The Pontiac G8 Sport Truck was originally supposed to be powered only by General Motors' 361-horsepower 6.0L V8, but tough fuel economy standards and customer demand for fuel efficient products have conspired to change the General's plans. Edmunds Inside Line quotes an anonymous senior engineer at the General saying that the unique sport ute will receive automaker's 3.6L V6, as well. That's good news for fuel economy, but the better news is that the 3.6L V6 of choice will be the direct injection versoin. That will likely give the G8 ST the same 300+hp as the 2010 Camaro and Cadillac CTS. That should also make the base ST more appealing to enthusiasts and the average Joe, with more power at the pedal and a healthier torque curve. The DI version of GM's 3.6L V6 will also likely be available in the base G8 sedan for the 2010 model year, as well. It makes sense that GM would go with direct injection for the G8 ST, as the General has already promised the powerful V6 for the Chevy Traverse and Camaro. Putting DI in more vehicles will help drive down the cost of producing these more high-tech engines economy of scale while also giving customers V8ish performance with V6ish fuel economy. Keep in mind, however, that though a GM engineer was quoted, none of this is official word from GM, so plans could change.
If you want to sport a Dodge Challenger without the fire-breathing V8 or the hefty price tag, the time to act is now. The first two Dodge Challenger SE models have arrived in Ohio this week, and 500 models are en-route to dealerships in the U.S. and Canada as you read this. The SE Challenger packs Chrysler's ho-hum 3.5L V6 with 250 horsepower and a truly retro four speed automatic, but the news is far from all bad. You still get the Challenger's muscular looks, power flowing through the rear wheels, and a hard to beat entry price of only $21,995. You probably won't win many races, but at least you won't be driving an Avenger. Seriously, though, the Challenger SE charmed us at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show where it debuted with a simple proposition: cheap, rear-wheel-drive fun on four wheels.
The floodgates will open on the '09 Acura TL soon enough, but in the meantime, Inside Line has posted a set of press photos and confirmed the car's final specs. As has been previously reported, there are two versions: a base 3.5L car with 285 horses and front-wheel drive; and the range-topping TL SH-AWD, which gets a 305-horsepower 3.7L V6. The Type S is history, replaced in essence by the SH-AWD. Both TL models are mated to 5-speed automatics, and a stiffer chassis should help make time spent behind the wheel more engaging.
Inside, the layout is one that should be familiar to anyone who's spent time in a new Honda or Acura. Metallic-look wings arc out from a center stack topped by a multifunction LCD screen and finished at the bottom by Honda's all-in-one controller for audio/info/nav interfaces. In short, techno-gadgetry abounds. The new TL is a larger car than it predecessor, with a 1.4-inch longer wheelbase and 6.2 inches added to its overall length. Consequently, interior space also improves over the outgoing sedan.
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Audi is using American supercharging muscle to give its new 3.0 liter TFSI V6 the desired wallop. Eaton Corporation has been enlisted by Ingolstadt to supply positive-displacement, Roots-type blowers that will work with direct injection to deliver 290 horsepower and fat, responsive torque down low on the tach. Roots blowers aren't anything new, but Eaton has refined the design with its latest Twin Vortices Series units. The TVS units add a fourth lobe to the rotors, and crank up the twist to 160 degrees for maximizing the amount of atmosphere the blower can pump out. Jettisonning turbochargers may help packaging when the V6 is crammed into the S4's engine bay, as well as reducing complexity by simplifying intake plumbing. 310 lb/ft of torque at 2,500 rpm will put a grin on anyone's face, and we'd expect to see this engine proliferate into many Audi engine bays.
CAR sat down with a "high-placed Audi source" at the European launch of the Q5 and was able to pry out a few details about the automaker's future products.
To begin with, the next RS4 will use a retuned version of the supercharged, 3.0-liter V6 due to be fitted on the next S4. Audi's unnamed engineering mole said that the decision to go with the supercharged six was primarily to provide higher torque at lower RPMs. With the base engine putting out 290 hp and 310 lb.-ft. of torque, it's assumed that the tweaked version should crest the 350 hp mark and just under 400 lb.-ft. of torque. How that will play in the inevitable comparison test between the RS4's V8-powered competition remains to be seen.
The A1 is still set to debut in 2010, but despite its aim at MINI, Audi won't resort to retro styling. Based off the next Polo, the A1 will spawn several variants, including three- and five-door hatches, a convertible and an off-roader. While Audi has no plans to build anything smaller than the A1, it does plan to increase the size of the A3, along with offering a Q3 CUV inspired by the Cross Coupe Quattro concept.
And what of the R8? The V10 version is on its way this fall, but a turbocharged variant isn't in the cards, nor is the V12 TDI. And while Audi has continued to deny that it's working on an R4, CAR's source says that there's still room in the automaker's lineup for another R-badged vehicle.
"The poor man's Audi S4." That's what Motor Trend is tentatively dubbing the Ford Fusion GT, an EcoBoost-powered, SVT-massaged version of the automaker's staid sedan. According to the buff book, Ford will equip the Fusion GT with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, producing around 340 hp, still short of the engines 415 hp capabilities. Instead of trying to shovel that much grunt through the front wheels, Ford will tap Haldex to supply a part-time all-wheel-drive system to aid grip and limit torque steer, and it's possible that a paddle-shifted six-speed auto 'box could be part of the package.
The Fusion GT would be the fourth model to benefit from Ford's line of EcoBoost engines, which currently power the Lincoln MKS, Ford Flex and forthcoming Lincoln MKR. Four-cylinder versions are in the pipeline and are expected to power the entry-level Fusion in 2010, along with a high-performance version of the Focus and another version of the Edge crossover. EcoBoosted sixes are also rumored to be motivating Ford's downsized F100 pickup, but according to MT, a blown V6 for the next Mustang is on hold.
Dino fans rejoice, the rumormill is churning out plenty of grist about a V6 power unit in the offing for some future Ferraris. The California is already getting a V8, so Prancing Horse fans wishing for a "Dino II" will remain unfulfilled, but new approaches to high performance are key to keeping Ferrari at the zenith of autodom, lest it fall down the nostalgia hole that's seen Jaguar nearly suffocate on its own pillowy upholstery. The case for a V6 would be partly the banal issues of emissions and consumption, and a six might also offer weight and packaging advantages, though the rumors of a turbocharged mill add plumbing, weight, and complexity back into the mix. Additionally, anyone who's ever given the boot to a turbocharged engine can attest that forced induction's ability to make small engines flex big muscles, it can also lead to big-league fuel swilling, poking holes in the idea that a turbo V6 might save a lot of fuel over the direct-injected V8. Like any automaker, Ferrari is certainly looking at all sorts of "what if" ideas that will never reach production to find the right solution for the myriad technical challenges facing any automaker, let alone an exotic manufacturer. One thing's certain: a turbo V6 with Ferrari emblazoned along the cam covers would shriek with a proper Italian accent, and you have to respect any company that violently spits on the ground when the terms "SUV" or "Four-Door" are whispered.
Even the most die-hard enthusiast, dreaming about the 361-hp 6.0-liter V8 under the hood of the upcoming Pontiac G8 Sport Truck, must be having second thoughts about the cost of feeding that thirsty powerplant. With fuel prices rising significantly in just the last few months, the folks at Pontiac are rumored to be considering a six-cylinder option for the G8 ST. The engine, if it finds its way under the hood, would be the same 256-hp 3.6-liter V6 found in the entry-level Pontiac G8 sedan. Not due until the 2010 model year, the V6-powered G8 ST would share the sedan's EPA fuel economy ratings of 17/25, making the sport truck a more feasible for buyers that want to jettison their daily-driven pickups for something with better fuel economy and a bit of utility.
Audi has finally confirmed all the details on its new range-topping supercharged V6, and the final output figures are in line with previous reports. The 3.0-liter TFSI engine (although the "T" is a misnomer since it used to stand for "turbo") is putting out 290 hp and 310 lb.-ft. of torque, with maximum twist beginning at an incredibly tractable 2,500 RPM. The blown six's thrust should be linear considering the belt-driven design, and Audi maintains that it will consistently outperform its biturbo predecessors. Although Audi has yet to confirm what models the supercharged, direct-injected mill will be fitted to initially, it's a safe bet that it will find a happy home within the new A6 and the next S4.
Chrysler is recalling 6,692 Dodge Journey crossover vehicles equipped with its 3.5L V6 engine due to a wiring harness problem that could potentially result in an engine fire. NHTSA says the issue can occur when the wiring harness becomes dislodged and makes contact with the transaxle mount. Effected vehicles need to be checked out at your local Dodge dealer where the wiring harness will be inspected for damage. If the harness is damaged it will be replaced, and all harnesses will be secured with a tie wrap to ensure the issue doesn't reoccur. Chrysler has known about the issue since mid-March, but no actual fires have been reported as of this time.
The Journey recall is the second NHTSA action on a new vehicle this month, the Volkswagen Tiguan being the other, with each model having less than 7,000 units effected. Though nobody wants to see a time-consuming recall, it's good to see that issues are being discovered well in advance of any freeway carbeques.
