Auto Trends

Welcome back, originally uploaded by taxiguy

This weekend I reported on the new 2011 police cruiser, which were scheduled to be announced earlier yesterday. There was speculation these new cruisers might be based from the now extinct Holden Pontiac G8 platform, but we learned differently. While the new cruisers are not exactly G8’s, they aren’t a Ford Crown Victoria either. The old 4.6 liter of the Victoria has nothing on the new GM Caprice PPV. Yes, you heard right, Chevy is bringing back the Caprice, and there is a bit of a surprise behind its platform.

No, the Caprice is not quite a Pontiac G8, but its platform does come from Holden… the Holden G8 GT Sport Truck (a.k.a, El Camino). You probably haven’t heard that name mentioned for quite some, but Chevrolet looks like they have found the perfect blend of durability and performance. While the Pontiac G8 has a wheel base of 114.7 inches, the Dodge Charger police cruiser 120 inches, the new Caprice PPV fits snugly between the two at a comfortable 118.5 inches.

What this number will mean to law enforcement, is a solid and roomy sedan, which will not only be able to handle itself well, stop on a dime, and snap a speedo in less than 6-seconds, it will have an updated outward appearance which will look great out front of your local Dunkin Donights. Okay, I was kidding on that last part.

Comparison: The Old vs. The New
The old 2003 Ford Crown Victoria was lucky to snap a speedo in less than 9-seconds with its 235 horsepower V-8 interceptor, weighing in at over 4,000 lbs. The Dodge Charger is a good bit better with its 5.7-liter, 340 horsepower, HEMI V-8, but it still is a big cruiser weighing over 4,100 lbs. 0-60 in less than 7-seconds is undoubtedly a welcome treat for most cops, who enthusiastically refer to them as, “hot rods.”

The 6.0 liter LS2 GM Caprice, however, outdoes them all with its 355 horsepower and 384 lb-ft of torque. With a slightly lighter overall stance than the Charger, the new Caprice is calculated to clear 60 mph in under 6-seconds, which blows the doors off the old Victoria, and will make a noticeable pull on the Dodge. There will be an undercover option available too, which has most automotive journalists asking, “how?”

With a vehicle that won’t be made for civilians, picking these out of rush hour traffic will be like spotting an elephant in a doll house, but then again, for some folks, that will be a good thing!

Check it out for yourself:

Ford’s New Ecoboost Engine, originally uploaded by CC Chapman

Talk at Ford has suggested that by 2012, they will offer a small engine alternative for just about every vehicle they manufacturer. This includes even the Ford F-150, which is slated to receiving an eco-boost V-6 somewhere down the not-so-distant road.

The 3.5-liter Eco-Boost (263 horsepower base) has already made its appearance with the Ford Taurus. It has proven itself worthy of no less than about 365 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque, once properly twin-turboed, as in the 2010 SHO edition.

What is the hot talk right now however, is the upcoming 2.0 liter Eco-Boost, which is slated at 230 horsepower, 240 lb-ft of torque. With half the capacity (liter) of the Mustang’s ancient Cologne, Germany 4.0-liter V-6, the 2.0 not only provides 20 more horsepower (compared to 210), but the exact same about of low end grunt (a.k.a torque).

While some say that the 2.0 would make a suitable economical rival to Chevrolet’s 3.5-liter Camaro V-6, I highly doubt America is ready for another 4-cylinder turbo Mustang just yet. The Mustang is already rumored to be set for a 3.7-liter upgrade. The Fusion is also questionable as to whether or not it could receive the 2.0, as it is already overflowing with engine choices, such as the 2.5-liter I-4, 2.5-liter hybrid (electric/gas), 3.0-liter V-6 FlexFuel, and the 3.5-liter.

The Ford Focus, Fiesta, Edge, and even the Escape/Mariner may see the new 2.0-liter option within the next two years, although the Focus may also be offered with a 1.4-liter Eco-Boost with 130 horsepower. Ultimately, the 2.0-liter Eco-Boost is set to replace the current 3.5-liter V-6 as the base engine for most everything in Ford’s mid-sized lineup.

The focus (the direction, not the car) at Ford continues to be the belief that smaller is better, and the Eco-Boost turbocharging is only the icing on the cake!

2011 FORD F350, originally uploaded by Beast 1

Ford has yanked the blanket of of it newest 2011 F-Series Super Duty Truck, and quite frankly they couldn’t have found a more enthusiastic crowd than at the Texas State Fair this year. It was actually here that they also unveiled a previous F-Series update back in 2006.

If I were to take one word to describe the newest Ford offering, I would have to say it does appear to be rather… bold!

Ford has taken the time to add strength, power, and convenience, as well as a few extra changes to the exterior, allowing those on the outside know this is no run of the mill truck. Well, but what else should you expect from a vehicle with the word “super” embedded right into its name. There have only been a few super vehicles in history, such as the Dodge Super Bee, so consumers will undoubtedly be expecting a lot, but I have a feeling that Ford is going to deliver.

The big news of the Super Duty is its all new, Ford designed 6.7 liter “Power Stroke” turbodiesel. Now, the actually horsepower and torque have yet to be released, but we do know that the power output will be significantly improved over its predecessor. Ford also claims that its fuel economy will be among the top of its class, which considering that most hybrid/electric trucks have a hard time leaping over the 20 mpg mark, let’s not set our expectations too high.

The new Ford designed diesel has been engineered to weigh approximately 160 lbs less than the original, which is already a step in the right direction towards much improved power and handling. For those who aren’t big diesel fans, a new 6.2-liter V-8 will take its place over the current base 5.4-liter V-8 (300 horsepower, 365 lb-ft of torque), and just below the big 6.8-liter V-10 (362 horsepower, 457 lb-ft of torque). A “Heavy Duty” TorqShift six-speed automatic/psuedo-manual will also be helping to put all this new-found power to the open road/dirt.

Improvements in the Super Duty’s aesthetics include a bulging hood and a new, bold chrome grill that says, Get out of my way! Well, either that or, Hey, guess how much bling I can put on this truck before it starts to look like a Christmas ornament. I say this with all due respect, as with most bold grill designs, buyers will either love or hate it, but there’s always a can of flat black spray paint to fall back on.

In addition, the Super Duty goes high tech in 2011 with a slew of worldly advancements, such as Hill Start Assist/Descent Control, an electronic locking differential (great, just one more thing to break), single sequential turbocharger, and a never before seen exhaust design which appears to use internal fins to aid in overall efficiency. The truck also promises improved steering and suspension travel via its twin I-beam suspension and interval valve shocks, boosting payload capability, while also keeping the ride relatively smooth.

I’d say it has earned its title of “Super” for the time being… It will be put to the real test once consumers get their hands on it later next year!