The purists called foul when Chevrolet revived the Blazer as a Camaro-inspired crossover, but its former counterpart could receive a more deserving treatment.
We’re of course talking about the GMC Jimmy which spent most of its life a rebadged Blazer. The model was phased out over a decade ago, but a new report suggests it could be reborn as Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco competitor.
According to Car & Driver, the Jimmy could be launched in 2022 and ride on the same body-on-frame platform that underpins the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. The SUV would also likely use the same 3.6-liter V6 engine as the pickups, so we can expect an output of approximately 308 hp (230 kW / 312 PS) and 275 lb-ft (373 Nm) of torque. The Jimmy could also follow in the footsteps of the Wrangler and be offered with a 2.8-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel engine developing 186 hp (135 kW / 189 PS) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque.
While nothing is official as of yet, we’ve heard lots of rumbling about a new body-on-frame SUV from General Motors. Earlier this year, spy photographers snapped a mysterious version of the overseas Chevrolet TrailBlazer. While it looked like a simple facelift, speculation suggested it was actually a mule for an all-new model.
Those rumors tied-in with reports that GM was considering investing $1 billion (£782 / €895 million) in to their Wentzville plant which builds the Colorado and Canyon. It’s believed those funds would be used to produce the next-generation pickups as well as a new body-on-frame SUV.
Also Read: GM Testing The Jeep Wrangler; Is It Working On A Competitor?
More recently, GM was seen testing a Jeep Wrangler at the Milford Proving Grounds in Michigan. That isn’t too unusual by itself, but it adds to growing speculation that GM might want to build a Wrangler competitor.
