The bowtie boys hosted a '06 ride and drive in Seattle yesterday, and reviewed some '06 product improvements, along with a ride and drive of some of the new product. I didn't get to go (waaay too busy ), but here's some of the notes and observations from that event:

1. 1/2T Silverado will come with an available "VortecMax" package, that includes a 6.0 V8 with 345HP and 380 ft lbs of torque. As a comparison, the "Hemi" put out 345/375, and the Triton 5.4 at 300/365. Tow ratings on 1/2 tons have been upper to 10400 for 2WD's, 10100 for 4X4's. Sounds like GM is getting tired of hearing "it's got a hemi." The 1/2T's will also have the hood styling from the HD series ("power dome"), but no news on the new GMT800 waiting in the wings.

2. The Duramax has been updgraded to 360HP, 650 ft/lbs of torque. Dodge's Cummins currently puts out 305/555, Ford's PSD is at 325/570. The Duramax will have an Allison 6-speed transmission, and is approved for B20 biodiesel fuel usage. Lets assume Ford and Dodge aren't going to be standing still here.

3. GM also announced that Silverado sticker prices would be lower in '06 by about $2000-$3000, depending on model. Looks like they're pricing in the rebate on a permanent basis.

Car notes:

There were a number of new Impalas available to drive, including a SS with the 5.3 V8. I'm told the SS pulls like jack-the-bear, but has some torque-steer issues if you mash the throttle (not surprising). The overall impression was that the Impala was slightly smaller in the new bodystyle than the car it replaced. It's especially noticeable in the back seat- the bigger guys were saying there could have been a bit more legroom back there.

They also trotted out a new HHR. This vehicle was larger than everyone expected, both inside and out (quite a bit larger than the PT Cruiser). Drive impressions will have to wait for now.

 

Kinda looks like the horsepower race of the 60s all over again except with trucks. The race in the 60s was killed by the Insurance industry but I suspect this one might be killed by congress with new fuel mileage regulations. These kind of races makes good press for the treehuggers.

 

Dodge's Cummins currently puts out 325 hp, and 610 lbs/ft, not 305/555. Looks like its time for them to beef up the Cummins once again if they want to remain where they are now. Ford needs a stronger engine in the 1/2 ton, and soon to keep pace with Dodge and GM.


Best as always.

 

Holy..........those are some pretty stout sounding engines. Now, if only they had some car other than the impala to use the 5.3 in. Like something with the engine pointed the right way and rear wheel drive. They never should have axed the whole "Zeta" platform. There was some potential there.

 

I assume I read this right... Yeowch...
360hp!!! I have a distinct feeling that a certain automotive companies marketing department will be getting grey hair, hearing on paper specs like that.
Hang on. Let me get this straight. They fitted a 5.3l V8 to a front wheel drive sedan???
I RECKON there are going to be some torque steer problems - and some understeer problems too... a 5.3l V8 with a front wheel drive powertrain has to have a HUGE percentage of its mass hanging over the front axle.
Do we know what power/torque will be for this engine?

They didn't. Development was just moved from the US to Australia...

 

re: Impala SS. 303 HP, 323 ft/lbs torque. DOD (displacement on demand) stills gives the car an EPA of 17 city, 27 hwy. The small-block SS is only about 40 lbs heavier than the V6, now upgraded to 3900cc, 240 HP. The guys didn't have a chance to drive it on the open road- (closed course)- but we can safely say the slalom course isn't this cars forte. Both the 3900 and the SS smoked a Ford 500 and a Chrysler 300 6-cylinder brought along for comparison. We have been promised a Rear Wheel Drive Impala (Zeta platform?) when the next generation hits the showrooms ('09-'10?).

Open question- since Fords got this nifty AWD setup for the 500, wouldn't a 4.6 make sense?

 

Yes it would, but unfortunately from a packaging point of view I doubt it would work.

The 4.6l is a VERY large and wide engine for its size, and even in the AWD platform, the engine is still mounted in a traverse setup (remember the 500 is based HEAVILY on a Volvo), Volvo's don't do North-South layouts, purely from a crash safety point of view.
The 4.6l I don't think could EVER work in a traversely mounted setup.

That is a phenomenal amount of power and torque going through the front wheels of the Impala.
In acceleration I have no doubt it would do quite well, and as a tourer (and I suppose this is US's primary requirement) it could win some friends.
Chevy obviously did quite well to mount a 5.3l traversely, but (and I know this is a big call without driving it) in my opinion the package is fundamentally flawed.
I have NEVER driven a front wheel drive vehicle with more than 200hp and about 180lb ft that I could genuinely call a complete car. And some of those vehicles have had the most nifty devices to try and quell torque-steer - Focus RS for example had the most advanced Diff I think that was ever fitted to a production car, you would still put the foot down at 40mph on a slightly damp road, attempting to overtake a truck, and not be sure whether you are going to overtake on the left or the right.
Was an interesting experience for sure (and an intriguing car), but I don't think I could call it pleasurable.

 

Don't they use the 4.6 in Lincoln Continentals transversely?

 

Well after doing some more research, I am going to have to take all that back...
I never knew such a car existed as the Lincoln Continental with a 4.6l.
And after investigating, it appears that they would be as bad - if not worse - than the Impala SS.

I am still pretty sure that they would struggle to fit it within a 500's platform, but that could fixed probably.
The easiest fit however would be the 4.4l Yamaha V8 engine that is fitted to the XC90.

 

Polarbear what is limit for 5th gear: 2005 lly was limited to 520lb-in in 5th gear and 4th gear was 605lb-in.

 

I haven't seen those specs on the new tranny, and the service people go to school on it in a couple of weeks.

 

360HP????? For a diesel, that they expect to be able to pull trailers in a reliable manner, and still have longevity?? I hope Ford's new 6.4 does NOT go this route. I want to see some more low end torque, and a lot lower in the RPM range, than any more HP. I don't know about the rest of you, but 325 HP seems to be enough HP for a stock diesel in a P/U. It will definately be interesting to see what Ford and Dodge do in '07.

 

What does 360HP have anything to do with longevity. It has 650 pounds of torque, that is more than enough to pull anything out there. In fact to get this type of numbers you would only need to bump compression a little and improve intake and exhaust flow.

 

Thanks Terry. This is probably a good time to point out that GM had numbers like that in mind when the D-max was introduced. In other words, the engine was designed for those kind of numbers out of the box- one reason it's so easy to bump output on a D-max right now. At the time the D-max came out, Ford was still running the 7.3, and GM's gameplan was to bump incrementally as Ford and/or Dodge did the same.

What's interesting is the 6.9 D-Max is getting it's finishing touches in anticipation of Fords 6.4. Like Ford, the new motor will debut in the new GMT800 (Silverado) when it hits the streets- or so I'm told, anyway.

 

You could be right but if they increased the rpm the motor has to work at to get those numbers, there could be a decrease in life of the motor. I hope they don't go the route of the 6.0 and have a high spoolen/ high rpm motor. Hopifuly they will keep there torque down low.