but carrying some special elements that can endear them to you, especially when you pitch under the stars. Or go racing down the tarmac.
Sources: SEMA.org, Chevrolet