By G.R. Whale
Caught! More F-150 Photos
The best look yet at the upcoming F-150
As the reveal date for the 2009 F-150 gets closer, spy shooters have seen camoed Ford trucks running extreme-duty test loops in Arizona, Death Valley, California, and Michigan. Engineers are going to great lengths to keep the look of the new truck secret (if it receives a lukewarm reception, it could almost singlehandedly sink Ford). Rumors are running rampant about a new 5.8- and 6.2-liter V-8 as well as the 4.4-liter V-6 diesel. It's clear Ford is spending significant time and money on interior upgrades for the next F-150. These shots detail how Ford plans to compete with the vastly improved Silverado and unique stylings of the Tundra's split-face interior. Get ready for the fight.
V-8 in Canyon/Colorado?
Since GM's found a way to put a 5.3-liter V-8 in almost anything longer than an Aveo, will it drop one into the Canyon/Colorado to bring back the Caballero or SS label? GM's already wedged one into an H3, itself derived from the Canyon/Colorado, and wouldn't need to bother with all that front-drive equipment to make it work. GM's not talking on the subject, although rumors persist that car tsar Lutz has hinted at the idea.
Duramax 4.5 Duty
GM is said to be planning production of 400 4.5 Duramax diesels a day when the Tonawanda engine plant is in top gear. If the plant's closed weekends and some holidays, it would produce about 100,000 engines a year, and given the vehicles it's slated for and its lower production costs, could easily be a sellout and hard to find.
Diesel Power = 133 mph + 8 mpg
At the open-road blast 2007 Silver State Challenge in Nevada, Brad Ekstam and Jerry Nielsen piloted a Dodge Ram Quad Cab 2500 4WD with seriously reworked 5.9-liter Cummins diesel to an average speed of 133 mph and got 7.88 mpg doing it. The engine is said to cost as much as the truck, and the builders estimate it delivers 1300 horsepower and 1800 pound-feet of twist; needless to say, tires are the limiting factor in this madness...er, venture.
Truck Makers - Test Housing Market
Truck builders have noted a continuing slump in truck sales they attribute to real-estate woes, no surprise given the average "white pickup" scene. So they've developed the Hard Day's Work Tour around the U.S. to set up displays at parking lots and construction sites to generate some interest. The tour plans 180 stops, not named at press time.
Journey Overseas for Newest Power
The new Dodge Journey crossover will offer a 2.0-liter turbodiesel and six-speed dual-clutch gearbox developed with Getrag--but only for Europe in 2008. With two gas engines available at the North American intro, Dodge isn't saying when (or if) a diesel will be built.
More On Mahindra
By Mike Levine
John Perez, Indian truck importer and CEO of Global Vehicles USA, says the MSRP of Mahindra's pickup "won't be the lowest in the truck market" when it arrives on these shores in the first quarter of 2009. Priced in the low $20,000s, the small hauler will be powered by an all-new clean-burning diesel specifically built for the U.S. market to meet tough 2010 emissions standards. The engine has been engineered in an alliance among Mahindra, Bosch, and Michigan-based diesel engineering firm AVL.
Perez also is promising a unique interior with plenty of Big Gulp-friendly cupholders, payload capacity of more than one ton, independent front suspension, and a locking differential; and Mahindra plans to offer free maintenance during the truck's four-year/60,000-mile warranty period. With specs like these, Mahindra's south-Asian-manufactured trucks sound more like Bavarian-built luxury cars.