Chevy made a bold move creating the fresh-look Colorado pickup, and now it's pushing the midsize truck's design to the "Xtreme".

The new-for-'05 Xtreme Appearance package, which adds $2,500 to the price tag, is available to give an edge to two-wheel-drive versions of Regular, Extended Cab and Crew Cab Colorados. The test-truck, a Crew Cab model base priced at $25,250, ups visual punch even further with a $250 Xtreme Stripe Package, $695 power sliding sunroof, and a $1,495 package offering the luxury and convenience of leather-covered seats with heating and power adjustments.

Colorado's Xtreme exterior effect comes in a choice of four colors, strategically chosen to add maximum visual exterior pop. The test-truck is painted in a vivid yellow, and other choices include black, white and Victory Red.

Front and rear bumpers are body-colored, and the exterior is pumped up with wheel flares and side ground effects. Contrasting with the monochromatic paint theme are black accents -- side mirrors, door handles, tailgate handle, rear bumper pads, and mesh filling the grille and lower air-dam cutouts.

The aforementioned stripe graphics also are black. The effect isn't boy-racer wild, but has enough flare to push distinctiveness to a higher level. These graphics bring to mind those made famous on the Boss Shinoda Mustangs of the 1990s. While the execution is considerably different, the basic concept of a series of wide parallelogram stripes, graduating in pattern size -- and density in the Colorado's case -- is similar. These graphics adhere to the lower portions of the front doors and the sides of the hood, where it slants upward to meet the fenders.

Also delivering the message that the Xtreme is no ordinary Colorado are ``XTREME'' badges -- with the "X" in red and the rest in chrome -- on the lower portions of the front doors.

Wheels and tires are big contributors to the Colorado Xtreme's appearance. Its wheel wells are filled with big 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with a designer-style split-spoke pattern. Tires are high-performance, low-profile P235/50ZR-18s.

These wheels ride on a ZQ8 sport suspension, tuned to match the wheels. It's lowered 1.6 inches to create both a menacing effect and enhance the Xtreme's pavement-hugging capability. ZQ8 upgrades include high-pressure, gas-charged Bilstein shocks; sport-ratio coil springs; front and rear stabilizer bars; and quicker-ratio steering. General Motors engineers benchmarked the suspension on a racetrack against several rear-drive high-performance cars. While the ZQ8's suspension is stiff enough to boost handling efficiency, surprisingly it doesn't produce a harsh ride.

Another part of the performance story is power -- the same top-line 3.5-liter inline five-cylinder engine offered in other Colorados. Its availability is limited in the Chevy lineup to Colorado models, but is spawned by the 4.2-liter straight six powering the Chevy TrailBlazer. In essence, engineers chopped off a cylinder to create the engine that generates 220 horsepower and 225 lbs.-ft. of torque.

This output is competitive in the compact-pickup market. Compared to the Chevy S-10's long-lived 4.3-liter V-6, Colorado's five-cylinder tops it by 30 horsepower, but comes up short by 25 lbs.-ft. of torque. However, a GM spokesman said it delivers its torque at a broader, more usable range than the 4.3-liter.

Interestingly, the four-speed automatic, vs. the typically standard five-speed manual, is the sole transmission offering.The driver taps into five-cylinder power inside a cab with a clean, straightforward design. Its instrument panel has simple controls, featuring a trio of big, easy-to-manipulate AC/heat knobs.

There also are Xtreme elements -- an "XTREME" badge attached to the glovebox door, and white-faced, chrome-ringed speedometer and tachometer. "XTREME" also is imprinted on the tachometer.

While Chevy's Xtreme version is created to appeal to those whose priority likely isn't work-truck functionality, it does have its practical side. This Colorado can comfortably haul five adults, has a 4,000-pound trailer-towing capability, and is fitted with a 5-foot-1-inch-long bed that can haul 1,489 pounds.

And another plus, which most youthful Xtreme buyers aren't likely to think about when it comes to the lowered ZQ8 performance suspension, is the low 16.5-inch step-in height it creates.

(Tim Spell is the automotive writer for the Houston Chronicle's Cars & Trucks section.)

Copyright Copyright © 2009 Auto Writers, Inc., Motor Matters.