Four Wheel Fun

admin February 6th, 2008

Chevrolet has an all-new crossover vehicle featuring three rows of seats, capacity for 7 passengers, and fresh styling and technology - the Traverse.

Building on the success of other GM crossovers, such as the GMC Acadia and the Saturn Outlook, the Traverse gets its own engine setup featuring a direct-injection V6 pegged at 3.6 liters and 286hp (similar to the top powerplant in the new Cadillac CTS).  Like its crossover stablemates, a six-speed automatic transmission, in both front- and all-wheel-drive versions is standard, although the Traverse gets special software since its direct injection engine makes more power than the other GM CUVs.  “It hits the sweet spot in our lineup,” said Don Butler, Chevy’s Executive Director of truck marketing. “Crossovers are hot. It’s one of the few segments of the market that’s growing, and we can use the Traverse to build the momentum that began with the Malibu.”

Lots of GM’s recent styling cues are evident in the Traverse - the snout looks very similar to the new Malibu,  as do the headlights and taillights.  This is not a coincidence says Butler, as the Traverse is intended to be “a bridge between what the Malibu says about Chevrolet cars and our strong truck portfolio.”

Interior options are also significant and robust.  Buyers can choose between seven or eight passenger seating, a rearview camera, power liftgate, DVD entertainment system, navigation system, and remote starter to name just a few.

The Traverse goes on sale in the Fall at a Chevy dealer near you as a 2009 model

Tags: Chevrolet, Chevy, crossover, CUV, Traverse

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admin February 3rd, 2008

There is an interesting post over at the Motor Trend forums that sparked a good conversation - should Lincoln produce their own CUV based on the new Land Rover LRX? 

There’s definitely a precedent for taking technology from Ford’s Premier Automotive Group and spreading it across the company in small amounts.  However, with Land Rover up for sale, this would likely be a one-time partnership that would enable Lincoln to fill a gap in its current lineup (it has no Mercury Mariner or Ford Explorer sized SUV) while embedding some of the more expensive technology from Land Rover in a package that could be priced to justify much of the cost.

Lincoln would also get a vehicle that was more than just a re-badged version of another Ford product - something that has limited many of the vehicles in its lineup as of late.

What do you think?  Comments welcome.

Tags: CUV, Land Rover, Lincoln, LRX, suv

• LRX , Land Rover , Lincoln
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admin February 2nd, 2008

OK, so I make it to Japan every now and again for work. I also lived there for a summer when I was 17 in rural Aichi prefecture. There are a lot of pieces of Japanese culture that fascinate me - pachinko machines and parlors, those graphic novels with wierd stuff going on in them, and the fact that you can find beer and a drink called “Pocari Sweat” in vending machines.

The one thing, however, that trumps all of these other slices of life in Japan is Dekotora (or Decotora, if you are averse to spelling it with a K). Imagine a fad where truckers take a run-of-the-mill hauler, airbrush some wicked pictures of mythical animals or futuristic facades, throw some ground effects and lots of gold on the cab and trailer, attach about a million watts of lights and LEDs to rival any Vegas casino, and you have Dekotora. It’s a pimped out truck that’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen.

Now, you might think that all of these babies are for the show circuit - rollin’ to SEMA or some other type of tuner event- or for weekend trips to 7-eleven where you hang out in the parking lot with your buddies. In actuality, most of these trucks are cruising Japan’s highways and have to be inspected (yes, INSPECTED!) prior to getting the OK to be placed into commercial service.

Imagine this conversation:

Inspector: Nice rig, Mr. Watanabe - how many organ pipes did you glue to the roof?

Owner: Only two dozen this time…I needed to keep some cash for the 60″ gold rims - I needed 18 of them, you know

Inspector: Got it. What is that on the side of the trailer - a Kabuki montage?

Owner: No, that’s Hannah Montana - the guy that airbrushed it was hopped up on Pocari Sweat when he did it. Did you know her dad is Billy Ray Cyrus?

Inspector: Ah, Achy Breaky! Man, I miss his mullet and American sensibilities. OK, Mr. Watanabe, this thing looks like it will get you from A to B. I need to move on to that rig with the “Dragon befriending Britney Spears” scene on it. You stay safe out there…

More classic Dekotora images below - click to supersize (you won’t be disappointed).

Tags: , Decotora, Dekotora, japanese custom, pimp my truck, pimp truck

• Dekotora , pimp my truck
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admin February 2nd, 2008

Well, it’s official.  Joe Isuzu got the axe.  Not really Joe, but Isuzu North America.  Word came down that effective January 31, 2009, Isuzu will stop selling vehicles in the U.S..

As it stands now, there are only two vehicles populating Isuzu showrooms: The i-series pickup and the Ascender SUV (both made by GM for Isuzu in the U.S.) were all that were left of a once storied car and truck franchise in the U.S.    At its peak in 1986, Isuzu sold 127,630 vehicles in America, according to AutoData.

Isuzu got its start in the U.S. building pickups for GM in the 1970s.  By 1981, the Japanese automaker went out on its own with low-cost vehicles such as the Pup pickup and the Trooper. Isuzu wisely followed Jeep into the four-door SUV market when others offered only two-door models, and capitalized on a fast-growing category that it had largely for itself for many years.
Unfortunately, as other manufacturers introduced their own competing SUVs, Isuzu lost its leadership position in the segment, instead moving deeper into the car market through joint-venture deals with Subaru and other manufacturers.  It also rebranded its SUVs and sold them to other manufacturers (remember the not-so reliable Honda Passport?)

Good luck, Joe Isuzu.  Hope your migration to Japan goes well.

Tags: Honda Passport, Isuzu, Joe Isuzu, Trooper

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admin January 12th, 2008

The Detroit Auto Show will feature another SUV concept that’s been highly anticipated - the Ford Explorer America Concept.

Unlike Explorers currently available in Ford showrooms, the Explorer America Concept is basically a sneak peak at the next generation Explorer and features several innovative technologies. In addition, this concept SUV finally sheds its traditional body-on-frame setup for a more carlike unibody construction.

The Explorer America Concept is powered by a choice of two EcoBoost engines that deliver 275 and 340 hp respectively. The smaller powerplant, a 4-cylinder powerplant tipping the scales at 2 liters and generating 280 lb-ft of torque is 30% more efficient than the smallest engine currently available in an explorer. The larger engine is no slouch either, delivering 20% improvement in fuel economy vs the current Explorer V6.

Both models are powered by a 6-speed automatic that emphasizes fuel efficiency while offering drivers auto shift control in case they want to hold a lower gear for any reason.

Perhaps the coolest feature is a raised, 3-d compass that shows your current heading using cool neon green graphics.

Tags: Detroit Auto Show, Explorer, Explorer Sport America, Ford

• Explorer , Explorer Sport America , concept vehicle , suv
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