Envoy XL goes to new lengths to bypass foes — and friends
Generally, when it comes to sport-utility vehicles, my feeling is that consumers should keep in mind a simple theory, that smaller and more compact is better, and that anything bigger than big enough is wasted size, space and energy-burning. But the GMC Envoy XL makes a very impressive case for being an exception – sometimes being bigger can be a good thing.
Difficult as it is to keep track of the burgeoning truck business in the U.S., the formula General Motors is using remains pretty simple: Build a truck, then build a bigger one or smaller one off that platform. It worked with the Suburban, which began life huge, and remains so, while breeding the shorter Tahoe for Chevrolet, and the companion Yukon for the GMC branch. The smaller Blazer is an entirely different vehicle, and it still remains, even while it has spun off into the thoroughly modern TrailBlazer/GMC Envoy/Oldsmobile Bravada as next-of-kin. Of course, since the last remnants of Oldsmobile will cease to exist in the coming year, a new version will come out for Buick.
We are up to something around 80 trucks on the market right now, and fully 60 of them are in the SUV category, because, Automobile magazine points out, the 3.5 million SUVs sold last year represent one-fourth of all vehicles purchased in this country. And more, many more, are on the way. The Ford Explorer continues to set a fast pace as the leading SUV seller, which means that a lot of buyers are still reasonable enough to back off from the biggest machines. The GM alternative to the Explorer is primarily the TrailBlazer/Envoy. I prefer the styling of the GMC Envoy. ItÂ’s subjective, of course, but I think the large-opening Envoy grille is more distinctively impressive, and both share the same fabulous high-tech engine.
GMÂ’s target is, as usual, Ford Motor Company. When Ford brought out its new Explorer for 2002, it pulled off a patented trick of running the rear axle through straight side frame rails, lowering the interior floor and, coupled with independent rear suspension, allowing room for a third-row bench seat without having to increase its overall length. General Motors has countered with the elongated Envoy XL (and TrailBlazer version).
In GMÂ’s logical progression from the top, the huge Suburban measures 219.3 inches in overall length, the Tahoe/Yukon 198.8 inches and the Envoy/TrailBlazer 191.6 inches. But GM lengthened the Envoy into XL form by stretching it 16 inches, both in length, to 207.6 inches, and to a 129-inch wheelbase. That makes the Envoy 9 inches longer than the larger standard Yukon, strange as that may seem, and gives it a wheelbase more than a foot longer than the larger YukonÂ’s and within an inch of the enormo Suburban. The Envoy XL also stands nearly 6 inches taller than the normal Envoy.
If youÂ’ve ever driven the Yukon (or Tahoe), you know it is a large vehicle, and it seems hard to believe that the Suburban can be that much bigger still. It is even more surprising to realize that now the more compact Envoy can be had in longer form than the Yukon/Tahoe.
The Suburban and Tahoe/Yukon share drivetrain components, and come only with V8 engines, all of which are pushrod design, without the benefit of overhead camshaft valvetrains. The Yukon/TrailBlazer is an entirely different critter, and comes with GMÂ’s outstanding new in-line 6, a dual-overhead-camshaft, 4-valve-per-cylinder design measuring 4.2 liters and turning out huge amounts of power. The horsepower peak of the 4.2 is 275, at 6,000 RPMs thanks to the DOHC revving capabilities, and 275 foot-pounds of torque at 3,600 RPMs. ThatÂ’s almost exactly the same as the 4.8-liter V8 in the Tahoe/Yukon, which delivers 275 horses and a 290 torque reading, and close to the larger 5.3-liter V8Â’s output of 285 horsepower and 325 foot-pounds in the Tahoe/Yukon or Suburban.
You can, of course, go way up in the Suburban to 6-liter or 8.1-liter V8s in the Suburban to get 320 or 340 horsepower, but the question then becomes how much horsepower is adequate? The 4.2-liter V6 is an engine that GM engineers pushed by the tight-budget bean-counters by making it in-line, where the deciding factor might have been that production costs were lower because each engine requires only one cylinder head instead of the two that a V6 (or V8) would require. Whatever it took to get into the high-tech realm of overhead camshafts was worth it, because that configuration can take GM into the future, where variable valve-timing and other higher-mileage, lower-maintenance secrets can be discovered.
While the bigger V8s have EPA estimates in the 14-16 or 14-17 range, the 4.2 lists 16 city and 21 highway, and in the longer XL form it stays up there at 15/20. Running through the standard 4-speed automatic, I got 15.6 miles per gallon in mostly city driving.
Of course, the extra length (XL) allows the Envoy to embrace a large third-row bench seat, which has all the contemporary fold-down features. Take that, Explorer! But itÂ’s now over 17 inches longer in both length and wheelbase than the Explorer, which is a significant price to pay, even though the Envoy XL has a fair amount of storage space behind the third seat area.
What makes the Envoy most impressive to me is that the stretch job was done tastefully, and GMC filled the beast with creature-comforts. The regular Envoy looks just fine, but designers were able to angle the longer rear of the XL into a pleasing form. Some critics have called it awkward looking, but I think the lines flow gracefully, and I find it more attractive than the larger GM trucks. And while it definitely is a big truck, it feels more agile than its heavier big cousins, and that gem of an engine is fun to run up in revs on the tach.
Full instrumentation and large, round air vents enhance the comfortable and supportive front seats even better, and rear seat occupants will celebrate the fact that the rear-door windows roll all the way down – none of this claustrophobic two-thirds or three-fourths stuff.
Most impressive from a driver’s standpoint is that you can play with the settings easily to enforce or eliminate the intolerable automatic locks and whether the lights or horn will signal when they function. Same with whether the lights will stay on after you get out, or whether the right side or both outside mirrors – or neither – will tilt down to ease parking maneuvers when you hit reverse. Those devices make the Envoy XL more user-friendly.
The full-length steel truck frame, with 17 x 7 aluminum wheels and Bilstein shock absorbers plant the Envoy XL firmly on the ground. A heavy-duty trailer package, with 5,900-pound capacity, and automatic Auto Trac 4-wheel drive are standard, as are 4-wheel disc brakes with antilock, the OnStar navigation system, and an AM-FM-CD player with six speakers, plus remote keyless entry, rear washer-wiper, and steering-wheel controls for all sorts of these devices. The 7-passenger seating is highlighted by the 8-way driver seat with power lumbar support, and there is a rear air/heat system, and the first two rows of seats are leather.
Options on the XL test vehicle include an “SLT Professional Technology†package at $2,590, which lists rain-sensing wipers, locking differential, heated front seats, theft alarm, a Bose audio upgrade that includes a 6-CD changer, a Travelnote digital recorder, and a rear DVD player that folds down out of the ceiling and is certain to entertain the troops on long hauls.
The cost? Ah, yes, we knew it would come down to that. Base price of the Envoy XL is $35,995, and as tested the vehicle lists for $39,185.
We know that the popularity of SUVs assures the manufacturers of enormous profits, it still comes down to what you get for your money. It is a curious fact that in its quest to compete with the Explorer, GM would elongate the Envoy and TrailBlazer to overrun its own larger SUVs, but in this case, I think it works.
Ford’s GT40 centennial sports car is a hit for all generations
Chicago, Chicago, that toddlin’ town. Maybe toddlin’ best describes the way you walk as you try to make your way from a restaurant that serves “Chicago style†deep-dish pizza to the House of Blues. But if there’s a better way to toddle around than in a new Ford GT40, offhand, I can’t imagine it.
I had occasion to drive to Chicago this past week with my two sons, and we got a chance to attend a luncheon where we were able to get an up-close and personal look at the concept version of the GT40 Ford is building for the upcoming model year. While writing an automotive column for 30-some years, one of my dreams always has been that someday it would become a family affair. My wife, Joan, is an excellent driver and IÂ’ve always asked her feedback on vehicles IÂ’ve test-driven. Our sons, Jack and Jeff, have grown to adulthood as car-fanciers; both are excellent drivers, and both have a quick wit about expressing their opinions.
On this trip, mom stayed home – somebody had to work – and the three guys hit the highway for an overnight in Chicago. We made it to Giordanno’s for the stuffed pizza, and we toddled off to walk the streets until midnight. The next morning, we attended a luncheon put on by “MAMA,†which is the Midwest Automotive Media Association, and it served as the perfect forum for Ford executives to announce that the company was combining all its specialty subcultures into a new Ford Performance Group. Interestingly, the hot competition between Ford and General Motors seems to have a “cold war†that goes well beyond the showrooms. GM announced a similar performance organization a month ago, and also displayed a 50th anniversary Corvette.
FordÂ’s counterattack for a wedge in the continuing marketing battle is to commemorate the 100th year of building cars with something truly special. Combining the Special Vehicle Team that continues to make exceptional factory hot rods under the SVT banner with Ford Racing Technology (FRT) and FordÂ’s Vehicle Personalization Group makes good sense, coordinating design ideas with racing technology and real-world driveability.
The special vehicle that will be the flag-bearer for FordÂ’s centennial year of 2003 is, of course, the GT40. ThatÂ’s the purpose-built race car Henry Ford II commanded built in the 1960s as a vehicle to carry Ford to the pinnacle of world endurance racing. Remarkably, the GT40 finished 1-2-3 at the 24 Hours of LeMans, and won three consecutive LeMans classics. For the ensuing 40 years, the GT40 has mostly been the target for skilled replica kit-builders, or to be parked in museums and fawned over by car zealots. But after building a prototype for display at auto shows in the past year, the arrival of FordÂ’s centennial year made this decision a no-brainer.
A glistening white-with-blue-racing-stripes GT40 was parked under a tent, along with a concept “49er†convertible being contemplated, a new Mach 1 Mustang just being introduced, plus Jimmy Vasser’s CART race car. Out under the bright blue sky was an assemblage of SVT vehicles, including an SVT Mustang Cobra, Lightning pickup, and the SVT Focus in both 2-door and 4-door. We examined the cars closely, listened to some speakers, ate a great lunch, discussed some technicalities with some engineers and project managers, then hit the road to beat rush-hour and start back to Minnesota.
Jack, whoÂ’s in his 30s, was asked first: Is the GT40 the best?
“Yes,†said Jack. “Because itÂ’s correct. So many cars try to be retro these days, but they donÂ’t get it right. No offense to the new Thunderbird, but it looks nothing like the original. I remember the GT40 from when I was a little kid, and itÂ’s always been one of my favorite cars. And this one looks just like the original. When somebody says ‘Ferrari,Â’ you first think about the 908 model. This is what people think about when you say ‘GT40Â’ or ‘LeMans.Â’ Ââ€
Jeff, whoÂ’s 10 years younger than Jack, was asked the same question.
“I would rank the GT40 as the top one or two cars IÂ’ve ever seen,†said Jeff. “Maybe itÂ’s the best one, and if I say it is one of the top two, I canÂ’t think of what the other one would be. But it leaves me some room for an option, just in case. I can just imagine myself pulling up somewhere in a GT40 and know itÂ’s the coolest car anyone has ever seen. ItÂ’s so sleek, and everything about it is just right.Ââ€
The two analysts showed off how low and sleek the GT40 is by standing on either side of it for a photo, towering over its 44-inch height. That is one part of the new car that is slightly different. When it was first built, the GT40 was named because it was only 40 inches tall. For real-world driving, the new one is 44 inches, and it is slightly larger in every dimension. But the redesign remained faithful to the original, and, standing alone, itÂ’s virtually impossible to detect the discrepancies.
Neil Ressler, a former Ford vice president who had retired, was brought back to be technical advisor on the GT40 project. “I retired after 33 years at Ford, and I had no thought of coming back,†said Ressler. “When they asked me to come back and be part of the performance team, I agreed before they were through asking the question. You know, there are still some of the original GT40s running around, which I think is remarkable. Even more remarkable is that weÂ’re going to resurrect it.Ââ€
Ressler admitted that there are no set rules for when the first GT40 will roll out, how much it will cost, or how many it will build in its first production year. Odd, from a business standpoint, but thatÂ’s how emotional this whole project is. The GT40 will be a low-production vehicle, with estimates of maybe 1,000 being built the first year. It will weigh 3,200 pounds, and it will have a mid-engine-mounted 5.4-liter V8 with dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, and a supercharger, in order to generate 500 horsepower and 500 foot-pounds of torque.
Price is anybodyÂ’s guess. It almost certainly will be over $100,000, maybe as much as $150,000 by the time dealers try to add capitalization to what is assured to be a scarce classic as soon as it hits the streets. For certain, the car will be out in time for next summerÂ’s centennial.
Neal Hannemann, the chief chassis engineer on the project, was distinctly familiar, and he has a distinct Duluth connection. He raced for the Archer Brothers team when it dominated endurance and truck racing. IÂ’ve written stories about him winning races at places like Brainerd International Raceway, in an Archer Brothers Eagle Talon, while Tommy and Bobby Archer were out on the track bump-drafting each other in the first pickup truck road races. When I saw HannemannÂ’s name, I wondered if it possibly could be the same fellow. It is.
“I drove for the Archers fro 1989-95,†Hannemann said. “I won three championships in their cars. Later on, when Tommy Archer was racing Vipers at LeMans, I was running the Dodge Viper race team over here, and I hired Bobby Archer as my teammate in 1998.Ââ€
As for his contributions to the GT40, Hannemann explained that the car has “an all-aluminum frame, all-aluminum suspension, a 6-speed transaxle, and a unique interior. WeÂ’ve used all the computer tools we can to make sure the frame is extremely stiff. The 5.4-liter engine is adapted from the engine in the SVT Lightning, which has a forged steel crankshaft. And the rods are common to the 2003 SVT Cobra engine.Ââ€
Have there been any test engines to meet those 500-horse/500-foot-pound standards?
“On the dyno,†said Hannemann. Dynamometer testing can duplicate real-world engine torque and horsepower, so it’s just a matter of building enough of the all-aluminum high-output versions of the 5.4, and getting them into the cars. Personally, I’d like to see one of those old SVT Contour V6 engines in a GT40, making it extremely light weight, and, perhaps, affordable as a “base model†for real-world folks instead of only wealthy exotic collectors. As for my two sons, they don’t care what engine it has, as long as it looks the way it does.
ToddlinÂ’, indeed!
About the Author
John Gilbert is a lifetime Minnesotan and career journalist, specializing in cars and sports during and since spending 30 years at the Minneapolis Tribune, now the Star Tribune. More recently, he has continued translating the high-tech world of autos and sharing his passionate insights as a freelance writer/photographer/broadcaster. A member of the prestigious North American Car and Truck of the Year jury since 1993. John can be heard Monday-Friday from 9-11am on 610 KDAL(www.kdal610.com) on the "John Gilbert Show," and writes a column in the Duluth Reader.
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