2012 Chevrolet Colorado revealed in production trim

Chevrolet staged the global reveal of its next-generation midsize pickup truck, called the Colorado, on Wednesday in Thailand.

The company won't confirm that the truck will be sold in the United States, but according to details of the General Motors-UAW pact signed in September, a midsize truck will be assembled in Wentzville, Mo., as part of a $380 million investment.

The Colorado would be a global truck and is to be sold in 60 markets, and it would replace the aging truck of the same name in the United States. Sales have increased 30 percent this year through the first nine months, to 23,985. Building the next-gen Colorado here would add 1,850 jobs at the Missouri factory.

Officially, GM is mum, but expect confirmation soon.

“Chevrolet understands the midsize truck market is an important segment,” a spokesman said. “There has been a lot of interest in the new Colorado, which is exciting, but we have nothing to confirm for the U.S. market at this moment.”

The global Colorado would get 2.5-liter and 2.8-liter turbodiesel engines and five-speed manual and six-speed Hydra-Matic auto gearboxes.

The truck was styled at GM's South American design center in Brazil and draws cues from the recent line of Colorado concepts displayed on the global auto-show circuit.

The current Colorado has received only minor changes since its launch in the States for 2004. It competes against the Ram Dakota and the Toyota Tacoma for midsize buyers.

Chevy has positioned the Colorado as an entry-level truck offering some capability (available four-wheel drive) slotted below the Silverado.

By Greg Migliore