While the notion of driving a 190-horsepower compact pickup sounds far from exhilarating, the packaging around it could make for a fun – yet still practical – driving experience in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Was the S-10 Xtreme really that extreme? Probably not, but it was definitely unique.
The Pick of the Day is a 2003 Chevrolet S-10 Xtreme pickup listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Portersville, Pennsylvania. (Click the link to view the listing)
The S-10 originally came out in 1982 as a small, affordable utility pickup. It took the place of the previous Chevrolet “Light Utility Vehicle” (LUV), which was in reality a rebadged/imported Isuzu KB pickup. A year later in 1983, the S-10 Blazer sport-utility vehicle came to life on the same platform, and General Motors had a strong light-duty duo on its hands. A second generation was unveiled in 1994 which made the S-10 (and its GMC-branded sibling, the Sonoma), more relevant/competitive against the Ford Ranger.
Five years later, the “Xtreme” package debuted in 1999 and effectively took the place of the previous performance-oriented SS model. It offered some unique treatment like aerodynamic lower body cladding, fog lamps, unique badging, and 16-inch alloy wheels. “Victory Red” (code U9260) was a particularly eye-catching color offered on the Xtreme.
Included in the powertrain offerings for the second-gen S-10 were either a 2.2-liter inline-four or a 4.3-liter V6. Today’s Xtreme was optioned with the larger of the two, and the seller says that it has always received 5W30 Pennzoil full synthetic oil. Power is directed to the rear wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. By the way, the Xtreme was not offered with four-wheel drive, so this was designed to be a rear-wheel drive street-truck only.
A few updates have been added by the seller which include new Bilstein shocks, a Magnaflow cat-back dual exhaust system, an Injen air intake, a B&M shift lever, Xtreme-branded floor mats, an Xtreme-branded front license plate, window visors, and a spray-in bedliner. The result is a pickup that demonstrates both curb appeal as well as light-duty hauling capability.
When I came across this listing, I couldn’t help but recall the very clean 1999 GMC Sonoma I wrote about back in June. After all, both were built on the same platform and from the same generation. Some of the readers who commented on that story praised the truck. One said, “As a previous owner of a Sonoma, it did what I wanted when I wanted.” And that’s what a rewarding ownership experience is all about!
“Truck shows great and always turns heads,” the seller says. “Very dependable with no issues and ice-cold A/C. Excellent condition, title in hand.”
The asking price is $12,500 or best offer.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, check out Pick of the Day.
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