Chevy explores expanded performance SUV lineup under RST badge

Chevrolet's 2018 Tahoe RST

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Chevrolet may expand its RST Performance Package beyond the 2018 Tahoe to other SUVs and trucks.

Sandor Piszar, Chevrolet truck marketing director, said after the early success of the package on the 2018 Tahoe RST, which features a 6.2-liter V-8 engine, Chevy is assessing it for other nameplates, including the Suburban.

"It's selling like gangbusters," he told Automotive News during an event Saturday to celebrate a century of Chevrolet trucks here at the Texas Motor Speedway. "It's turning in about eight days. We cannot build them fast enough."

Expanding the performance package to the Suburban would likely be the next obvious choice, as the company started offering the RST -- Rally Sport Truck -- package alongside the Tahoe in the fall without the performance upgrade.

Aside from the engine, which delivers 420 hp and 460 pound-feet of torque, the performance package includes a 10-speed automatic transmission, Magnetic Ride Control with performance calibration and other upgrades.

The 2018 Tahoe RST with the performance package starts at $68,775, including $1,295 shipping. The $2,630 RST package, which includes several blacked-out features and 22-inch wheels, is mandatory for the $2,720 performance package and only available on the top-end Premier trim.

The 2018 Suburban RST starts at $59,215, including shipping, without the performance package.

Chevy, according to Piszar, could expand the RST package from full-size SUVs to other trucks; he declined to discuss specifics.

You can reach Michael Wayland at mwayland@crain.com -- Follow Michael on Twitter: @MikeWayland