Nissan has already announced the upcoming NV1500 and NV2500 work vans but they have not yet gone on sale. Further these are the first shots of one on the road being used. It seems they are testing them before they go on sale. Speaking of going on sale they should be on sale before the end of the year but no exact time frame or pricing has been given yet. Notice the Nissan badge is covered up on this tester vehicle. With the Sprinter pulled from Dodge showrooms by Mercedes and the new Ford Transit Connect on sale this is a good time to Nissan to try and jump into the market. Whether they will actually be accepted into the market in large numbers is a whole new question.
Quick recap on the NV1500 and NV2500. They are work vans that will come with either a V6 or V8 along with a raised roof option on the 2500. A standard five speed automatic transmission will be the only transmission choice. Based on the slow selling Titan full size pickup, this should help the excess capacity at the Titan plant.
So this lonely police Dodge Charger is having an identity crisis. This is obviously equipped with the Hemi V8 based on the dual exhaust. Though the Honda V6 badge and the Ford flex fuel badges are a bit misleading. That and the Hybrid badge makes no sense seeing as there is no such thing as a hybrid Dodge Charger. The best part? This vehicle lives in the great state of California, also known as the home of the Toyota Prius.
Surel,y I can not be the only one to say about freaking time! That said, you know what they say, better late then never. These new engines should make them class competitive in both power and fuel economy.
Quick facts to note-
Mercedes-Benz says its upcoming 4.7-liter twin-turbo V8 and 3.5-liter V6 will post big gains in fuel economy and power.
The 4.7-liter twin-turbo V8 is rated at 435 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, with a 22 percent improvement in fuel economy.
3.5-liter V6 makes 306 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque with a 24 percent jump in fuel economy.
Press release-
STUTTGART, Germany — Mercedes-Benz announced today that its upcoming 4.7-liter twin-turbo V8 and 3.5-liter V6 will post gas-electric hybrid-like jumps in fuel economy, 22 percent and 24 percent respectively. The engines will deliver more power, too.
Those numbers are not official EPA numbers, but are Mercedes’ own estimates. Further since a chunk of that fuel economy comes from the company newly standard start/stop system, it’s not likely to show up as quite as great a fuel economy improvement on U.S.-market window stickers since the EPA’s current testing standard doesn’t really reflect the improved real-world economy that comes from this type of system.
The new V8 is a direct-injected twin-turbo unit of 4663 cc displacement. According to Mercedes, the engine, which will appear first in the CL-Class coupe and S-Class sedan this fall, will pump out a healthy 435 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, up 12 percent and 32 percent respectively. Thanks to the direct injection system, Mercedes can run the engine at 10.5:1 compression ratio.
The V6 starts with a new architecture. It goes from a 90 degree V angle to 60 degrees. I has all-new intake and exhaust and will make 306 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. Mercedes claims that an S350 (a model we do not get in the U.S.) will achieve 24 percent better fuel economy than the old S350. Again, a large part of the improvement comes from the standard stop/start system. No word on when or in what model the new V6 will debut.
Another element of both new engines (and one that should be reflected in EPA fuel economy numbers) is the addition of ancillary units that consume less of the engine’s power. These include water pump, oil pump and fuel pump. Both motors will also come with intelligent generation management systems
As I mentioned in my first review, the new Equinox is class leading, improving heavily over the original version. When equipped with the four cylinder, the Equinox is a great vehicle. The mileage is top of the pack in the 5-seat, SUV class and exclusive features are great, but the real question is how does the Equinox perform with a V6 engine?
The interior of the LTZ tester I had was two tone black and cream. The leather seats were comfortable and looked terrific. The dash was hard plastic but still looked good: hard plastic is not out of place for this segment. The center stack lit up at night in a cool blue but is never overpowering. The center console is able to swallow a fifteen inch laptop whole! There is no question the interior is well designed. One of the nice features was the back seat’s flexibility. The back seat has the ability to slide back and forth like front seats to either create more legroom for passengers or more cargo room in the rear.
The exterior has a strong character line that runs from the front fender to the rear. The styling is round and a more conservative appearance than its brother, the GMC Terrain. The headlights in the upper trim levels have projector low beams with fog lamps that put out a surprising amount of light on the road. The exterior chrome accents on the bumpers, door handles, mirrors and luggage rail inserts all add to the great exterior looks. The exaggerated fender flares are not aggressive and yet add to the Equinox’s stance. The dual exhaust, only available on the V6 model, peeks out from the rear bumper with the dual chrome tips, adding the perfect finish to the rear end.
The Equinox I had was equipped with the optional V6 which costs $1,500 and puts out 264 hp and 222 ft-lb. Combined with all wheel drive, the V6 model is rated at 17/24 mpg. I averaged 17 in the city and 20 on the highway but I am sure it would beat the rated mpg on the highway if the cruise control was not set at 77 mph. Both the four cylinder and the V6 models put the power out through a one choice six speed transmission with manual shift capabilities. The transmission programming is inconsistent, sometimes pulling away from a stoplight, it would rev to 4000 rpm and then perform a lazy shift while pulling away. But then I observed at the next stoplight, while pulling away in the same manner, a quick shift occurred at 2500 rpm. This inconsistency improved under hard acceleration and the transmission shifts quickly at redline, so, it was only under light or partial acceleration that the transmission and the shifts were slow and lazy. Even when using the manual shift, the shifts were again lazy, reacting slowly and taking its time to make the change.
The LTZ model already has most optional equipment included as standard but the model I had was also equipped with 19″ chrome clad aluminum wheels for $900. They looked good and finished off the exterior chrome accents well. The total sticker price on the model I had was $32,940 and had everything other then optional rear seat entertainment.
The new Equinox is selling as fast as GM can produce them and is class leading in many respects. The V6 provides more low end torque which means less revving of the engine to get underway although you do take a hit in the fuel mileage numbers when opting for the V6. The real story with the Equinox is the four cylinder engine, without a question. Some of the competition’s V6 options offer slightly better fuel economy numbers than the V6 in the Equinox but that does not change the fact that the overall package is very competitive. Overall, I would be torn with which engine to choose if I was purchasing an Equinox although I would suggest test driving both. It really comes down to what is important; extra power, especially in the low revs, or overall fuel economy. One thing is for sure: this new Equinox is quite an upgrade. Now if only the transmission programming was as great as the rest of the vehicle.
Full Disclosure- The review vehicle was provided by General Motors
Episode 20 starts by introducing this weeks guest, the one and only Jeff Glucker joining us from The Hooniverse. Jeff kicked us off by telling us a little about himself and how The Hooniverse came to be. I had nothing in the garage this week but Jeff has a Buick Enclave and we discuss that. We then move along to the major news of the week segment. This week included-
We continued with our newer section called tweetmeme. This week we focused on Ray Wert vs. Jason Calacanis.
Next came our main topics. This week the topics included the most recent Toyota Prius issues and the performance specs of the upcoming McLaren MP4-12C.
After my first run in with the SRX I had strong opinions, both good and bad. The new SRX is a valid contender in this automotive segment and pushes the envelope for Cadillac both in quality and as a class competitive product. My largest gripe was that the base powertrain is weak and affected the driving experience. A simple question: would the optional turbo V6 engine fix the driving experience?
The main highlight of the SRX Turbo is larger engine which is funny because the engine in not actually larger because it is a 2.8 liter while the base V6 is a 3.0 liter. The extra power in the this V6 really comes from the turbo, putting out 300 hp and 295 ft-lb to all four wheels all with max torque coming at 2000 rpm. The all wheel drive system is the torque vectoring unit from Haldex. This is the same unit that made its debut in the now dead Saab TurboX a few years back and can transfer up to 90% of the torque to the rear wheels at any given time. The torque can also be distributed between the wheels side to side. All of this gets put to the ground through a six speed automatic transmission with manual shift capabilities. So the question still remains: does this extra power fix the SRX driving experience?
The answer is yes and no. Yes, the driving experience is much better. In fact, leaps and bounds better. In normal and spirited driving the car does not feel strained like the base 3.0 liter V6. Even pulling away from a stoplight, you notice the difference. In normal driving the engine does not feel like it is working hard. The revs are easily kept under 3ooo rpm’s unless pushed. When pushed, the engine responds quickly with no noticeable lag. The turbo is going almost constantly whenever you have your foot on the gas. Something to note is that you cannot put the needle into the red on the turbo gauge. Why would you have the red there when you cannot put the needle in that zone? The first thing people said to me was to put it in the red and I had to respond sadly, “It does not go that high.”
The downside to this engine is the gas mileage. Rated at 15/22, this engine could definitely be described as thirsty. I cannot decide what is worse about the mileage; the fact that it is just terrible for this vehicle class, or that it is coming from the engine putting out the power that this vehicle really needs. That mileage is no joke either. I averaged 15.3 mpg during the week and it is worth noting that the gas it is guzzling requires premium. I did not really stretch the SRX Turbo’s legs so I cannot comment on the highway mileage though I can assume that it matched the EPA rating pretty close to dead on. Again, that city mileage is really not good and is so bad that it starts to dip into body-on-frame SUV mileage. For example, the much larger body-on-frame Chevrolet Tahoe is rated at 15 mpg in the city with a V8. If SRX Turbo engine had direct injection it would post better fuel mileage numbers and would be more competitive.
As mentioned in my previous review of the SRX, the interior styling is very well done. The materials all look and feel great. It uses the center stack from the CTS (minus the tiny climate control screens on each side) and the door handles are uniquely shaped. These little details help set it apart. That said, the back seat is somewhat short on leg room with a taller driver. The cargo area has a terrific cargo management system with sliding tie down brackets and there is a decent sized storage cubby below the rear floor that can hold items away from public view.
The styling is terrific. I am still undecided about the front air dam being so low and whether it makes it look better or worse. The rear taillights hark back to the “tailfins” on older Cadillac’s and play nicely with the overall design. The rear diffuser finishes off the rear while integrating the exhaust into the overall design. The A-pillars in this vehicle are ridiculously huge and they make sight lines a problem in a few instances and the rear window is tiny and makes visibility awkward so the back up camera is definitely useful in a parking lot. The twenty inch wheels fill out the wheel wells nicely and look great because they are painted aluminum wheels instead of chrome plated. Another thing that still bugs me is the GM chiclet. I mentioned this in my original review, and again, I assume the tooling was already set before the decision to ditch this “Mark of Excellence” was made.
The SRX Turbo I had was a premium model with almost all of the bells and whistles. The rear seat entertainment system package with dual rear screens and wireless headsets with remote adds $1,295 to this package and I like the way this system is set up with screens in the back of the seats and separate video inputs for each. The second option was the crystal red tintcoat which will set you back $995. All said, including destination fees, the total sticker price of this particular SRX Turbo came to $54,475.
I want to take a second to talk about the competition. The SRX is really going head to head with the Lexus RX. It was developed and bench marked against that vehicle and the marketing pitches it that way. As I mentioned earlier, the price on this SRX Turbo was close to $55,000 and that is a lot of coin while there are a lot of other great vehicles for that price. The SRX Turbo starts under $50,000, for that price you can get a nicely equipped Acura MDX or an Ecoboost Lincoln MKT and, while the Ecoboost MKT is a much larger vehicle, it just goes to show the breadth of this segment and price range.
There must be something about the SRX because each time I have had the vehicle we have gotten whacked with lots of snow here in Minneapolis. The SRX Turbo handled it like a champ plowing through the white stuff with the all wheel drive sending power to the wheels with traction. It felt weird but sometimes I thought the electronic stability control was slow to kick in. The front wheel drive SRX handled the snow with its low profile, all season tires better than expected, so this all wheel drive version had absolutely no issues.
As with the other SRX I reviewed, I do like this vehicle. When you compare it with the direct competitor, the Lexus RX, you see the SRX is a more engaging and dynamic vehicle. The optional turbo powertrain definitely fixes the anemic feeling but at the large expense of gas mileage and in reality, the bulk of the SRX’s sold will be equipped with the base 3.0 liter V6 and that engine will be fine for those who are more concerned with the gas mileage. For those who really want to take the SRX to its full potential, you will have to take the hit on the gas mileage and option for the turbo V6.
Full Disclosure- The review vehicle was provided by General Motors
305 hp and 30 mpg! Get used to seeing those two numbers together because I am sure a huge marketing blitz is about to start soon. Those are the expected numbers to be coming from the new for 2011 Mustang V6. The all new 3.7 liter engine is an all aluminum dual-overhead-cam (DOHC) 24 valve V6 engine that utilizes Ford’s twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT). The new engine is not the only news on the 2011 Mustang. Both the automatic and manual transmissions will be six speeds attached to a now standard, limited slip differential with revised suspension. No I did not say independent suspension, merely revised. Other notable new features are standard integrated spotter mirrors, message center, MyKey programmable vehicle key, and universal garage door opener.
New 3.7 liter all aluminum V6
The new 3.7 liter V6 sends 305 hp and 280 ft-lb to the rear wheels. With a 7000 rpm redline and a new dual exhaust system attached to the cold air induction system, this V6 Mustang is unlike anything before. The Ti-VCT allows variable control of the valve operations throughout the rev range. With the new die-cast aluminum “deep-sump” oil pan, Ford believes a 10,000 mile oil change interval will be fine. This will lead to cost savings for the owner.
The suspension has upgrades to both the rear lower control arms and a new, stiffer stabilizer bar bushing. The combination of these two upgrades improve stiffness and cornering response.
Both transmissions options are new with six speeds. The manual transmission features short throws and a high sixth gear for highway cruising and better fuel economy. The six speed automatic features grade-assist, also known as “hill mode,” this is said to improve drivability in hilly areas.
Taken from Ford’s press information-
Fuel economy improvements
Extra horsepower and refined engine operation will be the most noticeable features to new 2011 Mustang 3.7-liter V-6 buyers while projected class-leading fuel economy, also a standard feature, offers an additional bonus. The numbers speak for themselves:
19 mpg city/30 highway with six-speed automatic transmission, up from 16 mpg city/
24 highway on the 2010 model with automatic – a 25 percent improvement over 2010
18 mpg city/29 highway with six-speed manual transmission, up from 18 mpg city/26 highway on the 2010 model with manual
Refinements throughout Mustang’s body, powertrain and chassis design contribute to the improved fuel economy numbers. Examples include:
The new Electric Power Assist Steering (EPAS) system which eliminates the drag of an engine-operated hydraulic power steering pump
Six-speed transmissions that allow lower cruising revs without sacrificing off-the-line performance
Aerodynamic improvements such as a new front fascia, tire spats on the rear wheels, modified underbody shields, a taller air dam and an added rear decklid seal
Occupants also benefit from new door seals and a rear wheel arch liner that reduce road noise for a quieter, more enjoyable drive, all with minimal weight gain compared to the 2010 model.
Enthusiasts who want a premium performance-oriented Mustang V-6 can opt for the new Performance Package, which will be available August 2010. Designed for driving enthusiasts, the Mustang V-6 Performance Package comprises:
A 3.31 rear axle ratio for quicker off-the-line acceleration
Firmer Mustang GT suspension
19-inch wheels
Summer performance tires for improved grip
A strut tower brace for increased chassis rigidity
Unique electronic stability control calibration with sport mode for performance driving
The pony car wars are back in full swing. I covered this with the review of the Camaro V6. I will not focus as much on the pony car wars rather, the focus will be on the Camaro SS itself. The Camaro has been enjoying brisk sales. Most are leaving the dealers lots at full MRSP. The new Camaro continues to outsell both the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger each month since it has re-arrived on the scene, it would be fair to say the Camaro has been a hit so far.
This car is based on the Zeta platform, which is not a light platform. Pair that with sophisticated independent suspension set up, and you end up with a heavy car. To say this car is a porker, well, it would be justified. It needs to call up a weight loss clinic and lose about 500 lbs quick. The SS I had was equipped with a manual 6 speed transmission. The cars official weight, according to General Motors, is 3849 lbs! The Camaro SS is slightly heavier then the V6, and the extra weight is sitting directly above the front wheels. You can directly feel this weight when driving aggressively.
Optional Inferno Orange Interior
The car I had was a 2SS with a few nice option packages including the RS package, interior accent trim package, cyber grey metallic stripe package, 20″ polished aluminum wheels, and inferno orange metallic paint. The RS package is $1200, and for that you get 20″ flangeless painted aluminum wheels, body-color roof ditch molding, high intensity discharge headlights (xenons) with halo rings, and RS unique tail lights.
RS Unique Tail Lights
I like that the xenons that come with this package are bi-xenon. They do not list them as such. That means both the high and low beams are xenon, vs having the high beams be regular halogens. The polished wheel package replaced the regular painted aluminum wheels that come with the RS package for $400. The most interesting of the options was the combination of the inferno orange metallic exterior paint and the interior accent trim package. This combination had the interior swathed in inferno orange from the stitching to the black and orange seats. Also, we can not forget the orange plastic moldings. This made for a very bright interior. At first it was a little much, but as the week went on the orange interior grew on me.
The big draw to the SS is the engine. Equipped with the lovely and ever versatile 6.2L LS3 pushrod V8 from the base Corvette. In the Camaro SS the LS3 is slightly detuned to 426 hp and 420 lb-ft with the manual transmission.
When equipped with an automatic, the engine is no longer the LS3 rather the L99, putting out 400 hp and 410 lb-ft. There is no question this engine is good for much more power with a slight electronics adjustment and some upgrades like superchargers and cold air intakes. The car can handle the power just fine. Rated at 4.7 seconds 0-60, the car is no slouch at the drag strip. Seat of the pants puts you in the range though it feels a tick slower due to the heft the car has about it. The car is rated at 16/24 mpg, and I can honestly say I topped the highway rating. I took the Camaro on a road trip down to Des Moines, IA. On the way there I managed a respectable 21.2 mpg average. That was ok, but on the way back I averaged 25.2 mpg, which I was truly impressed with. I had the cruise control set at 75mph both ways. With the cruise control set at 60 mph, I would venture a bet you could get close to 28mpg.
This car could just possibly be the national symbol for thumbs up. Everywhere I went someone was giving me a thumbs up. I blew past a man in a Jeep Liberty, he was craning his neck to see the car so hard I thought he was going to drive off the road. Everyone wants to look inside and tell you about their Camaro story from back in the day. Do not go to the mall and expect to walk right in. Someone will stop you to talk about the car.
I mentioned the interior in the last review and aside from the inferno orange trim package the interior is the same. I love the retro styling that Chevrolet has done with the interior. The graining on the materials is decent looking, but the materials themselves are very hard and cold. The Mustang has the upper hand when it comes to technology when you consider the available touch screen navigation and Microsoft Sync system.
I hope for the next generation that General Motors can find a way to shed some major weight. They could use more high strength steel, or more exotic materials. Maybe they should just dip into the Corvette’s parts bin. Make some body panels out of composite or better yet, carbon fiber. A sticking point could become using more exotic materials becomes expensive quickly. This car is not at a high price point for what you are getting.
The take aways after driving this Camaro for a week were pretty clear to me. First, you always get out feeling like you drove an American hero or a national icon. Second, the interior materials could use an upgrade in the next generation along with an overall diet. Third, muscle cars can now do more than just a straight line. Fourth and final, the American public has spoken and they love love the new Camaro!
The better part of yesterday journalists spent over 6 hours in a Chrysler press conference listening to their detailed plans for the coming 5-years. Of course most of the people there, including Ray Wert from Jalopnik, were live tweeting all the information for our viewing pleasure. We now know what will be coming out from Chrysler and can start evaluating the actions they are taking to achieve their plans. Seems the twitterverse started doing that immediately. So what exactly happened? Below I will touch on the highlights.
Ram-
Ram will no longer be known just as the full size pick-up name plate. Instead it will be known as the truck line of Chrysler vehicles. All trucks going forth in the future will be known as Ram. The brand is going to appeal to the commercial side of business.
Dakota will be dead after 2011
A new midsize unibody truck is under consideration to replace the Dakota in 2012
Light duty full size pick up (current Ram) major refresh in 2012
Heavy duty full size pick up (current Ram Heavy Duty) major refresh in 2012
Chassis cab pick up (current Ram chassis cab) major refresh in 2012
New large and small commercial vans from Fiat come branded as Ram’s.
Jeep-
They said Jeep is going “back to its roots”. What that means is yet to be seen.
Small SUV based off a Fiat comes in 2013
Current Compass gets refresh (mostly interior) for 2010
Current Patriot gets refresh (mostly interior) for 2010
Compass and Patriot merge into one new small CUV in 2013
Wrangler to get major refresh 2010/2011
Liberty gets a mild refresh in 2010 and will be replaced in 2013 with a Fiat SUV
Commander will probably be killed off after 2010
Brand new Grand Cherokee in 2010
2011 Grand Cherokee coming in 2010
Fiat-
500 coming in 2010 as coupe, convertible, and hot Abarth form
Fiat 500 Abarth
Chrysler-
Supposed to be up market and have style with class. This will remain to be seen.
Town & Country will get a major overhaul in 2010
Brand new 300/300C in 2010
All new crossover coming in 2013
Sebring will get refresh in 2010.
Brand new Sebring in 2013. Unknown if it will retain the Sebring name.
The PT Cruiser is finally being killed after 2010. No seriously, this time they are for real.
Brand new compact sedan will arrive in 2012
Brand new small car will arrive in 2013 that will come from Fiat
Dodge-
Full size CUV arrives in 2010 most likely the next Durango based off of the new Jeep Grand Cherokee
Grand Caravan gets major refresh in 2010 with a all new model in 2014
Brand new Charger will arrive in 2010
Challenger will receive a mild refresh in 2011
Viper is being killed summer of 2010. All new Viper arrives in 2012
Nitro gets refresh in 2011 and the future is uncertain going on from that
Journey gets a refresh in 2010
Avenger gets a refresh in 2010 with a all new model arriving in 2013
Brand new compact sedan arrives in 2012
Caliber is killed after 2012 and will receive a mild interior refresh next month
Brand new small car arrives in 2013 based off a Fiat
Engines/Transmissions-
Fiat 1.4 liter Multiair in Fiat 500 in 2010
Fiat 1.4 liter Multiair turbo in Fiat 500 in 2011
Phase out quickly all 4-speed transmissions
Pentastar V6 debuts in new Grand Cherokee. Will spread across the line over time
Pentastar V6 turbo/twin turbo coming in late 2010/early 2011
Start/stop technology to debut in Jeep Wrangler diesel in late 2010
Dual clutch transmission debuts in late 2010
Diesel engines coming late 2010/early 2011
Ram will keep the current ram’s head as the logo. Dodge’s logo will be Dodge spelled out in black and red. Chrysler is receiving a new logo which looks very similar to the Aston Martin logo. Fiat and Jeep will retain their current logos. It has been confirmed a 6.4 liter Hemi is coming, and will have 450 hp. Also confirmed is next year the Sebring, 300, PT Cruiser, and the Town & Country will all have special editions next year before the refreshed models (or in the PT Cruisers case, dies) hit the showrooms. The PT Cruisers special edition, fittingly, will be “Final Edition”. The 300C will have a “sport” edition while the Sebring’s special edition will be known as “Ocean Edition”. The Town & Country’s special edition will be a “Fashion Edition”. Also shown were two photos of the next Dodge Charger. One photo was the new gauge cluster while the other was of the side of the car looking from the rear fender. The photo of the outside looks very similar to the 1999 Dodge Charger RT concept car. The major take aways from the announcement is that maybe Fiat did know what they were getting into and possibly, just maybe, Chrysler could turn out to be on the right course. The above is a lot to accomplish in a small amount of time so time will tell how this “plan” turns out.
When equipped with an automatic, the engine is no longer the LS3 rather the L99, putting out 400 hp and 410 lb-ft. There is no question this engine is good for much more power with a slight electronics adjustment and some upgrades like superchargers and cold air intakes. The car can handle the power just fine. Rated at 4.7 seconds 0-60, the car is no slouch at the drag strip. Seat of the pants puts you in the range though it feels a tick slower due to the heft the car has about it. The car is rated at 16/24 mpg, and I can honestly say I topped the highway rating. I took the Camaro on a road trip down to Des Moines, IA. On the way there I managed a respectable 21.2 mpg average. That was ok, but on the way back I averaged 25.2 mpg, which I was truly impressed with. I had the cruise control set at 75mph both ways. With the cruise control set at 60 mph, I would venture a bet you could get close to 28mpg.
This car could just possibly be the national symbol for thumbs up. Everywhere I went someone was giving me a thumbs up. I blew past a man in a Jeep Liberty, he was craning his neck to see the car so hard I thought he was going to drive off the road. Everyone wants to look inside and tell you about their Camaro story from back in the day. Do not go to the mall and expect to walk right in. Someone will stop you to talk about the car.
