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SALES • LEASING • SERVICE QUICK LANE • PARTS
15815 Yonge Street, Aurora Thursday, August 11, 2016
1-888-263-3849 1-800-465-0411
NEW TECH
FIRST DRIVE
Jim Robinson
Jim Robinson
Metroland Media DENVER, CO: Ford is bringing heavy towing into the 21th century with its 2017 Super Duty pickups. During the recent launch of the new lineup of F-250, F-350 and F-450, Ford unveiled a barrage of leading-edge technology that starts with up to seven cameras. A camera in grille gives a forward 180-degree view that helps when coming out of a blind driveway or garage. The tailgate camera has a moving grid to assist in connecting to trailers with a zoom-in feature and, with the front and side cameras, provides a 360-degree view. Its primary function, however, is reverse guidance using a target sticker on the trailer ball to compute the angle and then integrate the side cameras that split the MyFord screen in half and gives a view down each side of the trailer. As the driver backs up, there is a centre black line that shows the angle of the trailer and a white line that gives the projected angle. As the angle increases, a yellow line with red bars indicates how close the driver is to a jackknife. There is a camera mounted above the rear window, giving a view of the bed. This can come in handy where you’re trying to hook up a gooseneck trailer. But the one that got me was a mount-any where camera that can be placed on the back of a trailer. It is wired with 38-, 48- and 58-inch cables that are waterproof and submersible and
Metroland Media
Nissan Armada Next Gen
Ford Super Duty
features leading edge technology
The use of seven cameras, including a moveable one that can be attached to the back of trailer, lets the driver of a 2017 Ford Super Duty pickup connect with a trailer without the need for a second person to guide the hitch to the ball.
hook into the 12-pin electrical connector on the hitch. Available is a tire pressure warning system for the tires of the trailer with sensors on each tire stem that lets the driver know if one of them is deflating. Ford is also pioneering blind spot monitoring of the trailer as well as the truck. The system “sees” down each side of the trailer and alerts the driver when another vehicle is coming up the side and it’s also great when changing lanes.
Lane departure warning is also available, which is a major help when driving a big truck with an even bigger load. Now being offered on the Super Duty is Adaptive Cruise Control, which works with the truck’s brakes, engine as well as an integrated trailer brake controller that can hold at any set speed. But perhaps the biggest boon to the driver is the first in class adaptive steering that uses an electric motor in the steer-
ing wheel to change the ratio by reducing the amounts of input at low speeds while lessening the amount of input at higher speeds to reduce sensitivity. At the press introduction of the 2017 Super Duty, my co-driver and I compared the steering of an F-250 against competitive Chev Silverado and Ram around a very tight slalom course. It was no contest as the F-250 cornered like a sports sedan with the others feeling much heavier. Ford is also expanding the use of available LED technology starting with quad beam headlights and LED taillights. The quads are large and distinctive. Also available are security approach lamps that shine down on the ground at each front door. There is an available tailgate mounted LED lamp that helps when you are trying to hook up to a trailer at night. In the bed there are LEDs in the box which allows the operator to see what is there even when a tonneau cover is fitted. Lastly there are LED side mirror spotlights that illuminate anything that has to be done from almost any angle after the sun goes down.
LEFT: The 2017 Ford Super Duty pickups have moved towing into the 21st Century with technology such as a blind spot warning system that can “see” another vehicle moving up on either side of the trailer. RIGHT: The 2017 Ford Super Duty makes extensive use of LED technology such as these headlights.
CARMEL, CA: The 2017 Armada completes Nissan’s range of CUV/ SUVs, which also includes the Rogue, Pathfinder and Murano. And while the industry is migrating to compact and intermediate CUVs with luxury fittings, the fullsize SUV is still vibrant with Armada up against offerings such as Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon, Toyota Sequoia and Ford Expedition. This is the second generation Armada, and to up its game in the large luxury SUV market, Nissan has produced a whole new model. Although it has the same engine and transmission as the new fullsize Titan pickup, it does not use the same frame. Instead it relies on the beefier full-boxed ladder frame as used on the Nissan Patrol, a very big seller in many other countries including the Middle East where the Patrol’s legendary off-road ability is highly valued. For 2017, the stiffness of the frame has been increased by 20 per cent. Front suspension is double wishbones with a 36 mm stabilizer bar and a double wishbone system with 26.5 mm stabilizer bar at the rear that is also auto-levelling. Twin tube Hitachi shocks are standard as is engine speed sensitive hydraulic rack and pinion power steering, which was chosen because Nissan engineers felt it gave more feedback through the steering wheel. Power comes from the same 5.6-litre DOHC V8 as before, but now with direct injection that raises power to a claimed best in class 390 hp and 394 lb/ft of torque compared to 317 hp and 385 lb/ft in the outgoing Armada. Fuel consumption rating for the Armada was not available at time of writing. Also shared with the 2017 Titan is the same seven-speed automatic transmission with downshift rev matching. It replaces the five-speed manual in the outgoing model. Standard is four-wheel-drive with Auto/2WD/4H/4LO modes and an electronically controlled part-time transfer case with 2.70:1 4LO gear ratio. In normal driving situations, it operates in two-wheel drive, but Turn to page W3
These offers won’t last. The thrill will. For a limited time only, take advantage of our best offers of the year on the all-new 2017 C-Class Coupe.
2017 C 300 4MATIC Coupe TOTAL PRICE: $50,601* Lease rate
Lease payment
Includes
3.9% $498 1% **
45 months
**
$3,948 down
†
rate reduction
*Taxes extra.
Mercedes-Benz Newmarket, 230 Mulock Drive, Newmarket, Ontario, L3Y 9B8, 905.853.6868, www.newmarket.mercedes-benz.ca © 2016 Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. 2017 C 300 4MATIC Coupe with optional Premium Package ($3,400), Sport Package ($2,000), Active LED High Performance Lighting System ($350) and 19” AMG Wheels ($500) shown above, Total Price $56,851. Lease and finance offers based on the 2017 C 300 4MATIC Coupe are available only through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services on approved credit for a limited time. *Total price of $50,601 for advertised vehicle includes MSRP plus all applicable dealer fees. **Lease example based on $498 per month for 45 months with a down payment or equivalent trade of $3,948. Freight/PDI of $1,995, dealer admin fee of $395, air-conditioning levy of $100, EHF tires, filters, batteries of up to $29.70, PPSA of $52.49 and OMVIC fee of $10 are due at signing. First month’s payment plus security deposit of $500 and applicable taxes due at lease inception. MSRP starting at $48,100. Lease APR of 3.9% applies. Total obligation is $26,858. 18,000 km/year allowance ($0.20/km for excess kilometres applies). †1% rate reduction is only applicable on the lease or finance of a 2017 C-Class Coupe (excluding AMG). Vehicle license, insurance, registration, and taxes are extra. Dealer may lease or finance for less. Offers may change without notice and cannot be combined with any other offers. See your authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer for details or call the Mercedes-Benz Customer Relations Centre at 1-800-387-0100. Offers end August 31, 2016.