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CONTENTS
Bigger is Better
The 2012 Ram 2500 HD Long Horn Edition is an impressive beast ...pg 12
First Foray
Range Rover enters the world of crossovers with a bang..pg 18
Safety
Off-Road Tire Guide Our 2012 OffRoad Tire Guide ...pg 24
Aussie Campervan
How safe is your next truck? ...pg 35
Also Inside
Fresh Tracks--------------------------------- 4 New Wheels: Kia Sportage + Sorento--- 21 New Wheels: Mitsubishi RVR------------ 30 New Wheels: Honda Ridgeline----------- 33 Feature: Truck Programmers ------------ 38 Feature: Compact 4x4 vs. SbS ---------- 39
Britz Campervan’s 4WD Challenger ...pg 53
Project Daily Driver------------------------ 44 Feature: Jeetop---------------------------- 48 The Truck Guy ----------------------------- 52 History: An American in Basel ---------- 56 Gearing Up -------------------------------- 58 Stuck Trucks------------------------------- 62
DISTRIBUTION PARTNERS
The second-gen Porsche Cayenne is a perfect combination of bark and bite..pg 18
FRESH TRACKS
Acura Goes Against the Grain With New RDX
Volume 5, Issue No. 2 April/May 2012 Publisher/Editor: Dean Washington
dean@rpmcanada.ca
Associate Publisher: David Symons david@rpmcanada.ca
Advertising Inquiries: sales@rpmcanada.ca Circulation: Brenda Washington brendaw@rpmcanada.ca Editorial Coordinator / Graphic Design: Jordan Allan jordan@rpmcanada.ca Controller: B.M. Walker Copy Editor: Gerry Frechette gerryf@rpmcanada.ca Sales & Marketing Elaine Fontaine elaine@rpmcanada.ca Contributing Writers/Photographers: Jordan Allan Howard J Elmer Gerry Frechette Ian Harwood Arch Linsao Russell Purcell Budd Stanley
MAILING ADDRESS: #1-1921 Broadway Street, Port Coquitlam, BC Canada V3C 2N2 TELEPHONE: (604) 629-9669 FAX: (778) 285-2449 TOLL FREE TEL: 1-888-500-4591 EMAIL: info@rpmcanada.ca WEBSITE: www.rpmcanada.ca Trucks Plus is published six times per year by RPM Media Inc. Second Class Mailing Agreement #40050183
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he vast majority of manufacturers are trading in their V6s for turbocharged four-bangers, due to the power-to-efficiency ratio these engines are now offering. However, while the RDX was one of the first crossovers to make use of a turbo four, Acura is now changing its tune for the redesign of the RDX, opting to ditch the forced induction unit for Honda’s venerable 3.5-litre V6. At least that’s what Acura is saying with the release of this new concept, which will likely go to production as a 2013 model with few changes. Acura says the horsepower will jump from 240 to 273, and despite the larger displacement, fuel economy will also increase significantly. We only hope that the addition of the more mature powerplant won’t steal the spunk out of the fun little RDX.
David Slays Goliath at Dakar
In terms of team budgets, it was the X-Raid MINI Countrymans that could have been considered Goliath, however, in yet another great Dakar battle, it was the little MINIs that slayed the great Hummer giants. It may not have been the great head-to-head battles of Volkswagen, Mitsubishi, BMW and Nissan of years gone by, but this newfound rivalry between two teams entering vehicles on very opposite sides of the scale was particularly entertaining. During the first half of the 2012 edition Dakar that covered 8,343 kilometres, largely in deserts, through Argentina, Chile and Peru, the MINIs and Hummers were trading stage wins before Nasser Al Attiyah retired his Hummer with mechanical issues, while Robbie Gordon suffered from penalties placing him too far behind to fight for the win. In the end, it was Stephane Peterhansel winning the Dakar over teammate Jani Roama in the sister MINI. The Toyota Hilux of Giniel De Villiers rounded out the podium with an impressive drive.
Chrysler Builds Millionth Pentastar After Just 18 Months
As we’ve been reporting, the 3.6-litre V6 Pentastar that Chrysler has been currently flogging into everything it can fit it into, has been the darling of the corporation. First debuted in the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Pentastar has been charged with replacing seven other engines in 11 different models in the Chrysler and Dodge lineups. The V6 is rated from 283 horsepower up to 305 hp, while rumours last year suggested a twin-turbo version could go into the Maserati GranTurismo. All this success, and the engine’s versatility, as well as being voted one of Ward’s “10 Best Engines,” means that in just 18 months the Trenton, Michigan plant that produces it has cranked out over a million of them. With the success of the powerplant, you can expect that the Pentastar will likely be a star for a good long while.
FRESH TRACKS Nissan Morphs LEAF and NV200 Into One Concept
Nissan has been hinting at the introduction of the NV200 compact commercial and family van into the North American market for some time now, and in January, it showed the press a new look for the vehicle at the North American International Auto Show. The result is an NV200 body with LEAF drivetrain and front fascia grafted onto the front. Nissan is quick to comment that the “no gas, no tailpipe, no emissions” powertrain will provide similar range and power as the LEAF, powered by an 80 kW electric motor that will provide 207 lb-ft of torque thanks to the e-NV200’s laminated 24 kWh lithium-ion battery. Nissan says the vehicle will be suitable for both small businesses and families, while also slated to be New York’s “Taxi of Tomorrow,” in late 2013. So far, Nissan has already begun real world testing of the vehicle, and updated designs should, hopefully, be coming soon. As for the regular NV200, powered by the 2.0L 4-cylinder lifted from the Sentra, Nissan plans to take on the likes of the Ford Transit Connect and Ram C/V with a much more traditional design due out later this year. Production will begin at the Mexico plant as soon as it is reconfigured.
Will Fiat Strada Become A Ram?
Fiat has released the 2012 Strada in Europe and South America, a car-based compact pickup with excellent fuel efficiency. However, with Fiat planning to introduce several of its vehicles here in North
America under the guise of Chrysler, Jeep and Ram products, could we be looking at the possible reincarnation of the Dakota? The Strada has been quite popular in South America and Europe, featuring a body that is just over 14 feet long and with 1,300 and 1,600 pounds of payload capacity. Respectable to say the least, but we’re sure our neighbours to the south will not be impressed by the Multijet 1.3-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder engine that sits under the hood, even if it does get 45 mpg combined with an output said to be about 100 horsepower with close to 150 pounds-feet of torque. We’re skeptical if the Strada will replace the Dakota, but with several Jeep products waiting in the wings that are based on small European platforms, you never know.
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FRESH TRACKS First Canadian to Finish Dakar On CAFE To Push Limits On Truck Producers Four Wheels Our man Mark Jennings-Bates missed out on this year’s edition of the Dakar Rally, after the Bowler Team he was set to drive for was bought out by disgraced businessman, Vladamir Antanov, ruining a 2012 run. However, a fellow Canadian was able to see the finish line for the first time. David Bensadoun is a Dakar fanatic. The original Paris-Dakar rally used to blast by his parents’ house back in France when he was young and ever since, he has dreamed of one day competing in the epic event. The son of the founder of Aldo Shoes, Bensadoun’s team, Team Aldo Racing, tackled the 2012 event in a UK-built Desert Warrior, based loosely on a Land Rover. After two weeks of competition, the 42-year-old Montreal native and his co-driver, Patrick Beaule, became the first Canadians to drive across the finish line of the Dakar on four wheels after completing the 8,343- kilometre adventure through Argentina, Chile and Peru. The team finished 40th overall out of 246 motorcycles, quads, cars and trucks that started the race, with little in terms of drama, at least by Dakar standards. However, Bensadoun isn’t sure if he wants to take another run at the Dakar. Team Aldo Racing also raised more than $200,000 for CANFAR, a charity that battles AIDS in Africa.
As we know, the government has been playing hardball with vehicle manufacturers as of late, in an effort to maximize fuel efficiency and therefore emission standards in the coming years. However, despite a negotiated agreement between CAFE and the manufacturers, the coming standards will create extremely large hurdles for manufacturers to overcome, and extremely efficient vehicles for us in the near future. During the next four years, the new standards require a 4.0-4.5-percent annual increase in efficiency, which means with a five-year product cycle between major changes; vehicle producers will need more than a 20-percent increase in fuel economy. The rules for 2017-2025 only apply to cars, but full-size trucks will return to their annual rate of increase of 4 percent for 2021-2025. Which technologies and materials manufacturers use to hit these numbers is yet to be determined, but what will the end cost to the consumer be for the added efficiencies?
Alonso and Massa Get Corsa Red Jeep SRT8s?
There’s no end to the perks of being a Formula One racing driver, especially if you happen to drive for Scuderia Ferrari. As we mentioned earlier, Fiat is trying spread its wares on this side of the pond, with a number of Chrysler, Jeep and likely Ram products being based on Italian platforms. As a result, Fiat is also trying to
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FRESH TRACKS build the American product’s popularity over in Europe, and how better to do that than to throw a couple of vehicles at its highlypaid Formula One team drivers. Both Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso took ownership, in the most highly public manner of course, of two Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8s at the Fiorano test track at Ferrari headquarters in Maranello, the first two examples of the new SRT8 in Europe at that. However, these two examples are particularly special as they are painted Rosso Corso Red with matte black front grille, a black offset racing stripe, black roof, carbon fibre trim and white accents. Ride height was lowered by 1.5 inches on unique forged and painted 20-inch alloys, and the interior has similarly been decked out in red leather accents and top-stitching and even yellow dials on the instruments. Who would have thought, a Ferrari-themed Jeep?
been laid down, but Porsche is working to have the little ute out around 2013. Initial thoughts are that the Macan will be based on the Audi Q5 platform, with obvious design modifications and wearing Porsche suspension, brake and engine part numbers. Rumours have also hinted toward both hybrid and two-door iterations as well.
Eight Of Top Ten Stolen Vehicles In America Are Trucks
The fact that there are thieves out there all too ready to break into or even lift your vehicle is a reality of today’s society, but it’s a little troubling to know that of the top ten stolen vehicles in the USA, eight are trucks, as reported by the Highway Loss Data Institute.
Porsche Kills Cajun Name, Meet The Macan We’ve been reporting and hotly anticipating Porsche building a younger brother to the Cayenne, obviously based on VW family architecture. We thought that vehicle was to be the Cajun, but Porsche has officially announced the company’s upcoming small sport utility vehicle will be called the Macan. We were hoping for an early entrance of the vehicle, as most of the work has already
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They compile a list of the ten most stolen vehicles based on car theft frequency, which is the number of reported thefts of insured vehicles for every 1,000 vehicles on the road. They also include vehicles that had something stolen from them. The list is as follows. 10. Chrysler 300 Hemi, 9. GMC Yukon, 8. Chevrolet Avalanche, 7. Ford F-350 Super Crew, 6. Chrysler 300 V6, 5. GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab, 4. Ford F-450 Super Duty Super Crew, 3. Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab, 2. Ford F-250 Super Duty Super Crew and, the most stolen vehicle award goes to 1. Cadillac Escalade. We’re thinking if you own a work truck or any GM truck, it might pay to get a good anti-theft device.
NEW WHEELS
My Buckle’s Bigger Than Yours
Ram 2500 HD Long Horn Edition shouts the loudest Story by Budd Stanley, photos by David Symons
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ike the buckle holding an Albertan rancher’s belt in place, the massive chrome Laramie Long Horn insignia pasted to the side of the Ram 2500 HD’s front doors shouts its ideals of bigger is better. And it’s hard not to miss as this 3,000-kilogram behemoth has the Long Horn insignia and markings covering just about every free space to let everyone know just how you roll. It is an impressive beast, and an extremely comfortable place to spend your time, as many who buy a Heavy Duty will likely be living in them. What’s more, my tester came with the workhorse heart that any heavyduty owner is going to want, the Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel I-6. With electronic high-pressure common-rail injection, the big clapper pumps out 350 horsepower and the ridiculous industry standard of 800 earth-turning pound-feet. Needless to say, the power of the Cummins is not in question as it picked up the great brute and shot it down the road with ease in 2WD. When the situation gets a little sticky, electronic select 4WD-high and 4WD-low are but a flick of the wrist away. However, all this capability can’t come without some sort of sacrifice, and unfortunately it comes at the expense of your wallet when it comes time to fill the big Long Horn. Due to the 2500’s “heavy duty” designation, Ram doesn’t have to rate the Long Horn’s fuel efficiency. However, I was producing actual numbers of 16.2L/ 100km in the city and 14.4L/100km on the highway. Disappointing, considering I was getting 11.1L/100km on the highway in the Chevy Silverado 2500HD 6.6L diesel. 12 Trucks Plus
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While the trim level of the Long Horn is obviously a large part of this vehicle, when it comes to the additional features and options, the Ram is well-equipped with navigation, onboard hard drive, USB and voice link connectivity, back-up camera, 110v outlets, trailer brakes and all the driving aids one could want. However, with Ford pushing its Sync and MyTouch connectivity systems, the Ram might offer a lot, but the Ford offers more, with much more pomp and circumstance. For the twenty-something playboy, the flair of the Ford will be more attractive; for the forty-and-above working man, the Ram gives you everything you need without being over-complicated and confusing.
I must admit, of all the full-size trucks on the market today, it’s the Ram’s design that attract me the most, and even the loud paint job on the Long Horn is quite classy in my mind. However, the Long Horn is all about making a splash, and while the exterior paint and badging may be considered fairly tame in some circles, the interior pulls no punches. Everywhere I look inside the Long Horn, it looks as though the UFC marketing department threw up all over the place. Seats, centre console, scuff guards, the dash, the floor mats, trim, gauges and even the gauge trim are all emblazened with the Long Horn badge and western design. The pouches behind the front seats have saddlebag flaps that fall over the top, for god’s sake. I’m sure it’s popular with a select crowd; however, it’s much too gaudy for me. Then there are the typical Ram interior materials, which despite some being disguised with leather and stitching, are mostly hard plastic and cheap to the touch, and the trim pieces seem to separate under light cornering loads. Touchy feely, it’s still a regular Ram other than the seats, door trim and centre console. One thing I won’t criticize is the interior’s comfort. The seats are lazy-boy comfy, and not just in the front, as the rears are equally impressive. What’s also impressive is the massive amount of space, with the Mega Cab easily seating five full-sized beer-bellied ranchers with ease. The Long Horn 2500 comes with a starting price of
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$51,595, while my tester was equipped out at $58,000. When you consider the cost of the F-350 King Ranch, the Longhorn is a full $10K cheaper, good value for an “I’m better than you” segment.
SPECIFICATIONS: MSRP: . ...........................................................................$51,595 Price as Tested:.............................................................. $57,995 Engine:................................................. 6.7L turbo diesel Inline-6 Power:............................................................................... 350 hp Torque:............................................................................ 800 lb-ft Layout:.................................. Front Engine, 4WD, 4-door pickup Curb Weight:.................................................................. 3,034 kg Fuel Efficiency (as tested):......... 16.2L/100km city, 14.4L/100km .. highway
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One soft point with the Ram is the ride, because it’s not as soft as I would have liked in the luxury version of the Ram. After driving the competition, I have noticed that the Ram’s road manners are not quite as refined as the others. Now, I know that this is a heavy duty, but it’s a heavy duty that is built to be the cowboy’s Cadillac, and the harsh suspension was a little behind the competition. On road, the truck does drive nice for its size even if it could use a good couple of hundred pounds in the bed. Driving position is upright with a great view, pedals are adjustable to suit any stature, and for those who like a long hood, the Ram will appeal. With the heavy duty-rated tires, steering response is a little slow, but don’t worry, it will turn. So I had a bit of a love-hate relationship with the Ram 2500 Long Horn. The over-the-top trim, the ride and the fuel efficiency left me a little disappointed, but the colouring, design, comfort and capabilities of the big truck were excellent. I may be stumped about the way I feel about the Long Horn, but there is one thing that is for sure, and that is that I will likely never forget it. And that’s what the Long Horn is all about. Putting it out there.
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NEW WHEELS variants look when you lop off the two rear doors and stretch the two remaining. There are three distinct trim levels for the four-door model available in Canada, and two for the coupé. All are very wellequipped, but each possesses its own unique styling cues and subtleties to set them apart from each other. Range Rover’s goal is to make the one vehicle appeal to the broadest range of customers, and the three trim lines seem distinctive enough for this unique marketing ploy to actually work. The Range Rover Evoque Pure is being marketed as “the purest expression of the LRX concept car.” In short, don’t refer to it as the “base” model. The uncluttered interior features neutral colours, soft-touch materials throughout, and real-metal brushed aluminum trim. It starts at $46,995.
The sign of things to come Story and photos by Russell Purcell
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he 2012 Range Rover Evoque is an all-new model for the stalwart brand based loosely on the mid-sized LR2 platform.
This vehicle has been designed for the young, urban professional rather than the traditional Range Rover buyer, and its lower price point should allow new customers to experience the company’s legendary quality and adventurous spirit without breaking the bank. The Evoque represents Range Rover’s first foray into the burgeoning crossover segment. The dance floor is cluttered with a lot of small to medium-size crossover vehicles at the moment, but few sport the show car good looks of the Range Rover Evoque. In fact, this vehicle possesses a level of curb appeal that is usually reserved for big-ticket automobiles, not an entry in the more attainable price category where the Evoque resides. The aerodynamic body of the Evoque features a high beltline, slim greenhouse and rounded corners. It almost looks like the head of the driver in your golf bag, but suspended on four oversized wheels pushed out to the corners to reduce overhangs (a real benefit should you venture off-road).. The vehicle comes in both two- (coupé) and four-door variants, but I surmise that the latter will be the more popular choice with consumers as it is far more practical when it comes to loading both passengers and cargo. My test vehicle was a four-door model, but I must admit that the two-door coupé exudes a sense of sportiness that may appeal to single buyers and empty-nesters. It’s amazing how different the two 18 Trucks Plus
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The Range Rover Evoque Prestige steps up the level of luxurious appointments inside and out. Unique alloy wheels and a healthy dose of chrome brightwork give the Prestige a little more flash. The interior is draped in fine leather and tasteful trim pieces. The price of admission for this beauty queen is $60,495. The Range Rover Evoque Dynamic will appeal to the driving enthusiast, as it features a more aggressive stance and muscular design cues. The Dynamic model sports unique bumpers, sills, grille and tailpipes on the outside, and a similar sport-inspired theme on the inside. The class athlete can be purchased for $60,095. Range Rover Evoque Coupé is available in just two flavours, Pure and Dynamic. The Pure edition starts at $52,595, while the Dynamic starts at $61,595. The Evoque has the Range Rover name emblazoned on the hood, so you know immediately that it must be outfitted to the level of luxury expected by the company’s loyal customer base. The cabin is surprisingly spacious, and it appears much wider than that of, say, its closest rival, the BMW X3. As a larger individual, I came away impressed with how much room I had when seated behind the wheel of the Evoque. I was also impressed with the amount of room afforded the passengers riding in the rear compartment. I stand 6’2” tall and as such, have relatively long legs, but even with the front seats set at the rearmost points of their mounting tracks, I found myself with more than enough room for my big feet and knobby knees.
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NEW WHEELS My test vehicle featured a panoramic roof made almost entirely out of smoked glass panels. This helped give the passenger compartment an airy feel and made for a very pleasant viewing experience when the vehicle was underway. Fit and finish was impressive, and it was difficult to find anything to quibble about. The seats are comfortable and supportive, and there were plenty of places to stow small items such as phones, gloves and maps. Should larger items need to be hauled, the rear seats fold down to create an almost perfectly flat cargo area. Visibility is excellent from the driver’s position, and the side mirrors proved so exceptional that I believe they may be the best in the business. The three-spoke steering wheel features a beefy rim, and all the gauges and switchgear are within easy reach of both hand and eye. The transmission lever is a rotary knob that periscopes up from the centre console when the vehicle is brought to life, and most controls are large enough to be grasped by a gloved hand. The multi-purpose, eight-inch, touch screen display that crowns the centre stack is easy to navigate, and the premium Meridian audio system will impress all who hear it. The Evoque features a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine under the hood that is based on the unit proving so popular in the new Ford Explorer, and in the Range Rover application, it generates 240 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. The engine has been modified somewhat to improve oil flow and prevent the intrusion of water, making it better suited for off-road duties than the Ford version upon which it is based. Acceleration is brisk when the vehicle isn’t laden with a full load of cargo or passengers. The Evoque feels very stable at highway speeds and will sprint from 0- 100 km/h in a tick over seven seconds. The six-speed automatic transmission can be manually manipulated using steering-wheel mounted paddles, but when left to work on its own, it seemed to execute smooth shifts and kept the engine near its sweet torque reserve, ready for deployment. I spent some time exploring the handling limits of an Evoque Coupé this past October on the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada’s (AJAC) temporary test track and it quickly opened my eyes. The Evoque proved light-footed and agile, and remained composed and precise as I tackled the tight radius curves and slinky slalom, and even under hard acceleration and braking, it never missed a beat. The Evoque’s wide stance, stretched wheelbase, communicative suspension, and precision steering bless the vehicle with dynamic handling and a refined ride. The Evoque proved to be quite capable off-road, but I should point out that unlike its big sisters and brothers, the Evoque only has a single-speed transfer case. This doesn’t mean that your travels should remain confined to the asphalt, it just means that the user shouldn’t bite off more than they can chew just because the Evoque is a Range Rover. The Evoque is still rugged enough to ford a shallow creek, or clamber over lunchbox sized obstacles,
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APR / MAY 2012
but unlike its larger stable mates, the Evoque hasn’t been designed for extended safari duty. The Evoque comes equipped with full-time all-wheel drive with an electronically-controlled Haldex centre coupling. This well-sorted all-wheel drive system has been designed to run primarily in front-wheel drive under normal conditions, but when the going gets treacherous, it can send up to 70 percent of power to the rear wheels. The company’s four-setting Terrain Response System is on hand to permit the driver to customize the all-wheel drive system to best suit the road and terrain conditions. Dedicated settings include programs for Grass/Gravel/ Snow, Mud & Ruts, Sand, and General operation. The system will alter the throttle, brakes and traction control systems to help the vehicle maintain traction depending on the road conditions. The arrival of the Range Rover Evoque signals that the storied company is now prepared to stray from its traditional design mantra and adapt its products to meet the needs of a wider array of customers. If the Evoque is a sign of things to come, then I must admit that I am excited to see what might come next.
SPECIFICATIONS: Price range (MSRP): . ..................... $46,995 - $61,195 + $1,270 (Destination and PDE) Type:............................ 2- or 4-door, 5-passenger compact SUV Layout: ........................................................... Front engine/AWD Engine: . .......................2.0L I4, DOHC, 16 valves, turbocharged Power: . .......................................................240 hp @ 5,500 rpm Torque: ......................................................251 lb-ft @ 1,750 rpm Transmission: . ........................................................6-speed auto Curb weight:................................. 3-door - 1,640 kg (3,615 lbs) / 5-door - 1,670 kg (3,681 lbs) Wheelbase: ..................................................2,661 mm (104.8 in) Length:......................................... 3-door - 4,356 mm (171.5 in) / 5-Door - 4,366 mm (171.9 in) Width:..............................................................2,125 mm (83.7 in) Height: . ..........................................3-door - 1,605 mm (63.2 in) / 5-door - 1,635 mm (64.4 in) Ground clearance:.............................................. 213 mm (8.4 in) Cargo capacity: ............................... 2-door - 550 L (19.4 cu.ft.) – 1,350 L (47.6 cu.ft.) [seats folded] 4-door - 575 L (20.3 cu.ft.) 1,445 L (51.0 cu.ft.) [seats folded] Towing capacity:........................................... 1,595 kg (3,500 lbs) Fuel consumption: ........................ City: 10.7 L/100 km (26 mpg) Hwy: 7.1 L/100 km (40 mpg)
NEW WHEELS
Kia Strong in Crossovers
By Gerry Frechette
W
ith Kia being one of the fastest-growing auto manufacturers, and crossovers continuing to be very popular, it should be no surprise that the Korean company’s compact Sportage and mid-size Sorento are on most crossover shopping lists. As they represent the current state of the art in their respective price ranges, a comparison of them provides a useful snapshot of what a buyer should be looking at in the two sizes of crossovers. Checking out www.kia.ca will fill in the details on what we don’t have room for.
The larger Sorento starts with the same 2.4-litre four in the LX model at $26,595, with automatic only, as a manual is not available, and again with front-wheel drive. The addition of AWD is only a $1,900 hit, so at $28,495, it is only $1,400 more than the comparably-equipped Sportage, and thus arguably a better value given its size. The step up under the hood is, in this case, via the proven 3.5-litre V6 in the LX-V6 model at $29,195, still with front-drive at that price, and it is at this level that the buyer can begin to choose a third row of seating, as a replacement for a
Since we have already mentioned price, that is the best place to start. The Sportage, as is typical of a compact CUV, starts in the low-$20K range, specifically $21,995 for the LX model, but it should be noted that at that price, it has a six-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive. Beyond that, it is well-equipped with most desirable comfort and safety features, and a powerful 2.4-litre four cylinder engine. The step up to six-speed automatic and all-wheel drive, which one thinks most people would want, is a $5,100 hit, so the LX is clearly the loss leader for those who want the image and features but don’t mind the base drivetrain. A recent addition to the lineup is the SX (how many people complete the word with the extra letter?) at $35,295, with the 2.0-litre turbo four from the Optima sedan, and with 260 hp, this one flies. APR / MAY 2012
Trucks Plus 21
NEW WHEELS minivan. The combinations from there are many and varied, but like the Sportage, the top level is the SX at $40,995, which is a very well-equipped CUV for the money. So obviously, there is a lot of convergence in pricing, and the buyer who has narrowed it down to the two Kia models has a lot of decisions to make based on vehicle size, engine, drivetrain, passenger capacity and comfort equipment. Perhaps the greatest divergence between Sportage and Sorento is the way they feel to drive. With approximately 250 kilograms difference given similar equipment, the Sportage is definitely the sportier and more nimble of the two, especially with the turbo engine. The Sorento, on the other hand, is the more refined and mature vehicle, and its older demographic must surely reflect that. Many buyers must fall into one of those categories very clearly, and the decision of which to choose is not between the two models at all, but some will get around the respective sizes and just look at an apples-to-apples comparison based on equipment and specs. With a common engine and drivetrain available, that is easier to do. The best fuel consumption numbers are, as expected, achieved by the automatic and FWD combinations, but surprisingly, the 6.2L/100 km highway rating Kia claims (presumably from NRC) is given to both models despite their significant difference in weight. We would think that in real-world use, the Sportage would consistently achieve better numbers, and not quite this good. Kia has made the choice between them a little easier from an interior amenities point of view. We’ve mentioned the good value in equipment on each of them, and will add that each is comfortable and roomy (for its exterior size), and that the cargo area is very useful because it is flat even with the second-row seats folded down. So, the Sportage and Sorento represent an interesting exercise in actually picking between two models from the same manufacturer, with a few commonalities (engine, transmission, drivetrain, much of the standard equipment and options packages), but some major differences like size, pricing, design, and driving characteristics. It is fair to say that either way you go, should the subjective aspects be resolved, the objective ones will all take care of themselves.
22 Trucks Plus
APR / MAY 2012
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2012 OFF-ROAD TIRE GUIDE
Tires. Just like shoes, but for trucks By Arch Linsao
A
nyone who knows me, knows that I’ve got a deep and profound love for....shoes. Seriously, I love shoes. Some people say I have a problem. As much as I try to disagree, I can’t. They’re right. And even I can admit that I’ve got a bit of an issue when it comes to shoes, and in particular, collecting them. It was this obsession that gave me the inspiration to write what you’re about to read. It was Saturday morning. Just a regular Saturday morning. Nothing special going on that day. And as I stood in front of my closet, staring at the shoebox-filled abyss, I was faced with my usual dilemma: “What shoes do I wear today?” In order to answer this question, I go through a specific thought process. And it was during that thought process where it hit me. I realized that some of the questions I ask myself when I decide what shoes to wear, or buy for that matter, are the same questions I ask myself when I decide what tires to buy. Now stay with me; I know it sounds far-fetched, but there is a connection. Just think about it. When you pick a pair of shoes, you want certain things
from them. You want them to feel good, look good, be the right size and right fit. And most of all, you want them to perform. Now the ability of that shoe to perform really is dependent on whether or not you picked the right shoe for what you’re wanting to do. You wouldn’t wear stiletto heels to go on a hike up the mountain trails would you? Didn’t think so. The same goes for picking your tires. You’re not going to head up the trails in a tire that’s meant for mostly street driving or the odd gravel road. And on the flip side, you’re not going to want to drive your “barely off-roaded truck” on some nobby mudders. There are so many things to look for when choosing a tire, but ultimately it all comes down to how you’re going to use the tire and the vehicle you’re putting them on. Sure, the super aggressive mud and crawler tires look great and are great in any off-road situation you’re going to put them in. But if you’re primarily using that vehicle on the road, you might find them a bit of overkill for what you’re needing. And on the flip side, sure, the moderately aggressive tires last longer and are much quieter and smoother riding, but if you’re looking for something serious to take out on the trail, you’re going to need something more aggressive. So take your time, look through your options and think about what you need for you and your vehicle. My best piece of advice is to talk to your tire expert/advisor. Let them know what you drive and how you want to drive it. From there, they’ll be able to offer you the best options to suit your vehicle and your driving. Trust them, they know what they’re talking about! And trust me, because I know... shoes. Now get out there, pick the RIGHT shoes for your truck, and get the heck off the road!
If you’re looking for a competition-proven tire that off-road experts demand, look no further than the BFGoodrich lineup. BFG has three great tires that offer something for just about every level of off-roader. Starting with the award- and race-winning All-Terrain T/A KO that has become the standard for on- and off-road performance, with great mileage and a great look that transforms any vehicle they go on. The combination of its 3-ply carcass, Shoulderlock technology, high-strength single-strand bead construction, dual-tread radius with advanced profile design, and dual-compound tread all lead to increased stability, strength, durability and longevity. Taking a step to the more aggressive side, the Mud Terrain KM2 takes the technology of the T/A KO and combines it with the aggressiveness of the Krawler T/A KX to produce a combination of outstanding off-road traction, robust construction, and aggressive looks. The KM2’s new compound, larger and thicker sidewall lugs and the 3-ply construction make for an increase of 33 percent in sidewall strength. And speaking of being inspired by the Krawler, it’s still available for the hardcore off-roaders and competitors. BFG now has a new tire in its lineup that’ll be of interest to those who want an aggressive-looking tire but don’t want to go overkill and have a tire that may be too much for what they need. The Rugged Terrain T/A offers rugged off-road tread design with maximum on-road capability. It delivers improved wet traction and stability while reducing noise levels and allowing for long tread wear. Yet it packages this all up in a rugged and aggressive-looking tread pattern making it a capable and versatile tire Pictured: Rugged Terrain T/A
Tough road conditions are easy to handle when you’re riding on Dueler A/T REVO 2 tires. With its balanced tread design, this tire helps to deliver great performance as well as a quiet and smooth ride - an impressive feat for a tire with considerable all-terrain capability. Bridgestone, using the philosophy of continuous improvement, is constantly making its great tires even better, including improving environmental performance. Dual Layer Tread minimizes the effect of wear on wet tire performance by exposing high grip rubber as the tire wears. The REVO features DuraTech, a high-durability compound that minimizes chipping and tearing of the tread to stand up to demanding applications. Pictured: Dueler A/T Revo 2
Cooper keeps expanding its lineup to offer tires for all types of on- and off-roading consumers. The Discoverer A/T 3 utilizes a balanced combination of technology, compounding and design to produce a tire that will perform well in nearly all types of terrain. The tread compound enhances wet traction and rolling resistance, while the aggressive tread design significantly improves off-road traction without sacrificing highway performance. Fancy something more aggressive? The Discoverer S/T MAXX features Cooper’s proven and reliable 3-ply Armor Tek3 carcass construction combined with a new proprietary cut- and chipresistant tread compound. With that combination along with its modern hybrid 4-to-5-rib tread design and unique tread features, the S/T MAXX is destined to be a commercial-grade traction tire that will perform in the toughest terrains while retaining remarkable on-road traction, stability and low noise characteristics. Can’t decide between a street or all-terrain tire for your sport truck? Try out the Cooper Zeon LTZ. Sport truck sizing with an all-terrain tread design! Pictured: Discoverer S/T MAXX 24 Trucks Plus
APR / MAY 2012
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2012 OFF-ROAD NEW WHEELS TIRE GUIDE Dick Cepek brings a range of tires to the off-road table, offering a bit of something for just about everyone. The Radial F.C II is a hybrid tire, combining the traits of both an all-terrain and a mud terrain tire. Its 3-ply sidewalls with crossply technology make for a stronger, better handling and more capable towing tire. The Mud Country takes the same 3-ply technology and gives it a wider footprint for stability and aggressive looks, spiral wound nylon overwraps for high-performance handling and segmented molds for uniformity. Now let’s take it a step further and offer up the Crusher, a unique-looking tire that combines the aggressiveness of a mud and all-terrain tire with the handling of a street tire. Basically, this tire is designed to do everything, and look good doing it with its distinctive skull and bones Sidebiters. Pictured: Crusher
Dunlop is no stranger to the off-road world. The Rover RVXT is an all-terrain tire that also offers winter traction. The rugged four-rib tread design provides excellent on- and off-road traction and performance and also extends down the sidewall to help protect against off-road sidewall scuffing. Extra-wide high-density steel belts optimize tread contact to aid cornering and enhance wear. The more aggressive Radial Mud Rover features a wide-open shoulder design to aid in the tire’s excellent self-cleaning ability, while the lug pattern delivers maximum forward and side grip to enhance off-road traction. Centre tread bars and alternating shoulder lug scallops improve lateral stability, grip and directional control both on- and off-road.
Pictured: Radial Mud Rover
Using technology from Continental, its parent company, the General Grabber AT2 provides high-end quality at a fraction of the cost. The AT2 offers exceptional traction over all-terrains with an aggressive self-cleaning tread pattern that enhances off-road and wet traction capabilities. It does this via its 5-row tread pattern with multiple traction edges. It’s also able to provide a long-lasting and durable extra-deep tread. And one of the best parts about this tire is it carries an approved winter designation by the Rubber Association of Canada. Born from competition, the new Grabber has been developed by the most skilled engineers and tested by the best off-road racers including Carl Renezeder and BJ Baldwin. It features a race-proven 3-ply construction, multi-angle sidewall protectors, and sound wave suppression technology. All while providing deceptively high levels of traction in mud, salt and even in the world’s most extreme conditions. Pictured: Grabber
Goodyear has a long-standing reputation of offering a great quality off-road tire in its Wrangler MT/R. It’s proven itself as a tough and durable tire through its 3-ply construction, Durawall technology, wraparound tread, high-tensile steel belts and staggered shoulder blocks. The newest version of the MT/R now features DuPont Kevlar in its reinforced sidewalls which help increase puncture resistance by 35 percent. Its innovative asymmetrical tread design helps provide aggressive off-road traction and enhanced on-road handling. Well, now it has company in the Wrangler Duratrac. This is a hardworking, versatile tire offering on and off-road traction and durability. It features TractiveGroove Technology to increase traction in deep mud and snow, along with self-cleaning shoulder blocks for enhanced dirt, gravel and mud traction. Its highly-angled centre tread blocks not only provide traction, but also lateral stability and noise reduction. Overall, it’s a well-rounded tire that’s good at just about everything. Pictured: Wrangler DuraTrac
Hankook offers tires that are able to keep up with other premium tire brands, but without the hit to your wallet. Its lineup starts with the Dynapro ATM RF10, a premium aggressive all-terrain tire that offers performance both on and off-road. It features a rim flange protector with rim cushion, which prevents sidewall damage and tire separation that may occur when running low pressures. It also has many features which improve overall traction and stability such as tiered side grooves, stone ejectors, zig-zag block edges and a wide footprint. The Dynamic MT RT03 takes all these features and steps them up into a more aggressive package. Its wider tread, zig-zag shoulder lugs and wide grooves offer superior traction and handling, while the sidewall protection block offers aggressive looks and shields against the shock of protruding objects. Pictured: Dynapro ATM RF10 26 Trucks Plus
APR / MAY 2012
2012 OFF-ROAD TIRE GUIDE
It’s tough to narrow down all the off-road options in the Interco lineup, basically because this is all it does. Its wide product line offers tires ranging from a mildly aggressive all-terrain tire to super-aggressive competition rock crawling tires, and everything in between. The Interco SS-M16 is a tire for all seasons. Several design features have been taken from its best-performing all-terrain and mud-terrain tires. The SS-M16 is highwayfriendly and very quiet for a tire that has such good off road performance. It is an excellent tire that bridges the gap between the all-terrain and very aggressive off-road tires and has a rugged design that will enhance the appearance of any vehicle. If this isn’t enough tire for your needs, have a look at the TSL and TRXUS lines and you’ll definitely find a tire aggressive enough to handle anything you put it through. Pictured: SS-M16
Kumho’s Road Venture series of tires have been an inexpensive yet highly competitive tire in the off-road market. This is mostly a result of the Road Venture MT KL71, an extreme off-road tire for mountain climbing and rock crawling. With improved on-road technology, its element stone ejector and mud evaporation technology, the KL71 ensures it will work in the harshest of conditions as well as everyday. The KL78, the newest member of the Road Venture AT family, is a premium all-terrain, excellent for recreational and commercial use. New and improved tread design enhances cut and chip resistance. ESCOT technology and nylon reinforcement ensures an outstanding and durable all-terrain tire. The Road Venture SAT KL61 offers modern and stylish design, combined with outstanding performance through the use of four channel grooves, serrated block side, longitudinal centre ribs and dense sipes for outstanding wet weather traction and high-speed driving stability. Pictured: Road Venture MT KL71
Maxxis offers a vast range of products for the off-road market, ranging from very versatile and capable mud tires like the MT-762 Bighorn with its staggered shoulder blocks, deep self-cleaning tread blocks, and enhanced puncture resistance, all the way to a full line of super-aggressive tires including the M8090 Creepy Crawler, which is a bias extreme off-road tire featuring super sticky tread compounds, a unique multi-edged knob design and arrangement of sipes which enhances traction on rock surfaces and improves grip for competition crawling. The M8060 Trepador radial proved tough enough for a class win at the Baja 1000 - without suffering a single flat in almost 1,300 miles. The aggressive tread pattern provides excellent traction on mud, rock, sand and everything in between, while maintaining a smooth driving experience. The new radial construction also improves ride comfort and high-speed stability, while the new compound improves tread life without sacrificing off-road traction. The MT-754 Buckshot Mudder is perhaps Maxxis’ most popular off-road tire. The MT-754 boasts an extremely aggressive tread pattern as well as a rugged sidewall in order to handle even the most extreme terrain. In addition, the Buckshot Mudder features unique self-cleaning lugs that ensure maximum traction at all times. You’ll definitely be able to find something in this lineup to suit your needs. Pictured: M8060 Trepador
Mickey Thompson is another brand that carries a variety of off-road tires. Ranging from moderate to aggressive, there will be something in the lineup to suit you and your vehicle’s needs. The new Baja STZ offers excellent steering response, superior grip and great all-weather traction, making it the perfect choice for work, play or sportsman application. It’s also got an aggressive tread design, variable density nylon overwraps, serrated tie bars and shoulder scallops and strategic siping for improved stability, long wear and traction in wet or dry conditions. The Baja Claw TTC Radial is the ultimate extreme traction tire. Get rugged off-road performance with the Claw’s 23-degree tread pattern, large directional SideBiters and tough puncture-resistant sidewalls. Go where you want with the confidence that the Baja Claw TTC will pull you through! Pictured: Baja Claw TTC Radial
Nitto offers something for just about everyone. From its moderately aggressive and well-rounded Dura Grappler and Terra Grappler that offer a mix of all worlds, to the more aggressive Mud Grappler for more serious off-roaders, to the Dune Grappler which is specifically for pavement and desert trails. Now, there’s a new addition to its lineup, the Trail Grappler. It combines the off-road features of the Mud Grappler and the on-road comfort of the Terra Grappler, creating a tire that is both aggressive and quiet. For off-road performance, the sidewall combines a 3-ply high turn-up construction with a thick rubber compound that cushions the tire and helps prevent punctures. On the tread surface, the blocks are configured to provide additional biting edges that command lateral stability and enhance forward traction. For on-road comfort, Nitto’s engineers used advanced sound analysis equipment to reduce the noise levels commonly associated with off-road tires. The internal construction and tread design also help optimize treadlife. Two wide steel belts provide a stable base for the tire and increase tread strength. This advanced construction provides optimal uniformity and reduces irregular wear. Pictured: Trail Grappler 28 Trucks Plus
APR / MAY 2012
2012 OFF-ROAD TIRE GUIDE
PitBull tires are made for serious and competitive off-roaders. Their tires range from aggressive all-terrain and mud-terrain tires to extremely aggressive crawlers and sand tires. There is definitely something in this lineup for any off-road junky. Case in point, the Maddog Mud Terrain Radial, which is designed for full-size pickups and lifted trucks driven by serious enthusiasts who want increased load-carrying capacity, extra ground clearance, and offroad look and function, coupled with excellent on-road characteristics. With the Rocker XOR LT Radial, PitBull’s most popular extreme off-road tire has been slightly tamed for your daily driver. If you want a super tough radial tire that will work in almost any terrain, that will offer exceptional looks and ridability, then the Rocker Extreme Off-Road (XOR) LT Radial is for you. Pictured: Rocker XOR LT Radial
Pro-Comp is another lineup with a vast array of tires to fit any off-roader’s needs. It produces multiple wellrounded and versatile all-terrain and mud-terrain tires that offer performance both on and off the pavement. Featuring an aggressive tread design and Tri-Ply construction, the Pro Comp Xtreme A/T 4x4 truck tires deliver excellent performance in harsh terrain, making them ideal for serious off-road enthusiasts and the Heavy Hauler, with 40,000-Mile Tread-Wear Warranty. Designed to enhance traction in a multitude of conditions, while also providing a smooth, quiet performance on the street, Pro Comp Xtreme M/T truck tires are the perfect combination of aggressive grip and a comfortable ride. There’s definitely something in this lineup for any off-roader who’s taking to the streets as well. Pictured: Xtreme A/T
Sumitomo provides an affordable solution to those wanting a stylish and moderately aggressive all-terrain tire with a sporty edge to it. But don’t let the word “affordable” fool you, as the HTR Sport A/T is a very capable tire combining the best of on-road performance and off-road capability, just at a fraction of the cost of everything else on the market. Its unique 2-in-1 tread pattern uses a five-rib design for longer tread life and greater biting edges for all-season grip and a quiet ride, while the centre rib offers greater lateral and straight line stability. A fully capable tire that doesn’t break the bank; what else could you ask for? Pictured: HTR Sport A/T
Toyo’s contribution to the off-road market has proven to be extremely popular and outstandingly well rounded. The Open Country A/T is an all-season all-terrain tire that is designed to be aggressive, when it needs to be. A great on-road tire with long life and a comfortable ride, but also a fully capable off-road tire that uses advanced tread compounds combined with an aggressive block design and “wave” sipes to ensure excellent traction and braking in a variety of road and weather conditions. Special groove bottom sipes improve traction at all stages. The Open Country M/T offers traction and durability to light truck and SUV enthusiasts who are looking for great looks with unheard-of quality and ride comfort levels in a mud terrain tire. Pictured: Open Country M/T
Yokohama also offers both an all-terrain tire for moderate off-roaders, as well as more-aggressive mud tires for the more serious off-roaders. With features ranging from multi-stepped grooves to dual interlocking pyramid sipes, the Geolandar A/T-S allows you to experience both on-road manners and off-road attitude. But for those wanting more of an edge, the Geolandar M/T+ provides superior off-road performance. Designed to conquer any surface from dunes to riverbeds, rocky terrain to asphalt, the M/T+ provides unprecedented grip and incredible strength. Pictured: Geolandar M/T+
APR / MAY 2012
Trucks Plus 29
NEW WHEELS
Mitsubishi RVR
Story and photos Gerry Frechette
T
he compact crossover segment just might be the hottest one in the auto market for the past couple of years, and there is no mainstream manufacturer that doesn’t have a dog in this fight. Mitsubishi introduced its entry, the RVR, about a year ago, and it has done well, relatively speaking. The RVR was the company’s best-selling vehicle in February in Canada with 605 deliveries. The formula for success with this type of vehicle has pretty much been established as taking a compact car platform, putting a higher, roomier wagon-type body on it, and offering all-wheel drive. This, the RVR does, although the base model (ES 2WD) has front-wheel drive and five-speed manual to keep it at $19,998, under the magical $20K mark and actually $2,000 less than its introductory price at the end of 2010. Our tester was the high-end GT 4WD which comes in at $28,998. Of note, the 4WD (All-Wheel Control in Mitsu-speak) can be selected by the driver rather than automatically by the system, and it has a “Lock” capability for really loose surfaces. We didn’t get to try any of those in our week with the RVR, unfortunately, but it is a nice feature to have, not one that every CUV has. Another optional feature it has is a Continuously Variable Transmission, an automatic without gears, per se, although there are six artificial “ratios” for those who want to “shift” it themselves with the paddle shifters, which kind of defeats its purpose, which is to maintain steady revs while the road speed varies. In any case, unlike some (or maybe most?) of those who have tried a CVT, we don’t have a major gripe with the different sound and feel it generates, especially if it yields lower fuel consumption as advertised. Under the hood is a 148-hp 2.0-litre four, and one can’t really say that it is a paragon of smoothness or quiet operation like most of its Japanese competitors are. Maybe it is just a matter of how it is tuned in this application, but the combo of the CVT and an engine 30 Trucks Plus
APR / MAY 2012
that has to be worked hard to get any performance (like, 0-to-100 km/h in over 11 seconds, according to AJAC testing) results in a bit more noisy droning than we think is pleasant. In any case, driving the RVR, especially the GT we had, was made more pleasant by the interior design and amenities. The approach, with its monochromatic black-and-aluminum trim, is somewhat understated, especially in comparison to the exterior styling that one could describe nicely as unique and edgy. The front seats are well-shaped and provide good all-round comfort and ergonomics, while the rear seating area is perhaps not the most roomy in its class, especially for more than two adults, but of note is that there is plenty of room for feet under the front seats, something that is important for comfort but not always the case. A fold-down centre armrest with cupholders, which opens up to be a pass-through for long objects, is a nice touch. There is no third-row seat available. The lot is covered by a huge panoramic glass sunroof that can not be opened, which is a little frustrating, but which lets in lots of light. The rear seats fold down in 60-40 fashion with the lifting of one button on each side, and they fold essentially flat, something else that is important for utility. So, the RVR has a well-executed cabin for both people and cargo. The dashboard is well laid-out, although we would like to have seen less-fussy controls (like, knobs instead of small buttons) for the audio head unit, which in our tester controlled a
SPECIFICATIONS: Price as tested:............................................................... $28,998 Vehicle Layout:....... Front transverse engine, AWD, 5-door CUV Engine: . ................................................................ 2.0L DOHC I4 Transmission: . ..............................................................CVT auto Power: . .............................................................................148 hp Torque: ......................................................145 lb-ft @ 4,200 rpm Brakes: . ..........................................................4-wheel disc, ABS Curb Weight:.................................................................. 1,480 kg Fuel Economy (L/100 km, city/hwy): .................................8.6/6.6
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The RVR is loaded with safety equipment, as one expects these days, including active stability control, traction control, a tire-pressure monitoring system, ABS with electronic brake force distribution, and seven airbags. In normal, light-footed, mostly urban driving, the RVR delivered 12.0L/100 km consumption of regular gas, according to its onboard computer, compared to the 8.6L rating given it by the NRC Fuel Consumption Guide. A big discrepancy, one that might be in some part be explained by the known-to-be optimistic NRC figures, so we won’t slag the RVR for this, but one might think that the number would be a bit closer to that 8.6, especially with the supposedly more-economical CVT transmission.
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Other numbers that can’t be disputed are the ones pertaining to the RVR’s warranty, which are quite stellar, with basic coverage of 5 years / 100,000 km, and powertrain coverage of 10 years / 160,000 km, the latter not beaten in the industry.
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So, the RVR is a mixed bag. It is a little noisy, not especially quick, a bit more thirsty than expected, and all wrapped in a body that is a somewhat polarizing design. Still, though, it is a good effort from this small company, with a nicely-done interior, well-managed cargo capability, excellent AWD system, and overall good value, especially at the lower end. And, you’d certainly be happy with that warranty in the unlikely event of a mechanical issue. ADD pRotectioN… Covers Nicks and Scratches
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bushwacker.com 32 Trucks Plus
APR / MAY 2012
NEW WHEELS
2012 Honda Ridgeline
By Howard J Elmer
T
he Honda Ridgeline has now been part of the truck world for six years, a chunk of time that usually heralds a next-generation makeover, not the soft upgrade we’ve gotten for 2012. Frankly, the changes for the coming year can be covered in a paragraph. First, all versions of the Ridgeline get a new grille treatment while the Sport (a new trim level) gets black 18-inch alloy wheels, a black honeycomb grille, and black headlight and brake light housings. Also, mechanical enhancements have netted a 2.5-percent improvement in fuel efficiency, says Honda, as a result of aerodynamic and powertrain tuning modifications. And that’s about it. Since its introduction, the Ridgeline has split its critics into two very distinct camps. Love it. Hate it. Now with its seventh season on Canadian ice coming up it, appears the “Love it” camp has held sway; though its sales numbers have never been huge, it has built a following and met a need.
For instance, from a driving perspective, the Ridgeline drives and performs in a very comfortable car-like manner, with just a hint of rigidness. It also parks easily, offers good visibility and scoots around town in nimble fashion – all attributes those looking for a part-time truck have probably appreciated. So, as I drove this blacked out Sport, I wondered not about the new minor changes, but rather the future of this polarizing pickup. While the Ridgeline has changed little since ’06, the pickup truck market has changed enormously. Trucks have gotten larger and more powerful and most manufacturers have abandoned the small pickup market all together making the only players left that much more desirable to those looking for a truck smaller than a battleship. This is good news for Honda, as for truck buyers (certainly, lovers of all things Honda have provided a steady customer base over the years) but these changes in the pickup market itself may now bring new buyers to the unchanging Ridgeline. I say “lay claim to the small market,” but to do that, Honda has to change one thing - stop calling your truck full-size. Currently, Honda says its truck is a full-size half-ton with the ability to tow 2,268 kg and carry payload of 705 kg. Yes, it does that. Unfortunately guys, since ’06, the rest of the half-ton market has moved on. At my Canadian Truck King Challenge event this year, we towed 3,629 kg trailers and hauled 816 kg of shingles with the competing brand half-tons. So when I call it a small truck it’s not meant as an insult. In fact, driving the Ridgeline Sport for a week, I was reacquainted with a series of components that work well together. Its 3.5-litre VTEC V6 engine coupled to the five-speed automatic transmission is quiet and moderately powerful, with its output (as of 2010) rated at 250 hp and 247 lb-ft torque. The most recent (2012) EnerGuide lists its consumption as 13.6L/100km city and 9.6L/100km highway, which in a world of V8 trucks is decent. Still, even with minor massaging for 2012, APR / MAY 2012
Trucks Plus 33
NEW WHEELS SPECIFICATIONS: Type of vehicle: 4WD, mid-sized pickup Engine: 3.5L VTEC V6 Power: 250 hp @ 5,700 rpm Torque: 247 lb-ft @ 4,300 rpm Transmission: Five-speed auto Brakes: ventilated front disc/solid rear disc brakes Tires: 245/65-R17, steel wheels Price: base/as tested: DX $34,990, (As tested): Sport $37,690 Destination charge: $1,590. Transport Canada fuel economy L/100 km:13.6 city, 9.6 hwy. Standard features: Variable Torque Management 4WD system, In-Bed Trunk, multi-reflector halogen headlights, ABS, EBD, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with traction control, Immobilizer TheftDeterrent System, active front seat head restraints, side curtain airbags, dual-stage dual-threshold front airbags (SRS), child-proof rear door locks, two-way tailgate, integrated trailer hitch, HVAC, power-slide rear window, remote entry, cruise control, tilt steering wheel, trip computer, 100-watt AM/FM/ CD/MP3/WMA 6-speaker system, integrated trailer hitch. Sport Package Options include: Black front grille, black headlights, black taillights, Sport badge, leather-trimmed interior and leather-wrapped steering wheel, power driver’s seat, 18-inch black aluminum-alloy wheels, privacy glass, rearview mirror with compass, auxiliary input jack, steering wheel-mounted audio controls with illumination, fog lights. Package cost over base price = $2,700.
the reality is that this has been the same powertrain throughout the Ridgeline’s life, and almost everyone else has at least moved on to six-speed transmissions. Inside the truck fares better. Its four-door cab is roomy with good in and out, front and back. Step-in is reasonable; no running board or parachute required. The interior is a classic utility-minded design with lots of storage, dual-purpose features (like the centre console) and a layout that has ease of cleaning in mind; only the monotone grey needs updating. A nice feature of the Ridgeline is its standard 4WD system, called VTM-4 (Variable Torque Management). This is not an aggressive off-road system, but it does power the wheels normally while locking up the limited-slip rear differential when traction is called for automatically. For messy road conditions, it works well. However, for that occasional dirt road detour, the system also has a “locked” setting that holds power to the front and rear on a fixed basis. The Ridgeline sports four-wheel independent suspension supporting a closed-box unibody frame that also has no body panel separation between the truck cab and box, and this is still a unique design in the segment. The 6.5-foot bed (with tailgate down) will carry a full-size ATV, something I have done with a Ridgeline previously. It will also accommodate the proverbial four foot-wide sheet of plywood. In a word, its bed is useful. Also under the heading of unique is an underbed 240.7-litre storage compartment, or lockable trunk. This is a great feature, as it keeps everything from groceries to valuable tools dry and out of sight. Just remember to keep the snow brushed off it – with just an inch of the fluffy stuff on there, it’s almost impossible to open. This newest Honda Ridgeline is at dealers now.
34 Trucks Plus
APR / MAY 2012
FEATURE
How Safe Is Your Next Truck?
Story by Budd Stanley, photos courtesy of Toyota, Honda, Ford, GM, Ram and Nissan
are scattered among the segment while all but the Ranger and Colorado/Canyon received top frontal impact marks.
B
The poor showing for both the Ford Ranger and Ram Durango is not solely due to the small stature of the trucks, but also to the lack of development put into these vehicles to keep them competitive in terms of safety at the end of their lives. Both have ended their production.
ack in December, the IIHS, or the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety in the United States, came out with its latest round of “TOP SAFETY PICKS,” with the addition of 18 new vehicles joining the 97 models that have already qualified for the list. However, of the 115 vehicles it rates as meeting its top safety ratings, a rather concerning lack of pickups made the list, only three, propped up with the recent upgrading of the Honda Ridgeline. Joining the Ridgeline are the crew cab versions of the Ford F-150, and the Toyota Tundra. So, where are the Rams, Silverados, Tacomas, Titans and Frontiers in this picture? For a number of us, the purchase of a new pickup truck is based on all-weather capability – which is another story all in itself – and the perceived thought that “the bigger it is, the safer it will be,” to keep our loved ones safe in the event of an accident. However, with only three larger pickups making the top grade, and no small pickups being worthy, are pickups more dangerous to drive than other vehicles? The TOP SAFETY PICK award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting occupants in front, side, rollover, and rear crashes based on ratings in Institute evaluations. The ratings, which cover all four of the most common kinds of crashes, help shoppers pick vehicles that offer the highest levels of crash protection. Because the federal government now requires all 2012 and later passenger vehicles to have electronic stability control to help drivers avoid loss-of-control crashes, ESC is no longer a requirement to win as it was in prior years.
So does this mean that if you want a safe pickup, the F-150, Ridgeline and Tundra are your only options? Absolutely not. They are recognized as being the best in their field, meeting the IIHS’s grade that it feels makes them the safest vehicles built today, an illustrious honour indeed. However, that does not mean the Ram, Silverado, Tacoma and Frontier are death traps - quite the opposite. The Nissan Frontier/Suzuki Equator were only one mark away from a perfect grade and if you look at the crash worthiness of pickup trucks only a decade ago, the quality of today’s vehicles has vastly improved. The Tundra and Titan weren’t around at that time, but the F-150, Ram and Silverado/Sierra would have been rated as “Poor,” while the Tacoma and Frontier offered marginal results at best. And so, the list of all vehicles including those who were not
The weakness seems to be the rollover category. Not that the data produced by the IIHS say pickups are more likely to be involved in a rollover accident; its data only shows the performance of each vehicle in the act of the accident itself, and it is the structural integrity of the roofs of these vehicles that, more often than not, is the issue. Rear and side impacts APR / MAY 2012
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FEATURE awarded the TOP SAFETY PICKS are listed below with their respective performance. Vehicles are graded by the following designations: G=Good A=Acceptable M=Marginal P=Poor Vehicles are listed in order of performance in crash tests. Frontal crashes receive the highest weight, followed by side and rollover, and then rear crashes.
Vehicle
Frontal Side Roof Rear
The Top Picks Ford F-150 Honda Ridgeline Toyota Tundra The Rest Large Pickups Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra Ram Nissan Titan Small Pickups Nissan Frontier/Suzuki Equator Toyota Tacoma Ford Ranger Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon
G G G
G G G G G A A
G G G
G G G
G G G
A M M M Not Tested A
A G G
G G G P
G M A M
A G G M
Of course, not all of us drive pickups; most of us are in the market for an SUV. I’ll be back next issue to sort out the massive and complex world that is SUV safety.
36 Trucks Plus
APR / MAY 2012
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Is The Computer Mightier Than The Wrench?
FEATURE
A beginner’s guide to programmers
Story and photos by Budd Stanley
E
lectronics have come a long way in the last decade in terms of programming performance into vehicles. While ECM programming got its beginning in the Sport Compact scene, it is now the truck scene that has seized control of this side of performance modification due to the capabilities of today’s truck engines. However, what does a programmer tune do to your truck, how does it work and what benefits do you get for your money? I paid a visit to truck programming specialists, Got Diesel in Kelowna, B.C., to speak with company founder, Al Catton, about plugging in your truck. He was just getting started on the installation of the new Bully Dog programmer into a Chevrolet 2500 HD Diesel. Within half an hour I saw him inject an extra 80 horsepower and a massive 200 lb-ft of torque into the stock truck and he didn’t even lift the hood. Afterwards, we sat down and he set me straight on the basics of programmer tuning. What is a programmer? There are two types of programmers available on the market
today. The basic programmer downloads stock programming and uploads a performance tune, then is unplugged and separated from the truck. The benefit of this process of tuning is that you don’t constantly have a wire hanging out of your OB2 port, but you have to live with whatever tune you put into the computer, or go back to the shop and retune to your new expectations. The second and more popular way is the Gauge Tuner. This stays plugged in to the OB2 and offers a digital display that sits on your dash. This newer kind of tuner offers much more in terms of on-the-fly program changes as well as vehicle and operations readouts that actually act as a secondary gauge system. They work for both gas and diesel engines; however, the most dramatic achievements are found on diesel and turbocharged engines due to the additional abilities of the turbo and the way these engines are built. How do programmers work? How these systems work is they will read the stock programing that already exists in your truck’s ECM, the computer that controls all the functions of the engine, through the OB2 diagnostic port under the dash. They download the stock conditions then take those readings and will upload an enhanced tune, depending on the year, make and model of the truck that is being tuned. Most tuners will give the operator several different tunes that they can use, usually listed as towing, economy, climbing, power or extreme, that is a full-out, no-money-back race tune. So for each category, the tuner will manipulate fuel and air flow, injector pressure, turbo pressure, and shift points in an automatic transmission, as well as monitor several other functions to make the engine perform in the most desired way that you want.
Programmers work by interfacing with the truck’s computer through the OB2 diagnostic port. 38 Trucks Plus
APR / MAY 2012
Most vehicles coming into Al’s shop want a Tow tune or basic performance tune. However, as we all know, power corrupts and it isn’t long before they are back wanting a little more. When you start going beyond the basic performance tunes, then obviously, the hood needs to come up and the hands need to get dirty as the engine’s potential has been maxed through just computer modification, and now hardware needs to be replaced to keep up to the higher program settings.
FEATURE The benefit of using a gauge programmer is that you have a secondary gauge cluster in the screen, most times offering you even more information than the dash gauges.
already have the manufacturer’s beefiest model, a custom unit will be required. Al works with a racing transmission specialist that will build a custom automatic capable of handling anything you can throw at it. For manuals, a custom racing clutch is a simple fix as this is the weakest point in many manual drivetrains. For a diesel engine, an exhaust temperature gauge is vital if you are setting up an aggressive tune, as EGTs can easily spike in diesels, causing a huge amount of damage.
In most cases, a cold air intake system and free flowing exhaust upgrades are all that is needed for calmer tunes to allow the engine to breathe better. With more aggressive tunes, the automatic transmission or clutch will need upgrading. Al’s experience has led him to realize that stock drivetrain components will handle 20-percent improvements in power, but then after that, parts begin to weaken and problems start to arise. With automatics, an upgrade to a heavier duty transmission is required, or if you
APR / MAY 2012
Trucks Plus 39
FEATURE this tune requires important hardware bits to be upgraded, which we talked about earlier.
Installation is quite simple, as the programmer itself does most of the work, and you just need to plug it in and choose a setting. Or, have a professional like Got Diesel get it done quickly and efficiently for you.
For the extreme and race tunes, bigger turbos, larger injectors and fuel pumps will be required. After that, we start getting into proper race performance-inspired machining, such as porting heads and manifolds, changing pistons, strengthening connecting rods and crankshafts and installing high-performance cams. So, what type of performance increases will be seen?
Prices vary greatly depending on the product you purchase and the levels of performance you want. For the cheaper and more mainstream units, you’ll pay between $350 and $700 for the unit itself. Installation is usually between half an hour to an hour if you have the shop do the installation for you. Higher cost units can range from $800 to $1,300 and beyond and offer a high scale of options and features. So, there’s a reason that so many trucks these days are sporting program tuners in the front windshield. Their cost-to-performance increase ratio is incredible and they are extremely simple and easy to use. However, they are not just for the power mongers; they can also get the most fuel efficiency for you as well if you do a lot of highway travel or want to keep the work truck on budget. They also won’t mess with your vehicle warranty either, as nearly all units can be changed back to stock settings when you take your truck back to the dealership for routine maintenance. So, if you want to get a little more from your engine, whether it be power or efficiency, take a look at what a programmer tune can do for you.
Like anything, it depends on the product being used and the vehicle that you are modifying. Catton comments that the basic rule of thumb is that normally-aspirated V10 engines usually get a 50-horsepower increase, while V8s usually receive a maximum 10-to-20-horsepower bump, but you just won’t get the results you see with a diesel. For turbodiesel-equipped trucks, a tow economy mode will see a 30-to-50 horsepower increase and 120 lb-ft of torque, while a hot tune can jump your diesel’s performance by 80 horsepower and 200 lb-ft. A race tune will get you 120-150 extra ponies and from 200 to 400 lb-ft of torque, but
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40 Trucks Plus
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APR / MAY 2012
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FEATURE
Compact 4WD vs Side-by-Side
With the death of the Compact 4WD, is the Side-by-Side a suitable replacement? Story by Budd Stanley, photos by Cara Duffield
I
n the deeply forested hills and trails of British Columbia, there has long been a different kind of 4WD found on the narrow trails and dense forests. The compact 4WD is not only popular, but quite useful in this kind of terrain. Old Jeeps, Suzuki Samurais, Toyota Land Cruisers and small Toyota Trucks are most often found in the deep recesses of the coastal rain forests. However, an emphasis on “old” is key here, as no one brings compact 4WDs into Canada anymore. The Land Cruiser FJ40 turned into the big 60-series, then died off. The Jeep turned into the Wrangler, then became quite portly. Likewise, the Toyota truck became the Tacoma, a mid-sized truck bigger than an F-150 of only a few short decades ago. Meanwhile, the only true compact 4WD, the Suzuki Samurai, and its little brother, the LJ-80, have long since been forgotten, having had their importation canceled, still available everywhere else overseas. As the stocks of these great old 4WDs start to dwindle, there is no real replacement on the horizon coming from manufacturers. The Compact Crossover market is full of AWD-equipped small utes, but they have all been designed for the grocery and school runs, their AWD systems and off-road abilities are only effective in inclement weather, and they are just too pretty to be dragging through the bush.
Daryl Peterson and Ingo Bludau have been good friends for quite a while and seen a great many trails together. However, while both used to drive Suzuki Samurais, Daryl has moved over to a Teryx Side-bySide and not looked back, while Ingo is building another Samurai for off-road duties. I started with Daryl, as he was one of the many who have made the change to a Side-by-Side. He enjoys his Side-by-Side’s smaller size as it allows him to get into even tighter places that even a Samurai can’t fit in, and it won’t risk the chance of damaging the bodywork if something goes wrong, opening up extra exploration possibilities. A Side-by-Side also has less maintenance than an aging, modified 4WD, which means more time exploring the backwoods rather than time laying under the vehicle, exploring new profanities. When things do go wrong, he finds that the Side-by-Side is easier to work on, and better laid-out with parts easy to get to.
While the demise of the compact 4WD continues with age, there is another vehicle slowly taking over its place in the forests, the Sideby-Side. First designed as a work vehicle, the off-road abilities of the Side-by-Side have meant that it is now becoming the replacement to the Compact 4WD. However, is the Side-by-Side worth the money? A bare bones new Side-by-Side usually starts around $13,000, which is about the cost of a new small car, so they aren’t cheap. Is it still worthwhile to source out an old Jeep or Suzuki and put the money saved into modifying the old stalwart to be even more capable? I talked with two individuals who are dedicated drivers of each side of the equation to get their opinions of the pros and cons of each vehicle. APR / MAY 2012
Trucks Plus 41
FEATURE climate controls, windscreen, wipers, and doors and so on. Here on the wet coast, it rains, it snows and it hails, and sometimes it’s nice to get out of the elements. He also states that price is a big factor. Older Samurais, Jeeps and Land Cruisers are getting hard to find, but a decent example can likely be had around the $5,000 mark. That’s less than half of what a Side-by-Side costs, and gives newbies a cheaper way into the sport, and more experienced drivers more money to play with when it comes to modifications and maintenance. However, one downfall he’s quick to point out is that $5,000 gets you a vehicle that is likely over 20-years old, where $13,000 gets you a brand new, unmolested Side-by-Side. As a mechanic by trade, Ingo knows firsthand the maintenance that comes along with an older vehicle, especially one that has seen a fair bit of the bush in its day. Metal fatigue, rust and worn joints and mounts will all need attention.
Daryl is also a big fan of the Side-by-Side’s driving capabilities, commenting that the vehicle’s speed and smooth ride are better than that of a Compact 4WD, as they already come specifically tailored for off-road conditions, where the 4WD also needs to have some sort of on-road comfort. Finally, he feels that the Side-by-Side just suits the thrill seeker better, offering instant fun. On the downside, he also admits that the lack of auxiliary comforts such as windshield, roof, wipers, heater and enclosable cabin are a huge detractor for the Side-by-Side, making the rider much more susceptible to the elements. Most of these features are optional extras that nearly all manufacturers offer when buying a new Side-by-Side or in the aftermarket, but their costs are massive, on top of an already expensive vehicle when compared to an old Samurai or Jeep. Another downfall is storage space. Most Side-by-Sides offer a decentsized cargo tray in the rear, but there still isn’t enough space to pack the amount of food and equipment needed for an overnight trip. Not to mention that they are not road-legal, and require a tow vehicle to get them out to the trails, having to find somewhere to leave it. Regardless, Daryl has not only made the switch to the Side-by-Side, but has even purchased a second. And like so many, he’s a slave to making things better, constantly upgrading the little Teryx to match his expectations. I then moved over to Ingo for his thoughts. Like Daryl, he agrees that the Compact 4WD is a much more comfortable place with its
Average vehicle costs Side by Side – Base MSRP - New BRP Can-Am Commander: ............................................$13,099 Kawasaki Teryx 750: .......................................................$12,999 Yamaha Rhino: ..............................................................$14,699 Used Compact 4WDs Mazda Truck: ........................................................$2,000-$3,000 Jeep YJ:................................................................ $2,500-$5,000 Suzuki Samurai: . ..................................................$2,500-$5,000 Toyota Truck: ........................................................$3,500-$8,000 Toyota Land Cruiser (BJ/FJ 40 and 70): ...............$5,000-$8,000 42 Trucks Plus
APR / MAY 2012
“They are unreliable, and hard to fix, but the reason is that they are old and worn out, and the technology is outdated. If you were to install some of the new-age tech stuff like coilover independent long travel suspension, things would be different. This, of course, is not easy and going to the Polaris or Yamaha dealer is faster and probably cheaper,” comments Ingo. Ingo also notes that while the Side-by-Side may be capable of fitting into tighter spots than a Compact 4WD, it doesn’t have the ground clearance capabilities of a true 4WD. He points out that even stock 4WDs have at least a couple of inches more ground clearance than the Side-by-Side and that even a stock Compact could tackle much more aggressive terrain. Finally, the Side-by-Side crowd has a different mentality to that of the 4WD owners. Those who buy old Jeeps, Suzukis and Toyotas belong to a fraternity, one that offers up a wave every time another passes by, and you just don’t get that with the Side-by-Sides. So there you have it, two views from two sides of the fence with both conflicting and agreed thoughts of the benefits of both their off-road rides. It comes down to the style of off-roading that you want to do, and the money you’re willing to spend on your rig. Both have good points and both have bad, and it all comes down to those who need to navigate tight terrain – go classic, or go modern. Those are your only two choices as, unfortunately, here in North America, the true Compact 4WD is dead.
PROJECT
Project Daily Driver
Story and photos by Jordan Allan
W
hen the publishers here at Trucks Plus asked if I would be interested in making my truck a project vehicle for the magazine, I took about a second and a half to think it over …and then the word “Yes!” stammered out of my mouth. Then they asked what kinds of mods I thought would be cool to do with it. I kinda felt like a kid in a candy store. So after some serious brainstorming, I realized that I really wanted to take my stock plain everyday 2005 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 and turn it into something that would stand out from the crowd, but that would also allow me to maintain its daily driver status. I wanted to give it an aggressive off-road look, but keep the on road comfort and drivability of an average daily driver that I can take to work every day. Now I needed to ask myself another question, where do I start? There are endless amounts of things that can be done to any truck, which made the question a little tough to answer. I eventually decided to build from the ground up and start with some tires and wheels. The truck was currently sitting on its stock 17” Ford wheels with a set of 275/60/R17 all season rubber. Right from the get-go I didn’t like how the stock set up didn’t even come close to filling up the wheel well. After some research I found that in order to put any kind of significantly bigger tire on there I would need to do some sort of modification, whether it be a lift or a level. I decided that a level would be the better choice for what I wanted right now so I went and talked to the good folks at Daystar. Mark Turner and co. responded and were generous enough to donate a 2 ½ - inch Polyurethane leveling kit. Not only did the kit bring up the front end to clear room for a bigger tire and wheel package, but it greatly improved the ride and overall look of the truck thus far. 44 Trucks Plus
APR / MAY 2012
Now with the new kit installed, it was time to decide on what wheel and tire package would give me the look that I was going
for. I already had a jump start on this step because I had a set of 20” Rev Wheels that were in great condition lying around that I‘d been wanting to put to good use, so all I would need is some new rubber. To get the aggressive off-road look I was going for I would need to get some aggressive off-road tires, but I wanted ones that would also afford me good on road driving capability. For size, we determined that we could fit 35x12.50 tires thanks to my new leveling kit, so we called up our friends at Toyo Tire to ask if they would be willing to provide a set to this great cause. Thankfully Ron Golab at Toyo is a great guy who not only wanted to come on board and help out, but he did so without delay and sent over a set of 35x12.50 Toyo Open Country M/T’s…. some pretty substantial and impressive rubber!!
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PROJECT
OK…so now I was pretty keyed up to get these bad boys onto ‘my project’, so I immediately took the truck and the new tires over to Ken Mason and the boys at Grip Tire Ridge Meadows to get them mounted and balanced. With the help of his brand new state of the art tire balancer, the tires were on in no time at all and I was able to drive away to test them out. Right away I noticed that for such big knobby tires, they delivered a surprisingly smooth ride while giving me the exact look I was after. The tires not only handle really well, but produce only a slight hum that reminds me that I’m rolling in style….and if I choose to - a little volume on the radio eliminates that completely.
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I found it pretty incredible that after doing just a couple of things like raising the front end slightly, and mounting some serious rubber on a set of new wheels - it changed the entire look of the truck. Things are taking shape very nicely indeed. Already, my truck that had simply been blending in with the pack is now firmly standing out from the rest, and garnering a few looks that I’m sure it wouldn’t have gotten before. Now that I’ve made some progress and completed a first step, I’m already looking ahead to what I want to do next. On my wish list - a soft tonneau cover, bed liner, sideboards, bull bar, cold air intake, exhaust …maybe some audio with GPS and Bluetooth. Yeah…this is gonna be fun. Stay tuned!
FEATURE
Let the Sunshine In! W
JeeTops designed retrofit panoramic roof panels for the twopiece front roof as well as the rear in two pieces, and a full onepiece panoramic panel depending on the model year. These are beautifully engineered panels designed specifically for the OEM hardtops giving the look and fit of a factory installation. Front panels include privacy shades that attach with dome snaps.
As with the traditional two-door Jeep Wrangler, the four-door Unlimited also comes with removable roof options in either hardtop or dual-top options, with both hardtop and softtop. The downside to either top option is the inability to enjoy the same open-air feeling and view during the long Canadian winters or during inclement weather. For Jeep owners living in urban areas where storage of the rear hardtop is unavailable or not practical, removing the hardtop for that open-air feeling hasn’t been an option.
Features: •Front Panels provide 180° view •Panoramic Rear Seat Panel provides a massive skyward view. •JeeTops block 99% of UVA & UVB rays •Made of next-generation, impact-modified acrylic – the same material that is used to engineer aircraft canopies. •Impact resistant and scratch resistant. •Virtually indestructible. In the rare case that the material is scratched or marred, it can be easily buffed out.
By Peter Scott ith the introduction of the four-door Wrangler Unlimited, Jeep has opened up the market to all the people who wanted a Jeep, but otherwise couldn’t have one due to the lack of seating and cargo space for their family.
But now you can! JeeTops offers an alternative without the weather, while allowing a wonderful panoramic view of the sky and cityscapes. During warmer weather, the addition of the rear panoramic panel along with the removal of the front panels imparts a feeling of the open-air vehicle without removing and storing the rear roof section.
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It is available for model years 2007 through 2012 Jeep JK Wrangler and Unlimited. Trained technicians do installations on either your roof or on an exchange basis for the front panels only.
Installation is done by firstly removing and cleaning the top. The roof is then secured to a platform to prevent damage and movement. Specially engineered jigs are then secured to the tops in preparation to cut out the openings. Next, a rough starter hole is cut with a jigsaw or similar to remove the bulk of the material‌ not for the faint of heart on a $3,000 plus roof! The opening is now routed to the finished opening with a specially designed jig and bit.
Once the opening is cut, the roof is then flipped over on a workstation and secured, ready for the panoramic JeeTops panel. That is then trial-fitted into the opening, which is sanded and filed until it fits perfectly. The panel is then prepped for bonding with a urethane primer and accelerant. Urethane sealer is applied to the panel and is positioned in place and clamped to ensure complete adhesion. Some preliminary cleanup and tooling of the urethane is done prior to letting it cure for at least 24 hours. After cure time is complete, clamps are removed and a final cleanup and inspection is done prior to installation or shipping of the newly transformed panels. How to order‌ The panels can be ordered through your participating Jeep dealer or purchased through National 4WD Centres outright or on an exchange basis for the front roof panels only. For more information visit www.jeetops. com , www.jeeparts.ca o r w w w. n a t i o n a l 4 w d . com . 50 Trucks Plus
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TRUCK GUY
Ford F-150 Pre-runner
By Ian Harwood
T
hree years ago, Ford introduced the first F-150 Raptor. The truck was billed as a desert racing-inspired pickup truck with plenty of torque, unprecedented suspension travel and luxurious in-cab features. A year later, they revamped it with the Boss 6.2-litre engine and developed the off-road-only pre-runner version with a reworked 6.2 and a full roll cage, and desert racers and explorers alike embraced the Jurassic beast in any of its forms. Today, there are stories of custom designed Raptors running the desert at high speeds and leaving onlookers in awe with their grace and prowess! Fortunately for readers, my skills as a dinosaur hunter helped me track one of these exotic babies back to the nest in Santee, California. At Stewart’s RaceWorks to be precise, where owner Craig Stewart explains how the world’s first luxury pre-runner Raptors were born, raised and returned to the desert! When professional race teams prepare for a race like the Baja 1000, they must go over every part of the course mile by mile so that when race day comes, they will know the fastest, safest lines to take. Any mistakes could cost them time and possibly their lives if the truck comes out of a big hole or over a big bump the wrong way. Prerunning is painstaking work but necessary if you want to race successfully! So, when Mark and Gary Weyhrich of TSCO Racing approached Stewart’s RaceWorks with a request to build a pre-runner for them, Craig Stewart knew just the creature they needed to get the job done! The first thing they needed for the project was to get an F-150 cab from the junk yard. The cab, once stripped down to its bare minimum, would sit there until it was time to drop it onto the chassis. Every part of this truck was designed and fabricated by the great craftsmen at Stewart’s RaceWorks one piece at a time. Once the jig was set up, all of the measured and cut tubes were tig welded together. Sheet metal floors and in-cab dashboard were con52 Trucks Plus
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structed. All of the climate control venting and interior components were started. Mastercraft Racing seats and safety harnesses were installed as well as Lowrance navigation and Kenwood radio equipment needed to get around the desert. Massive upper and lower control arms for the front suspension were built and installed along with the rear trailing arms. With the pieces coming together, it was time to get the engine and the rest of the drivetrain connected. The Leon Patton Racing 442ci motor producing a modest 600 hp runs through a Rancho 4L80 transmission to a Gearworks 10-inch rearend with 5.57 differentials. Alcon brakes and Pro Am hubs hold the 39-inch BFG project tires on Method race wheels in place, as the Fox 4.0 bypass and 3.0 coilover shocks are tuned to absorb the rough Baja terrain. The Gunmetal grey and Lamborghini yellow Raceworks Raptors built for Mark and Gary Weyrich are eye-catching high-performance exotic prerunners! They are among the most exotic vehicles in the world today that can do things no other vehicle on the planet can do. Next time you are down in the Baja or in the Nevada desert somewhere, keep your eyes open for these rare breeds. They are truly amazing!
FEATURE of you. My initial reason for coming to Australia was the aforementioned scenic adventure, but Mother Nature dealt me the latter, so it’s a good thing I picked the vehicle that I did.
The Aussie Campervan
Combining a Campervan with a 4WD Story and Photos by Budd Stanley
Y
es, when you go to Australia, you can rent a campervan. There are several campervan companies willing to serve you with everything from a full-size luxury motorhome to a rundown little Toyota HiAce with a bed, sink and some cupboards fitted into the rear. However, this is Australia, and not only does it offer some truly fantastic off-road scenery and adventures, it is a country where Mother Nature can turn into a bitch, and do her best to rid the world With the top up, standing room in the rear is over 6 feet.
Britz Campervans does something that is quite popular down under, offer a 4WD vehicle with a camperized rear section. My steed for a week would be this smart bit of kit, a late 2000s Toyota Land Cruiser 70- Series Troop Carrier, aka “Troopy,” dubbed the Challenger in Britz’s line-up of 4WD Campers. The Land Cruiser base comes as capable as any Land Cruiser, with solid front and rear differentials and a two-speed transfer case offering up 4WDhigh and 4WD-low. Motivation is stirred up lively by a 4.5 turbodiesel V8, sporting 32-valves and DOHC, with Common Rail fuel injection and variable geometry turbochargers. With clean air being sucked through a Safari snorkel mounted on the right-hand side, the engine delivers a very useful 202 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. As with almost every 4WD in Australia, the Challenger comes equipped with an ARB Bull bar front bumper for the inevitable Roo strike. However, what makes the Challenger so special is the camperized rear. The rear seats have been removed, and replaced with a longitudinal bench with storage under the seats. Across on the driver’s side is a row of cabinets with a 32L fridge behind the driver, a sink, two-burner stove with 3-kg gas bottle and a 50L fresh water tank with exterior shower head. The roof has a ventilated pop-top with four quick-disconnect latches allowing it to rise The bench slides out to the up nearly a metre, proright, creating a doublesized bed. ducing standing room in the rear. When night falls, the bench slides out into a double bed, while three platforms slide out at the roof line, creating another single bed in the pop-top. It’s an impressive use of space to offer an extremely versatile living area. Britz even throws in linens, pillows, blankets, kitchen utensils and all the pots and pans required for an off-road adventure. Flying into Sydney, my plan was to head north along the coast to Coffs Harbour, where I would set out on some of Australia’s most infamous off-road trails. The hills around Coffs Harbour are covered in a thick lush layer of sub-tropical rain forest, strewn with old pioneering, mining and ranch roads from decades gone by. However, Mother Nature is a fierce bitch in these parts, and when it rains, the entire landscape floods, cutting off nearly every valley. It just so happened that I set off from Sydney as the hardest rains of the year hit. By the time I reached Forster, the rains turned from steady, to hard, to driving, to “holy crap the roads going to wash away.” Windshield wipers at maximum, I only got split-second glimpses of the road before another wave of water crashed against the windshield. The radio was abuzz with road closures, water on roads and the entire North of the country being cut off. Sure enough, the traffic begins to thin, and flashing lights and traffic cones ahead indicate that the road is likely impassable. A State Emergency Services Crew tells me that the APR / MAY 2012
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FEATURE road is covered with two metres of water, there is no way to get through for at least a couple of days. So I backtrack to a beach access, and set up camp to wait out the rains. After losing a couple of days to the flooding, the Coastal Highway finally opens up; however, I’m warned once again that I might not make it much farther. The rain is still pouring from the sky with the utmost of fury. I race for Coffs Harbour, stopping off at a tourist information kiosk along the way for some maps The rain was so hard at times, and word of the north. I was soaked before my second The kindly lady sitting foot even hit the ground. behind the desk asks where I’m going, then lets out a disconcerting chuckle when I say Coffs Harbour then on to Brisbane to drop off the camper. The reply was “you should make Coffs, but good luck with Brisbane, it’s completely cut off.� In an instant my mind begins to figure out that the trails in Coffs are likely impassable and my main focus was now trying to get the camper back before it’s overdue and charges start coming off the credit card.
Thanks to my living area in the back, all I had to do was pull up on a beach, pull out the bed, and fall to sleep to the sound of crashing waves.
Blasting through Coffs Harbour, my stomach aching from 12 hours without food, the highway to the town of Woolgoolga came to yet another stop. “The road’s flooded over, we may have it open around 3 am.� Yet again, turned back and again, some side road exploring found nothing more than mountains of water trapping me in every direction. Time to find another beach. The next day I was up at 3 am to check if the road was opened, and to my surprise it was clear all the way to Grafton, but closed just after that. Not good enough; I need to find a way through. A shot up the next road; this one is covered as well, but not as violent. There is already someone out in the middle wading up to his waist in the murky flood water. So, another adventurous soul with a 4WD and I try our luck. With an equally capable Nissan Patrol ahead of me making it through, I follow a short minute later. With the transfer case set in
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FEATURE of red mud had obscured the roadway in front of me. This time, 4-Low was locked in and the increased ride height saw me not only safely over the 100 metres of dirt in front of me, but another nasty washout shortly down the road.
Nearly every valley I came to was washed out with deep, fast-flowing water. 4WD, I ease into the water and get a good wave going off the front bumper. As the depth increases, I hold a good steady speed behind my bow wave, following it up to the opposite shore. A short bit of uncovered roadway leads to another flooded out section, and in I go again. However, this time, the current is much stronger, the depths much deeper, and the truck is starting to drift off to the right around three quarters of the way through. A little counter steering and a slight increase of throttle had me straighten out and climb out onto another shore. However, my job wasn’t done yet. A couple of hundred kilometres up the road, I was dreading the low lands that were full of water. However, even the highlands were fighting back and a large pile
Soon, the agricultural lands turned to a mountain pass with the rain just as violent as ever. Having been through this situation for the last few days, I knew that I was now in a race with the water to get down to the lowest point. Great rivers of water were now flowing across the roadway and undermining the side edges. I soon came to a bridge signed “Tamrookum Creek bridge #7.” Having crossed over several bridges before, I was hoping that these numbers would be going up, but I was not very surprised to find “Tamrookum Creek bridge #6” only a short distance down the road. The race was on for “Tamrookum Creek bridge #1” as that will likely be the lowest in the rapidly flattening out terrain, and the most likely to be covered by flood waters. The suspense built as my fears were coming true; each bridge was getting a little lower to the ground, the water getting a little higher as the countdown continued. Finally I rounded a sharp corner, spraying water to both sides of the road, to find that “Tamrookum Creek bridge #1” was still over the water, at least just as I rocketed over the top, crossing the finishing line. I had felt like I had just won a long distance marathon with Mother Nature. I may not have reached the epic trails of Coffs Harbour, but the extreme conditions that me and my trusted Challenger made it through made for an even more adventurous trip than I had hoped - one that I never would have been able to complete without the capability and versatility of Britz’s cool camperized 4WD.
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HISTORY
An American in Basel
The Range Rover’s First Luxury Competition Had A Familiar Look Story by Budd Stanley
B
ack in 1970, Land Rover changed the way people thought of the SUV, inventing the Luxury SUV segment with the Range Rover. Today, the Range Rover has become its own brand with three very different models that are still the class of a highly competitive field full of BMWs, Mercedes, Cadillacs, Porsches, Volvos, Audis, Lexuses and Inifinitis, all striving to rid the wealthy SUV customer of huge sums of finances. However, back in the ‘70s, the Range Rover was in a field by itself, up until 1976, when Swiss automaker Monteverdi tried to cash in on a then-growing market. The Monteverdi Sahara was the answer to the Range Rover, and if you look closely, you might notice something familiar. The International Harvester Scout was an icon in off-road mobility here in North America, and while some were exported to Europe, a select group of Scouts were destined to Basel, Switzerland, where Monteverdi would undertake one of the industry’s laziest tactics of badge enThe Sahara was Monteverdi’s first attempt at building a luxury SUV, with only slight badge engineering applied to an International Scout.
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gineering. At the time, Monteverdi was struggling financially as few were purchasing its line of American-powered, Italian-designed, Swiss-built Grand Turismos. As a result, Monteverdi saw that the Range Rover was gathering an impressive bit of popularity in the Luxury SUV segment, a segment that offers a tremendous amount of profit for manufacturers. There were few competitors to the Range Rover, and Peter Monteverdi set his sights directly on the British-built soft-roader. In 1976, a prototype of the Sahara was released to the public and production followed soon after. Very little was done to disguise the fact it was a Scout with only a minor grille revision. Powering the Euro-undercover were the International Harvester 345 V8, as well as the Chrysler 5.2L (318 cubic inch) V-8 LA-series engine delivering 152 horsepower, and 440 V8s rated at 320. This gave it a significant power and performance advantage over the 3.5L-equipped Range Rover of the time, while the Sahara was also considered to be better equipped with slight interior design modifications. The Safari came only a short year later, offering much more European design thanks to the Fissore Design House.
HISTORY Monteverdi saw the need to give its SUV an identity of its own, and the Safari came in 1977 and would start to take a serious stand in distancing itself from the Scout. The Safari featured a new body design based on the Scout’s lower portions with the upper sections designed by Fissore. The new look was most definitely an improvement, with a more European flair than the brutish Scout. H o w e v e r, t h e S a fari kept the same drivetrain options as the Sahara, and Monteverdi maintained that the components were also engineered to be able to accommodate Chrysler’s 7.2L (440 cubic-inch) V8 pumping out an impressive 320 horsepower. In its 5.2L form, the vehicle achieved a maximum speed of 165 km/h and could knock a 0-60 mph run in 13.1 seconds from a standing start. A 1977 Brochure listing the luxury appointments the Safari offered at that time.
However, despite ambitious plans for a new design, production would cease in 1982, and the factory was converted into a museum, the Monteverdi Car Collection, in 1985. But for six short years, the Scout lived a double life of grubby, rugged blue collar and sophisticated European during the start of the SUV boom.
The boxy styling did a much better job of disguising the Safari’s American heritage.
However, it was these engines and the American cars that housed them that had just died off due to the recent fuel crisis, which didn’t seem to affect Monteverdi as the Safari would become its top seller, despite the overall fuel consumption figure of 25.1 L/100 km. Monteverdi had a reputation as a supercar manufacturer, yet the 1977 domestic market price of CHF 39,000 was only CHF 5,000 higher than that of the Range Rover at that time. However, not much was done about the ride qualities of the rugged American chassis, designed better to tackle South Western Mining territory than the cobblestone lanes of Europe. It was here that the Safari had a distinct disadvantage over the smooth-riding Brit. The driving experience was enhanced by automatic transmission, switchable all-wheel drive, electric windows and a bespoke instrument cluster to help overcome the ride.
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APR / MAY 2012
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GEARING UP Pro Comp Four-Inch Suspension System for ‘07-’12 Toyota Tundra Pro Comp now has a four-inch suspension system available for 2007-2012 Toyota Tundra 2WD and 4WD trucks. The system allows for the installation to be completed without any cutting of the factory cross members, and will provide enough clearance to fit 35-inch tires on the vehicle. Extended steering knuckles are used to keep the rack-and-pinion steering unit in the factory location. The knuckles, combined with rock-proof one-piece lower crossmembers, will ensure performance, durability, and ease of installation. For more information please go to www.procompusa.com
Westin Introduces New Headache Rack Westin has introduced its new HDX Headache Rack to fully protect your truck’s rear window from damage, and assists in managing contractor tools and supplies such as ladders, pipes, and wood. It is constructed of strong material and mounts onto the truck sturdily. The HDX Headache Rack features a round top tube for easy management of cargo. The Rack is available in heavy-duty black or white powder-coated finish and is vehicle-specific to ensure a custom fit. For more information please go to www.westinautomotive.com
Steel Skid Plate for 2012 GM Diesel Pickups from OR-Fab
Owners of 2012 Chevrolet and GMC 2500HD diesel pickups now have the option of protecting their diesel exhaust fluid tank with ORFab’s Steel Skid Plate. The plate is manufactured from a single piece of 3/16-inch thick steel and features a no-drill installation. It’s precision press bent, laser cut, and comes with two heavy-duty mounting brackets and all of the necessary hardware. The skid plate is designed to protect the tank from any damage from debris on the road, to rocks or thick branches while driving off-road. The plate replaces the thin factory plate on 2012 models, and also fits 2011 models that come without any protection. For more information please go to www.orfab.com 58 Trucks Plus
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GEARING UP ICI announces the addition of the ICI Nerf Board The new combination of the traditional Nerf Bar and Running Board is made from a heavy duty high polished stainless steel. With either an extruded aluminum top or Stainless Steel top, integrated rubber strips for a great grip. The top pad is reinforced and securely fastened to the stainless tube. The bar has the supper bright high polish finish that ICI is famous for. The Nerf Board has a wider stepping area, and is a no drill installation. All of ICI’s Brackets are E-Coated to a tougher finish and the new ICI bar comes with a lifetime warranty. For more information please go to www.icionline.com
dB Cat-Back Exhaust System for 2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost
dB by Corsa now offers a Cat-Back exhaust system for the 2011 Ford F-150 with the 3.5-litre EcoBoost engine. The straight-through three-inch non-restrictive system design will maximize airflow while improving performance and fuel economy. dB’s patented RSC Technology will give you the true voice of performance without an annoying drone while cruising. The system,14 pounds lighter than the stock exhaust, has all of its components, including clamps and hangers, constructed of stainless steel to ensure the look and sound of the system is maintained throughout the life of the vehicle. For more information please go to www.dbexhaust.com
Utility and Sleek SUV Styling with Raider’s Phantom Truck Canopy Raider’s new Phantom is a cab-high truck canopy that features an invisible frame, dark tinted side windows that include screened tip-out vents, and a fixed front window. The all-glass rear door is frameless and includes a centremounted twist-locking handle for easy onehanded access. The canopy also has a skirted wrap-over rail design that smoothly integrates with the body lines of the truck and will enhance the SUV appearance. Other available options are a headliner, and a keyless entry system. For more information please go to www.raider.ca APR / MAY 2012
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GEARING UP Aries Pro Series Sidebars Now Available Aries Automotive has released a bold and fresh approach to the three-inch sidebar market with the new Pro Series. Aries manufactures the Pro Series in both Stainless and Carbon Texture black. The aggressive black powdercoat is put through a rigourous 200-hour salt spray, while the triple polish stainless steel is of the highest lustre and guaranteed 304 SS (Mill Spec Certified). Both the black and the stainless steel feature a one-of-a-kind, oversized, raised step pad. All Pro Series sidebars are custom fit and can be installed easily within minutes. For more information please go to www.ariesoffroad.com
T-Rex Sports Series Grilles for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;11-â&#x20AC;&#x2122;12 Sierra 2500/3500HD Now available from T-Rex Grilles is its new Sports Series Grilles for the 2011-2012 GMC Sierra 2500/3500HD. The grilles feature a frameless mesh design that will install easily over the factory grille with no cutting or drilling required and is formed from 304 stainless steel mesh. The grilles are available with or without the logo and come in either a chrome or all-black finish. For more information please go to www.trexbillet.com
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We’re sure that most of you have had the misfortune of getting stuck while out on a weekend adventure. So send us your photos of your adventure to stucktrucks@rpmcanada.ca and if we use your photos we’ll send you a cool Trucks Plus hat!
I’m sure the story behind this is quite amazing. What was the driver thinking on this one!? Looks like he’ll be waiting for help for quite a while.
Not stuck in a mud pit, but still not going anywhere fast.
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