Since its introduction in 1969, the Chevrolet K5 Blazer two-door holds a special place with truck enthusiasts. An answer to Ford’s Bronco and the Scout, it satisfied Chevy enthusiasts’ desire for a similar SUV. And it proved itself worthy enough to continue into the square body years until the appearance of the new Tahoe in 1995. 

When and where did the 2000 K5 Blazer concept debut?

But while 1995 was the end of the Blazer in its original form, Chevrolet knew and still knows, that the K5 Blazer is still desirable. That’s why it built a concept based on the new first-generation Silverado that appeared in 1999. This 2000 Blazer concept shows where Chevy might have gone, had it pulled the trigger on a new full-size two-door SUV.

It made very few appearances once it was completed. It survives today in private hands, establishing Chevrolet’s interest in making a K5 Blazer in the 2000s. And it took a unique approach that included a half-door on each side that opened suicide-style. There’s also a removable carbon fiber top aft of those doors. It made its debut at the 2001 Detroit Auto Show. There it featured a removable soft-top and not the advertised carbon fiber version. 

Sitting atop a 112-inch wheelbase, power comes from a definitely not-stock 6.0-liter V8. That applied 440 hp to all four wheels with 450 lb-ft of torque. 2000 Tahoes came with either a 116-inch to 117.5-inch wheelbase, so the concept is on a shortened frame. Three V8 engines were available, with the 5.7 V8 being the largest displacement available. 

Does the 2000 K5 Blazer concept exist today?

Besides the extensive concept back half, the front features a custom grille guard and skid plate, custom running boards, and aftermarket alloy wheels. When it sold at a Barrett-Jackson auction in 2009, it sold for $16,500. It is surprising that with as extensive as the modifications were, especially the engine and shortened frame, it escaped the crusher. 

That means it has a production VIN number, and somehow made its way out of GM purgatory most concepts reside in. At least, those that still exist. Reported to be registered in Pennsylvania, K5 supposedly has hardly been driven with under 5,000 miles on the ticker.  

You can still get a new K5 Blazer

With two-door trucks almost being extinct, there’s no chance Chevrolet will tease enthusiasts anymore with K5 Blazer what-ifs. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get a new one. Flat Out Autos in Jonesboro, Arkansas, makes custom two-door K5 Blazers from brand-new Silverado pickup trucks. 

It is as close to what we expect a factory K5 would look like if Chevrolet manufactured them. First seen at the 2022 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Flat Out is busy filling orders, even at the expectedly higher additional price. And this, too, proves that the K5 Blazer has a popular, enduring legacy that Chevrolet shouldn’t squander.