DETROIT – It’s hard not to stand out when you’re the only gas-guzzling V8 SUV on a stage surrounded by electric vehicles, especially in a cayenne pepper red paint. But that’s what special edition vehicles are all about: Getting noticed. Chevrolet’s new performance trim version of its top-selling SUV, the Tahoe, was introduced today at the Detroit Auto Show boasting more horsepower, better handling, and, with a zero-to-97-km/h time of 5.78 seconds, the title of fastest production Tahoe yet.
The AWD 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe RST Performance Edition is available only with a 6.2-litre V8 producing 433 horsepower and 467 lb-ft of torque. That’s a bump of 13 hp and 7 lb-ft of torque over the regular variant and was achieved through cold air induction and exhaust tuning. That engine is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission.
And just in case you want to drive it like you stole it, the newest Tahoe has been developed by the same team that calibrates “pursuit-spec” police vehicles. Underpinning the new Tahoe RST PE are many of the same suspension components as the police vehicles, including springs, dampers, and sway bar. Unfortunately, you don’t get the flashing cherry on top.
The new variant rides 10 mm lower in front, giving it more top speed stability, and its Brembo brake system has 25 per cent larger front rotors than the regular RST. Torch red calipers peep through spokes of 22-inch rims. The rear tailgate sports black RST badging.
A Luxury Package is standard on all Tahoe RST Performance Editions, and includes such niceties as heated second-row seats, adaptive cruise control, and heated steering wheel.
All those go-fast goodies don’t compromise the Tahoe’s capability, however, and the Performance Edition still retains the same 7,200-lb towing capability as the 6.2L equipped base RST models.
There’s no Canadian pricing as yet, but the Chevrolet Tahoe RST Performance Edition will set you back US $78,940 in America, and should arrive late this year.
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