Dodge Ram Mega Cab takes big pickup command
It can be intimidating when you first walk up to the big – BIG – Dodge Ram Mega Cab pickup. If it isn’t, then maybe you drive over-the-road big rigs for a living. Or one of those plow-fronted dump trucks full of that salt-sand glop we cover the roads with once winter hits.
Still, approaching the Ram Mega Cab gets your attention. I had driven one at the introduction, just outside of Washington, D.C., so it didn’t seem all that intimidating to me, but the ones I’d driven were the normal1500 and the slightly-bigger-than-normal 2500. The monster that was delivered to me for a week-long test drive was the 3500 – the biggest, baddest pickup truck on the market, in that form.
When you get close enough to open the driverÂ’s door, you have a decision to make. Should you step up on the neatly styled bar and take the wimpÂ’s way to climb on board,, or should you merely hop in? ItÂ’s a question better answered if we know whether you have Olympic high-jumper on your resume.
Trust me, stepping on the rail and then up and in may not seem the macho way to go, but itÂ’s far more acceptable than trying to vault all the way up, because you could find yourself catching the grab-handle so you can pin your hip against the side of the seat for leverage, while you pull yourself the rest of the way. I tried it that way once, and figured itÂ’s a feeling that must be familiar to mountain climbers when they under-estimate the length of their next step and suddenly must pin themselves against the side of the mountain and wait for help from a partner, pulling on the rope from above.
Once youÂ’re up and in, the intimidation is gone and everything looks good. Switchwork and controls are right where you want them, and thereÂ’s all sorts of room. Dodge made sure of that.
DodgeÂ’s reasoning for building the Mega Cab was pretty sound. Full-size pickups continue to sell well, led by Ford and Chevy, but crowded by Dodge, Nissan, and soon ToyotaÂ’s all-new Tundra, while the new Honda Ridgeline can steal customers from anyone who might prefer something closer to a combined SUV and pickup. The full-size crew cab sales rose by 27 percent over last year, which meant 750,000 vehicles sold in 2004.
So if full-size, amd full-crew four-door pickups are both rising to take over, why not build the biggest one?
The trick is that Dodge started with the 160.5-inch wheelbase heavy-duty 2500 chassis in long-box form. They replaced the 8-foot cargo box with one measuring 6-foot-3, which allowed them to extend the crew cab by 20 inches. That makes it 111.1 inches in itself, longer by a foot than the Ford F-250 Crew CabÂ’s occupant compartment.
The interior room is put to good use. The rear bench seat first of all can be accessed by rear doors opening 85 degrees – almost full perpendicular to the body. That makes it easy to get in and out through an opening 34.5 inches wide and 35.5 inches tall.
The backrest of the rear seat is not up against the rear wall, which means you donÂ’t have to sit bolt-upright, as you do in some multiple-seat pickups. In fact, there is 7.7 cubic feet of cargo room behind the rear seat, which is an obviously useful asset. Even more useful, perhaps, is that the rear seat backrest will tilt from 22 to 37 degrees in reclining.
With 44.2 inches of rear legroom, and a reclining backrest, what in the world can rear seat occupants find to entertain themselves? How about a disc-playing video screen that folds down from the ceiling?
So if you need to, you could seat six adults with more head, shoulder, hip and leg room than you might think possible, this side of a coach bus. In fact, IÂ’ve been in coach buses with far less legroom. On top of that, the rear seat backrests fold down fully flat all the way across, or on a 60-40 basis, so you can haul some extra stuff and still take a couple of passengers back there. When two passengers are back there, the center backrest converts to a console.
The impressive gauge layout, and driving controls, make the driverÂ’s work easy, as well. The audio controls are big and easy to grab, and the test vehicle had Sirius satellite radio, so I passed time rotating among the comedy stations and Margaritaville, the new station that plays either Jimmy Buffett songs, his concerts, or neat music he has allegedly selected for inclusion.
{IMG2}
But the biggest surprise I had was that once underway, the Ram Mega Cab is disarmingly easy to drive, with smooth maneuverability and precise-steering feel allowing you to trace the lane markers around any curve. Every full-size pickup built in the last 10 years has boasted about its “car-like†ride and handling characteristics. The Dodge doesn’t wimp out and pretend it is something it isn’t – it demands attention for its macho stance, but it just happens to steer and handle as well as any full-size truck I’ve driven.
When it comes to power, Dodge has made great headlines recently with the return of the Hemi, its 5.7-liter V8. The 1500 and 2500 versions of the Mega Cab come with that Hemi, as the only engine in the 1500 and the base engine in the 2500. But the test vehicle was the full-blown 3500 model, which is armed with the 5.9-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel. Yes, in case the 5.7 Hemi, with 345 horsepower and 375 foot-pounds of torque, isnÂ’t enough, you can move up to the Cummins Diesel, which has 325 horsepower and a staggering 610 foot-pounds of torque.
A new six-speed automatic transmission handles the diesel.
Consider that the 1500 with the Hemi has a towing capacity of 7,750 pounds, and maximum payload of 2,410 pounds. The 3500, with the Cummins Turbo Diesel, has a towing weight of 15,800 pounds, and payload of 2,840 pounds.
Dodge said it took care in design, so that the Mega Cab would “reinforce†Dodge Ram’s big rig look. Not to worry.
Unique suspension settings are made for each model, with the monotube shocks and suspension set for ride comfort on the 1500, more for workers on the 2500 and 3500. But considerable care was given to insulating the cab from road and wind noises.
The base 1500 Mega Cab starts at $32,760 in two-wheel-drive mode, and about $3,000 more for a 4×4. In 3500 form, the base SLT two-wheel-drive starts at $40,410. The 4×4 SLT I test drove started at $42,600, and had an as-tested sticker of $49,675, after such options as front buckets, extra side airbags, an audio upgrade and, of course, the rear-seat video.
It is interesting what the SUV craze has done to our truck-drivinÂ’ guys. Used to be, cars were for passengers and trucks were for work. As SUVs came on to replace station wagons and minivans, to some extent, they grew bigger and more cushy inside. So it figures that big pickups would follow the trend. No longer does the guy who drives a pickup for work want any limitations.
Bob Hegbloom from Dodge truck marketing, said: “People want comfort, convenience, and versatility. They want to be able to haul their family and also work heavy duty.Ââ€
The Ram Mega Cab will do it all, and all at one time. And it’s not as intimidating once you’re inside – just make sure to use that step rail.
It can be intimidating, walking up to the big – BIG – Dodge Ram Mega Cab pickup. If it isn’t, then maybe you drive over-the-road big rigs for a living. Or a cement mixer. Or one of those plow-fronted dump trucks full of that salt-sand glop we cover the roads with once winter hits.
Even then, approaching the Ram Mega Cab gets your attention. I had driven one at the introduction, just outside of Washington, D.C., so it didn’t seem all that intimidating to me. The ones I’d driven there, though, were the normal 1500 and the slightly-bigger-than-normall 2500. The monster that was delivered to me for a week-long test drive was the 3500 – the biggest, baddest pickup truck on the market.
When you get close enough to open the driverÂ’s door, you have an easy decision to make. Should you step up on the neatly styled bar, or should you merely hop in? ItÂ’s a question better answered if we know whether you have Olympic high-jumper on your resume.
Trust me, stepping on the rail and then up and in may not seem the macho way to go, but itÂ’s far more acceptable than trying to hop all the way up, and catching the grab-handle so you can pin your hip against the side of the seat for leverage, while you pull yourself the rest of the way. ItÂ’s a feeling that must be familiar to mountain climbers when they over-estimate the length of their next step and suddenly appreciate all the help they can get from a partner, pulling on a rope from above.
Once youÂ’re up and in, everything looks good. Switchwork and controls are right where you want them, and thereÂ’s all sorts of room. Dodge made sure of that.
DodgeÂ’s reasoning for building the Mega Cab was pretty sound. Full-size pickups continue to sell well, led by Ford and Chevy, but crowded by Dodge, Nissan, and soon ToyotaÂ’s all-new Tundra, while the new Honda Ridgeline can steal customers from anyone who might prefer something closer to a combined SUV and pickup. The full-size crew cab sales rose by 27 percent over last year, which meant 750,000 vehicles sold in 2004.
So if full-size, amd full-crew four-door pickups are both rising to take over, why not build the biggest one?
The trick is that Dodge started with the 160.5-inch wheelbase heavy-duty 2500 chassis in long-box form. They replaced the 8-foot cargo box with one measuring 6-foot-3, which allowed them to extend the crew cab by 20 inches. That makes it 111.1 inches in itself, longer by a foot than the Ford F-250 Crew CabÂ’s occupant compartment.
The interior room is put to good use. The rear bench seat first of all can be accessed by rear doors opening 85 degrees – almost full perpendicular to the body. That makes it easy to get in and out through an opening 34.5 inches wide and 35.5 inches tall.
The backrest of the rear seat is not up against the rear wall, which means you donÂ’t have to sit bolt-upright, as you do in some multiple-seat pickups. In fact, there is 7.7 cubic feet of cargo room behind the rear seat, which is an obviously useful asset. Even more useful, perhaps, is that the rear seat backrest will tilt from 22 to 37 degrees in reclining.
With 44.2 inches of rear legroom, and a reclining backrest, what in the world can rear seat occupants find to entertain themselves? How about a disc-playing video screen that folds down from the ceiling?
So if you need to, you could seat six adults with more head, shoulder, hip and leg room than you might think possible, this side of a coach bus. In fact, IÂ’ve been in coach buses with far less legroom. On top of that, the rear seat backrests fold down fully flat all the way across, or on a 60-40 basis, so you can haul some extra stuff and still take a couple of passengers back there. When two passengers are back there, the center backrest converts to a console.
The impressive gauge layout, and driving controls, make the driverÂ’s work easy, as well. The audio controls are big and easy to grab, and the test vehicle had Sirius satellite radio, so I passed time rotating among the comedy stations and Margaritaville, the new station that plays either Jimmy Buffett songs, his concerts, or neat music he has allegedly selected for inclusion.
{IMG2}
But the biggest surprise I had was that once underway, the Ram Mega Cab is disarmingly easy to drive, with smooth maneuverability and precise-steering feel allowing you to trace the lane markers around any curve. Every full-size pickup built in the last 10 years has boasted about its “car-like†ride and handling characteristics. The Dodge doesn’t wimp out and pretend it is something it isn’t – it demands attention for its macho stance, but it just happens to steer and handle as well as any full-size truck I’ve driven.
When it comes to power, Dodge has made great headlines recently with the return of the Hemi, its 5.7-liter V8. The 1500 and 2500 versions of the Mega Cab come with that Hemi, as the only engine in the 1500 and the base engine in the 2500. But the test vehicle was the full-blown 3500 model, which is armed with the 5.9-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel. Yes, in case the 5.7 Hemi, with 345 horsepower and 375 foot-pounds of torque, isnÂ’t enough, you can move up to the Cummins Diesel, which has 325 horsepower and a staggering 610 foot-pounds of torque.
A new six-speed automatic transmission handles the diesel.
Consider that the 1500 with the Hemi has a towing capacity of 7,750 pounds, and maximum payload of 2,410 pounds. The 3500, with the Cummins Turbo Diesel, has a towing weight of 15,800 pounds, and payload of 2,840 pounds.
Dodge said it took care in design, so that the Mega Cab would “reinforce†Dodge Ram’s big rig look. Not to worry.
Unique suspension settings are made for each model, with the monotube shocks and suspension set for ride comfort on the 1500, more for workers on the 2500 and 3500. But considerable care was given to insulating the cab from road and wind noises.
The base 1500 Mega Cab starts at $32,760 in two-wheel-drive mode, and about $3,000 more for a 4×4. In 3500 form, the base SLT two-wheel-drive starts at $40,410. The 4×4 SLT I test drove started at $42,600, and had an as-tested sticker of $49,675, after such options as front buckets, extra side airbags, an audio upgrade and, of course, the rear-seat video.
It is interesting what the SUV craze has done to our truck-drivinÂ’ guys. Used to be, cars were for passengers and trucks were for work. As SUVs came on to replace station wagons and minivans, to some extent, they grew bigger and more cushy inside. So it figures that big pickups would follow the trend. No longer does the guy who drives a pickup for work want any limitations.
Bob Hegbloom from Dodge truck marketing, said: “People want comfort, convenience, and versatility. They want to be able to haul their family and also work heavy duty.Ââ€
The Ram Mega Cab will do it all, and all at one time. Just remember to use the step rail.
Huffer’s hockey magic now installed in U.S. Hall of Fame
DULUTH, MN. — Keith (Huffer) Christiansen will command the spotlight during the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremonies Saturday, not because his fellow-inductees are any less significant, but simply because the ceremonies will be held in the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center, which could be called “The House that Huffer Built.Ââ€
Christiansen, a former UMD scoring phenom, who went on to be captain of the 1972 U.S. Olympic team, and in pro hockey with the Minnesota Fighting Saints, will be joined by Murray Williamson – a former University of Minnesota All-America who coached Chrstiansen on that silver-medal-winning 1972 Olympic team – as well as Lane MacDonald, who didn’t play in the WCHA, but did star at Harvard, where he led the Crimson to a memorable 4-3 overtime victory over Minnesota in the NCAA titla game in the St. Paul Civic Center.
Christiansen, however, will take center stage at SaturdayÂ’s award ceremony, because it will be held at the DECC where it will be amplified by the renewal of the rivalry between UMD and Minnesota. The Gophers have been UMDÂ’s most intense opponent since before UMD entered the WCHA back in 1965.
Christiansen is unquestionably the brightest star in UMDÂ’s galaxy, not that there havenÂ’t been other outstanding individuals to wear the big Bulldog crest. Consider defenseman Tom Kurvers and scoring champion Bill Watson, who won back-to-back Hobey Baker awards, an award that Brett Hull and Derek Plante somehow missed later, but Chris Marinucci and Junior Lessard more recently won. Olympians Mark Pavelich and John Harrington, and NHL star defenseman Curt Giles, were UMD heroes before the Hobey was thought up.
Christiansen also did his thing in the days before the Hobey, and he would have been a slam-dunk, so to speak, for the award. Christiansen came from Fort Frances, Ontario, after first moving across the Rainy River to live with an uncle in International Falls, and lead International Falls to the 1962 Minnesota state high school hockey championship. He came to UMD in the fall of 1963.
In his freshman year, when UMD had made the move from Division III to independent Division I status, Christiansen took over the old Curling Club rink to lead a talent-thin UMD team in scoring with 16 goals, 20 assists for 36 points. It is more than coincidence that UMD opened his freshman season by sweeping home-and-home games from Minnesota – the first time the Bulldogs ever defeated the Gophers. UMD actually took three out of four from Minnesota that1963-64 season.
The pint-sized 5-foot-6 Christiansen established the textbook definition of what an assist in hockey should be, because when he got an assist, he didn’t leave much for the goal-scorer to do. As a sophomore, Christiansen scored 23-35—58 to again lead the Bulldogs in scoring. When he was a junior, UMD moved into the WCHA, and though they finished last, Christiansen’s 13-27—40 statistics again led the team.
Huffer’s signature season came as a senior, when, as captain, he scored 23-39—62 to lead UMD’s scoring for the fourth straight year. This time he also led the WCHA in scoring.
The defining game of Christiansen’s career, and reason enough for the fact that his No. 9 jersey hangs from the DECC rafters as the only number ever retired by the team. UMD was moving into the new Duluth Arena for its second WCHA season, and while the ‘Dogs rose only to sixth place, nobody could stop Huffer or his wings were Pat Francisco, now a Duluth businessman, on the right, and somebody named Bruce McLeod, now the commissioner of the WCHA, on the left. As if to underscore Christiansen’s impact, McLeod finished second and Francisco third in league scoring, and both his wingers still applaud Christiansen as a deserving WCHA most valuable player and All-America.
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That first WCHA game UMD played in the new facility was also the first game Glen Sonmor coached at Minnesota. Sonmor learned quickly enough what Christiansen could do to sign him a few years later to play for the Minnesota Fighting Saints. Sonmor, who later coached the Minnesota North Stars, also returns to the DECC – renamed from “Duluth Arena†— as color commentator on the Gopher radio broadcast.
Sonmor recalled that he came to Duluth that November 19, 1966 game, having already heard his fill of the raves and almost mythical praise for Christiansen. Sonmor needed some first-hand convincing, and got it swiftly. He took his Gophers down to the new arena for a morning skate, and, after finding some ice-plant problems had left water covering the ice, Sonmor took his shot at the Duluth Blue Line luncheon at noon that day.
“I said I was really worried, because…from all that I’d heard, Huffer Christiansen was the only guy who could walk on water,†Sonmor said.
Then, with a capacity crowd of 5,700 inside, and the ice properly frozen, they dropped the puck to start the game, and Christiansen put on a show. UMD blasted the Gophers 8-1, and six times ChristiansenÂ’s setups became goals. His six assists still stand as UMDÂ’s records for assists, and points, in a single game.
“I got lucky,†is the way Christiansen recalled that night.
His “luck†accounted for 75-121—196 in 102 games, which means he averaged 1.92 points per game over his four UMD years. The 196 points still ranks him eighth among all-time UMD scorers, even though expanding schedules mean four-year players could play as many as 80 more games than Christiansen did 40 years ago.
It wasn’t that Christiansen was merely a magician with his stick, although he certainly was that. He was short, but wide, and anyone who thought about simply blotting out that stocky tormentor with a bodycheck or a cheapshot knew instead that they’d better be prepared. Christiansen’s motto could have been “It’s better to give than to receive†when it came to uncompromising physical play.
When former Gopher coach and player Doug Woog played his first game against Christiansen, he said: “We both went into the corner and I reached for the puckÂ…The next thing I knew, he was gone, the puck was gone, and I had been punched twice in the face.Ââ€
UMD was just starting its Division I tenure, so other teams needed only to shut down one line to stop the Bulldogs. “We weren’t sneaking up on anybody,†said McLeod, who played his sophomore year with Christiansen, and still expresses amazement at Huffer’s style.
“He never boasted, he never put anyone down, he never had an air of superiority, he was so modest, and he was just one of the guys,†said McLeod, who added that the only time Christiansen came close to being critical was when McLeod and Francisco would try to get a little fancy.
“WeÂ’d come back to the bench,†McLeod said, “and Huffer would say, ‘Quit dinkin’ around out there. Just get open and put your stick on the ice. IÂ’ll take care of the rest.’ Ââ€
The same was true with the 1971 U.S. National team, when Christiansen centered Gary Gambucci and Craig Patrick – both of whom turned pro before the 1972 Olympics. Williamson made Christiansen the captain of that team, which included Tim Sheehy, Henry Boucha, Robbie Ftorek, goaltender Lefty Curran, and enough overall talent to capture the silver medal in Sapporo, Japan.
For someone so at ease befuddling opponents, Christiansen was always uncomfortable talking about his own accomplishments or ability, which he finally put on display at the professional level when he agreed to play for Sonmor and the Fighting Saints. “He was one of the greatest puck-handlers I ever saw, anywhere,†said Sonmor.
Christiansen later went to Switzerland to play, and he enjoyed the chance to take his family – wife Evie, and kids Brad and Marla – to Europe. He could have continued to play there, but he chose to come home to Duluth. “That was enough,†he said. “It was time to go to work.Ââ€
Christiansen has worked for KolarÂ’s new car dealership in Duluth for years, selling new Toyotas and Buicks. He said he never really wanted to coach. You get the feeling that he could still lace on the skates, find an old stick, and show youngsters how to extract a little magic.
In fact, several years ago, UMD staged a big summertime reunion game, and various players, including NHLers, came back to play. Hull was there, and he brought his dad, Bobby Hull. Christiansen, who hadnÂ’t even skated for a dozen years, put on his stuff. Everybody had a good time, and at one point, Christiansen got a breakaway. Bob Mason, another former International Falls and UMD star, nearly 20 years younger and in the midst of his eight-year NHL career, got ready. Christiansen closed in, his stick flashing as the puck seemed to be on a string, then he hesitated, giving Mason one of those patented head dekes. Then he waited. Mason waited too, then started to go down. In an instant, and Christiansen drilled the puck. Five-hole. Goal.
HufferÂ’s magic never left. And now itÂ’s safely stored in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
Schaublin stops Gophers, UMD offense erupts for split
MINNEAPOLIS, MN. — Minnesota and Minnesota-Duluth are accustomed to teaching tough lessons to the rest of the WCHA, but this past weekend, they instead learned some hard lessons themselves in a series that may have come down to one breakaway both nights.
On Friday, UMDÂ’s Noemie Marin broke free beyond the Minnesota defense, but freshman goaltender Brittony Chartier came up with a huge save. Minnesota went on to win the first meeting of the season between the perennial WCHA womenÂ’s rivals 4-1, including an empty-net goal in the final minute.
On Saturday, UMD freshman winger Michaela Lanzl broke up-ice to gather in a perfectly placed bounce pass off the left boards, and zoomed in on a breakaway. Chartier set herself, but Lanzl made a quick move and scored, at 2:30 of the first period. UMD cruised to a 6-0 victory for a split as Riitta Schaublin, who couldnÂ’t be faulted on any of the Friday night goals, stopped all 32 Gopher shots on Saturday, making it the first time Minnesota had ever been blanked in Ridder Arena.
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Bobbi Ross, who scored three goals in the first game for Minnesota, analyzed the weekend after being blanked in the second: “It was a great feeling yesterday, but weÂ’ll have to put tonightÂ’s game behind us and not dwell on it.Ââ€
Marin, meanwhile, who played with the incomparable Canadian Olympian Caroline Ouellette last year at UMD, was blanked in the first game but responded with two goals and three assists in the second. She said the energy shift was obvious: “Everybody was cheering for everybody else on the bench. There was no selfishness. We have to build on this, and hopefully next time we can win both games.Ââ€
It was not earth-shaking that No. 2 rated Minnesota-Duluth and No. 4 ranked Minnesota split their WCHA womenÂ’s hockey series. What was surprising that the two games seemed devoid of the electricity that usually underscores each shift. “Usually, itÂ’s so intense that thereÂ’s some hostility every shift when we play Duluth,†said Ross. “It wasnÂ’t that way, and I was surprised.Ââ€
Ross and Chartier were personally responsible for seeing to it that the Gophers were properly wired for the first game. Ross scored a power-play goal on a deflection at 2:25 of the first period, and converted a pass from behind the net with a quick shot from the left circle for a 2-0 lead.
Jill Sales broke ChartierÂ’s shutout with the strangest goal of the weekend to open the second period. Sales, a defenseman, flipped a shot past a defending Gopher and it approached Chartier at about the speed of an easy double-play grounder to short. Chartier may, in fact, have taken a glance at where she intended to play the puck, but amazingly it skipped right between her legpads and UMD was back in it at 2-1.
Not to worry. Ross came right back to score again, completing a hat trick to make it 3-1 for Minnesota. UMD outshot Minnesota 32-21 for the game, including 15-3 in the third period, but actually, none of the shots seemed potent enough to beat Chartier, and the only remaining goal was by Marley Wournell into an empty net.
“It was a big win for us,†said Minnesota coach Laura Halldorson. “Brittony wanted that goal back, but Bobbi got it back. I thought it was a big factor when Chartier stopped that breakaway.Ââ€
A second UMD goal was disallowed. Allison Lehrke reached up and batted a popped-up puck out of the air with her glove. The puck bounced around among a couple of defensemen before it was knocked in by another UMD player. Lehrke was asked if someone handled the puck after she batted it down. “I donÂ’t know,†she said. “I got cross-checked right away and didnÂ’t see what happened.Ââ€
The goal was immediately waved off by referee Evonne Young.
UMD was without Lanzl in the first game. The former German National team star had an upset stomach earlier in the week, and was tested for appendicitis. She was cleared, but didnÂ’t feel 100 percent, so coach Shannon Miller kept her out of the first game. Miller acknowledged that missing a player of LanzlÂ’s skill was a detriment, but was more concerned with her teamÂ’s lack of fire.
“When you have an opponent that is your equal, you’ve got to be there every moment of the game,†she said.
So timid was UMDÂ’s offense that it misfired on all nine power plays. Minnesota, which has lost Natalie Darwitz, Krissy Wendell, Kelly Stephens and Lyndsa Wall to the U.S. Olympic team, and goaltender Jody Horak to graduation. “We donÂ’t need people to replace them,†said Ross, “we need a team effort, with all of us going as hard as we can.Ââ€
The second-game turnabout couldnÂ’t have been more complete. The Bulldogs responded to MillerÂ’s suggestion about the benefits of playing on their toes, and hit the ice running, and MinnesotaÂ’s defense resembled UMDÂ’s first-game corps, backing up from the start and making itself susceptible to a speedy forecheck.
The ‘Dogs outshot Minnesota 11-6 in the first period, and virtually all the 11 shots had more sting to them than any of FridayÂ’s 32. LanzlÂ’s quick-hands move on her breakaway came at 2:30. She shrugged about the goal. “Sometimes my hands just do it by themselves.Ââ€
Jessica Koizumi pounced on Ashly WaggonerÂ’s rebound to make it 2-0 at 15:16 of the first, and Lehrke made it 3-0 at 16:20. Lehrke went hard to the net and was hauled down just as Sara OÂ’Toole fed a pass from the left side. The puck glanced in off the hurtling bodies.
“Duluth played much better,†said Halldorson. “I was disappoinited at the way we started; their first goal knocked the wind out ofour sails, and then it sort of snowballed.Ââ€
It almost seemed that the Gophers took a few liberties in the first game because UMD’s “power play†was misnamed, at the very least. That changed with the change of styles in the second game. The Bulldogs took the first three penalties of the second period but killed them off. Then Minnesota’s Dagney Willen smacked Juliane Jubinville from behind into the corner boards. She was assessed an immediate five-minute major and game misconduct. Feeble no more, the UMD power play clicked three times. Marin scored at 10:13 on a rebound, and she scored again at 12:40. Before the major expired, Lanzl scored at 13:59.
UMD drew the last two penalties of the second period and all four in the third, but even the six consecutive power plays didnÂ’t matter. At the second intermission, UMD had outshot Minnesota 20-16 and led 6-0. In the third, they played a containment style, seemingly unbothered that the Gophers outshot them 16-2, because Schaublin stopped everything that came her way.
“The difference was that we came out on our heels last night, and tonight we played our game, on our toes,†said Miller. “Lanzl is a dynamite player, and she has a huge effect on our team. But all three of our lines were firing.Ââ€
The split left UMD rated No. 2 in the nation, and Minnesota No. 4 as the top co-contenders for WCHA laurels. Presumably theyÂ’ll still be there on February 26-27. ThatÂ’s when they meet again, in Duluth. The electricity, we can assume, will be ON.
Grand Vitara, Aerio SX highlight Suzuki line for 2006
Suzuki has a fleet of vehicles for 2006 that might seem to be perfectly placed for a market that is suddenly economy-minded. ItÂ’s also a curious mix, in some ways, with the star of the array the new Grand Vitara, an enlarged and much more stylishly designed sport-utility vehicle that has pretty much every feature but is still priced under $25,000.
The new Grand Vitara is different from the longer and larger XL-7 SUV, although they share the same drivetrain, and both of them are large departures from the Suzuki car-fleet, which now consists of the Reno, Forenza, Verona, and Aerio. My favorites of the whole batch are the Grand Vitara and the Aerio.
Overall, the fleet shows a surprisingly large variety with differing personalities for a company that is best known for its motorcycles, and, in the Upper Midwest particularly, for outboard motors, all-terrain vehicles and snowmobile motors. Suzuki has something approaching regal status in the motorcycle world, where its street bikes, racing bikes and motocross off-roaders all reign up there with the technological leaders like Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki. So when Suzuki cars started showing up in the U.S., I was eagerly awaiting them.
The first examples were the Geo Metro minicars sold by Chevrolet dealers, and they were the butt of some rude humor by big-car fanciers, even though they were extremely economical – over 40 miles per gallon – and their tiny, three-cylinder engines revved up and performed surprisingly well. At the same time, Suzuki opened its own dealerships, selling the Sprint – which was their own version of the Metro, but with a racier version with a four-cylinder engine, and was sort of a mini-GTI blast to drive. Suzuki dealers also sold the Samurai, a fun, lightweight off-road buggy that was also sold as the Geo Tracker.
Suzuki suffered a setback when youthful owners – who could afford a Samurai if they could afford any vehicle, drove the frisky, lightweight SUVs as if they were sports cars instead of SUVs, and rolled them over with alarming frequency. Much like blaming a restaurant for serving coffee that is too hot, much of the publicity blamed Suzuki for the carelessness and – dare we say? – stupidity of some over-aggressive drivers.
At any rate, the Samurai was widened, lengthened and made more stable and more mainstream-friendly, and has led to the current bigger and much better SUVs.
All the time, Suzuki engine-building expertise was never questioned. While never building large engines for the power-crazed, Suzuki engines always have been technically advanced over-achievers for efficiency, while also boasting durability – all on a budget variety of vehicles.
In the last few years, the sudden rise of South Korean automakers such as Hyundai and Kia was not shared by their countrymen at Daewoo. Although stylishly designed by Italdesign Giugiaro of Italy, and fairly fun to drive, Daewoo was going down, and sold out to General Motors. If you can track the complexity of the business arrangement, Suzuki owns 0.27 percent of GM, GM holds 20.3 percent of Suzuki, and Suzuki owns 14.9 percent of Korean-based what is now GM-Daewoo.
The outgrowth of that alliance led to the General bringing to the U.S. a restyled Korean-built, Daewoo-based economy car as the new Chevrolet Aveo. Scrutinizing the list of new Suzukis reveals that the subcompact Reno, the compact Forenza, and the midsize Verona are all built for the U.S. market in GM-Daewoo plants in South Korea. The Reno, for example, is built in Kunsan, Korea, and its 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is built in Australia.
Meanwhile, the Grand Vitara, and the XL-7, are built in SuzukiÂ’s own Iwata, Japan, plant, while the Aerio and the Aerio SX are built at SuzukiÂ’s Kosai, Japan, facility.
Now, IÂ’m not one to discriminate too much about where a car is built. If it feels good and runs strong, IÂ’ll be impressed. IÂ’ve driven the Reno, the Verona, and the Forenza, and they are nice vehicles for moderate price tags. But I keep going back in memory to riding some of the hottest Suzuki Superbikes a decade ago, revving to over 11,000 RPMs, and watching them in road-racing and motocross competition. If I were to buy a Suzuki motorcycle, I would want the engine to be built by Suzuki in Japan, thank you.
Maybe that enters my consciousness when I drive vehicles with the Suzuki plaque on the hood, but, as I said, my favorite Suzukis are the Grand Vitara and the Aerio.
The Grand Vitara has combined the assets of body-on-frame and unibody construction, with a unibody that has a built-in ladder-frame. It also has four-wheel independent suspension, with SuzukiÂ’s 2.7-liter V6, which has dual-overhead camshafts pumping 24 valves, delivering 185 horsepower at 6,000 RPMs and 184 foot-pounds of torque at 4,500 revs.
That makes the Grand Vitara quick, and after only a couple days of getting acclimated, the feeling that the car was too twitchy because of its lightness and light steering is transformed into quick-reacting agility.
Tying together all the features, I think the restyled Grand Vitara has a very impressive look to it, plunking it squarely into competition with the good-looking new crossover SUVs such as the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, and the Honda CRV and Toyota RAV-4 mainstays. A length of 176 inches and wheelbase of 103.9 makes it a foot shorter than the XL-7, on a wheelbase six inches shorter.
In base form, the Grand Vitara has two-wheel drive and a five-speed stick for $18,999, while the fully-loaded Luxury Package version I drove, with four-wheel drive and a five-speed automatic, had a sticker of $24,399. All models have standard electronic stability program, with traction control, antilock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, and six airbags, counting side-curtain for front and rear passengers. The test vehicle added a five-speed automatic, four-mode four-wheel drive, a smartpass keyless entry and keyless start, heated leather seats, six-disc changer, remote audio controls on the tilt steering wheel, power windows and locks, heated outside mirrors, a power-tilt sunroof, and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Suzuki’s non-deductible, fully-transferable seven-year/100,000-mile warranty backs up the Grand Vitara, which shows EPA fuel-economy estimates of 19 city, 23 highway. A switch on the console lets you select 4WD low, 4WD high, 4WD standard mode, or N. Reading the manual, the “N†is to be selected only when towing the vehicle.
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The Aerio, on the other hand, looks a lot like many subcompacts in sedan form, but becomes very interesting in SX form, as a squareback five-door. Looking like a perky little wagon, the Aerio SX starts at a mere $15,199 in front-wheel-drive form, which puts it into the severe competition with Honda Civic, Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla models.
At 166.5 inches in overall length, over a 97.6-inch wheelbase, it is shorter in both dimensions than its adopted cousin Reno, but seems to be significantly larger because of its squarish shape and large interior. It comes loaded with the same big warranty and long standard-equipment list – 2.3-liter chain-driven dual-overhead-cam Suzuki engine, with 155 horsepower at 5,400 RPMs and 152 foot-pounds of torque at 3,000 RPMs, a five-speed stick shift, independent suspension, climate control, advanced airbag system, audio system with CD and MP3 and six speakers, 60/40 fold-down rear seats, alloy wheels, keyless entry, power windows and locks, foglights, and heated exterior mirrors.
The only options on the test vehicle were antilock brakes and a six-CD upgrade with a subwoofer. It was impressively fun to drive and handled well, and if you wanted to go to the option list, the availability of full-time four-wheel drive puts the Aerio one-up on its most serious competition.
The Reno, Forenza and Verona have given Suzuki a successful array of models, and without criticizing their heritage, I prefer my Suzuki to come with a Suzuki powerplant, and the Grand Vitara and Aerio SX more than live up to my expectations.
Pontiac high-tech G6 coupe gets new-tech pushrod V6
When the Pontiac G6 was introduced as a 2005 model, it was truly an eye-catcher. Even though it only came as a four-door sedan, it had a harmonious convergence of lines that gave it a coupe-like appearance. My only disappointment was that such a high-tech, contemporary design came only with a dated, un-high-tech engine.
Now itÂ’s time for the 2006 models to roll out, and General Motors has struck a serious blow at hoisting its year-old G6 to a higher level. The car that replaces the venerable Grand Am is now offered as a coupe, and a convertible is following closely. The coupe takes that coupe-like shape and runs with it, resulting in a super-slick styling exercise that is easily as eye-catching as its four-door brother, and is genuinely a sporty car.
The convertible to come, by the way, is not a ragtop, but has a retractable hard roof that goes away at the push of a button – clearly preferential in the land of the wind-chill factor.
But the bigger news is that GM has worked out a method to prove that there is some merit in its two-decades of stubborn insistence that pushrod engines can compete with higher-tech overhead-cam engines. While the rest of the automotive world went to the more-expensive engineering feat of overhead-camshafts instead of pushrods, attaining advantages such as higher revving and improved fuel-efficiency with spinoffs such as variable valve-timing. GM stood almost alone in leaving the cam in the block and operating the valves with pushrods.
For the new G6, as well as the newly introduced Chevrolet Impala, General Motors has built an entirely new 3.9-liter V6 that has a vane-type method for altering the intake and exhaust camshaft timing, which allows more flexibility and efficiency of fuel-burning. The engine is the first example of a pushrod engine with variable valve-timing.
True, the G6 can now be obtained in base form with a 2.4-liter Ecotec engine, which has dual overhead cams and 167 horsepower, and a GT with a 3.5-liter V6 and 201 horses, the model I test-drove was the top GTP coupe, with the 3.9, which turns out 240 horsepower at 6,000 RPMs, and 241 foot-pounds of torque, with the torque peak occurring from 1,600-5,000 RPMs, thanks to the variable valve-timing.
The base G6 starts at right about $20,000, while loading up the top GTP moves the sticker price up closer to $28,000.
Nick Richards, assistant manager of product communications, explained the engineering behind the new 3.9 at GMÂ’s all-model introduction at GMÂ’s Milford, Mich., proving grounds a couple of weeks ago. “It has an all-new cast-iron block, with the cylinder banks at 60 degrees,†he said. “The cylinders have offset bores, so the 3.5 could be increased to 3.9. The cam-phasing varies the intake and exhaust valves electronically, and it has all sorts of features, including piston oil-squirters. The result is that we have made an all-new, lower-cost pushrod engine with the same characteristics as an overhead-cam motor.Ââ€
I drove the G6 around the banked oval at the GM test track, and was impressed. It doesnÂ’t have the sweet sound of a high-revving overhead-cammer, but it has good power and brings the G6 to life. Later I got the chance to spend a week test-driving a dark blue GTP coupe as well, and it was similarly impressive out in the real world.
There are a couple of things to look out for, however. The new 3.5 and 3.9 V6 engines are built at GMÂ’s Tonawanda, N.Y., plant, but that also means GM now makes two 3.5-liter V6es. The old-tech 3.5 is a slightly enlarged version of the 3.4-liter V6, which began life as the venerable old 2.8 a few decades back.
That means you can’t really tell the players even WITH a program. But if having two 3.5s is confusing, here’s the kicker: The 3.5 in the G6 with the GT upgrade is the “old-tech†3.5 – known by code as “LP9†– with 201 horsepower, not the trick one with variable valve-timing, which delivers 211 horsepower in the Chevrolet Monte Carlo, for example.
So when it comes to selection, my suggestion is to go with the basic G6 with the high-tech Ecotec four, or bypass the GT and go right for the GTP, with the new 3.9. Only the GTP sedan and coupe have the option of a six-speed manual shifter, as well. The standard automatic is a four-speed unit, because, for some reason, GM isnÂ’t ready to release the new front-wheel-drive six-speed automatic, which was built jointly with Ford, if you can imagine that. Ford has the six-speed out already in the new Fusion sedan, Mercury Milan, and other models.
The six-speed stick makes up for the automaticÂ’s shortcomings, and the G6 comes with another asset for winter drivers — front-wheel drive.
“Front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive is a question of psychology,†said Bob Lutz, the colorful vice chairman in charge of global product development, returned to GM after spending some years with Lee Iacocca at Chrysler. “Twenty years ago, if a car didnÂ’t have front-wheel drive, you couldnÂ’t sell it; now, some people wonÂ’t buy a car if it doesnÂ’t have rear-wheel drive. The truth is, you could take 100 or 200 consumers and put them in a good, modern front-wheel-drive car, and 99 percent of them wouldnÂ’t be able to tell the difference.Ââ€
Lutz noted the traditional complaint about front-wheel drive was the tendency of torque-steer, which meant when you stepped on the gas, the torque of the engine would tug the steering wheel one way or the other. Modern engineering has solve that, however.
“Anytime there is any torque-steer now, the computer immediately shifts the torque to the other wheel,†Lutz said. “When torque-steer is totally gone, nobody will be able to tell the difference between front- and rear-wheel drive.”
Except, any drivers caught in a sleet storm would be able to detect front-drive’s advantage of pulling a car over an icy surface, where the rear-drive vehicle always has the tendency to want to have its rear wheels pass the undriven front wheels.
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As the primary spokesman for GM’s recent advancements, Lutz hit several nails squarely on the head during the all-model introduction at Milford’s proving grounds. In any discussion over the last couple of decades, nobody from GM – or any other manufacturer, for that matter – would admit to any mistakes. Lutz put it in perspective.
“Years ago, what separate General Motors from import cars was our attention to detail,†Lutz said. “Before I came back to GM, I have to say the cars had gaps that were uneven, and moldings that were not quite on straight all the time, and interiors – which used to be our strongest point – that could only be described as functional. I think with our newer cars, weÂ’ve made tremendous strides. The perceptual quality was that just about everybody was ahead of GM, but itÂ’s a gap I think weÂ’ve closed.Ââ€
Asked where he saw need for improvement, Lutz said: “I’m not satisfied yet that we’re among the best in interiors. Maybe we’re up to the lower portion of the top quartile, instead of being in the lower quadrant, but we can still improve there.
“I also think that we are behind in the silkiness of some of our engines.†Lutz went on to jab at the media for being critical of old-tech pushrod engines. “If we didn’t have pushrod engines, we’d have to build ‘em now,†he said, meaning because of their less costly construction.
“We do have some outstanding engines, and some of the best are the Northstar V8, the High-Feature [3.6] V6, and the 4-cylinder Ecotec.Ââ€
Very interesting. Lutz named, as his company’s star engines, three of them that are dual-overhead-cam, high-tech engines – the very kind that critics have long said GM needed to build.
But, getting back to the Pontiac G6, it meets LutzÂ’s high standards for excellence. The interior is very well planned, with modern layout and impressive to look at. The fit and finish shows very tight gaps and an obvious attention to detail. The front-wheel drive unit, and the six-speed stick are smooth to operate and would not be offensive to a rear-drive fan, while also being capable of chewing through snow and ice.
And, while I personally would much prefer to see that Cadillac “High-Feature†3.6-liter V6, or one of its blossoming derivatives, under the hood, the new 3.9-liter V6 is as high tech as a pushrod engine can be, with its variable valve-timing.
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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