Could the Chevrolet Montana Replace the Chevy Colorado in the U.S.?

of what’s expected to be the next-generation Chevrolet Colorado have been making the rounds, but that truck is unlikely to make it into the hands of North American small-pickup buyers after production of the current U.S.-built Colorado and GMC Canyon ends by 2012. Instead, as we reported , GM is rumored to be working on a different small truck for North America.

That runabout could be based on the next version of the Chevrolet Montana that’s sold in South America and Latin America. Seen here in a spy photo from Brazilian auto magazine Auto Esporte is a lightly camouflaged version of the new Montana pickup.

During GM’s Global Business Conference in Warren, Mich., Jamie Ardila, president of newly established GM South America, hinted on Tuesday that the Montana could come to the U.S. if GM North America is interested in the product.

“In September, GM do Brasil will introduce a new version of its successful Chevrolet Montana [based on the new Chevrolet Agile hatchback],” Ardila said. “The Montana is a stylish, car-derived pickup with a modern, dynamic shape. The Montana is also exported to Mexico, and the new version will be exported to Argentina and South Africa. If you are interested in the U.S. market, by all means place your order.”

GM's next Chevrolet Montana pickup will be based on the new Chevy Agile hatchback that's sold in Brazil.

A rendering of the Montana pickup was also shown to analysts.

The new Montana is expected to be powered by a thrifty 92-horsepower, 1.4-liter two-valve four-cylinder mill. But if you think a small two-door, car-based front-wheel-drive pickup can’t be a workhorse, think again. The current Montana can haul up to 1,600 pounds of cargo, and it gets more than 30 mpg on the highway.

We’d recommend all-new, tougher-looking sheetmetal for the U.S. and more power, but otherwise, the Montana looks like it could be a fascinating reinvention of the neglected U.S. small-truck market.

[Photo: Auto Esporte]