Truck fleets that need an upfit pickup option — but in a smaller package — will be able to find it in the Chevrolet Colorado.

The automaker’s Work Truck Colorado package with box- and seat-delete options is designed specifically for maximum upfit options, according to Mike Jones, product manager for mid-pickups at General Motors.

Designing for Customization

The Colorado with box and seat delete isn’t simply a standard truck with these items removed.

The truck’s eight body mount provisions (four on each side) are level, making the addition of a box or flatbed less cumbersome, according to Jones.

The Colorado with box delete comes with a standard fuel filler position. It is also available with an optional service body fuel filler, which is shipped loose in the cab for upfitter installation. Jones noted that this will aid upfitters, since the filler can be placed in a position that makes the most sense for the upfit, avoiding a less-than-ideal solution with a fixed filler position.

“The Colorado was developed with the upfitter industry in mind,” Jones said. “Input from body manufacturers and fleet owners helped us make the most of the optional fuel filler mounting location to suit their unique needs.”

The automaker has been working with a number of upfitters in developing solutions.

The box delete package — regular production option (RPO) order code ZW9 — is available on Colorado Work Truck 2WD extended cab models and is offered with the 305-hp 3.6L V-6 engine with 6-speed automatic transmission only. When the box delete option is chosen, fleets will receive a $300 credit to the Colorado’s suggested retail price.

Additional vehicle and package highlights include:

• A 2,200-pound payload rating

• A 6,001-pound GVWR

• Installation of temporary tail lamps on the rear of the frame

• Deletion of rear bumper

• Inclusion of full-size spare tire

• Z82 trailering package

• G80 locking differential

In addition to the box delete, fleets also will have the option to remove the rear seat for greater cargo capacity.

This option is available whether the box is kept or removed. Fleets who opt for the seat delete will receive approximately $240 off the retail price.

Fitting the 3-Truck Strategy

The Colorado Work Truck with box delete is a further enhancement of the automaker’s three-truck strategy, according to Ed Peper, U.S. vice president, fleet and commercial sales at GM.

“Adding the box delete to the Colorado was an incredible decision. It’s all about customization and this makes the Colorado a very attractive vehicle for fleets,” he said. “With the Colorado, our three-truck strategy is really playing out.”

Providing Full Performance

While the Colorado is smaller than its full-size sibling, the Silverado 1500, it has much in common with it as well.

The Colorado has a fully boxed perimeter frame, which provides the strength to support its capabilities and was engineered to provide a confident, smooth, and quiet ride, according to the automaker.

A coil-over-type front suspension features aluminum knuckles that are low in mass and high in strength, contributing to a more responsive feel and efficiency. The Colorado also features energy-saving electric power steering.

Four-wheel disc brakes, with four-piston front calipers, are standard and feature Duralife brake rotors — first equipped on the Silverado — that can offer up to double the service life and save money on maintenance, according to the automaker.

The V-6-powered Colorado 2WD (with box) has an EPA-rated fuel economy of 18 mpg city/26 mpg highway.