Revised F150 perfect missile to defend Ford’s turf

SAN ANTONIO, TX.—Ford rounded up the world’s media to road-test the completely redone F150 pickup truck during the past few weeks, and it chose the site carefully: start with a little Old West history at the Alamo, drive the heck out of the trucks on a parking-lot autocross, roar through the rolling hill-country highways of southern Texas, and, most important, rent a ranch where drivers can experience a specially built off-road course.

The introduction took long enough that Ford wouldn’t allow any driving reports until July 1. So having discussed the F150’s introduction in context of all of Ford’s 2004 models a couple of weeks ago, now it can finally be told how all five models of the new full-size pickup – the XL, STX, XLT, FX4 and top-of-the-line Lariat – handled the tests with power and stability. That was an especially impressive achievement because Ford had brought out top models of the Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Hemi and Toyota Tundra for comparison purposes.

The media favorite was definitely the off-road course. We started out running through a grass-in-the-middle trail through some brush, and after a couple of turns, we plunged down an extremely steep hill – straight into a river. Once in the river, we turned left, then, amazingly enough, we splashed through this quite-shallow but rapidly flowing river for a couple-hundred yards before turning left again and clawing our way up a steep hill. The course then followed a twisting trail with alternating patterns of huge holes, deep ditches, treacherous holes to climb up, down, and over, before finally climbing another hill with stair-like beams that sent you skyward, without being able to see that it immediately plunged down over the other side, where your descent end with a 90-degree right turn.

There is a chance you could own your full-size pickup truck for 10 years, working every day on a farm, ranch, or to haul something or somebody – or both – into town, and never put it through the rugged terrain we ran those F150s through.

As the top-selling vehicle in the world, the F150 has some serious turf to defend, particularly now, when competition is the most severe, with Nissan joining the crowded full-size pickup scene, although its new Titan wasnÂ’t out in time to be included. All of the trucks had some impressive assets, some more than others. The Tundra was lighter and you could hurl it around the autocross course, and it was, Ford admitted, its benchmark for building a quiet interior. And the Dodge was so strong it was understandable how some magazines ranked it the best among the 2003 pickups.

But the F150 lived up to the expectations of chassis engineer Frank Davis, who monitored every test, riding with journalists and welcoming conversation about each. Although he usually ended each session acknowledging that some rivals were OK, but stressing that he’s happy, “as long as you like my truck.”

While selling over 800,000 F150s every year, Ford averages five sold every minute, with one a minute in Texas alone, which was a good reason the introduction was there. Just outside of San Antonio, we stopped for driver change and technical session at the Jennings Anderson Ford dealership, the fourth largest truck-seller in the industry, which boasts that 90 percent of its business comes from pickups.

“Our regular cab and Super Cab both are 6 inches longer inside, and have 16 inches of storage area behind the seat,” said Davis. “We’ve built the new F150 to be tough, capable and dependable. Twice as tough as today’s F150, with a 3,000-pound payload that’s 800 more than the competition. You can get a pickup box that is 5.5, 6.5 or 8 feet long on the Styleside.

“All our pickups have four doors, and we have 26 different choices in how you want to select your truck. Chevy has 21, there are 12 with the Ram, 8 with the Tundra and 6 with the Titan.”

Davis added that the rear seats have a 21-degree angle to the backrest, same as the front, so even occasional rear-seat occupants neednÂ’t sit bolt upright in the extended-cab models with rear-opening back doors.

When we got to the off-road segment, the smooth poise the F150 showed, even while charging through the shallow but fast-moving current of the river, was impressive. The revised 5.4-liter Triton V8 easily scaled cliff-like vertical climbs while the suspension ate up the bumps and holes. Equally impressive was how the things could be shifted into low range to ease nose-first down the other side of those hills, and the underside angle was sufficient so that you didnÂ’t even scrape when your instinct told you that you were about to stuff the grille into the bottom side of those hills. All of the competitors made it around too, although some bounce more, some were more harsh, some felt looser, and others couldnÂ’t match FordÂ’s angle of descent.

The F150 frame is nine times stiffer torsionally because of a fully-boxed design of hydroformed beams. That stiffness translates to added safety as well as handling capabilities. Newly designed coil-over-shock front suspension and rear shocks that have been moved as far out as possible provide better roll control, and quick, precise power rack-and-pinion steering also helps exercise the handling stability. A wider stance provides greater payload and interior room, and the payload, by the way, can be paid via a power tailgate.

There are other technical improvements, starting with the engine. The 5.4 V8 is a derivative of FordÂ’s modular 4.6-liter V8, and instead of the basic two-valve arrangement, the new pickupÂ’s 5.4 gets three valves per cylinder. Engine power comes from breathing ability, and instead of one 44.5-mm intake valve, the new one has two 33.8-mm valves for 23.1-mm more fuel-air intake. The single exhaust valve measures 37.5 mm compared to the 36-mm of the conventional two-valve.

Engine guru Pete Dowding explained the further advantage of all-new cylinder heads and variable valve-timing, with chain-driven single overhead camshafts altering the timing of both intake and exhaust valves, by a unique system that forces oil through five vanes to twist the cams’ position, relative to the crankshaft. That means the valve-timing is constantly altered to meet the demand of the driver, whose input on the gas pedal is electronically transmitted – just like the “drive-by-wire” concept of world-class race cars.

“Our engine has 300 horsepower compared to 260 on the current engine, and 365 foot-pounds of torque compared to 350,” said Dowding. “The story on the torque is that it stays constant from 1,000-3,500 RPMs, and still stays substantial at high RPMs. If you compare graphs, you see that the GM 6-liter engine and our 5.4 are very similar in torque. The Dodge Hemi has slightly higher torque, but they need premium gas. We’re using regular gas, and we’re getting torque, power and refinement, but we also want the efficiency of burning all the gasoline.”

Styling might seem unimportant to truck-buyers who need their vehicles for heavy work, but if styling can make the difference in a buyerÂ’s decision, Ford has hit that ball well out of the park. On the outside, Ford altered the dramatically aerodynamic look of its current generation slightly, raising the tip of the nose for better driver aim while retaining its distinctive look. You can get different grilles, with the blacked-out subtlety of the basic XL with 17-inch steel wheels, or the STX with monotone paint and cast aluminum wheels, or the flashier XLT, or off-road specialist FX4, which goes to 18-inch wheels and has off-road shocks, skid plates and standard limited-slip axles. The top Lariat gets a bright chrome grille surrounding metallic mesh.

Inside, the F150 really goes all-out. No previous pickup truck ever has displayed the style and class of the new Ford. The basic models are efficiently laid out, with the shift lever on the steering column and all controls laid out in efficiently attractive position. The upgrade gets you captainÂ’s chairs with a floor-shift lever. The top Lariat has a different instrument layout, and rings the instruments with chrome while surrounding occupants with much fancier leather-seat and woodgrain trim, plus a computer-message center and assorted creature comforts. You can even get the SUV/minivan style DVD player in the ceiling for rear-seat occupants in the SuperCab or SuperCrew models.

My only complaints were the grip handles – too thick for some hands on the door-pull, and the front-pillar-mounted grab handle should be roof-mounted to aid entry and exit.

“We’ve sold 27.5 million trucks over 55 years,” said Jim Padilla, Ford North America president. “For 26 years it’s been the best-selling truck, and for 21 years it’s been the best-selling vehicle. The frame is rigid, the new body looks good, the powertrain is well beyond what we’ve had, and the interior is a knockout. We’ve got a new manufacturing process that is lean and flexible, and we think we can build enough F150s at our Norfolk, Kansas City and River Rouge plants to retain our leadership position.”

FordÂ’s confidence in the new F150 is well-founded, because after two days of freeways and highways over hills and including gravel, and a punishing off-road session, it could be leaving the competition up the creek, as they say in Texas.

(John Gilbert writes weekly auto columns. He can be reached at jgilbert@duluth.com.)

Lexus RX330 gives new voice to midsize SUV slot

WASHINGTON, D.C.—We were starting out from a motel in a small town in Virginia, 20 miles out in suburban Washington, D.C., and hoping, after the late-afternoon sun finally end a two-day siege of rain, to beat darkness and get downtown to walk through all the monuments on the Mall.

Problem was, none of the four of us had a clue about how to get there. As the rest of the group started arm-wrestling a road map, I simply punched a button on the dash that said “Navi.” That activated the Lexus RX330 navigation system. It asked me for a destination, and I could choose from a street address, a restaurant, a hotel, an intersection, or a “POI.” I selected POI – point of interest – and keyed in the Washington Monument.

Immediately, a map appeared on the screen, showing the tangle of streets and highways, with a zig-zagging connection of various roads highlighted in royal blue. That would be our route.

We didn’t even have to look at the well-defined map, although I continually glanced just so I could anticipate our next move, but we left everything up to Zelda. Zelda was the name we gave to the pleasant, feminine voice that gently directed us to our next turn. “In the next 2 kilometers, keep right,” she would say. Then, “In 200 meters, make a right turn.” There probably is a way to change to feet and miles, but we never bothered figuring that out. Besides, it was a good exercise in the metric system.

Jerry, in the back seat, had been marveling at ZeldaÂ’s voice, but timed it perfectly when he said, “What did she say?” just as she was saying it. So I didn’t hear her and blew the final turn. Ah well, thatÂ’s what brothers-in-law are for, isnÂ’t it? No matter, because Zelda stayed calm, first suggesting we make a “legal u-turn,” which showed she had never driven in D.C., before, either. Then she gently directed us on a strange but efficient means of doubling back and around over bridges and one-way streets to bring us right back to the proper intersection.

“You have reached your destination,” Zelda said as I made the turn and found a steet-parking place. She did NOT say, “It’s about time, you morons!”

The chance to road-test the new 2004 Lexus RX330, and a niece’s wedding on July 3 in suburban Washington, D.C., conspired to give us a special trip to witness the Fourth of July in the nation’s Capitol. I anticipated the RX330 would be pretty impressive, because it is all-new for 2004, and its first version wrote the standards for the midsize sport-utility vehicle segment – establishing the target for the Acura MDX, BMW X5, Mercedes M-320 and others to strive for.

The new version is improved in every way. While the first RX300 sloped fore and aft to carve a sleek silhouette, the new one is much more angular and much more attractive, separating itself from the traditional boxy look of SUVs by about as much as is possible while still retaining utilitarian room and flexibility inside.

The features available pretty much cover all that is high-tech in the industry these days. Standard equipment starts with an enlarged 3.3-liter V6 engine, with dual-overhead camshafts and variable valve-timing sending 24 valves tapping their way to produce 230 horsepower. It has a computer-controlled 5-speed automatic with a snow feature that clicks to let you start up in second gear when itÂ’s slippery, and full-time all-wheel-drive.

Power rack and pinion steering is precise for a sporty car, let alone an SUV, and disc brakes at all four wheels have antilock as well as brake-assist to put the brakes on full when you need them, and electronic brake distribution to make sure the brake force works evenly. 17-inch alloy wheels, including a full-size spare, safety stuff that includes front airbags, driverÂ’s knee airbag, side curtain airbags and seat mounted front side airbags.

Vehicle stability control keeps the RX330 going in the right direction, which adds to the secure feeling inside, where you live. Living arrangements couldnÂ’t be better. Dual zone climate control with rear vents helped us in the 95-100 degree heat and stifling humidity around Washington, making the vehicle a welcome oasis every time we had walked ourselves to exhaustion.

A six-CD player with eight speakers, eight-way power driverÂ’s seat (four-way for the front passenger), with the rear three seats split 40-20-40 with reclining as well as fold-down capability. The large amount of wood trim was real wood, looking like birds-eye maple, and while the front liquid crystal display screen handled vent, audio, trip, temperature and clock functions, all of that was standard, for the $36,425 base price.

The option list jacked the price up to $45,668, but before you wince, consider what was included, and donÂ’t ask me to eliminate the choices for you. An upgrade to 18-inch wheels aided stability, a rear-seat entertainment system with ceiling-mound DVD screen and two wireless headphones was neat. (In fact, I should have stopped to invest in a DVD, just to divert brother-in-law Jer.)

Heated front seats with rain-sensing wipers – yes, they work by themselves – and headlight washers cost $665. The premium package was $3,440 and consists of leather seats, power tilt and telescope steering wheel with memory, one-touch open and close moonroof, high-intensity headlights, wood and leather steering wheel and shift knob, and a power, key-fob-operated rear hatch.

The navigation system comes in a $2,350 package that includes a compass and a rear back-up video camera, which plays a wide-angle video on the navigation screen any time you shift into reverse.

If you’d been with us, and Zelda, you’d never part with the navigation system. I knew it would work, but it still amazed me. The night before we went downtown, I had coded in the address of a pre-wedding dinner and it took us back and forth to two houses in different areas of winding suburban streets. After every trip, we just poked the button to go back to our previous destination – the hotel – and it returned us.

Having toured the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, walked around the White House while peering in to see the secret-service guys on the roof – and being startled by a formation of black-clad, night-vision machine-gun-toting guards sweeping the grounds inside the iron fencing – I must say that the Vietnam Wall was deeply moving, but the most moving thing of all was the Korean War Memorial. Its haunting, full-size sculptures of an infantry company stalking in scattered formation was stunning, but especially eerie at night, with the lighted Lincoln Memorial far in the background.

We knew there would be hundreds of thousands at the Mall on the night of the Fourth, so we went to Annapolis, Md., which was the nationÂ’s first Capitol, for the afternoon, highlighted by an all-you-can-eat seafood lunch buffet at BuddyÂ’s, then we decided to circle the crowd and go to the Georgetown area for the evening. We didnÂ’t know how to get there, of course, so we summoned Zelda again.

Without knowing any places there, we took a chance and coded in the Georgetown Inn. It gave us a reading, and Zelda guided us until we got to the vicinity, but the crowd and blockaded streets meant we had to abandon her directions and circle many blocks, many times, seeking a parking place. Long after Zelda had given up on us, we came around a corner, and suddenly Zelda’s voice said: “You have reached your destination.” We looked up, and sure enough, there was a place called the Georgetown Inn!

The new RX330 is so slick it can find places even if youÂ’re not really looking for them.

(John Gilbert writes weekly auto columns. He can be reached by e-mail at cars@jwgilbert.com.)

New Civic EX raises concerns about Honda’s image

Honda has become the champion of real-world, reasonably-priced technology, but a recent road test in a 2003 Civic EX created a slightly disturbing question of whether that technology was slipping under a wave of “decontenting,” and if so, exactly where is Honda heading?

The 1991-95 Civic style was my favorite, nearly perfect in style, with a low-sloped nose providing exceptional visibility. The basic DX model gave way to the LX with power windows, locks and, if I remember correctly, a sunroof. The EX was the top of the line, and offered VTEC variable-valve-timing on the upgraded engine, better suspension, wheels and tires. It was exceptional, both in coupe and four-door versions.

Over the past decade, other Japanese and European manufacturers have scrambled to add variable valve-timing, which helps the engine adapt to driving demands for peak efficiency. Domestics, while slower reacting, are getting to it. General Motors will make major news with variable valve-timing on selected 2004 models – more than a decade after Honda had made it mainstream.

For 1996, the redesigned CivicÂ’s nose sloped less, and the company responded to economic upheavles by eliminating some applications of double-wishbone suspension and four-wheel disc brakes. The car still handled well and stopped well, but doing away with such assets in the name of decontenting was not what I expected from a technology leader.

For the past 15 years, Honda has used the exotic NSX, Prelude and various world-class auto racing ventures to develop new technical advances, then it transformed those technical assets to apply to real-world cars such as the Civic and Accord. While maintaining basic, simple efficiency, Honda upgraded with high-tech engine schemes and elaborate chassis features such as double-wishbone suspension geometry.

While the Accord battled Toyota’s Camry for midsize supremacy, the Civic had become entrenched as the standard compact, setting a high target for the Toyota Corolla, Mazda Protégé, Mitsubishi Mirage/Lancer, Nissan Sentra, Subaru Impreza, Volkswagen Golf, and domestic entry-level vehicles such as Chrysler’s Neon, Ford’s Escort/Focus, and General Motors’ Cavalier/Sunfire. Korean newcomers like Hyundai and Kia also are offering a lot of car for bargain prices these days.

True, Honda has continued to create amazing special vehicles, such as the Acura models, and more recently the MDX and CRV sport-utility vehicles. The new Accord is impressive, and the specialty Civic Si high-performance model is fun. But now the 2003 Civic EX shows up. It was pleasant to drive, and it performed reasonably well, with snappy acceleration out of its 127 horsepower, 1.7-liter four-cylinder VTEC engine, which responded well to a five-speed manual transmission.

Driving it hard, and with a full load, I still achieved 33.5 miles per gallon, which is exceptional in this era when some so-called economy cars can’t hit 30. But, all in all, I expected more. The Protégé, Lancer, Sentra and Golf are all improved, and the Corolla appears to be, as well. While the competition is getting tougher, every time I was scrutinizing the Civic EX, I discovered more reasons for concern.

The EX used to have all the trick stuff, but the new four-door sedan had disc brakes in front only. It has MacPherson strut front suspension with double-wishbone structure in the rear. Stabilizer bars front and rear and power rack-and-pinion steering aided the handling, but it feels more like a basic car than the sporty compact it used to be.

I was further surprised to find that the wheels, which look somewhat sporty from 100 feet away, are indeed only cookie-cutter wheel covers, over steel wheels. No slick alloy wheels here. Honda’s information sheet calls them “full wheel covers,” as opposed to hubcaps, I suppose.

Inside, there was cloth, not leather, on the seats. ThatÂ’s not a big issue, but when I sat in the driverÂ’s seat, it felt soft and less supportive than the Civic seats in the past that always impressed me with their comfortable, yet supportive, fit and feel.

That’s about where a family debate was inspired. My wife, Joan, always has been a big Honda fan, particularly of their ergonomic fit and seat comfort. She was convinced Honda had changed the letter designations, and that the “EX” was now the base model. I argued to reassure her, but I know I never did convince her that the EX was, indeed, still the top level Civic.

The years have led to some definite improvements. The air-conditioning system has an air-filtration device. The structure, I’m sure, has been improved in safety by impact-absorbing ability, and there are side airbags to complement the front ones. But the audio system, with its radio and CD player, has only four speakers and is just “good” in an era where outstanding has become common. Especially on an EX.

The rear seats fold down separately, allowing you to haul long things, and a lot of things, with ease. Cruise control is standard on the EX, as are the power moonroof and variable wipers. The sticker price is $17,770, without a single option.

I had anticipated something better that what seemed to be DX-level seats and audio system, however. And while the single overhead-cam engine has adequate power, dual-overhead-cams would add considerable punch. Double wishbone suspension at all four corners would improve the handling, as would lighter alloy wheels with higher-performing tires, and having four-wheel disc brakes would make it an outstanding package.

Maybe it seems unfair to suggest that the things that are lacking could improve the Civic EX. ItÂ’s just that a decade ago, it had all those features and you got Â’em without even asking for them.

(John Gilbert writes a weekly auto column. He can be reached by email at: cars@jwgilbert.com.)

Hemi power boosts Ram higher in pickup competition

There are certain nicknames in the auto industry that work, and possibly no engine in the last forty years has had the same public appeal as the term “Hemi.” Chrysler has resurrected the Hemi, and has all sorts of plans for it in the near future. But for now, uniting the name, and the motor, with the Dodge Ram pickup is a good place to start.

When Dodge decided to step up and play with the big boys in the pickup truck industry, it went macho all the way with the massive-appearing Ram. The truck was big and tough enough to take on the Ford F150 and the Chevrolet Silverado, and it certainly looked the part of a worthy challenger, with the semi-style grille and bold styling throughout.

Last year, the Ram had its first renovation of the new look, and Dodge did a good job on it, making it look sleeker and yet more imposing. It held its ground as a strong No. 3 to the popular Ford and Chevy counterparts. For 2003, it is the bigger Dodge trucks’ turn, with the 2500 and 3500 getting the same visual treatment as the 1500. With a couple of massive engines, the bigger trucks start with a very impressive base V8 – a 5.7-liter job that reclaims the name “Hemi.”

Now, at midyear, Dodge has squeezed the 5.7 Hemi into the light truck, and the result is a sizzling Ram Hemi that will renew the macho pride in truck buyers who want to feel better about their proclamation that they can take on the F150s and Silverados.

The original Hemi was so-named for its hemispherical combustion chambers, and it carried Dodge and Plymouth to stock-car racing glory in the hands of Richard Petty and others in the 1960s and 1970s, when NASCAR allowed manufacturers to compete for true superiority with their own technology, unlike the current spec-racer rules that cause all the Winston Cup race cars to be similarly built with engines unlike any of those made for production.

At any rate, the new engine, at 5.7 liters, is far smaller in displacement than the 426 cubic inch 8.1-liter monsters that used to rest under those NASCAR Charger and Plymouth hoods, and Chrysler admits its cylinder heads “approach” being truly hemispherical. Close enough. The name works. And the power is certainly there.

The 5.7 proves that a little sophistication in design and execution can disprove the long-standing theory that “there’s no substitute for cubic inches,” because it puts out 345 horsepower, which is about 100 horsepower more than the sturdy 5.9-liter V8 it replaces, and it also shows an increase in torque, to 375 foot-pounds. Needless to say, that makes the lighter 1500 Ram get right up and sail, and yet the power is smooth and manageable without feeling crude in any way.

There is no mistaking that this is a truck, of course. It pretends to be nothing else. But in the “Laramie” upscale version, with the Quad Cab’s four doors, the Ram comes loaded with creature amenities, and the sticker price reflects the refinement. For example, the bigger Ram 2500 can be obtained for a base price of about $23,000 with the Hemi, and the lighter 1500 Ram starts at a base price of $18,660 with the basic 3.7-liter V6.

However, loading up the bright red test vehicle with vigorous work on the option list drove the sticker price up to $38,000. Such is the price for one-upmanship in the truck biz. The Hemi’s power comes at a price, as I got 13 miles per gallon in combined city-freeway driving.

With Dodge focusing so much advertising on hot cars and trucks with everything seeming to be red in the ads, it was no surprise when the test Ram Hemi showed up in bright red. The truck was set off by nicely styled brushed alloy wheels that looked more rugged than dainty, and wore those 255-70/17-inch tires very well.

The four-door cab is very comfortable and roomy in the front, where two bucket seats flank a large padded center seat. The backrest of the center seat folds down to serve as massive armrest and center console. It opens to display a large cavern, with fold-up plastic gates to keep stuff from sliding around, and it has a power-point socket as well. Fold it up, and you might be surprised to learn that the center seat cushion itself folds up to disclose more stowage space.

The rear seat is a broad bench, which would house three easily and four in a squeeze, but, as is usually the case in such compromise cabins, headroom is limited by the fairly upright backrest, forced by the presence of a rear window.

The large pickup box has an industrial-strength flexible plastic cover that fits tightly.

Most impressive as a fashion statement is the grille and front end, needless to say. The grille itself is imposing, and the headlights flank it on both sides behind clear lenses, with lower foglights. Outlining the top of the grille is a color-keyed plastic shroud, which is only detectable by close look and serves as both a wind-breaking and bug-diverting shield.

Inside, the steering wheel is nicely dished, with cruise-control switches requiring both hands in sequence to prevent accidental switching. The instruments are on stylishly white-backed gauge faces, with battery and fuel on the left and oil temperature and water temperature on the right, flanking the tachometer and speedometer. I do have one question for gauge-makers: Why canÂ’t they come up with larger icons rather than just put large letters on those instruments?

As it is, at a glance you note that the battery might range from “L to H,” while the oil temperature also ranges from “L to H,” and the temperature from “C to H.” I know, I know – low and high are the normal ranges of such things, but I grew up learning to check “+ and –” for the battery, “pounds” for oil pressure, with “degrees” for temperature. Take a glance now, and you’ll realize the needle is comfortably near “H,” but you may have to take another look to calculate which function you’re gauging.

There is a large dosage of plastic woodgrain on the center dash stack and a strip on the doors, although it doesnÂ’t look bad and it breaks up the light grey textured vinyl stuff that covers the rest of the interior. The center dash has the controls for the Infinity audio systemÂ’s radio, CD and cassette, with the heat-air controls under the audio, and providing separate left-right level controls for temperature. Below all of that there is a simple round knob that you can turn to set for 2-wheel drive, 4-wheel-drive high, and 4-wheel-drive low for the true heavy-hauling or off-road usage.

At the bottom of the center dash, a large door opens to reveal two sturdy cupholders, with one of numerous cubicles next to it. There are two more cupholders in the middle at the feet of rear dwellers too.

The doors have a nice touch, with a door-closing grip handle that is nothing remarkable, but a well-placed handle below that, angled just right for an easy pull when you try to open the door. The front doors swing wide, although not 90 degrees, and the back doors open much closer to 90 degrees, which eases entry and exit considerably.

For being, essentially, a big, long truck, the Ram handles well and it accelerates promptly and smoothly with the Hemi engine. If you drove it more moderately than I did during a week-long road test, you might do better than the 13 miles-per-gallon I attained, too.

Meanwhile, you could reduce the price from $38,000 by more judicious selections from the option list, but if you want to get what Dodge loves to call “the baddest truck” on the block, the loaded Ram Hemi is a worthy choice.

‘R’ is for racy upgrade to Volvo’s high-tech S60R and V70R

LAS VEGAS, NEV. — All right, was it real, or was it a 40-hour dream sequence? Had I really gone from sub-freezing Minnesota to mid-80 temperatures, dropping out of the sky to drive hot-rod Volvos all over Nevada highways and race tracks, only to return home to sub-freezing weather with a 30-mile-per-hour wind added?

It certainly seemed like a fantasy, and I’m not sure which was more difficult to comprehend – the 50-degree temperature change, twice in two days, or the fact that, indeed, those cars I had been driving at speeds of up to 120 miles per hour for two quick days were hot-rod Volvos.

ThatÂ’s right, Volvos!

Las Vegas is sort of like Disneyworld for adults, and thatÂ’s where Volvo picked for its media introduction of the S60R sedan and V70R wagon. When the Upper Midwest had first teased us with temperatures up in the 60s, only to sock us with a sneak attack of a late-winter storm and temperatures back down in the teens, it seemed like an escape to catch a flight at dawn that left me sailing along on the desert highways, up into the mountains, through some spectacular scenery, and then back around to come into Las Vegas. We cruised down the Strip, which is the most surreal stretch of real estate in the country, if not the world, and the next day, it was out to Las Vegas Speedway for some sizzling hot laps and autocross driving.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the Volvo S60 sedan and the V70 wagon, along with the S80 sedan. When I had test-driven those cars, I didnÂ’t realize the S60 and the V70 were both due for renovation for 2004, which made them the perfect targets for Volvo executives who had gotten the urge to add some raciness to the stature of some of the worldÂ’s safest and soundest mid-to-full-size sedans.

Volvo folks say they have set their sights on the Audi A4 quattro, the Mercedes C-series, the BMW 330xi, the Lexus sports sedan and the Infiniti G35, which is both enthusiastic, and optimistic, because those are some of the worldÂ’s best sports sedans. It appears Volvo has pulled it off, though, finding superlative power, handling, steering and braking, and complementing those assets with Haldex technology full-time all-wheel drive, huge, Brembo brakes on the four disc brakes, and high-tech electronic handling support.

For under $40,000, you can get the S60 upgraded to “R” status, with some of the most sophisticated and useful features, which combine to churn out 300 horsepower and commensurate torque, plus superb suspension that responds to three different settings, plus a great look inside and out. The sweeping lines of the S60 sedan have been dramatized a bit more with a more pronounced nose up front and a subtle spoiler lip atop the decklid outside, and inside, check out the new seats and the cobalt blue backing on the instruments, as well as the touch of cobalt blue stitching on the leather steering wheel, and various other trim items.

“Volvo had a 26 percent gain in March, compared to March of 2002,” said Thomas Andersson, executive vice president in charge of marketing for Volvo in North America, noting that the upsurge coincided with the first availability of the new XC90 SUV in showrooms. “Now we have the S60R, which should be the pinnacle of the S60 line, and the V70R, which should be the pinnacle of the V70 line. These are halo products, and we expect the ‘R’ models to add sales to the entire range of Volvo vehicles.”

Andersson pointed out the various features Volvo sought to incorporate into the “R” models. They include the striking looks of the cab-forward S60 stance, armed with the high performance of 300 horsepower and 295 foot-pounds of torque. The engine is a 2.5-liter 5-cylinder, with reinforced design of pistons, connecting rods and cylinder head. It has four valves per cylinder, dual overhead camshafts, and a KKK turbocharger that is set to deliver up to 14 pounds of boost pressure, with twin intercoolers and continuously variable valve-timing on both intake and exhaust valves. A 6-speed manual transmission, designed and built exclusively by Volvo, adds to the performance scenario, although an automatic is available too.

Large Brembo brakes add impressive, fade-freeing stopping technology. The intricate “Four-C” (Continuous Control Chassis Concept) suspension, coordinated with the all-wheel-drive system, to make the S60R handle like no previous Volvo. These cars are a giant step beyond the much more subtle “R” models Volvo has built in the past.

The S60R sedan has a stiffer structure, with a lower center of gravity and shorter wheelbase, while the V70R wagon retains the standard V70 stance in an attempt to stop one click short of sharing the sedan’s all-out performance. But make no mistake. “The V70R will be the fastest wagon in the U.S.,” said Jay Hamill, launch manager for the project.

The project attained dazzling 0-60 times – 5.4 seconds for the sedan and 5.6 seconds for the wagon – and both are electronically governed to not exceed 155 miles per hour. The S60R comes fully equipped at $36,825, although you can add a moonroof and different types of leather seats and an audio upgrade as options. Comfort and safety is ever-present, but performance is the dominant theme.

“We decided to develop cars with both the feel of a sports car and the needs of a family car,” said Hans Nilsson, an engineer on the project who also likes to drive fast in anything from motorcycles to airplanes, explained some of the philosophy.

Developing a car that fits the wants of a sports car and the needs of a family car is not an easy trick. Volvo got it done with electronic sensors and computer technology. There are sensors, computers and accelerometers located all around the S60RÂ’s underskin. They monitor every tick of car motion, whether lateral, horizontal or up and down, and also how far you turn the steering wheel, and how abruptly you turn it. All those factors can instantaneously adjust the electronic damping of the shock absorbersÂ’ compression and rebound, to improve handling and keep the car flat and stable, no matter how sharply you swerve.

“It’s a new level of technology,” Nilsson explained. “The active suspension makes you feel like a race driver, but you don’t need to be. When you accelerate hard, the suspension reacts to prevent squat. When you corner hard, the shocks adjust to control body roll at turn-in. And when you brake hard, there is a weight transfer from the rear to the front, but the suspension adjusts so the front doesn’t pitch.”

On a specially configured autocross course, arranged so the first half had tightening turns and the second half had swifter and widening slalom, to allow you to see how the S60R prevented both oversteer and understeer. The electromagnetic shock valving reacts 500 times per second, and can read alterations as slight as 0.4 millimeters of motion in any direction, and counteract the shocks on both sides.

The three switches on the dash to control the suspension settings give you “comfort,” which is a compliant, almost floating system but still provided good and predictable stability; “sport,” which is much firmer but not at all harsh; and “advanced,” which is race-car stiff, harsh in some normal-road situations but perfect for freeway or high-speed race-track-like circumstances.

The Haldex all-wheel-drive system similarly can read and react to as little as one-fourth of a rotation of a front wheel before it will transfer power to the rear axle, and it can react in less than 100 milliseconds – quicker than other all-wheel-drive systems. Theoretically, almost all of the available torque could go to the rear axle, although the most Volvo has been able to measure is 65 percent going to the rear.
The TRACS traction-control system prevents spinning at either axle by using the antilock brakes, and the DSTC (Dynamic Stability and Traction Control) has another button for control. Press and hold the button for one second and the stability gets a bit sportier, and you can take away the spin control in case you are in a situation where youÂ’d prefer the ability to spin a little, such as in a bit of snow. If you push the button five times, the stability-control is bypassed. There are times where an enthusiast might prefer to eliminate the electronic control, but having to push the button five times will prevent someone from accidentally eliminating it.

“We wanted more performance to Volvo, but also to make more Volvo into performance,” said Hamill. “The technology, performance and safety are all interlocked. We have things that would be transparent to those who aren’t interested in performance, but they’re there for those who do want them. We call it the secret handshake. We changed the look, but not who we are.”

To that end, typical Volvo active and passive safety are designed into the cars, from interwoven stability control to the legendary safety structure with energy-absorbing sections bolstered by airbags on all sides. And if the electronic suspension system failed completely, you would be left with a system that was safer and more secure than most competitors anyway.

Nilsson perhaps put it best. “BMW has it easy, because they have car enthusiasts building cars for car enthusiasts,” he said. “We are different. We have a lot of car enthusiasts trying to make cars for all people.”

That includes those of us who enjoyed cutting the apex of the last turn finely enough to zoom onto the banked straightaway and run the needle on the cobalt-blue speedometer up to 120, before standing on those superb brakes to decelerate immediately, then downshifting to third and darting down the banking and into the tighter infield curves, making sure not to run the revs up past 7,000 RPMs.

After several turns on the infield autocross, I was asked if I noticed the difference in how the suspension prevented oversteer on one half and understeer on the other. I think the Volvo folks were disappointed when I could only say that all I could discern was that the S60R handled both halves of the circuit perfectly, even if I couldnÂ’t pinpoint which element was controlling which part.

Suddenly, we were whisked back to the airport for a flight home, arriving in Duluth at 11 p.m. to find that winter had returned its icy grip with a vengeance. While 30-mph winds whipped Arctic air across the unmelted snow that could be surrounding my house until July, it seemed pretty incomprehensible that only a few hours earlier I had been whistling down the banked main straightaway of the SpeedwayÂ’s oval track. IÂ’m pretty sure it really happened.

(John Gilbert writes a weekly auto column. He can be reached by e-mail at jgilbert@duluth.com.)

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• 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.
  
  For those who want to keep up with John Gilbert's view of sports, mainly hockey with a Minnesota slant, click on the following:
  
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• Exhaust Notes:

  PADDLING
  More and more cars are offering steering-wheel paddles to allow drivers manual control over automatic or CVT transmissions. A good idea might be to standardize them. Most allow upshifting by pulling on the right-side paddle and downshifting with the left. But a recent road-test of the new Porsche Panamera, the paddles for the slick PDK direct-sequential gearbox were counter-intuitive -- both the right or left thumb paddles could upshift or downshift, but pushing on either one would upshift, and pulling back on either paddle downshifted. I enjoy using paddles, but I spent the full week trying not to downshift when I wanted to upshift. A little simple standardization would alleviate the problem.
  
  

  SPEAKING OF PADDLES
  The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution has the best paddle system, and Infiniti has made the best mainstream copy of that system for the new Q50, and other sporty models. And why not? It's simply the best. In both, the paddles are long, slender magnesium strips, affixed to the steering column rather than the steering wheel. Pull on the right paddle and upshift, pull on the left and downshift. The beauty is that while needing to upshift in a tight curve might cause a driver to lose the steering wheel paddle for an instant, but having the paddles long, and fixed, means no matter how hard the steering wheel is cranked, reaching anywhere on the right puts the upshift paddle on your fingertips.
  
  

  TIRES MAKE CONTACT
  Even in snow-country, a few stubborn old-school drivers want to stick with rear-wheel drive, but the vast majority realize the clear superiority of front-wheel drive. Going to all-wheel drive, naturally, is the all-out best. But the majority of drivers facing icy roadways complain about traction for going, stopping and steering with all configurations. They overlook the simple but total influence of having the right tires can make. There are several companies that make good all-season or snow tires, but there are precious few that are exceptional. The Bridgestone Blizzak continues to be the best=known and most popular, but in places like Duluth, MN., where scaling 10-12 blocks of 20-30 degree hills is a daily challenge, my favorite is the Nokian WR. Made without compromising tread compound, the Nokians maintain their flexibility no matter how cold it gets, so they stick, even on icy streets, and can turn a skittish car into a winter-beater.