GMC Terradyne It's a pickup! It's a crewcab! It's a sport/utility! This fullsize truck has seating for five, rear-wheel drive, and a fullsize cab. The shortbox has a 6.6L V-8 and "billet-cut" styling. GM says the cab has an overhead console, steering-wheel controls, electronic analog gauges, 110-volt electrical outlets, and a mobile office with a console-mounted laptop. Rounding out the interior are remote electronic sources that eliminate the need for a traditional radio, and industrial-grade materials that maintain a comfy factor.
The bed can go from 611/42 to 8 feet, and a side-storage system is integrated into the outer rear side panels. Keeping the industrial theme is a front winch, a platform trailer hitch, a power-extendible rearview mirror, a 5,000-watt onboard, engine-driven AuraGen generator, and a rear video-monitoring system to eliminate a blind spot while towing.
Chevy SSR They're calling it a performance roadster "in a design that only looks like a truck." Front and rear fender flares; rear-wheel drive; a rounded, power-retractable roof; and a 6.0L V-8 are part of the package. The SSR (Super Sport Roadster) features a 116.5-inch wheelbase, room for three, and a shifter incorporated into the steering wheel, rather than on the floor. The SSR also sports a full-width grille and a wide stance.
Chevy Traverse "In view of the strong consumer trend toward truck ownership, we envisioned a vehicle that merged the popular attributes of Chevy trucks-utility, ruggedness, all-wheel drive, and command-view seating-with seating capacity and agility of sedans." So says Chevy Car Design Manager Joel Piaskowski. It's a "family car" for the next generation.
So what would a next-gen faux-truck owner get? Five-passenger seating, five doors, a 4.5L V-6 mated to a four-speed auto transmission with push-button electronic shift control, rear split-bench seating, and a "smartback" rear opening that's half liftgate and half truck tailgate. Inside is an integrated Compaq computer with Internet access.
Campfire TalkRumors are circulating that DaimlerChrysler AG will move its headquarters from Stuttgart to Detroit in an effort to appeal to investors. DaimlerChrysler rumor number two is that the company is in talks with both Italy's Fiat and France's PSA Peugeot Citroen. DaimlerChrysler would jointly manufacture compact cars with either one of them. The convertible Isuzu VehiCROSS concept that we told you about last month is called VX-02.
Ford is working with the U.S. Department of Defense to develop lightweight, fuel-efficient tactical trucks for the army. The two-year, nonprocurement contract was worth $11.2 million. We're hearing that in a couple months, Suzuki will enter the crossover game and debut a sport/utility concept that'll likely go into production in the U.S. Watch for it to be bigger than the Grand Vitara. Jeep won a Best of Show award at the 25th annual Caddy Show Awards for its commercial featuring zebras hiding from a lion next to a Grand Cherokee. The same commercial nabbed the company an award at the Cannes International Advertising Festival in France, the only U.S. automaker to be so recognized this year. Volvo and Mitsubishi will join forces in the medium- and heavy-duty truck and bus category, becoming the largest manufacturer of those vehicles. It'll give Volvo 20 percent control of Mitsu's truck and bus operations. Could this push DaimlerChrysler to buy Nissan?
The National Transportation Highway Safety Administration is now warning that side-impact airbags can kill or seriously injure kids too close during deployment.
DaimlerChrysler will drop the Plymouth brand name.