Just days after making public illustrations of the upcoming Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickups, GM provided reams of information about two new engines destined for the new trucks-a Vortec 3500 inline-five and Vortec 2800 inline-four-designed to "provide the power of a V-6 and the efficiency of an I-4," according to GM.
Both engines are scaled-down versions of the Vortec 4200, using its all-aluminum construction, dual overhead camshafts, and four-valve cylinder heads. Like the 4200, the new engines have a 10:1 compression ratio, electronic throttle control, coil-on-plug ignition, and exhaust-cam phasing (which allows variable valve timing on the exhaust side of the motor). According to GM, the new engines share 75 percent of their components with the 4200 and 89 percent of their components with each other, making it possible to produce them more efficiently.
Output targets are 215 hp and 225 lb-ft of torque for the 3500, and 170 hp and 175 lb-ft for the 2800. By comparison, the 4.3L V-6 currently in the S-10/Sonoma pickup trucks produces 190 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque; the 2.2L I-4 pumps out 120 hp and 140 lb-ft.
Both engines will be backed by either the 4L60-E four-speed automatic transmission or an all-new five-speed manual transmission.
This Just In...
*The NHTSA is looking to revamp its federal tire testing standards, but the Rubber Manufacturers Association is concerned that "more than 40 percent of passenger car tires and more than 50 percent of light truck tires would not withstand" the strict new standards. The RMA calls the NHTSA proposal "unwarranted and extreme, given the high level of performance and safety of today's tires." If that rings a little hollow following the Firestone debacle, the RMA says the "NHTSA's own data show that the percentage of tires cited in accident statistics compared to the population of tires is 0.0013 percent." The RMA proposes "a reasonable, science-based approach to tire testing standards...designed to subject tires to rational, real-world conditions."
*Last month we told you about the efforts Ford was making to reduce the costs of manufacturing its vehicles. Here are some examples of what the Blue Oval is doing. The walnut burl used in the interior of Lincoln Navigators will be replaced with a "wood looking plastic film" in '04 models, saving an estimated $18 per unit. And a fiberglass nylon offset crash reinforcement in the Explorer's frame will be replaced with good old-fashioned steel, saving the company an estimated $40 million annually.
*Looks like Firestone's parent Bridgestone is bouncing back financially from the whole tread-separation mess. Reuters reported that Bridgestone's stock price in Tokyo is more than double that of its low point in 2001. The company believes it will put its U.S. operations back in black ink by the end of 2002.
*Land Rover reports that there are already waiting lists in several cities for the all-new Range Rover. First-month sales of the luxe-ute beat LR's previous one-month sales record, set in 1989.
Ford To Drop Excursion?
Reports in the New York Times and from a Detroit area television station have indicated that Ford will stop producing the Super Duty-based Excursion SUV after the '04 model year. Ford officials won't confirm the report, which is based on information from sources that are close to Ford's product planning departments.
Sales of the jumbo SUV have dropped this year, which could be a reason for its demise. But we don't think it's coincidental that this news came just after California signed a so-called "anti-SUV" bill that will push for tougher carbon dioxide emissions regulations starting in 2006. Maybe it was easier (and cheaper) for Ford to just throw in the towel on Excursion rather than try to re-engineer it to meet the upcoming laws.