For the film, three Rubicons were customized with rollcages, skidplates with HID lighting, and specially designed interiors. The Jeeps were also equipped with 4-inch Skyjacker lifts, 35-inch Mickey Thompson Baja Claw tires, Warn winches, and Bushwacker fender flares.
For the special Tomb Raider collector's edition of the Jeep, DaimlerChrysler has outfitted Rubicon models with 16-inch Alcoa forged aluminum wheels and a number of Mopar accessories, including a lightbar, fender flares, a tubular grilleguard, a diamond-plate bumper guard, rock rails, and foglamp and taillamp guards. The Jeeps get special Tomb Raider badging and a serial number plate. Only 1,000 of the special Jeeps will be made.
VW's Diesel Wins AwardVolkswagen recently announced it will offer its powerful 5.0L V-10 turbodiesel as an option on U.S. versions of the new Touareg sport/utility (see "First Drive," page 104). The engine should be available in the first quarter of 2004. Around the same time that announcement was made, VW won Engine of the Year honors for that powerplant from an international panel of automotive journalists.
In U.S.-spec trim, the turbodiesel will produce 308 hp and more than 550 lb-ft of torque. Engineers estimate fuel economy in the 18-mpg range.
The motor already appears in European versions of the Touareg (as well as the upscale Phaeton sedan). European demand for the diesel has been so great that VW has been hard pressed to make enough for the continent. So it probably won't be available in much volume here in the States. Expect the TDI option to add $8,000 to $10,000 to the price of the Touareg, bringing it to around $50,000.
New Tire Safety Standards SetThe government hasn't changed tire testing standards for something like 30 years, but all the problems with tire separation on trucks and SUVs have resulted in some new rules. In June, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) decreed that all new radial tires used for vehicles of less than 10,000 pounds GVW will be subjected to a series of tests that are tougher than current standards.
The high-speed and endurance tests are becoming more stringent (using higher test speeds and longer distances, respectively), and there will now be a low-inflation-pressure performance test that will set a minimum standard of performance for tires inflated to just 20 psi (the minimum level of inflation that will set off tire pressure monitoring system warnings).
In addition, the same tire performance requirements used for passenger tires will be applicable to LT tires (load range C, D, and E).
As you'd imagine, the tire industry isn't thrilled with the new rules. While all tire companies are committed to safety, there are concerns about what it will cost to meet the new rulings. A representative of the Rubber Manufacturers Association, quoted in a Detroit Free Press article, said it could cost the industry $1 billion in the first year to meet the tougher standards. The DOT has given the tire industry four years to meet the new standards; all covered tires must comply with the new rules by June 2007.
DrivelinesCoolest Reading Places SpecialA Tribute To Our TroopsWe have continued to get "cool" reading submissions from members of our armed forces in Iraq and other hot spots in the world. As a tribute to their continued bravery and sacrifice, here are their stories.