Archive for the ‘Resources’ Category
Trucks returning to what made them popular
Monday, October 24th, 2011By AARON COLE
Managing Editor, MediaOne of Utah
The chassis is really a canvas.
Of all the vehicles available for purchase, pickup trucks by far offer more possible combinations than any other model.
Most manufacturers offer at least three different engine options, two different powertrain options (four-wheel drive or two-wheel drive), at least three different cab configurations, at least two different box sizes, and that’s even before you start talking about the color of the paint on the outside.
“A full-size product lineup is about the most complex of anything out there. We’ve tried to keep our product offerings as simple as possible, but still provide enough diversity to meet the need of a broad range of consumers,” said Richard Bame, national brand manager for Toyota. “Trying to shop on the web is particularly intimidating … for those very reasons.”
Of all the vehicles in any automaker’s lineup, pickup trucks need to be the most complex by sheer virtue; a full-size pickup can be purchased and used by just about anyone, for any amount of money — luxury or economy.
“The truck segment is very complex,” said Bob Hegbloom, director for the Ram truck brand. “We’re the only segment where on one end, you can get an entry pickup between $15,000 and $20,000 and on the other end find (a truck) that goes all the way $65,000. That’s a $50,000 difference you don’t see anywhere else.”
The lineup can be a bit daunting as a result.
Sandwiched between prices and sizes are superlatives that can dizzy customers. “Best in class towing,” “Best in class payload,” “Best in class hauling.”
Tom Wilkinson, spokesman for Chevrolet trucks said consumers should answer a few basic questions when shopping for trucks.
First, he said, it’s important to know what the truck is going to be used for. Is the truck going to be used for work or more of a family vehicle? Next, powertrain. Then perhaps the interior amenities and luxuries.
Wilkinson said most of the “lifestyle” buyers — people who are buying because they like the look, not because they need the capability — have mostly left the market.
“Those people have moved on, perhaps into the pony cars like the Camaro, so that’s not a lot of shoppers now,” he said.
Instead truck makers are going back to what made trucks popular in the first place, capability and usage.
Thusly, full-size lineups now court those particular niches with specified offerings. This week Ram announced additional Outdoorsman offerings, which cater to hunters and fishers, in addition to Power Wagon varieties, trucks built for off-roading enthusiasts.
Perhaps the most visible of the niche full-size trucks has been Ford’s SVT Raptor, a wildly schemed desert truck that wowed buyers three years ago when it was unveiled.
Marc Lapine, Ford F-150 consumer marketing manager, said the SVT Raptor is built to match customer demand, and right now the demand is enough that Raptors aren’t staying on lots for too long.
“We’ve modestly increased production of the Raptor this year, which is good,” he said. “But compared to the overall F-150 production, it’s still very small.”
Wilkinson said Chevrolet trucks — and by extension GMC trucks — are offering more on the interior to accommodate more affluent buyers.
“We’re seeing the truck market is changing somewhat,” he said. “Truck buyers tend to hang on to their trucks much longer so they want a little bit nicer interior … for the life of the trucks.
“I think you’re seeing all truck brands moving more to meet the needs of who’s buying the trucks … and that covers a lot of people.”
Once a work truck, now a play and everyday truck too
Monday, October 24th, 2011By ANDY STONEHOUSE
Special for UtahRides
The pickup truck arms race has yielded some wild and wooly choices for manly men and their burly machines — but, really, do you need a high-powered pickup that’s tough enough to race the Baja 1000 or pull a 17,000-pound trailer?
The rock-crawling monster truck might appeal to the kid inside you, but occasionally, the issues of practicality need to guide you in your choice of four-wheeled finery.
For the contractor or weekend nail-pounder, there are still plenty of rudimentary trucks on the market that will carry a load and take a severe beating yet still come back and love you, without moving into outlandish pricing territory.
Plain as the day is long (and, for cheapskate masochists, still available with vinyl seats and an AM radio), the entry level versions of the major players will reliably do all the things that trucks were born to do. These include the Chevy Silverado and its clone, the GMC Sierra, the Ford F-150, the Ram 1500 (Dodge’s new sub-brand for trucks) and the relative newcomers to the full-size market, the Toyota Tundra and Nissan’s Titan.
Shop around and you can find a brand-new edition of any of the four domestics for as little as $23,000 (make that $28,000 for the Toyota and Nissan), though 4×4, crew cabs, navigation systems, custom bedliners, rearview cameras, running boards, satellite radio, rear DVD entertainment screens and leather seating all considerably change the scope of the game.
But 23 grand does get you two doors, a boxed-in bed and the ability to carry more Home Depot larder than even the most humongous SUV. Around town, consider if you really need 4×4 or not; in most cases, simple upgrades such as cloth seats, a basic stereo and an engine option considerably less than a 400-horsepower V-8 will not only take care of business but save you on gasoline (and car payments). You can proudly bang and scratch up the bed and the rails and the tailgate and not be consumed by worry, like a suburban poseur.
You’ll also have to suss out your needs regarding the crew cab: If your only major worry is locking up your toolbox, that might be safe behind the seats of a two-door model, though if you’ve got kids or coworkers to haul around, the extended and full-cab versions of every manufacturer’s truck add versatility and space.
And if you’re a true working guy, consider a couple of other customizable options: the all-new Nissan NV delivery van, which sort-of looks like the world’s largest pickup but comes with 234-cubic-foot self-contained box, or the Sprinter Van, now sold by Mercedes-Benz, both of which can be outfitted and painted for commercial duty.
Do your needs call for exceptionally heavy loads, hauling a huge trailer over the passes or even adapting for some wintertime snowplowing? Only the U.S. carmakers have you covered here, though the stakes are higher. Every model of the Silverado HD line is rugged enough for a plow, and with the 6.6-liter Duramax diesel V-8 — a $7,000 option, mind you — even the 4×4 version of the machine can pull 16,700 pounds of trailer.
The Ram 3500 and its optional High-Output 6.7-liter Cummins diesel yields 800 lb.-ft. of stump-pulling torque and can haul a Herculean 22,750 pounds. Both feature in-cab electronic trailer brake controls and more bells and whistles than a Stealth fighter jet.
Other truck owners now really do want a vehicle that’s both rugged and as comfortable and well-fitted as a Cadillac on the inside, and there’s a multiplicity of options there, as well. The King Ranch editions of Ford’s pickups sport sumptuous leather front and back, and for a mere $72,000, the F-450 Crew Cab version takes the pickup world into the stratosphere.
In this increasingly well-packed arena, look for creature comforts including heated and ventilated seats, new-edition navigation systems, theater-quality sound systems and leather-topped center console boxes large enough for a basketball.
Then there’s the ever-increasing world of what we might call the Fantasy Truck. Even the lowliest of drivers can be transformed into someone special behind the wheel of the inconceivably rugged Ford Raptor, standard issue to Border Patrol agents; Chevy’s Z71 off-road package for the Silverado also makes it a venerable player in the backcountry, complete with Rancho shocks (or opt for the plush White Diamond edition, with 20-inch wheels).
On the smaller side, Nissan’s upscale PRO-4X version of the Frontier is straight out of “Baywatch” and is thoroughly suited for showing off. Toyota’s also just released plans for a limited edition Baja Series Tacoma, two inches taller and parked on Bilstein shocks and rugged off-road tires.
2011 Kia Optima Hybrid: No longer just a pretty face
Tuesday, August 30th, 2011By Steven Cole Smith
The Orlando Sentinel
Perhaps the most astounding story in the automotive world is the success of Kia, which only entered the U.S. market in 1993 with the little Sportage SUV, then the Sephia, an anonymous-looking sedan. In 1997, Kia declared bankruptcy, and a majority of the company was sold to the other major Korean manufacturer, Hyundai. It wasn’t until 1999 that Kia vehicles were available in all 50 states. (more…)
2011 Nissan Juke: Little, Nissan, Different
Friday, August 5th, 2011By AARON COLE
Managing Editor, MediaOne of UtahThere are no words to describe the world the Nissan Juke comes from.
It doesn’t come from an alien planet. It doesn’t come from the future. And it doesn’t come with an apology.
The Juke must come from France.
And indeed, we can partly blame the cheese eating, rally monkeys for delivering the most unique CUV on this planet. Where else would style trump substance, form overthrow function and fun march all over common sense faster? If the Juke had been sent into Belgium, it would have given the Germans at least reason to pause while traipsing through the Ardennes. (more…)
Speed dating the newest cars on sale
Monday, June 27th, 2011By AARON COLE
Managing Editor, MediaOne of UtahByers, Colo. — Any farther east and that dateline changes to Kansas, or “Where The Wild Things Are.”
About 50 miles east of Denver — or 30 inches west of Kansas — we’re here to test a stunning array of nearly 40 cars and trucks in what amounts to a Rocky Mountain rocket-propelled, speed-dating seminar called the Rocky Mountain Driving Experience. The second year of said event was solidly bigger and badder than the first — largely because the automakers are bigger and badder than they were a year ago themselves.
Call it “How The Auto Industry Gets Their Groove Back.” (more…)
High gas prices boosting the sales of scooters
Monday, June 20th, 2011By STEVEN COLE SMITH
The Orlando SentinelORLANDO, Fla. — Scooters, which originally became popular in the United States in the 1950s more as a fashion accessory than as serious transportation, are gaining a new popularity with people like Dr. Richard Bromberg, who is spending more time traveling the roads of Fort Lauderdale astride his Piaggio scooter, less behind the wheel of his Toyota Prius hybrid.
“I can fill up my scooter with gas once a week for $8,” said Bromberg, 74. “And every time I do, I feel I’m sending a personal message to foreign oil producers.” (more…)
Ford rolling out smallest engine ever in face of rising gas prices
Monday, June 6th, 2011By DEE-ANN DURBIN
AP Auto WriterDEARBORN, Mich. — Ford Motor Co. plans to introduce its smallest engine ever by 2013, part of the race to improve fuel economy across the industry.
Ford said Thursday it’s working on a one-liter, three-cylinder engine that will be available in small cars globally. Ford didn’t say which cars will get the engine, but it plans to release more details this fall. (more…)
2011 Scion xB: Boxy, brash and better than average
Monday, May 23rd, 2011By AARON COLE
Managing Editor, MediaOne of UtahIt’s been a while since I’ve used an Etch-a-Sketch, so forgive me, but here goes:
Twist the left knob one and three-quarter times clockwise, right knob half turn clockwise, left knob three times clockwise, right half turn, left one and a half, right half, left three times, together a half around together, left once, together a half, left once.
I think that’s how you draw a 2011 Scion xB. (more…)
Lehi mother/son duo tear up the track together
Tuesday, May 10th, 2011By AARON COLE
Managing Editor, MediaOne of UtahGRANTSVILLE — Mothers and sons bond over myriad moments. Melanie and Madison Snow just happen to bond at the moment they’re both going over 140 mph.
The Lehi duo isn’t uncommon as a race family. Successful race families like father/son Dale and Dale Earnhardt Jr., father/son Mario and Michael and brothers Kyle and Kurt Busch are relatively commonplace.
But mother Melanie and son Madison are a little different. For starters, mother Melanie is a bit of an anomaly in a male-dominated sport. Oh, and Madison isn’t even old enough to have a drivers license yet. (more…)
Q&A with Mark Allen, Head of Jeep Design
Saturday, April 30th, 2011
Q: Will there be any surprises from Jeep to mark the 70th Anniversary of Jeep?
A: We did the 70th Anniversary package for all the Jeeps … we had a 70th Anniversary Wrangler in Moab. I hadn’t seen the interior until I got to Moab — we’ve only had mockups over here (in Detriot). The interior is based off of a Sahara Plus kind of a thing, we had bunch of leather-wrapped stuff. (The theme) is more parade or dress military, not camo, gun-slinging military.
Q: A lot of the Jeeps have a logo with “Since 1941” on them, will there be any blow-out edition?
A: No. Other than that, we showed the Mojave out there. That kind of closes out any surprises from Wrangler at the moment.
Q: It seems like the Wrangler is built function first, and form second …
A: As it should be.
Q: Right. Are there any challenges when you’re designing Wrangler? Because you’re dealing with such an iconic Jeep?
A: I talk about this all the time. I treat Jeep — because I love Jeep — in two different ways: For all of the other vehicles, we were working very hard behind the scenes to move them much more modern, much more sculpted in their sheet metal and their appearance — best described with what we did with the Grand Cherokee — is moving away from simple folded sheet metal and hard creases and stuff like that. To muscles and modernity.
But for the Wrangler, I’m the caretaker. So I need to look after it and I tell people this all the time that the next Wrangler, if I’m doing my job right will look just like this Wrangler. Remember in ’87 they put square headlights on the (Wrangler)? Really? That was the biggest change they’ve ever made and it was hated. We got a ton of hate mail for that one. Because it’s never gone out of production — I guess the Mustang too, has never gone out of production … but it’s kind of left its roots — I don’t want to do that with the Wrangler. I want it to be the one that soldiers on. The (Porsche) 911 is a very similar story. They can never leave that iconic shape and we vow not to leave that on the Wrangler as well. It’s function driven. A guy will take a Wrangler, take the fenders off and stretch the wheelbase and cut it, but it still looks like a Wrangler.
Q: You made a good point in that you can smooth the edges of a lot of Jeeps, but do you think that it’s inhibiting to make SUVs that have to perform certain off-roading tasks?
A: Purely function driven.
Q: Is that throughout the brand?
A: Again. Wrangler is a different animal. It has to be the best-of-the-best when it comes to off-roading. It has to have a steeper approach and departure angle than a Grand Cherokee or Patriot or Compass. The duty for the (Wrangler) is to get you out farther than any of the other vehicles and back. We have this graph that shows a mountain side, and say a Compass or a Patriot gets you this far up the mountain. Or a Liberty gets your farther up a mountain, but at the top is a Wrangler. That gets you all the way up the mountain and there and back.
If that’s your needs then that’s your vehicle.
Q: Where do you draw your design inspiration from?
A: It comes from everywhere. For say a Grand Cherokee. It goes up to, and tops out at mid-$40s. I have to be proud enough of that vehicle that I can park it next to my German luxury sedan without any shame. It can’t be cartoony. It’s a higher-tech vehicle. Not that I couldn’t park my Wrangler next to it, but it’s a just a higher-end bracket.
Q: It has to be more black tie?
A: Exactly. We take the great pride in that. But the newest vehicle we have — the Grand Cherokee — has design elements on it that carry back to our very first vehicle. Think about that for a minute.
Who else does that? When I talk about the design elements, I mean specifically the 7-slot grille, trapezoidal wheel arch a lot of people don’t understand but that comes right off of the flat-fender Willys from 1941. They just simply bent a piece of sheet metal — that car was never in a design studio …
Q: … or a wind tunnel?
A: I have this great picture of a horse with a cannon on it — like a Howitzer. But that’s how desperate they were. They needed a cannon in the woods so they strapped it to a horse. They probably killed the horse with that thing. So they came up with the Jeep.
If you’ve ever read the story about Bantam and Willys and Jeep, it’s an interesting story.
The point is, we’re pulling design elements from the first Jeep and putting it on to my $44,000 Grand Cherokee.
There’s nothing from the Model T on the latest Ford Taurus. I can say that philosophy can steer you wrong. You can end up with things like the Porsche Panamera. But the 911 wasn’t their first car.
It’s unique that we can still salute the past of our first vehicle. We’re very proud of the roots of Jeeps.
Again, style-wise, I think it’s really cool.
Q: You’ve been with Chrysler since 1994 right?
A: Yep, 1994.
Q: In a moment of honesty, what are some of the more important Jeeps that have come along? And then what are some that you’d want to take back if you could?
A: I don’t know if I want to give us any more black eyes. I believe that the latest and greatest Grand Cherokee. We’ve gotten such good feedback from that vehicle. It may not look like the riskiest thing to do but when we had it at the shop here, it was such a departure from what we had done with Grand Cherokee that just that little bit of change — not little bit — but putting all that muscle and the sexy body sight on that vehicle caused some concern in here. That kind of upset me really.
But I’m very proud of that vehicle. It has a great presence on the road. Grand Cherokee has evolved in a very short period of time from 1993 to now but we’ll say Grand Cherokee now still has some of the design elements that go all the way back to the 1963 Wagoneer. You’ll see it in the lamp shape in the back, the D-pillar in the rear, grille treatment — where the headlamp kind of invades into the grille — what’s really a CJ-5 kind of a thing. These are subtle things that no one needs to care about or even know about, but we do.
And it’s just small pieces of brand heritage …
