As we write this, the final big U.S. auto show of the season in New York has yet to happen. To tide us over, here are a couple of interesting concepts from the Geneva Auto Show.
New VW SUV
While "Concept A" isn't the most original name we've seen, it's certainly easier to pronounce than Touareg. VW's first crossover vehicle is "a cross between a sports car and SUV," says the maker. The little ute's powertrain features a 1.4L, 150hp Twincharger engine coupled to a six-speed transmission and VW's 4Motion AWD system. (Twincharger is an innovative Euro-only engine design that uses both a supercharger and a turbocharger to boost the performance from small-displacement engines.) Will it see production? VW's cagy response: "The Concept A is the vision of an ideal Volkswagen. One of many variations of the future."
Hybrid Rover
This concept may not look like a hard-core off-roader, but the purpose of Land Rover's e-Terrain Technology vehicle is to demonstrate leading-edge diesel-electric hybrid componentry that reduces fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions "without compromising the breadth of on- and off-road capability that defines all Land Rover products," said LR. Called the Land_e, the vehicle is equipped with an electric rear-axle-drive system that augments low-speed torque off-road and allows the vehicle to operate on only electric power up to 20 mph; an integrated starter-generator that shuts off the engine when the vehicle stops; a "Seamless Re-connect" prop shaft that disconnects drive to the rear axle under appropriate conditions (like cruising on dry pavement) and then reconnects the two ends "virtually instantaneously" when needed; and the capability to operate on bio-diesel fuel. Most of these technologies will be available on Land Rover vehicles "in the next few years," according to the company.
New Commercial Ram
Even those of you not in the market for a chassis-cab work truck may find the new commercial Ram 3500 appealing, especially if you're looking for a support truck for your race or trail rig. The truck is available in 2WD and 4WD models, long- or short-wheelbases, Quad- or regular-cab bodies, and single- or dual-rear-wheel configurations. The standard-equipment engine is the 330hp, 5.7L Hemi; but a new version of the Cummins turbodiesel, which produces 305 hp and 610 lb-ft of torque (at 1,600 rpm) from 6.7 liters, is also available. Beam axles are found at both ends of the 4x4, hung by coils up front and two-stage leaves in back. Chassis-cab-only suspension upgrades include new shocks and jounce bumpers, new track bars, and a new rear sway bar. So, how much will it carry? Cummins-equipped dualies have a gross combined weight rating of 23,000 pounds.
Are We Clear?
The problem: Whatever goo you're driving through has clung to the windshield and blocked your outward vision. The solution: How about a spray of hot washer fluid? HotShot is marketed as a hot-fluid de-icing system for clearing slush in the wintertime, but it should work great on mud-covered glass too. HotShot doesn't require a special kind of washer fluid, and the pushbutton system operates when your truck is parked or in motion. It may take a few seconds for the system to come up to temperature (the press release we saw said "optimal results in under 90 seconds"), but it'll work even when the engine is cold. HotShot is starting to appear on new vehicles, but it's also available through the aftermarket. We found a system listed on Amazon.com for $149.
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GM Accessorizes new SUVs
It didn't take long for General Motors to come out with its own line of accessories for the new GMT-900-based fullsize SUVs (Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalade). Now buyers have the option of installing 20-inch rims (22s for the Caddy. Bling!), after-cat exhaust systems, cargo carriers, DVD headrest systems, and other goodies right at the dealership and rolling the cost into their monthly payments. If you can get your hands on one, that is. According to a report in Automotive News, Chevy dealers were told to expect to get just one of the new Tahoes by the end of March, with more to trickle in as production ramped up. The new Suburban, which was heavily advertised during the Winter Olympics, won't arrive in showrooms until the summer.
Book Review
1000 Miles to Glory: The History of the Baja 1000, by Marty Fiolka, David Bull Publishing, Phoenix, Arizona.
If the documentary film Dust to Glory whetted your appetite for things Baja, this oversized, hardbound, 256-page book will bring you up to speed on the history of the most famous south-of-the-border off-road race. Fiolka tells the tale by giving each running-from 1967 to 2004-its own chapter, and starts the book with an introduction that details the motley record runs that predated the first race. (One done in a Rambler. Yep, a Rambler.) The book is chock-full of color and black-and-white photos and includes personal anecdotes from many of the sport's biggest names, including Ivan "Ironman" Stewart, Robby Gordon, Rod Hall, Walker Evans, and Malcolm Smith. Trivia buffs will appreciate the year-by-year and class-by-class race results in the final chapter.
Now someone needs to write a companion volume outlining the evolution of Baja 1000 race vehicles, from the Meyers Manx to Trophy Trucks. While we're at it, let's see an examination of Baja bikes too, from old-school Husqvarnas to the currently dominant Honda XR650Rs. If we had a nit to pick about Fiolka's book, it's his lack of bike coverage.
Human Sport Trac?
To drum up interest in the new version of its Sport Trac, Ford held a contest looking for "the real person that best fit the composite of capabilities of the redesigned sport utility truck." That lucky guy turned out to be Matt Nuffort of Lexington, Massachusetts, who won an eight-day extreme sports trip in California. Plus the use of an '07 Sport Trac for the week, of course.
The multitalented Nuffort has "been in the Air Force, went to Princeton undergrad, and went to MIT for grad school," said Bryan Olson, Sport Trac's marketing manager. "He's got a pilot's license, is a scuba diver, and runs triathlons." During his weeklong trip between Big Sur and Yosemite, Nuffort drove the truck off-road, hiked, mountain biked, kayaked, surfed, scuba-dove, and snowboarded. Makes me tired just listing it.
Ya Big Ape!
Jeep did it with Lara Croft; now Volkswagen is marketing a special edition of its Touareg SUV with another action hero-King Kong, the star of Peter Jackson's recent remake. The Touareg Kong features special paint and trim colors, extra exterior accessories, unique wheels, and a special interior treatment. Sadly for Kong fans in the States, this special edition is on sale in Germany only.