GM Puts $157 Million Into the Only Plant Building the Colorado ZR2

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What GM Announced Before the 2027 Chevy Colorado Launch

GM committed roughly $157 million to its Wentzville Assembly plant in Missouri on July 24, 2026. The timing lands right on top of the 2027 Chevy Colorado launch. Specifically, the money buys new paint processing equipment, an estimated 28,000-square-foot expansion, and a major refurbishment inside the existing paint shop. GM expects the work to run about 18 months.

Most coverage framed this as a jobs story. For a truck buyer, one fact matters more. The Missouri site is the only plant building the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon. Moreover, it builds the Chevy Express and GMC Savana vans on the same 3.7-million-square-foot campus, with more than 4,000 workers. Nothing about the ZR2 or the AT4X happens anywhere else.

Mike Trevorrow, GM’s senior vice president of global manufacturing, framed the spend as a long-term signal. Refurbishments of this size, he told the St. Louis Business Journal, go into plants likely to see some kind of extension. He also said the work is not expected to increase headcount. Therefore this is about capability rather than volume.

The Short Answer: Buy Now or Wait

Buy the 2026 if your dealer beats the $52,595 delivered price by a meaningful margin. The truck on the lot today has the hardware you want. Moreover, the production calendar reported by GM Authority points to a 2027 Chevy Colorado arriving as a carryover rather than a truck with new capability. Year-end incentives on outgoing stock usually beat launch-period pricing on a fresh model year.

Wait if you want the reported refresh. Should GM push the redesigned fascia, interior, and any TurboMax power bump to 2028, ordering a 2027 in October buys you a truck barely different from a 2026. One honest caveat cuts the other way, though: the paint work runs 18 months, so trucks built with the upgraded process are 2028 units. Anyone buying primarily for finish quality should wait.

On value, the ZR2 remains the strongest argument in the segment. Front and rear lockers, DSSV dampers, and a 3-inch lift for $13,800 less than a Tacoma TRD Pro are difficult to beat. Match the Toyota’s hardware with a ZR2 Bison, though, and the gap narrows to $2,100. The rest of this article lays out the evidence, starting with what the money buys.

Key Facts at a Glance

Detail	Figure
Investment	Approximately $157 million
Announced	July 24, 2026
Scope	Paint equipment, 28,000 sq ft expansion, paint shop refurbishment
Project length	About 18 months
Plant opened	1983, on 569 acres
Workforce	More than 4,000, with no new hiring
Vehicles built	Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon, Chevy Express, GMC Savana
Prior investment	$1 billion of a $1.5 billion GM program announced December 2019
GM 2026 US spend	Roughly $9 billion across manufacturing, plus more than $7 billion on R&D

Why a Paint Shop Matters to an Off-Roader

A paint shop sounds like a boring capital line item. For a truck living in mud, road salt, and pinstripes, however, the line item is the product. Paint quality decides how a rocker panel looks after three seasons of trail rash. Similarly, it decides whether a rock chip on the hood turns into a rust bloom by year five.

Owners hold strong opinions here. For example, the top reader comment under GM Authority’s own story reads, “Well overdue. The paint on the Colorado and Canyon is garbage.” Consequently, a paint process rebuild reads less like corporate housekeeping and more like a warranty-cost fix aimed at a known complaint.

New equipment plus a 28,000-square-foot expansion also buys process flexibility. More booth capacity means more colors and two-tone combinations without slowing the line. Notably, GM has pushed off-road appearance packages hard across the full-size lineup as well.

The Three-Day 2027 Changeover

Here is the detail with real buying consequences. GM Authority reports 2026 Colorado production ends Friday, October 16, 2026. Then 2027 production starts Monday, October 19, 2026. Count the days. As a result, the plant takes a weekend rather than a retooling shutdown.

Major sheet metal or platform changes typically need weeks of downtime for new dies, fixtures, and robot programming. In contrast, a three-day gap fits a carryover model year with trim and color shuffles. Therefore the evidence points toward a light 2027 and a heavier update later. Still, both dates come from GM Authority sources rather than GM, and the outlet flags them as tentative.

The ordering calendar matters equally. Preliminary dealer ordering opens August 6, 2026, per the same reporting. Next, first orders go in on September 17, 2026. Because those dates arrive within weeks, your cross-shopping window closes in late summer.

Is the 2027 Chevy Colorado Getting a Refresh?

GM has announced no changes for the 2027 truck. However, GM Authority reported in March 2026 a Chevy Colorado refresh is coming, then said plainly it is uncertain whether the update arrives for 2027 or 2028. Expected content includes a revised front fascia, new wheels, fresh colors, better interior materials, and a reworked center stack.

Separately, GM Authority reported powertrain work for the 2027 Silverado and Sierra. Its reporting centered on the full-size trucks, so any TurboMax gain in the midsize pair stays inference for now. Today the engine makes 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft. Since no official figure exists for an increase, treat leaked numbers with suspicion.

Read the three-day changeover alongside the uncertain Chevy Colorado refresh timing and a picture forms. A carryover 2027 with a 2028 update is the reading the production calendar supports. Still, GM Authority’s own caveat applies, because production dates remain tentative and change.

What the Money Changes for the ZR2 and Canyon AT4X

In hardware terms, nothing this fall. The paint investment touches finish quality on both trucks, not suspension, drivetrain, or geometry, and GM has announced no mechanical change for 2027. Specifically, the 2026 ZR2 runs 310 horsepower, 33-inch mud terrains on 17-inch wheels, front and rear locking differentials, Multimatic DSSV dampers, a 3-inch factory lift, and 10.7 inches of ground clearance. Approach measures 38.6 degrees, departure 25.2 degrees. Our one-year Colorado ZR2 review covers how the package holds up in daily use.

Step up to the ZR2 Bison and you add five AEV boron steel skid plates, AEV steel bumpers, 35-inch tires on beadlock-capable wheels, 12.2 inches of clearance, and jounce control dampers. It lands at $64,295 delivered.

The AT4X Costs More and Gives Up Geometry

GMC’s version carries the same 310 horsepower, the same lockers, and the same DSSV dampers. Its approach angle measures 37.1 degrees against the ZR2’s 38.6, though, which we read as a consequence of the different front bumper and fascia. Delivered price runs $59,395.

The AEV version stings more. At $69,495 delivered it adds 35s, a 4.5-inch lift, and five AEV skid plates. However, jounce control dampers are a paid option here rather than standard equipment. Spending $5,200 more therefore buys less damper hardware than the Bison includes. For context on the badge elsewhere, see GMC’s latest AT4X hardware on the full-size Sierra.

The GMC Jimmy Rumor, Assessed Honestly

GM Authority tied the Wentzville money loosely to a revived GMC Jimmy. Before repeating the story, though, apply a reality check.

The whole thing traces to one article, published April 10, 2026, sourced to unnamed “GM Authority sources.” Since then, no outlet has corroborated it independently. Car and Driver, Road and Track, Carscoops, and MotorTrend all cite the same original report. Notably, The Autopian contacted GMC and got no response.

Meanwhile, GM’s only on-record statement is a denial. President Mark Reuss said in February 2023 there would be no typical gasoline-powered Bronco and Wrangler rival from the company. Also, GM Authority itself adds the investment “does not confirm a future Jimmy or any other unannounced product.” Any 2029 model year you have seen is downstream speculation, not sourced reporting. Our full breakdown of the rumored GMC Jimmy revival lays out the case both ways.

One structural point supports skepticism. Specifically, $157 million buys paint and modernization. It does not buy a new body shop, a new frame line, or tooling for a new nameplate.

Where the 2027 Chevy Colorado Sits on Price

Segment context explains why GM is spending anything at all. In Q2 2026 the Colorado moved 26,097 units, down 3.2 percent, while the Canyon jumped 21.95 percent to 11,272. Combined, the pair holds about 23.5 percent of the midsize segment. Meanwhile, the Tacoma alone sold 74,585, roughly double the two GM trucks together.

Price is where the Colorado wins. A ZR2 lands at $52,595 delivered, compared to $66,395 for a Tacoma TRD Pro and $65,395 for a Trailhunter. The ZR2 therefore undercuts the TRD Pro by $13,800 while carrying front and rear lockers, where Toyota fits a rear locker only. One caveat keeps the comparison honest. Specifically, the closest hardware match to a TRD Pro is the $64,295 ZR2 Bison, which narrows the gap to $2,100. A Gladiator Rubicon at $54,515 delivered also matches the ZR2 on lockers. For the trim-by-trim Toyota picture, see Tacoma’s off-road trims ranked.

Scale matters too. For example, Toyota is putting $3.6 billion behind Tacoma capacity, as covered in our look at Toyota’s Tacoma plant expansion. Against a number of such size, $157 million for paint reads modest. For a full head-to-head across the segment, see how the Colorado ranks against rivals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Chevy Colorado being discontinued?

No. GM committed roughly $157 million to the only plant building it, and GM Authority reports the current generation runs at least through the 2030 model year. A production pause story circulating online dates to September 2025, not 2026.

When does 2027 Chevy Colorado production start?

GM Authority reports regular production begins October 19, 2026, three days after 2026 production ends on October 16. Neither date carries official GM confirmation. The outlet also notes production timing stays tentative.

Where is the Chevy Colorado built?

Every Colorado comes from Wentzville Assembly in Wentzville, Missouri, about 40 miles west of St. Louis. The same plant builds the GMC Canyon, Chevy Express, and GMC Savana. It opened in 1983 and employs more than 4,000 people.

Should I buy a 2026 Colorado ZR2 or wait for the 2027?

Buy now if you find a strong discount. The reported three-day production changeover points to a carryover 2027 rather than a redesigned truck. Wait only if you want the reported refresh, which GM Authority says might slip to 2028, or if paint quality is your priority.

Is the GMC Jimmy coming back?

Unconfirmed. One April 2026 report from GM Authority cited unnamed sources, and no outlet has verified it independently. GM has never confirmed the program. Its president also denied plans for a gasoline Bronco rival in 2023.