General Motors will invest $100 million in its Tonawanda, New York State engine plant to produce an all-new, 4.5-litre V-8 Duramax diesel engine for the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra light-duty pickup trucks and the HUMMER H2. By comparison with the existing Duramax unit the engine will improve engine fuel efficiency by 25%, reduce CO2 emissions by 13% and cut particulates and NOx emissions by at least 90% for GM’s North American market light duty trucks and the HUMMER H2 built after 2009.
This will be GM’s first engine to use a selective catalytic reduction NOx aftertreatment system with a diesel particulate filter to help achieve the Tier 2 Bin 5 and LEV 2 emissions standards.
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GM (including its Opel, Saab, Vauxhall and GMDAT subsidiaries) currently offers 17 diesel engine variants in 45 vehicle lines around the world, and GM sells more than one million diesel engines annually, ranging from the 1.3L four-cylinder diesel engine sold in the Vauxhall/Opel Agila and Corsa to the 6.6L V-8 Duramax diesel supplied in its full-size vans, heavy duty pickups and medium duty trucks in the U.S.
GM first introduced the Duramax diesel 6.6L V-8 in the U.S. in the 2001 model year, since when GM’s heavy duty pickup truck market share has increased nearly tenfold.
After having established itself as an undisputable leader in the small car segment, Maruti Suzuki has set foot in the SUV market with the launch of Grand Vitara. The new Grand Vitara from Suzuki has been given a facelift and an extra thrust of power, within months of its launch. This SUV comes to India with a single petrol engine option, a 5-seater configuration, and an enthralling exterior design that resembles the Honda CR-V.
The gutsy 2.0L VIS Inline-4 petrol engine churns out 119.5 bhp and is linked to either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic transmission. An all-wheel-drive configuration is standard and the estimated fuel economy is 7/9 km/l (city/highway). The appeal of the Grand Vitara is enhanced by the more contemporary front it has just got. The most notable changes is the headlamps which are in unison with the wider body coloured front grille which gives it the slick looks. These new features have given the Grand Vitara the aggressive power-look.
The vehicle that pioneered the cute-ute segment is all grown up. Ever since its last total overhaul (for the 2006 model year), the Toyota RAV4 has offered seating for seven, cargo capacity comparable to some mid-size SUVs, and V6 performance near the top of its class. The RAV4 can tow 3500 pounds when properly equipped, and buyers have the choice of front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. True to its family-friendly role, the RAV4 comes standard with a long list of safety equipment.
So what was once the cute baby of the family is now the family car.
The available 269-horsepower V6 tops most of the RAV4’s competitors. It’s more than the RAV4 needs, really; but it allows the RAV4 to really scoot while carrying as many as seven people and all their associated stuff. Yet the RAV4’s fuel efficiency remains comparable with some less powerful four- and six-cylinder SUVs. The base RAV4 seats five and offers a more frugal four-cylinder power.
Style-wise, the RAV4 looks like other contemporary Toyotas, featuring an aerodynamically efficient ovoid profile strategically relieved by sharp character lines. A coefficient of drag (Cd) of 0.33 is among the best in its segment and a major factor in minimizing wind noise and maximizing fuel economy.
Four-dollar-per-gallon gasoline may be wreaking havoc on sales of the Mustang, F-150 and Explorer, but it comes along at a convenient moment for the facelifted 2009 Escape and Mariner. Six-speed automatics replace four-speed automatics, there’s a new lower front chin spoiler below the redesigned front fascia and rear tire spoilers for better aerodynamics, and new low rolling resistance 16-inch Michelin tires across the board. The old 153-horsepower 2.3-liter four has been bored and stroked (among other upgrades) to a 171-horsepower 2.5-liter, and the 3.0-liter V-6 gets new cylinder heads, injectors, intake and exhaust cams, manifolds and pistons, and a compression ratio bump from 10.0:1 to 10.3:1.
So now the V-6 actually has a V-6-like horsepower number, up 40 ponies to 240. Both engines get intelligent variable valve timing. The hybrid gets the new 2.5-liter, too, and for ‘09 runs on the Atkinson cycle. It has a new engine processor and a new powertrain damping system, to cut vibrations and feedback.Ford anticipates EPA mileage will be up 1-mpg city, 1-mpg highway, whether you get the four, the V-6 or the hybrid. The biggest change, though, is that you no longer have to buy one of the bottom-feeder trim levels to get four-cylinder fuel economy. The 2.5 is available all the way up to the Escape Limited and Mercury Mariner Premier versions. Small engines are big now, even with buyers who can afford more. Ford even removed the “V-6″ badge from so-equipped ‘09 models as if it has become a badge of extravagance and disregard for the environment and global oil supply.
Last week there was news of GM closing Midwest plants that build light trucks and SUVs. This forecast of decreased production, along with the higher cost of fuel, has triggered a reflection on similar circumstances we have experienced in the past. Higher fuel costs have plagued us for some time now. In the midst of this adversity the automotive and aftermarket industries have adapted and brought about change in the light truck and SUV industry, both from the OEMs and the accessory suppliers. There is very little doubt that we will need to build our vehicles and accessories lighter, stronger and much more fuel adaptive and efficient.
We experienced a revolution in products and vehicles in the late 1980s and 1990s when GM redesigned their pickups. The other manufacturers followed suit and the result to date has been more advanced, safer, lighter, user-friendly and significantly more economical vehicles. Now it is projected that the 2009 models are following this formula.
The only way we are going to transcend the difficulty and “challenges” we face is to match these changes with innovation, modernization and the desire to create a new climate to supply new and improved products and to find advanced ways to communicate these changes to the public. I recently had a discussion with a supplier who was prototyping a new product specifically geared to addressing the problem of better fuel economy for the outdoor market; it will also have impact in the light truck market. It is this enterprising innovation that we will again need to call upon from our industry. One of the challenges he stated was, “How do I get the word out?”
CHENNAI: Automobile manufacturer Hindustan Motors Ltd on Friday said they would be launching a high-premium Sports Utility Vehicle in the Indian market soon.
“We are expecting to launch the high-premium SUV ‘Outlander’ by this year itself in the Indian market and it would be placed between Mitsubishi’s Pajero and Montero”, Hindustan Motors Ltd Executive Vice-President Y V S Vijay Kumar told reporters here today on the sidelines of the company’s exclusive tie-up with Pune-based Opulent Auto Care Pvt Ltd.
To a query, he said that the price may be somewhere between in the Rs.30 lakh range but declined to give more details about the vehicle.
He said the sales performance of “Montero” was ‘phenomenal’ since the launch of the vehicle.
“So far we have sold 600 units and we are expecting it to increase this year too”, he said.
“We sell around 250 units of Pajero every month and cities like Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai have reported good sales performance” he said.
Referring to their tie-up with Opulent Auto Care Pvt Ltd, which mainly caters to the Value Added Services for automobiles, Kumar said that the concept is gradually gaining importance from vehicle owners. “The contract with them is for three years and this particular segment is booming,” Kumar said.
If you’re like most people, the purchase or lease of a vehicle will be the second largest financial decision you’ll ever have to make. Just think, most of us make that decision every 3-6 years. The choices and options can seem overwhelming. While the decision is as personal as… well, the person, sport utility vehicles (SUVs) have become a very popular choice for many.
Need or Novelty?
Do you needan SUV, or is it just a novelty? I once told a salesman I didn’t need “Feature X”, or “Feature Y”. With a large smile the salesman said, “That’s OK, because those features aren’t for the ‘needy’ they’re for people like you who wantthem.” Still, those are the exact features I always point out to friends first. Of course I didn’t need them, but I did want them. The question was: how much was I willing to pay for them?
Do you need a SUV? Probably not. Then again, SUVs aren’t for the needy. SUV’s are for people who want more than a form of transportation to get from point “A” to point “B”. If getting from point “A” to another point were the sole concern, a horse or a Ford Model T (in any color you want as long as it’s black), would still be all consumers needed.
Choices
If you have decided that an SUV is one type of vehicle you want to consider, your choices and options are nearly limitless. You may want to make a list of pros and cons of owning an SUV first, or maybe a list of the ways you plan to use your SUV. Starting with these lists will help determine the features and type of vehicle that will best meet your lifestyle, and your budget.
2008 AUTO EXPO: TATA SUMO GRANDE
Tata Sumo Grande launched, priced at 6.6 lakh and above
The new Tata Sumo Grande, launched at the Auto Expo 2008 in New Delhi today, can take the fight to Toyota Innova and Mahindra Scorpio.
BY OUR AUTOMOBILE CORRESPONDENT
9 January, 2008
Tata Sumo Grande photo
The new version of the successful Tata Sumo, Sumo Grande, was launched by Tata Motors today in New Delhi on the opening day of the Auto Expo.
The Tata Sumo Grande will be priced between Rs 6.6 lakh and Rs 7.49 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The SUV is expected to be available in the market from February 2008 onwards.
The Sumo Grande is a lot more butch-looking than the current Sumo it replaces. Fit and finish - we will have to wait a bit more to find out about that.
New Tata Sumo Grande photo at Auto Expo 2008
“The company has been trying to bring in the contemporary aspect in styling and technology by infusing new features,” said Ravi Kant, managing director, Tata Motors.
The Sumo Grande will feature the Tata Safari’s successful 2.2 liter Dicor engine but it will be detuned to produce 120 bhp instead of the 140 bhp in the Safari.
The Sumo Grande still has the high stance of the Sumo - but we expect vehicle dynamics to be much improved. At this price point, the Sumo Grande is quite capable of taking the fight to the Toyota Innova and the Mahindra Scorpio.
Me, I personally always thought that the Scorpio looks like a heavily-made up grandmother in a miniskirt. The Sumo Grande looks immensely better to my tastes.
After months of speculation, skeptical claims of vaporware, and leaked photography, GM pulled the wraps off the 2011 Chevrolet Volt - its great green hope - at its centennial celebrations in Detroit.
It’s easy to see this isn’t the concept Volt, which debuted at the 2007 Detroit auto show. Engineers needed to improve aerodynamics for production, which explains why the flat, sharp surfaces of the show car transformed into long, rounded forms on the final product.
Though it may look somewhat different than the slinky concept shown at the 2007 Detroit auto show, the premise behind the Volt is still the same. Deemed an “extended-range electric vehicle”, the car is designed to operate as an electric vehicle until the batteries are depleted. At that point, a small gasoline engine kicks in to recharge the batteries - not drive the wheels. Owners will also be able to recharge the Volt by plugging it into either a 120- or 240 volt outlet when parked at home or at work.
CHENNAI: Auto major Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) would soon come out with a new Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), a company official said on Tuesday.
Addressing a HR conclave here, organised by Great Lakes Institute of Management, Allen Sequeria, M&M, Senior Vice-President HR, said the new SUV would be rolled out in another 15 days. But he declined to divulge any details about the product even as reporters sought details from him.
Talking about his company, he said, “M&M will be a US Dollar one billion company in the auto component sector and the country’s leading tractor manufacturer by 2010.”
