Year Of The Truck

One look at the traffic around you on any interstate or in a typical shopping mall's parking lot should be all the proof you need: These days, more people are buying trucks than they are passenger cars. The world's automakers are certainly aware of the current market preferences, and that's why for the 2004 model year, it seems everyone from Buick to Volkswagen has some manner of brand-new truck or sport utility vehicle in its lineup.

There are plenty of new cars in showrooms this year, to be sure. But with the public speaking so loudly with ready cash in this time of cheap money, most of the real estate at dealerships is covered with some kind of truck.

Here's a rundown of what you can find for 2004 at dealerships across the country:

Since Acura updated its only truck, the MDX, midway through the '03 model year, Honda's other division has fleshed out its product line with a new sedan, the TSX. Based on the European Honda Accord, the car is smaller than the Accord that the company sells here. The TSX slots between Acura's RSX coupe and TL sedan in both size and price. Power is from a 200-hp 2.4-liter 4-cylinder. Thanks to such engineering features as the company's i-VTEC valve-control system, the Four cranks out 166 ft.-lb. of torque. The engine is mated to either a 6-speed manual or 5-speed driver-shiftable automatic. You also get power everything and a 360-watt sound system. One of the few options is a voice-recognition navigation system. The TSX is the first Acura to have side airbag curtains.

Some other luxury car manufacturers are just beginning to use aluminum frames under their premium sedans, but Audi was the pioneer with its flagship sedan. Now for '04, there's an all-new Audi A8 L. The car's frame is about 300 pounds lighter than a comparable steel frame. Along with the weight savings is a marked increase in strength. Under the hood you'll find a revised version of the 4.2-liter V8, now rated 330 hp, mated to a 6-speed manually shiftable automatic. Sitting on a long 121-in. wheelbase, the A8 L offers a limousine-like back seat.

BMW showed its new small SUV, the X3, to the press and public at the auto show in Frankfurt, Germany, in September, but it won't be for sale here for some time. That's because the company is concentrating on the launch of its bread-and-butter sedan, the 5 Series. The '04 BMW 5 Series is bigger than its predecessor with a larger passenger cabin and more trunk space. Inside the cabin, all that room is given to the rear-seat passengers. Available with either a 6-speed manual or optional 6-speed automatic transmission, the car can be ordered with one of three engines: a 184-hp 2.5-liter or 225-hp 3.0-liter inline Six, or a 325-hp 4.4-liter V8. You also can get the car with a computerized steering system, which uses a planetary gearbox between the steering column and rack to change steering response depending on speed.

If the Buick Rainier--the marque's first truck-based sport utility--has a familiar look, it's because it shares a great deal with the Chevy TrailBlazer and its siblings, GMC Envoy and Isuzu Ascender. However, since it is a Buick, the Rainier carries more sound-absorbing material than the others. In addition, the Buick has a softer ride and is the only one of its family to offer a 290-hp 5.3-liter V8 in the lighter, short-wheelbase body--the only body the Rainier comes in. Like those other GM SUVs, the Rainier comes standard with a 275-hp 4.2-liter inline Six and a 4-speed automatic transmission.

As do executives at other luxury brands, the bosses at Cadillac feel that a crossover SUV is an important offering. Voilà!--the Cadillac SRX. Based on the CTS sedan, with a 3-in. wheelbase stretch so it can seat up to seven, the SRX comes with a 260-hp 3.6-liter V6 or a 320-hp V8. Each has its own 5-speed automatic transmission. In addition, the SRX offers GM's Magnetic Ride Control system, which adjusts shock settings faster than the wheels can traverse a pothole. Other important features include 4-channel antilock brakes, stability control, panic braking assist and speed-sensitive steering. Whether equipped to seat five or seven, the SRX has a second row of seats that folds nearly flat, while the optional third row is power operated. But burgeoning truck market or not, Cadillac is still staunchly in the car business. And to prove it, there's a new flagship, the XLR. With a price of well over $70,000, the roadster is aimed at such market stalwarts as the Mercedes-Benz SL500 and Lexus SC 430. Like them, this 2-seater has a power-operated folding hardtop and a V8 engine. This is a longitudinal installation of Caddy's 4.6-liter Northstar mated to a 5-speed automatic. Much of what's under this XLR's skin also will be found under the next-generation Corvette. There will also be a line of higher-performance Cadillac models, the first being the CTS-V. Eventually, there will be a V variant of every Caddy, much like there is an AMG version of every Mercedes-Benz.

Perhaps the most interesting take on the whole car versus truck conundrum is the Chevrolet SSR. This 2-seat convertible is built on the same essential platform as the Chevy TrailBlazer SUV. So there's a 300-hp 5.3-liter V8 driving the rear wheels through a 4-speed automatic, and a pickup bed behind the cab. But there's a folding metal top over that cab and a hard tonneau cover for the bed. If the concept itself isn't enough to turn heads, the SSR's ultra-retro looks are. The body is clearly inspired by pickup designs of 50 years ago. However, the huge wheels and tires clearly say 21st century. Far more traditional in appearance and purpose, the all-new Chevrolet Malibu is far more critical to Chevrolet's finances than the limited-production SSR. The Malibu is offered in two shapes, a sedan and a 4-door hatch called the Maxx. Regardless of body type, the car is based on GM's so-called Epsilon platform that is also the basis of the Saab 9-3 and Opel Vectra. And it offers a level of structural rigidity, handling and ride comfort above any of its predecessor models. The Malibu sedan can be ordered in base, LS or LT trim, but the Maxx comes only as an LS or LT. In addition, to increase its cargo-carrying utility, the Maxx has a wheelbase that's 6 in. longer than the sedan's, though the car is only about 1 in. longer overall. Standard equipment on the base sedan includes a 145-hp 2.2-liter 4-cylinder engine. Optional on the base model and standard on the others is a 200-hp 3.5-liter V6. Regardless of model or engine, the only transmission is a 4-speed automatic.

The marriage of Daimler and Chrysler is finally bringing some offspring, such as the Chrysler Crossfire. This rear-wheel-drive coupe is essentially a Mercedes-Benz SLK320 in Chrysler clothing. Built in Germany, the Crossfire has a 215-hp 3.2-liter V6 engine with either a 6-speed manual or a 5-speed automatic transmission. Suspension, though, is tuned somewhat differently, and brakes are from the SLK. However, because the Crossfire is a coupe, it boasts a stiffer structure than its open-top Benz brother. Also bearing a fair bit of Mercedes-Benz DNA is the Chrysler Pacifica, which is a mix of minivan, station wagon and SUV. Riding on a chassis that borrows parts from the entire DaimlerChrysler family, the Pacifica has a 3.5-liter V6 and a 4-speed automatic that it shares with the 300M. The 5-link, independent, load-leveling rear suspension and the brakes are pirated directly from the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The Pacifica is 10 in. longer than an Acura MDX or Honda Pilot, has a wheelbase that's close to that of a regular-cab full-size pickup truck, and weighs about 4500 pounds. There's plenty of room for six spread out over three seating rows. It's available as either a front-wheel-drive or awd. A lower-priced, 4-passenger model will be introduced sometime in 2004.

While the Chrysler brand is digging into the Mercedes parts bins to help develop new models, Dodge is finding what it needs right at home. The new Dodge Durango boasts a new, tougher look that hints at what's up front: a 345-hp 5.7-liter Hemi V8 that's also in the Ram pickup. No longer sharing its platform with the Dakota pickup, the Durango gets some more size to go with the added power: It's 7 in. longer, 3 in. wider and 2 in. taller than before.

UNDER THE HOOD

While all the carmakers search feverishly for viable alternatives to the internal-combustion engine, they are also continually finding ways to refine and improve the current concept of the powerplant.

One refinement is direct fuel injection, or DI. Injecting fuel directly into the cylinders, as opposed to the intake ports, produces a major improvement in fuel economy, but it's difficult to calibrate for low emissions. It's also an expensive feature to execute in a gasoline engine. However, Isuzu has managed to introduce it in the company's 3.5-liter V6, which is in some of Isuzu's '04 SUVs. Direct injection permits a finely atomized fuel spray that absorbs heat, making a higher compression ratio possible while still burning regular gas. The fine spray mixes with air better and so burns more completely, which improves performance. The addition of DI raises the engine's power from 230 to 250 hp in the Isuzu Axiom.

Another spin on the internal-combustion engine is the Wankel rotary. Mazda popularized the rotary years ago and has never given up working on it. The latest iteration is in the RX-8. Mazda engineers have learned how to reduce emissions without affecting fuel economy, while still providing high performance. The new rotary is a naturally aspirated twin-rotor design with two intake and two exhaust ports in a 210-hp version. There's an additional intake port in a 247-hp variation. Three fuel injectors per chamber and a jet air tube in the intake air ports improve fuel atomization. Relocating the exhaust ports from the perimeter to one side prevents most unburned hydrocarbons from escaping into the exhaust--instead, they are held in the chamber for the next combustion cycle. Use of two exhaust ports per chamber increases the port area, so the ports can be "opened" later, which extends the "power cycle" for greater efficiency and fuel economy. Reducing the weight of the rotor and flywheel reduces inertia.

More mainstream but still sophisticated is the 5.6-liter V8 in Nissan's Titan and Armada. Rated at 305 hp with 379 ft.-lb. of torque in the pickup truck and 6 ft.-lb. more in the SUV, this engine is mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission, which on 4-wheel-drive models carries a dual-range transfer case for true off-road capability. The engine is a case of refinement with no startling breakthroughs, but simply careful execution. The 32-valve, DOHC design has tuned, long, curved individual intake runners and tuned exhaust headers.

Not as standard is the twin-turbo 5.0-liter V10 diesel that's optional in the VW Touareg. This engine develops 308 hp and 550 ft.-lb. of torque at a very low 2000 rpm. The engine is almost all aluminum, with a cast-iron "tunnel" assembly for the crankshaft main bearings. The water pump and alternator are gear driven off the engine. Since they have no throttle, diesel engines do not develop engine vacuum, so an air pump is added to power the exhaust-gas-recirculation valves. Because the engine has a 90° bank angle--good for balancing a V8 but not necessarily a V10--it requires a balance shaft to reduce vibration. Unlike other modern diesels, the V10 does not have a single high-pressure pump feeding a common rail (pipe accumulator) for all injectors. Instead, it uses the individual high-pressure pump-injector system VW has grown to prefer.

The Porsche Cayenne, built on a platform shared with the Touareg, has its own engines: a new 4.5-liter V8 available in naturally aspirated and high-boost twin-turbocharged versions. The turbochargers produce 21 to 23 psi of boost to develop the engine's 450 hp and 457 ft.-lb. of torque. The V8 has a split-flow pattern for engine coolant, with 20 percent traveling through the block and 80 percent in a crossflow pattern through the cylinder heads. To ensure good oil supply even on steep upgrades, the engine has a built-in dry sump--an auxiliary reservoir at the rear of the engine, with its own oil pickup.--Paul Weissler

Regardless of whatever else is new for 2004, the headline for this model year is clearly the all-new Ford F-150. This vehicle has been the world's best seller for more than 20 years and everyone at Ford intends to keep it that way. Therefore, no stone was left unturned when designers and engineers revamped the F-Series pickup. And while to the eye most of the changes are more evolutionary than revolutionary, refinements beneath the skin are critical. The new F-150 has about 1-1/2 in. more space between its left and right side wheels, which makes for a wider cabin. The interior space is also increased in Regular and SuperCab models thanks to 6 in. more length than before. The interior appointments seem to have been lifted from a luxury sedan rather than a pickup. The more spacious, refined cab sits on a new, stronger frame. The steering system has been refined and the rear shock absorbers have been repositioned for a more comfortable ride. The F-150 will be available in five models, in both 2- and 4-wheel-drive versions. In all, there are five different wheelbases and six different overall lengths available. Two V8 engines are offered: the base 4.6-liter and a high-performance 5.4-liter, with 300 hp and 365 ft.-lb. of torque. All models come with a 4-speed automatic transmission and 4-wheel antilock disc brakes.

As critical as the F-150 is, it's not the only news from Ford. There is also the company's new minivan, the Ford Freestar, né Windstar. With its new name, the minivan gained a third-row seat that folds flat into the floor, as well as an optional 4.2-liter V8 engine. In place of the Windstar's 3.8-liter V6, there is a 3.9-liter version.

Mercury gets a new minivan too. Gone is the Villager, replaced by the Monterey, which shares all of its mechanical underpinnings and basic lines with the Freestar.

Ford's European luxury arm, the so-called Premier Automotive Group, also gets some interesting new models for '04. Perhaps the most notable is the Jaguar XJ. What's particularly notable about the big new cat is what it is made of--aluminum. Body panels and structural elements are pressed and cast aluminum. The underbody is a space-frame design, the key to Jaguar's body integrity. Jaguar engineers claim the XJ body is 60 percent stiffer and 40 percent lighter than the previous model. Under the hood is either a 294-hp 4.2-liter V8 or, in R models, a supercharged version of that engine that makes 390 hp. Either way, the power goes to the rear wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission. The car rides on a fully independent suspension and passengers still get the feeling of intimacy, so typical of Jaguars of the past.

STRONG AND LIGHT

To help reduce weight but still maintain the high levels of structural rigidity their cars are known for, both BMW and Jaguar used extensive amounts of aluminum in their new models. The new Jaguar XJ represents an advanced approach to all-aluminum body-and-chassis construction: It's not welded. Virtually all the parts are held together by more than 3000 self-piercing rivets and beads of structural adhesive. Both the adhesive and the aluminum panels cure in the paint oven to add strength, making the result far stronger than a conventional chassis with the usual 5000 welds. The XJ combination of chassis and body panels that form a single structure is called a monocoque, a design Jaguar used previously with welded steel. Okay, there are a few welds, but they're at the roof corners, used for cosmetics. The front fenders and short front rail sections are bolted on, for ease of repair after an accident.

BMW's 5 Series uses a similar method for the structure of the car's nose--from the A-pillars forward. Though the suspension is aluminum, the rest of the structure is steel. BMW lightened the front of the car for better weight distribution.--P.W.

Ford's Japanese partner, Mazda, is not to be outdone by its corporate relatives and has reintroduced its hallmark rotary engine. The RX-8 is a 4-door coupe with two small, rear-hinged doors like those on many pickup trucks. More important, under its hood is one of two versions of a 1.3-liter, 2-rotor rotary engine. One develops 210 hp at 7200 rpm and comes mated to a 4-speed automatic, which can be shifted manually. There's also a 247-hp with a 6-speed manual. A fully independent suspension, big disc brakes and four bucket seats complete the package.

Almost as earth-shattering as the new F-150 is the arrival of a brand-new full-size pickup competitor, the Nissan Titan. Under the Titan's hood is a 305-hp 5.6-liter V8 good for 379 ft.-lb. of torque, which qualifies it as the strongest standard engine in the class. While Titan is available with either rear- or 4-wheel drive, the only transmission is a 5-speed automatic. Two cab sizes are available, a full 4-door Crew Cab and an extended King Cab. And while the Titan's cargo box comes in only one length--6-1/2 ft.--the truck is available in three trim levels, XE, SE and LE. When equipped, the Titan can tow 9500 pounds. Joining the Titan on Nissan dealership lots is the Armada, a full-size sport utility built on the same platform with the same drivetrain. Armada manages to squeeze 385 ft.-lb. of torque from that engine, but due to its higher weight, tows a few hundred pounds less than the Titan. And as Mercury has replaced the Villager minivan with its Monterey, Nissan has replaced its Villager-clone with an all-new Quest. Longer on the outside and with more room inside, the Quest has a 3.5-liter V6 mated to either a 4- or 5-speed automatic. Features include sliding side doors that are 6 in. wider than before, compliments of the minivan's new 124-in. wheelbase. Sneaking in among all these trucks is a new Maxima with a 265-hp 3.5-liter V6 mated to a 4- or 5-speed automatic or a 6-speed manual. The car is larger with a 2.9-in.-longer wheelbase, a width increase of 1.4 in. and 0.4 cu. ft. gained in the trunk.

Even sports-car-pure Porsche has jumped into the truck arena with its Cayenne sport utility. Engineered in tandem with the VW Touareg, the Cayenne can be ordered either as the 340-hp S or the 450-hp Turbo. Either way, it's a 4.5-liter V8 engine with a 6-speed driver-shiftable automatic and all-wheel drive. Closer to the company's roots is the GT3, a limited-edition sports car with a 380-hp 3.6-liter flat Six. That, coupled to the car's stripped-clean 3000-pound weight, makes for a street-legal race car. Optional equipment includes the $8800 ceramic brake package. This is not a car for everyday commuting.

The performance division at General Motors has gone to GM's Australian subsidiary, Holden, for the basis of what will be badged the Pontiac GTO. Power goes to the rear wheels from the Corvette-derived 340-hp 5.7-liter V8 via either a close-ratio 6-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic. Intended as the flagship for Pontiac, production will be limited to fewer than 20,000 cars per year. Though it carries one of the most glorious names of Pontiac's history, the car lacks some of the original's heritage. After all, how can a car with a single exhaust be a GTO?

It's a busy year at Toyota on all fronts. First, the company's luxury division, Lexus, has upped the ante in the luxury crossover game with the introduction of the RX 330 that has a 230-hp 3.3-liter V6 and a very different-looking body. In addition, Toyota has spawned a subdivision of cars to target the newest generation of buyers. The Scion xA is a small 4-door hatch, and the Scion xB is a boxy, upright and equally small utilitarian-looking van. Both are currently available only in California but will be for sale nationwide, along with another model, by February 2004. The company also has taken a giant leap forward in the alternative-fuel segment with its all-new Prius gas/electric hybrid. The Prius is larger now--in fact, it's an honest midsize family car. Under its hood is a 76-hp 1.5-liter gasoline engine, a 67-hp electric motor and a planetary gearset. The battery is largely recharged by capturing braking energy as the Prius decelerates. The other new car in the lineup is the Solara coupe. Standard equipment is a 157-hp 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission. The optional 225-hp 3.3-liter V6 brings a driver-shiftable 5-speed automatic. On the nonpassenger-car front, there's a brand-new Sienna minivan. This boasts such features as power-operated dual sliding doors and tailgate, and third-row seats that fold flat into the floor. Also new is the Tundra Double Cab, which offers all the equipment and engineering of other Tundras, with the bonus of four full-size doors for access to the big 5-passenger cab.

DETAILS

Wind noise is a major consumer complaint, and in many cases it's caused by airflow streaming past the inboard surface of the outside mirror and being deflected against the door. The new Ford Freestar minivan gets a mirror with a frame shaped to direct the airflow away from the door.

The new Dodge Durango finally is on its own, no longer just a spinoff of the Dakota pickup. It becomes the first Chrysler Group product to get the new weight-sensing seats that tell a computer whether to deploy the airbags. The seats do not use a simple bladder, but a system of strain gauges near the corners of the seat frame for greater accuracy. And the rear suspension's leaf springs are gone, replaced by a combination of coil springs and Watts linkage. That's the Z-shaped linkage used on the Lincoln Town Car and other rear-drives to stabilize the rear suspension while maintaining the smooth ride provided by the coil springs.--P.W.

The truck bug has bitten Volkswagen. The all-new Volkswagen Touareg shares a great deal of its engineering and mechanical components with the Porsche Cayenne. The base engine is a 3.2-liter 220-hp V6, while the optional offering is a 310-hp 4.2-liter V8. Both engines are mated to a driver-shiftable 6-speed automatic transmission. Due soon is a third engine: a V10 diesel with 550 ft.-lb. of torque. Like the Porsche Cayenne, but unlike other luxury sport utility vehicles, the Touareg boasts a sophisticated 4-wheel-drive system with a full Low range, 4-wheel traction control, hill descent control, a hill roll-back feature and an optional locking rear differential. The passenger cabin offers accommodations on a par with many luxury vehicles.

Sharing its basic engineering and architecture with the Chevrolet Malibu and GM of Europe's Opel Vectra, the Saab 9-3 Convertible is all new. And thanks to its new platform, the car's torsional rigidity is increased nearly 300 percent over the previous model. Two models are offered, the Aero and the Arc. While both are powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, the Aero has 210 hp and the Arc makes do with 175. The Aero comes with a 6-speed manual, the Arc a 5-speed. Both may be equipped with the optional driver-shiftable 5-speed automatic transmission. Regardless of version, standard features include automatic climate control, cruise control, power windows and locks, and a fully automatic folding top.

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