For the '06 model year, DaimlerChrysler will equip more new truck models with the Hemi engine that features multidisplacement system (MDS) technology. Look for the econo-Hemi in next year's Ram 1500, Durango, and all-new Jeep Commander.
MDS deactivates the valve lifters in four of the engine's eight cylinders when there is little load on the engine, improving fuel economy without a noticeable change in the engine's performance. When more power is needed, the engine can switch back to firing on all eight in 40 milliseconds, says DCX.
This will bring the total number of models with MDS to seven (the others are the Jeep Grand Cherokee and three cars, the Dodge Magnum and Charger and Chrysler 300C). According to the company, MDS-equipped vehicles through the end of the '07 model year will save more than 60 million gallons of fuel each year and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over 590,000 tons per year.
Toyota Recalls 750,000 TrucksToyota is mounting one of the largest recalls in its history as it seeks to repair some 750,000 '01-'04 Tacomas, Tundras, 4Runners, and Sequoias. Reportedly, the surface of a front-suspension ball joint may have been scratched during manufacture, which could lead to excessive wear. According to an Associated Press report, Toyota had confirmed six cases of ball-joint failure. No injuries as a result of the problem have been reported.
Toyota was to have begun contacting owners about the recall in July. If you own one of the affected vehicles and haven't been notified, see your Toyota dealer.
New Chevy Trucks on the WayThis is the timetable for the introduction of the next generation of fullsize Chevy trucks, according to Automotive News:
1st quarter 2006-Tahoe2nd quarter 2006-Suburban3rd quarter 2006-Avalanche4th quarter 2006-Silverado 15001st quarter 2007-Silverado 2500 and 3500
The trade magazine said GMC and Cadillac models that share platforms with these trucks will be introduced at around the same time. For example, the GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade should arrive when the Tahoe debuts.
New Land Cruiser,LX 470 on the Way Too
Toyota has announced a base MSRP of $55,815 for the '06 Land Cruiser and $66,995 for its upscale cousin, the '06 Lexus LX 470. The new models go on sale this summer. Both vehicles receive a more powerful 4.7L V-8, now with Toyota's Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence (VVT-i) camshaft phasing system. Improvements to the 4.7 bring its output up to 275 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. Both SUVs also receive an adjustable height-control system that allows the driver to raise the SUV's body when tackling rugged terrain and lower it for passenger loading and unloading.
The IntimidatorFans of the late Dale Earnhardt take note: Chevrolet will offer a limited run of 1,333 '06 Silverado Intimidator SS pickup trucks in association with Dale Earnhardt Incorporated. The lowered, 2WD truck will feature a monochromatic black (what else?) paint scheme with special Intimidator badging, 20-inch chrome wheels, and a "race inspired" tailgate spoiler. Inside you'll find a Dale Earnhardt Legacy logo embroidered on the front-seat headrests; Earnhardt's signature on the white, backlit gauge cluster; and Intimidator script on the instrument panel and floor mats. Otherwise the truck shares mechanical components with other Silverado SS models, including the 345hp Vortec 6000 V-8 and performance-tuned suspension.
Hummer, Nissan Improve Initial QualityAfter logging poor scores in J.D. Powers' Initial Quality Study last year, Hummer and Nissan both made big improvements in the Study's latest ranking. After finishing dead last in 2004, Hummer made the biggest jump, tying with Hyundai for 10th place this year with 110 problems per 100 vehicles. Nissan's overall score went from 154 problems per 100 vehicles last year to 120, just below the industry average of 118.
Toyota was the Study's clear winner, with vehicles topping 10 of the 18 different vehicle categories. Toyota trucks and SUVs were ranked First in half of the Study's truck categories.
The Initial Quality Study is based on the number of problems reported during the first 90 days of vehicle ownership.
What Can you Hemi?That's the name of a contest sponsored by DaimlerChrysler that encouraged gearheads to answer the following question: If you could infuse the power and torque of the 5.7L V-8 Hemi engine into anything, what would it be?
DCX collected hundreds of entries from all over the U.S. and Canada and narrowed the proposed contraptions down to five finalists: a Hemi snowblower from Tim Flucht of Belleville, Michigan; a Hemi-powered Zamboni machine from Dan Burg of Lindenhurst, Illinois; a Hemi paper shredder submitted by Randy and Robin Fredner of Earlysville, Virginia; a "Hemi-Go-Round" amusement park ride from Jonathan Brzon of Topeka, Kansas, and a Hemi trike (pictured here)-like a very, very powerful Big Wheel-from Marcus Braun of Vancouver, B.C., Canada.
A winner will be chosen after the five entries have been built (!) and will receive a Hemi-powered Dodge, Jeep, or Chrysler of their choice as a prize. We'll keep you posted.
Nissan ContinuesCORR SupportFor the third year in a row, Nissan will be the official truck of Championship Off-Road Racing (CORR). In addition, the factory is throwing support behind two Pro-Lite Division racers, Art Schmitt and Chad Hord, both of whom pilot Nissan Frontier pickup trucks. The 2.5L four-bangers in those race trucks are just a bit stouter than your average Frontier, pumping out 298 hp at 8,200 rpm and 260 lb-ft of torque at 6,200 rpm.
This Just InThe warranty on '06 Hummers will last longer than before. The standard GM three-year/36,000-mile plan will grow to four years/50,000 miles, to bring Hummer's warranty in line with other premium brands, says GM. The H1 Alpha will be the first with the new warranty; H2 and H3 models will follow suit. nWhat should the next Hummer model be? Compact SUV? Fullsize pickup? These and other alternatives are being considered for the Hummer pipeline, reports Automotive News. GM has planned to introduce Alpha high-performance versions of the H2 and H3, but what those packages will be has yet to be decided. For what it's worth, in our opinion a Hummer should be no smaller than the H3. nA return of badge engineering? In other GM news, the company announced it will begin placing small, square "GM" emblems on recently introduced and '06 model-year vehicles so that the various brands have a closer link to the mothership. "The name 'General Motors' speaks to people," said Mark LaNeve, GM's vice president of Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing. "Seeing that GM badge on vehicles evokes our heritage of leadership and makes an easy connection between our great lineup of vehicle brands and the company behind them."
Toyo Tires continues its support of CORR off-road racing. It has signed a sponsorship deal with Team USA-Off Road, consisting of Pro 2 category Chevy truck racers Kevin Probst and Larry Gourlie. Both trucks will compete on street-legal Open Country M/Ts. nIndustry sources report Chrysler will drop its seven-year/ 70,000-mile powertrain warranty plan in the 2006 model year. The three-year/ 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty will remain. nDiesel Jeep Libertys are hotter than anyone expected and are flying off dealer lots. So, according to a report in Automotive News, DaimlerChrysler is considering building more of the common-rail-diesel-powered SUVs than the 5,000 originally planned. And the company is considering broadening the diesel option to other models, including the Grand Cherokee. That wouldn't be difficult to do; diesel Grands are already available in Europe. nIn other news from Jeep, the new seven-passenger Commander SUV will be built in Austria at the Magna Steyr plant in Graz that is already building Voyager and Grand Voyager minivans. nEver dreamed of getting up close and personal with a WWII-vintage B-17 bomber? Thanks to partial sponsorship by Jeep, the Hollywood Belle, the B-17 that played the Memphis Belle in the 1990 movie of the same name, will be making several stops at air shows across the country between now and November. The Hollywood Belle Tour will appear in June at the McGuire AFB Air Show in Trenton, New Jersey; in September at the Great State of Maine AFB show in Portland, Maine; in October at the Little Rock AFB Air Show in Little Rock, Arkansas; and in November at the Seymour Johnson AFB Air Show in Raleigh, North Carolina. As a special treat for Jeep fans, the Belle and several other WWII-vintage warbirds will make a special appearance at Camp Jeep in August. nWant to do the hybrid SUV owners one better in the early-technology-adapter department? It looks like Nissan will offer leases on hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered X-Trail SUVs starting in 2007. Leases will be to businesses only. No word on how many hydrogen fueling stations will be open by then, however.
Environmental & Political WatchReader Aaron James e-mailed us with the bad news that "virtually all of the Ghost Recreational Area will be closed to OHVs. This is of significance because it is approximately one hour away from a large metro area (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) with around 1.5 million people, and it's the only area within hundreds of miles of forestry/public land that is open to OHVs. Not to mention if you want extreme mud and mountain trails, this is a great place to go-or was. It's located west of Calgary, about 30 miles off of Highway 1 headed to Banff."
Our friends at SEMA have informed us that more than 165 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have signed on to support legislation that would declare 9.5 million acres in Utah as wilderness. However, notably absent from this list are the five members of the Utah Congressional delegation. Facing an ongoing trend of similar wilderness legislation introduced by those outside of the affected region, House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo has requested the support of the state's congressional delegation and local communities as a prerequisite for consideration of wilderness legislation.
nIn a closely watched land issue case in Idaho, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that plaintiffs seeking injunctions under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) must present actual evidence that a species is likely to be harmed. This is an important victory for off-road enthusiasts in countering ongoing land closures. In recent years environmental groups have been able to get injunctions to ban off-road use based on mere allegations of harm to species.
The Bush Administration issued a final rule allowing states to petition the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to open areas previously closed under the Clinton Administration's so-called "roadless rule." The new rule establishes a process for considering state recommendations on which roadless areas should remain closed and which should be opened to logging, mining, or other commercial ventures. The revision is consistent with SEMA's position that state government and local communities should participate in forest-management decisions. In its comments on the proposed rule, SEMA noted that the state petitioning process could be an opportunity to correct inaccurate roadless designations and include uninventoried routes well known to users and state officials but that do not appear on current USFS maps. The rule covers nearly 58.5 million acres of national forests and grasslands, mostly in Western states.