The Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison just got a wealthier sibling.
GMC has just pulled the cover off of its latest off-road creation in order to kick off Overland Expo North West: the all-new 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X AEV Edition. Like the other GM vehicles enhanced by the folks at American Expedition Vehicles, the new AT4X AEV Edition promises to be the most capable and off-road focused Sierra we’ve seen yet.
For those who are not familiar with American Expedition Vehicles, the company has been cranking out a variety of hardcore off-roaders since 1997. AEV is perhaps best known for stuffing V-8 engines into Wranglers long before the Rubicon 392 debuted, but the company is no stranger to General Motors products. AEV and GM co-developed the Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison, which is one of the better mid-sized off-roaders on sale right now. The two companies are also working together on the upcoming Silverado ZR2 Bison, which will likely mirror the new AT4X AEV Edition from GMC.
Like every GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X, the new AEV Edition truck starts life with a suite of significant enhancements over the standard model. Canadian engineering and race firm Multimatic supplies the truck with a set of its sublime DSSV Dampers, while electronically locking differentials are fitted to both axles. A two-speed transfer case brings a suite of unique driving modes, as well as features like one-pedal driving for the trails. A set of 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires are the sole option for the AT4X. The same is true of the truck’s 6.2-liter V-8 engine, which comes exclusively mated to a 10-speed automatic gearbox. The powertrain is good for a familiar 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. The standard AT4X package proved to be well-suited for trail duty and light rock crawling during my latest overlanding trip to Arizona, during which I drove a Sierra 1500 AT4X modified by Overland Expo.
The AT4X AEV Edition receives a few additional components that will be familiar to any AEV fan. Both of the Sierra’s bumpers are replaced by AEV stamped steel units, with the front unit configured for a winch should you wish to install one. Those bumpers help fix one of the AT4X’s weak points, improving approach angle by 27 percent (up to 32.5 degrees). Departure angle is also improved by 0.4 degrees, up to a total of 23.4 degrees. A breakover angle of breakover of 23.0 also marks a 0.3 degree improvement. The standard AT4X wheels are replaced by an 18-inch set of AEV-designed wheels, though the same 33-inch rubber is retained. The bumper and tire combo allow the AT4X AEV Edition to muster an improved 11.2 inches of ground clearance. A set of five hot-stamped skid plates protect the underbody of the truck, while optional off-road rocker panel protectors keep the sides safe. You can even order a set of removable side steps to connect to those rockers should you need a little lift into the cabin.
Speaking of the cabin, the GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X AEV Edition promises to have quite a nice interior. The truck will come equipped with the AT4X Obsidian Rush interior package, bringing a ton of luxury features like heated and cooled massaging seats trimmed in full grain leather, genuine Vanta ash trim, a 12-speaker Bose Premium Series audio system, and more than 40-inches worth of digital displays. The layout of the interior also closely mirrors the one found in GM’s T1-platform SUVs, which is a real improvement for the more luxurious GMC products.
General Motors has confirmed that we won’t see the GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X AEV Edition hit dealerships until later in the 2023 model year. The automaker also hasn’t shared pricing information related to the package yet, but don’t expect it to come cheap. For reference, the Bison package for the mid-sized Colorado ZR2 runs $5750. A bigger truck means bigger parts, and likely a higher price tag. That said, we’ll just have to wait until GM is ready to share more details with us all.
Keyword: The GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X AEV Edition Brings the Armor