For the 2026 model year, Chevrolet is offering the Stars & Steel Collection¹, a curated lineup of vehicles that celebrates American craftsmanship. The collection spans the Corvette, Colorado, Silverado 1500, Silverado HD, and Silverado EV — all of which are proudly assembled in the United States² — with unique design elements and select exclusive upgrades.

Adam Barry, senior creative exterior designer for the General Motors Performance Studio, is the designer behind the collection. He sat down with GM News to explain the thoughts behind the design process and highlight the unique features these special editions include.

What makes the Stars & Steel editions different?

CAPTION: Chevrolet Colorado Stars & Steel Edition.

Each Stars & Steel model features curated exterior and interior color combinations and graphics inspired by the American flag. The challenge, Barry said, was finding the perfect balance, conveying American craftsmanship and performance without going overboard. "To visually communicate American technology, horsepower, and restraint, while not slathering on too much red, white, and blue,” is how Barry described his goal.

Making this work across five very different vehicles was no small task. “This motif had to work on so many vehicles and so many different body panels,” he said. For example, the Silverado HD’s hood is wildly different from the Corvette’s; the Colorado's front fenders would never fit a Silverado EV. “That was a challenge,” Barry added. “It took a lot of time to find the balance, to figure out how to make them all fit together … and it took a design that was very bold and very simple to carry through all that.”

The flag-inspired stripes and the 250th logo appear across the entire Stars & Steel model lineup. The stripes have a tone-on-tone look: on a black vehicle, the stripes are dark gray; on a white vehicle, a slightly darker hue is used. The colors, as Barry put it, "are just different values of each other."

In addition to flag-themed graphics, Stars & Steel Chevrolets feature standard black wheels. The Corvette, Silverado EV, and Silverado 1500 get red brake calipers, the Colorado gets red tow hooks, and the Silverado HD boasts upgraded towing capability.

Can you find the Easter eggs?

CAPTION: 2026 Corvette Z06 Stars & Steel Special Edition in Arctic White.

The GM design team hid a few surprises in the Stars & Steel design theme. Barry’s favorite is featured on the Corvette. A stylized American flag incorporates the phrase "1776 to 2026" in the bottom line, an element Barry described as "complicated to execute, but something that I knew was possible."

He designed it to be somewhat hidden. Most owners might not spot it until they’re up close washing their car.

The right designer for the job

Barry may have been the perfect designer for the Stars & Steel project. He was born in Cherry Hill and raised in Marlton, New Jersey, both suburbs within a 13-mile radius of Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4^th, 1776, the official founding of the United States of America. Thirteen miles, just like the original 13 colonies. That’s not the only coincidence.

“As a kid, my school would take field trips to this historic section of Philly to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall and walk the cobblestone streets,” Barry said. Right outside Independence Hall is a statue of Commodore Barry, an American naval officer during the Revolutionary War, widely considered the father of the American Navy. Naturally, Adam Barry’s classmates couldn’t resist calling him “Commodore” after seeing the statue.

Among the GM Design team, Barry played a strong role in the Stars & Steel special editions, though he's reluctant to take too much credit. He was quick to acknowledge the teamwork among designers, engineers, and marketing colleagues within GM. "It turned out to be a great opportunity that really affected the entire plan for Chevrolet for the year,” he added.

Bold looks, plenty of options: Chevrolet Corvette

CAPTION: 2026 Corvette ZR1X Stars & Steel Special Edition in Black.

The Stars & Steel Limited Edition is available on all Corvette models, from the entry-level Stingray to the ZR1X. Buyers can choose between Arctic White paint with Satin Silver stripes and a Santorini Blue interior, or a black exterior with Satin Black stripes and Adrenaline Red interior.

Other Stars & Steel Corvette enhancements include special sill plates, an interior plaque showing the build sequence number, and available red accents on the brake calipers, seatbelts, and floor mats. Wheel options include Black Gloss, Carbon-Flash, or weight-saving Carbon Fiber. Black exhaust tips are included, too. Production of the Stars & Steel Edition Corvette is limited to 250 units. When asked if the Corvette is his favorite Stars & Steel model, Barry said, “yeah, of course,” without hesitation. It's the car that inspired the GM Design team to expand the Stars & Steel project across multiple Chevrolet models, and the one he worked on every day in the Corvette studio.

Stars & Steel Corvettes include:

• Arctic White with a Santorini Blue interior or Black with an Adrenaline Red interior

• American Flag inspired full-length stripes in Satin Silver or Satin Black and “250” flag graphics on doors and spoiler ends (when properly equipped)

• Unique sill plates and interior plaque featuring build sequence number

• Black Gloss, Carbon-Flash, or available Carbon Fiber Wheels (depending on model)

• Red accents: Edge Red Calipers, Red Seat belts, Floor Mats with Red Stitching and Edge Red Engine Cover on select models

• Black exhaust tips & select accessories by model

Huge capability with high style: Silverado EV

CAPTION: 2026 Silverado EV Stars & Steel Special Edition in Black.

The Silverado EV Stars & Steel Special Edition is based on the Silverado EV RST, and is available in Summit White with Satin Silver graphics, or in Black with Satin Black graphics, and a Black / Sky Cool Gray interior.

Blacked-out 24-inch wheels, black nameplates, and an upgraded brake system further differentiate this truck. The braking upgrade includes red six-piston Brembo front calipers paired with 15.7-inch rotors.

The Stars & Steel Silverado EV includes:

• American Flag inspired stripes in Satin Silver or Satin Black and “250” flag graphics

• 24" High-Gloss Black wheels

• All-new Brembo heavy duty brake system with red six-piston front calipers and larger 15.7-inch brake disc for improved pedal feel, fade resistance and stopping power in all conditions

• Black Nameplates

The bestseller gets even better: Silverado 1500

CAPTION: 2026 Silverado 1500 Stars & Steel Special Edition in Summit White.

The Silverado 1500 is Chevrolet’s best-selling nameplate. Nearly 363,000 were sold in 2025, and the Stars & Steel Special Edition gives buyers a new option to choose from. Based on the RST Crew Cab, short box, four-wheel-drive model, it’s available in Black with Satin Black graphics or Summit White with Satin Silver graphics, and a Jet Black interior.

The truck rolls on 22-inch gloss-black wheels, with assist steps for easy entry and blacked-out exterior badging. A spray-in bedliner protects the cargo box, while a roll-top bed cover adds functionality.

CAPTION: 2026 Silverado 1500 Stars & Steel Special Edition in Summit White.

The Stars & Steel Silverado 1500 is powered by the 6.2L V8, augmented with a performance air intake. An upgraded Brembo braking system with red six-piston front calipers is also included. The standard Convenience Package II adds a seven-speaker Bose sound system, a sliding back window, a trailer brake controller, a universal home remote, and more. A sunroof is included as well.

The Stars & Steel Silverado 1500 includes:

• American Flag inspired stripes in Satin Silver or Satin Black and “250” flag graphics

• 22" High-Gloss Black wheels

• Brembo performance brake system with red six-piston front calipers for ultimate braking confidence in towing and daily driving Black exhaust tips

• Performance air intake

• 6" Black rectangular assist steps

• Protection Package including Spray-on bedliner and wheelhouse liners

• Dark Essentials blacked-out badging

• Soft roll Bed Cover with logo

• Convenience Package II and sunroof

Immense capability: Silverado HD

CAPTION: 2026 Silverado HD Stars & Steel Special Edition.

The Silverado HD Stars & Steel Special Edition model comes standard with the 6.6L Duramax Diesel engine that delivers 470 horsepower and 975 pound-feet of torque. Based on the LTZ Crew Cab Trail Boss with four-wheel drive, the Stars & Steel edition offers the above-mentioned Summit White or black exterior color scheme over a black interior. It comes with a spray-in bed liner, high-clearance assist steps, a power sunroof, and 20-inch High Gloss Black wheels.

The Z71 off-road package comes standard as well, which provides off-road suspension, hill-descent control, and skid plates. Customers also get the LTZ Convenience Package II and the LTZ Plus Package. Together, these options groups provide amenities like ventilated front bucket seats, a wireless device charger³, a power-operated tailgate, a Bose premium sound system, adaptive cruise control, heated outboard rear seats, and more.

The Stars & Steel Special Edition includes the Gooseneck/Fifth Wheel Prep Package and the Max Trailering Package, which ups the towing rating to 21,600 pounds⁴.

The Stars & Steel Silverado HD includes:

• American Flag inspired stripes in Satin Silver or Satin Black and “250” flag graphics

• Trail Boss Package w/ Spray In Bedliner

• 20” High-Gloss Black Wheels

• Z71 Off-Road Package

• LTZ Convenience Package II

• Off-Road High Clearance Assist Steps

• LTZ Plus Package

• Power Sunroof

• Max Trailering Package

• Gooseneck/5th Wheel Prep Package

• Soft Roll Bed Cover

• Floor Liner Package

Agile and efficient: Chevrolet Colorado

CAPTION: 2026 Colorado Stars & Steel Special Edition in Summit White.

For those who want Stars & Steel capability in a midsize pickup package, Chevrolet offers the Stars & Steel Colorado, based on the Trail Boss Crew Cab and powered by the 2.7L turbocharged engine with standard four-wheel drive.

Along with the quintessential Stars & Steel exterior appearance package, the Colorado adds red recovery hooks, rocker panel guards, underbody skid plates, a spray-in bedliner, a black exhaust tip, and all-weather floor liners.

The Trail Boss Convenience Package II and the Midnight Edition option groups are also standard. The former includes heated front seats, remote start, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, a wireless phone charger, uplevel interior materials, and more, while the latter adds a range of visual upgrades like 20-inch gloss-black wheels, black nameplates, a 40-inch off-road light bar, and accessory power-distribution box.

The Stars & Steel Chevrolet Colorado includes:

• American Flag inspired stripes in Satin Silver or Satin Black and “250” flag graphics

• Midnight Package w/Sport Bar & Light Bar

• Dark Essentials Badging

• 20” High Gloss Black Wheels

• Convenience Package 2

• Technology Package

• Skid Plate Package

• Black Exhaust Tip

• Red Tow Hooks

• Black Rocker Protectors

• Spray-on Bedliner

• Soft Roll Bed Cover

• Floor Liners

Here’s to the next 250 years

CAPTION: Close-up of the America 250 logo on the 2026 Colorado Stars & Steel Special Edition.

From the Corvette to the Silverado HD, the Stars & Steel Collection celebrates America’s 250^th birthday. Far bigger than the vehicles themselves, though, is the mission behind this special edition. With every Stars & Steel vehicle sold, Chevrolet will donate $250 to nonprofits that support America’s veterans.

The initiative launched in January 2026 at the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, where a Stars & Steel-inspired 2026 Corvette ZR1X — a one-of-one car — sold for $2.6 million. Every dollar went to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, a nonprofit that provides mortgage-free homes to families of fallen first responders and military service members, and builds smart homes for injured veterans and first responders.

¹ The Stars & Steel Collection represents a design theme with dark metallic finishes and celestial accents, not built of steel.

² Of U.S. and globally sourced parts.

³ The system wirelessly charges one compatible mobile device. Some phones have built-in wireless charging technology and others require a special adapter/back cover. To check for phone or other device compatibility, see chevrolet.com/support or consult your carrier.

⁴ Maximum trailering ratings are intended for comparison purposes only. Before you buy a vehicle or use it for trailering, carefully review the Trailering section of the Owner’s Manual. The trailering capacity of your specific vehicle may vary. The weight of passengers, cargo and options or accessories may reduce the amount you can trailer.