A “desert-ready” custom Silverado ZR2 equipped with Goodyear Wrangler MT/R tires and BBS RD wheels is heating up Chevrolet’s collection of concepts at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas.

“At a glance, its clear the Silverado ZR2 concept wasn’t designed to haul flowers back from the nursery,” says Brent Dewar, the OEM’s global brand vice president. “With its widened body, tall stance and powerful LS supercharged engine, it is ready to hit the berms, dry washes and gullies of the Baja Peninsula.”

The combination of 20-inch wheels – reminiscent of the historic Chevy truck wheel – and the 35-inch-tall off-road Wranglers connect to the chassis via BDS shocks and a four-inch lift kit “to help negotiate those desert trails.” The new front fascia dramatically improves approach angle and skid plates protect the chassis.

Based on an extended cab/short box body, custom bodywork includes carbon fiber fender flares that stretch outward to cover the off-road tires and widened stance. Much of the truck’s body is made of carbon fiber, including the front fenders, extractor-style hood, rocker extensions and tailgate, which boasts large debossed CHEVROLET lettering “as a nod to Chevy trucks of the past.”

The pickup box, which is protected with a spray-on liner, has a locking storage system mounted to the extruded aluminum Cargo Management System rails from Chevy Accessories.

“Many of the carbon fiber parts, including the hood, are clear-coated, rather than painted, to show off the intricate weave pattern of the high-tech, lightweight material. The parts that aren’t clear carbon fiber are painted Dune Metallic, a color that blends with the desert terrain,” according to Dewar.

“A large, more prominent grille is also part of the package and is a vision of what designers would like to see in a production or accessory part. It is very functional, feeding cool air to the 550-horsepower LS supercharged crate engine from GM Performance Parts,” he explains.

“The interior features more carbon fiber details on the dash, along with black leather and suede-trimmed seats with contrasting stitching to make those trail runs more comfortable,” says Dewar.

“There’s more to this concept than meets the eye,” he continues. “Some of the components are being explored for possible inclusion in upcoming models.”

Dewar is particularly pleased with the amount of tricked out Camaros he’s been seeing along SEMA’s aisles.

“During the annual SEMA Convention, the popularity of a new car can be easily judged by the number of ‘tuner’ versions used by various companies to showcase their latest products – and the Camaro is our runaway hit this year, with countless examples displaying everything from mild styling accessories to wild performance modifications,” he notes.

“We’re thrilled by all the creative ideas, but especially proud of the cars we developed in-house. They represent modern interpretations of the Camaro that could easily be created by owners using the accessories offered by Chevrolet.”

For more information, visit www.goodyear.com, www.bbs-usa.com and www.gm.com.