AM General is not among the companies bidding for the U.S. military's Future Tactical Truck System, but it looks like the manufacturer is still developing new products, possibly to win a contract to replace aging Humvees currently seeing active duty. This spy photo shows a prototype pickup with some interesting new features. Our sources indicate there may be a more powerful version of the 6.5L diesel V-8, made by General Engine Products, an AM General subsidiary, under the new, bulbous hood. (Look close under the door and you'll see the letters "GEP No. 7," indicating this is a GEP prototype.) If those tires and wheels look big, they are; they're Goodyear 335/65R22.5 tires on 22.5-inch wheels held together with 18 bolts and attached to the vehicle with eight more lugs. Ground clearance on this proto is also around 22 inches, a significant jump over the current model's 16 inches.
Historic Bigfoot Sold
Those of you who live in Orlando, Florida, are probably already aware that the famous Race Rock restaurant has closed, and its performance-themed memorabilia was auctioned off. Among the items sold was a replica of Bigfoot 5 (seen here), the truck Bob Chandler built to run Firestone's enormous Tundra tires.
As quoted in AutoWeek, the owner of the Race Rock said he's "probably gotten $20 million worth of publicity out of Bigfoot. That truck is worth a million dollars to somebody." Apparently that somebody wasn't in the house when the gavel fell on this big 'Foot. The monster sold for just $50,000.
The Pentastar Is Back
After a "hiatus" of nine years-the period of partnership with Daimler-Chrysler's familiar Pentastar logo is back as the symbol of the "new" Chrysler. Or, we should say, The New Chrysler, as the company writes it (note the capital letters). Purists will probably notice the symbol looks different. The original Pentastar, designed in 1962, had five triangles that floated independently in a pentagon shape, broken by a five-pointed star in the middle. The new Pentastar, which was massaged by Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President-Design, "conveys strength and precision by fusing the ends of the five triangles to enclose the star and complete the pentagon," said the company.
Will the symbolic new logo appear on Dodges and Jeeps now, as it has on Chrysler products years ago? No, says Creed. "I do not envision us using this mark on our products, only on buildings, signage, corporate stationery, and business cards. It's about who we are, not what we build."
Um, they're not the same?
ATV Power Steering
Honda has broken new ground in the ATV segment by being the first to market with electric power steering (EPS). Fitted to the Foreman 500 4x4 ATV, the EPS system is more than just power steering; it's a variable unit that monitors steering torque and vehicle speed to adjust the levels of steering assist. When stopped or at low speeds, more assistance is provided for a lighter steering feel. As speeds increase, the amount of assistance is reduced. There are even different maps in the EPS's control unit for 2WD and 4WD operation, so that steering feel is consistent in either mode. Yes, the EPS equipment does add 15 pounds to the Foreman's 500-plus-pound dry weight. But according to Honda, an EPS-equipped Foreman "responds to rider input as if it were 75 pounds lighter." Anyone who's muscled one of these big utility ATVs over rough or rocky terrain knows what a workout it can be. We can't wait to get our hands on one of these cush machines.
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