The Chrysler Group has released information on a slew of new trim packages and models that will debut next week at the North American International Auto Show for existing vehicles in three of its four brands. They include the new Chrysler 300 S8, Jeep Wrangler Islander and Dodge Nitro Detonator. But what about the Ram brand? There's no mention of new models for its dedicated truck lineup but we think that could change soon.
Over the past several months, Chrysler has trademarked many of the names of the just announced vehicles, including two that weren't mentioned: Laramie Prospector and Laramie Western Sky. We're thinking that the Ram brand will announce these names for limited-edition versions of its full-size pickups next month at the Chicago Auto Show. Laramie is the top-end trim package for the Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 trucks.
Stay tuned.
Excerpt from:
Special Editions Rams Coming Soon?
Tags: chicago-auto, chrysler, chrysler-group, dedicated-truck, international, laramie-western, north, over-the-past | Posted under Autos | No Comments
Last Updated on Friday, 8 January 2010 05:01 Written by admin Friday, 8 January 2010 05:01
- Looks like: The next-generation Aveo, dressed up for “The Fast and the Furious” tryouts
- Defining characteristics: Snub-nosed hatchback design, turbocharged four-cylinder engine, digital/analog instrument pod
- Ridiculous features: Nothing that you can't already get from the aftermarket
- Chance of being mass-produced: Maybe not this RS version, but a basic model will hit dealers
The Chevrolet Aveo RS is technically a “show car” designed to share with consumers the ways in which the upcoming production model could be modified. But if you remove the aggressive styling cues — large vents in the front bumper, 19-inch alloy wheels and center-mounted exhaust pipes, to name a few — you're looking at the next-generation Aveo hatchback.
Although Chevrolet showed reporters — including myself — near-production-ready versions of the Aveo hatchback and sedan at an event leading up to the Detroit auto show, the automaker said only the Aveo RS show car will be on display in Detroit.
The Aveo RS features a version of Chevrolet's signature twin-port grille, but the new circular headlights on either side of it give the car an entirely different look from its Chevrolet siblings. The production Aveo's headlights are a bit toned down from the ones you see here; they don't have the BMW-like halos that the RS gets.
The overall profile of the Aveo RS — with its snub nose and forward-raked C-pillar — is essentially the same as the production car, which means the new Aveo will be a pretty sporty-looking hatchback even if it doesn't come with the RS' appearance and performance bits. Some of those components include large brake calipers painted Boracay Blue to match the car's exterior and a liftgate spoiler.
The current Aveo is one of the most affordable cars available today, and its basic interior reflects that fact. The Aveo RS shows Chevrolet intends to raise the style factor of the car's cabin, as an all-new instrument pod in front of the steering wheel incorporates a digital speedometer and analog tachometer. New controls in the middle of the dashboard resemble the ones in Chevrolet's new Cruze compact sedan.
The front-wheel-drive Aveo RS is powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder that makes 138 horsepower. It's the same engine that will be offered in the Cruze, and it teams with a six-speed manual transmission. It's unclear whether this turbocharged engine will be offered in production Aveos.
The Aveo has been a source of cheap wheels for car shoppers for years, but the Aveo RS indicates Chevrolet wants to make it something more than just an affordable choice. It's too early to know how the new Aveo will be priced, but from what we can see from the show car, the new Aveo looks much better positioned to challenge models like the Honda Fit and Nissan Versa.
More photos below.
More:
Chevrolet Aveo RS at 2010 Detroit Auto Show
Tags: 2010 detroit auto show, aftermarket, aveo, chevrolet, chevrolet aveo, chevy-aveo, concept cars, detroit, furious, production, raise-the-style, showcar | Posted under Autos | No Comments
Last Updated on Thursday, 7 January 2010 10:29 Written by admin Thursday, 7 January 2010 10:29
Words and photos by Mark Williams for PickupTrucks.com
It was just last November when we first saw this custom ’57 Chevy pickup on the floor of the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. In fact, we picked the PT-57 as one of the top trucks of the show and knew we had to get a closer look.
Based in Luling, Texas (about an hour east of San Antonio), Hot Rod Jim’s builds late-model Corvette chassis to order for any hot rod-loving car nut who wants to build a Cobra-killer for the racetrack. Builder and owner Russell Alexander said the idea for the PT-57— named for the Pro Touring race class and 1957 Chevy pickup — came from an old bomber jacket his grandfather gave him years ago. He started working on the pickup about three months before the SEMA Show.
Without question, the most eye-catching aspect of the truck is the war bird theme as interpreted by its builder. With olive drab green as the base coat, both the yellow and black highlights make for a dramatic visual one-two punch. Clearly borrowing from the famous Curtiss P-40 Warhawk designs of the early ‘40s, the PT-57 screams World War II fighter, with the most pronounced detail being the signature “shark mouth” face boldly emblazoned on its snout.
Astute P-40 experts will notice the eyes (actually stickers) on this PT-57 fender were inadvertently mounted upside down, changing the overall effect ever so subtly from fierce to mildly upset. Still, the look on the front end of the truck looks striking and perfectly keeps with the project’s theme. And it’s cool. Russell credits his brother with all the painting, which includes the mock rivet and panel lines. But this truck isn’t just about looking good.
From the outset, with a clean ’57 Chevy body in hand, the team tailored the signature Corvette chassis to fit the truck’s narrow front stance. Russell and his crew also had to widen the rear bed fender wells to more closely align with the Z06 rear-end geometry. To keep the center of gravity as low as possible, Russell heavily modified the floor pan and firewall to give it a menacing low-slung stance. And he decided to keep the bed floor open to highlight all the suspension and performance components. For those looking for more rear-end grip, any number of bed floor designs could be accommodated.
Under the hood is a 6.0-liter GM V-8 taken from a 2500 Silverado HD and bolted to a Borg Warner T56 six-speed manual transmission. After a few modifications to the engine block, Russell mounted a pair of STS turbos behind the rear axle so they stay cool. Two K&N air intake filters are tucked behind the bed quarter panels with air inlets in the side panels designed to pull as much cool air as possible into the system. It’s worth noting the side pipes on the PT-57 (one of our favorite touches) are functional, working as an external wastegate, dumping unneeded exhaust gases when pressure builds. Although it hasn’t been on the dyno yet, Russell estimates it’ll put out almost 570 horsepower and close to 600 pounds-feet of torque at the rear wheels. And, he says, all the emissions from the tailpipe are completely legal, which may not be a surprise because in the state of Texas, it just needs to be as clean as a factory ’57 small-block pickup.
The finished truck weighs about 3,400 pounds and has a better distribution (closer to a 50/50 weight split) than a brand-new C6 Corvette, Russell says. With the heavier-duty rear axle bracing — complete with a custom-cut “PT-57” nameplate — and roll bar attachments, we’d guess the front-to-rear ratio is closer to 53/47, making it a strong and confident tight-track racer.
Our visit to the shop was supposed to include a thorough test drive of the rig, but we were pounded with ugly weather and nasty rain. (That’s why many of the photos are a little messy.) Although the roads were slick — and muddy in some cases — we were still impressed with how balanced and sure-footed the truck handled cornering and acceleration. No doubt the massive Michelin Pilot Sports helped provide tremendous grip. A quick spin around the Lockhart Municipal Airport convinced us that the chassis is about as dialed in as any pickup we’ve ever driven. And Russell says the payload to the truck is more than 1,000 pounds. Seems like a performance pickup truck with an independent rear suspension could make a lot of sense.
Perhaps our favorite part of the truck was on the inside — specifically, the PT-57’s fuselage-like interior, with its Spartan use of sound-deadening materials or basic amenities. (It looked more stripped than bare bones.) Like many SEMA project trucks, the interior is likely to remain a work in progress for quite some time. For now, we’d describe it as “rough,” not unlike the P-40 Warhawk’s interior — all that you need, nothing you don’t. No luxury or high-dollar details here, just gauges, levers and a steering wheel — ready for combat.
When asked how much it would cost to order one of these custom trucks, Russell was reluctant to give a definitive answer because his shop can offer so many options, including a Stage I or Stage II or Stage III configuration, depending on how much racing the owner wants to do. With that said, he figures the starting price is somewhere around $90,000. That’s interesting, because that turns out to be about twice what a brand-new P-40 cost when the Curtiss-Wright Corp. built them in 1944. How times (and prices) have changed.
Still, the PT-57 is craveable. Just imagine all the Japanese and German sports cars you’ll be able to notch on your belt or paint on the PT-57's flanks.
Read the rest here:
Shark Bite! We Drive the Amazing Project PT-57 Hot Rod Pickup
Last Updated on Thursday, 7 January 2010 09:20 Written by admin Thursday, 7 January 2010 09:20
The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday proposed a stricter standard for pollutants that cause smog, a rule that would affect utilities, manufacturers, oil refiners and automakers. The new standard, if approved, would impose moderate to large costs but also have impressive health benefits for millions of people.
The proposal would change the primary standard for ground-level ozone of no more than 0.075 parts per million, as imposed by the Bush administration, to 0.06 to 0.07 parts per million, but phased in over the next two decades.
The EPA estimates that this standard would cost the aforementioned industries between $19 billion and $90 billion a year by 2020 but would be offset by the benefits to people’s health, valued at $13 billion to $100 billion a year over the same period. The money would come from the savings born by 12,000 fewer premature deaths from heart and lung disease, as well as thousands of cases of bronchitis, asthma and non-fatal heart attacks avoided.
Obviously, environmental interests are lining up on one side of the argument — the National Association of Clean Air Agencies even thinks the EPA’s cost-to-industry numbers will turn out to be lower — while industry lines up on the other. The American Petroleum Institute derided the rule, saying it would cause job losses and raise energy costs.
The EPA offered no specifics on how the proposal might affect automakers, but one may assume they will oppose the new rule as well.
EPA Asks for Stricter Rules for Pollutants Causing Smog (New York Times)
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