Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Vs. Regular Wrangler

When the Rubicon-edition Wrangler was released to the general public in late 2003, it represented a triumph of the lunatic fringe over the bean counters and suits inside Jeep Corporation. Of course, all of us dyed-in-the-wool Jeep enthusiasts and buying public loved the idea and in the 8 years since have snapped up just about every one that Jeep has made.

The Rubicon package boasts a stronger transfer case with a lower low range and front and rear Dana 44s factory-loaded with locking differentials and lower gears. The package also offers some additional rocker protection and off-road-oriented mud-terrain tires.

The Rubicon package embodies what a Jeep should be: uncompromisingly off-road capable. It does this so well that even people who will never use low range or the lockers flock to the Rubicon because it is the quintessential Jeep.

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That said, the uncompromising nature of the Rubicon might mean that it won't do what you specifically need it to do. In some situations the lower gears in the T-case and axles can be limiting, the factory tires are specially designed for NVH compliance with skinnier and shorter tread blocks, and the factory lockers can have their own shortcomings too. So, what is right for you-the Rubicon or non-Rubicon? That is really a question only you can answer, but here is how our esteemed editors approached the question.

Wishy-Washy Trasborg 

When my girlfriend was Jeep shopping in late 2005/early 2006, I steered her away from the Rubicon-edition Jeep. Sure, the beefier T-case would have been nice, but realistically she didn't need to spend the extra money for the lower gears she didn't really need. Besides, if we were ever to lift it, we would have just needed new carriers to regear it anyway, and the factory lockers would have had to go away.

Today, the gear companies have stepped in with thicker ring gears for the 4.56 and 4.88 crowd so that you can still run your factory lockers with deeper gears. It is one of those if I knew then what I know now kind of things. To complicate matters, at the time she was shopping for a Jeep she wanted 35s, but by the time we had it up on 33s, she was happy with both looks and off-road performance.

She didn't get a Rubicon, and now we both wish she had. What it comes down to is if you plan on running 33-inch tires or smaller, the 4.10 gears in the axles will work great. But then, the 4:1 in the T-case is really only useful if you are wheeling heavy rocks. For sand and regular trail runs the 4:1 is just too low and 1:1 is usually too high, leaving you high and dry with no decent solution.

Then let's talk axles. The Dana 44s are really more like Dana 39s. They don't have the 1/2-ton strength that a Dana 44 should have. The front axle shares more parts with a Dana 30 than a Dana 44, and the TJ rear axle will bend into a smiley face with just a little abuse. I have seen the lockers in both the JK and TJ die horrible deaths where comparable aftermarket units would have lived. The parts for the lockers and the lockers themselves just aren't easy to come by.

Goodyear Wrangler MT/Rs

The 1-inch-wider flares on the TJs are nice, especially if you live in a state where you aren't allowed to modify fenders or fender flares. The rocker protection is better than no protection, but if you use the Jeep as the T-case gearing demands, you'll destroy the factory rocker guards in short order.

At the end of the day, I guess it comes down to how much more money the seller (whether new or used) is asking for a Rubicon-edition Wrangler and what you are going to do with it. If you are going to put 35s or bigger on it and beat it, the odds are good that the factory axles won't live long anyway and you are really paying for the T-case. In that case you'd be better off in the long run saving the money up front and springing for axles that are built to handle the abuse you plan on dishing out. However, if you are going to run a 33-inch or smaller tire then I could in good conscience suggest a Rubicon to you, that is, if the 4:1 T-case won't crimp your off-road style too badly. Clear as mud? Yeah, me too.

 

Mr. Practicality: Hazel

As both the Technical Editor for Jp magazine and the guy who fields all the Your Jeep questions, I'm asked the Rubicon versus regular Wrangler question at least once a week. My answer always begins, "Well it depends on what you want to do with your Jeep." If you want big tires with beadlock wheels and plan on doing crazy rockcrawling and hardcore trail work, buy a regular Wrangler. If you buy a Rubicon you'll be throwing away good components you already paid a premium for. The same goes for if you just want a cool Jeep to cruise around town in and infrequently-if-ever plan on taking it off-road. Then you paid a lot of money for components you'll never get any use out of.

Let's run through a theoretical build for a rockcrawling TJ Rubicon on 37s. First, you'll want a 4- or 6-inch long-arm suspension. The Rubicon comes with a slip yoke eliminator on the rear of the NVG241OR T-case, but a taller, long-travel lift will necessitate upgrading to a longer rear shaft with more travel in the splines. Depending on the lift, you may also have to lengthen or upgrade the front shaft as well. The TJ Rubicon wheels are 16x8, so to run some decent tires you'll need to step into a 15- or 17-inch rim. There go your Rubicon wheels out the window. Your rocker armor will need upgrading because the factory diamond-plate rockers won't survive repeated and brutal bashings. The factory 4.10 gears won't cut it and the TJ Rubicon Dana 44 shafts will need to be bumped up with some aftermarket alloy parts. You just spent a ton of money to upgrade a set of Dana 44 axles with weak tubes and lockers that most likely won't survive long with 37-inch or larger tires.

Where a Rubicon does make sense is if you're looking for a multi-use vehicle that you can drive on the street and then hit moderately difficult trails with on the weekends. Again, using a TJ Rubicon as an example, you can toss in 2-inch coil spacers and longer shocks on the suspension, install a 1-inch body lift and a set of 1-inch-lift motor mounts, and have plenty of clearance for some 33-inch-diameter 285/75R16 tires mounted on the factory wheels. Add an upgraded steering linkage setup for strength, some off-road bumpers, and a winch, and you've got a vehicle you can take down virtually any popular trail in the country without spending a fortune on aftermarket parts or negatively affecting the on-road drivability. A similarly built regular Wrangler would require upgrading the T-case with a slip yoke eliminator, buying a CV rear driveshaft, swapping axle gears and adding lockers, and adding rocker armor.

Anti-Crawl Cappa

The Wrangler Rubicon is the most capable production vehicle ever offered. But a Rubicon only makes sense for someone who uses it mostly in the rocks or on other slow crawling trails. As both Hazel and Trasborg mentioned, some of the major features are a hindrance for other kinds of off-road use.

A new Wrangler Rubicon costs about $6,000 more than a similarly equipped Sport model. I'll admit that at that price all the Rubicon features are a bargain-if you keep and use them. However, it doesn't make a whole heck of a lot of sense to start chucking components like the Rubicon wheels and tires, 4.10 axle gears, and rocker guards when you start to modify your Jeep. And if you plan on installing tires that are larger than 35 inches and actually take it off-road, you're better off starting with a non-Rubicon. It will probably cost you less in the long run because those stock Rubicon axles won't hold up forever with 37-inch tires.

Personally I think that the non-Rubicons make better all-around 4x4s. The standard 2.72:1 low range ratio found in non-Rubicons is way better for sand, mud, snow, and general off-roading. The 4.1 transfer case found in the Rubicon is really only any good for rocks since the top speed in low range is only about 25 miles-per-hour.

For the same money as a Rubicon, I'd pick up a Sport, add a lift, 35-inch tires, wheel spacers, rocker guards, sway bar disconnects, and a rear locker. I'd still have about $3,000 left in my pocket and arguably a more versatile, generally more capable, and cooler-looking Jeep than a stock Rubicon.

News Source:  http://www.fourwheeler.com/project-vehicles/154-1105-jeep-wrangler-rubicon-vs-regular-wrangler/

1993 Land Rover Defender 110 - Backward Glances

Range Rover of North America (RRNA) was riding high in 1992 after five years of success in North America with just one model. By 1990, plans were afoot to bring other Land Rover products to the American market. The money was on the mid-level Discovery, which had been introduced in Britain for 1989. Many wanted to see the utilitarian Defender brought over but that was an unlikely possibility given the difficulty meeting DOT lighting and crash standards.

Everyone was gobsmacked on January 8, 1992, when the RRNA president, Charles Hughes, announced plans for 500 specially built and equipped Land Rover Defender 110 (D110) Station Wagons to be sold as ’93 models. And that was just the teaser. Range Rover of North America would be changing its name to Land Rover North America. It was pretty easy to catch the drift from that; more Land Rover products were on the way and the Defender 110 was just the appetizer.  

Some of the preproduction D110s were used for off-highway driver training; in this case, the 1993 Land Rover Driving Academy in Colorado. Week after week, it was driven by novice off-roaders and is shown here in the creek on Taylor Pass.

D110 deliveries didn’t start until September, but there were plenty of magazine tests and they made a big splash in the media world. The car-centric magazines hated it, of course. Big. Ungainly. Pretentious. But it still puffed up their egos to be seen in it. We here at Four Wheeler openly loved it, while hating the $39,900 price none of us could afford. Plus, it was galling to know most would be in the hands of people unlikely to appreciate its off-road abilities. When Four Wheeler Editor John Stewart tested the D110 for the Oct. 1992 issue, he said, “The Land Rover Defender 110 is the only vehicle to be sold in the United States with off-road capability as its first design priority. That alone -- a refreshing clarity of purpose -- should tell how different it is.”  

With only 241 ci, 180 hp, a 4,800-pound curb weight, and 3.54 gears, the D110 was no hot rod on the street. With that great 3.32:1 low range, gearing was seldom an issue in dirt, but the relatively small powerplant had to be flogged to get what most Americans would call acceptable performance between stoplights. As a result, fuel economy was not a strong point, and a 12 mpg combined average was very common.

Built in Land Rover’s Special Vehicles facility at Solihull, England, the North-American spec (NAS) D110 four-door wagon was significantly different than those sold in Britain and elsewhere. The chassis was the same: burly 14-gauge steel and fully boxed. The multi-link coil suspension was the same, though with springs tuned for comfort rather than load capacity. The NAS D110 had rear disc brakes, which were not standard elsewhere. The front axle was virtually the same as Range Rover. The HD rear axle, commonly known in Britain as the “Salisbury,” was a British-built Dana 60 clone with full-float Rover hubs and 24-spline shafts. The T-case was Rover’s gear-driven LT-230T full-time unit, featuring a manually locked center diff and a 3.32:1 low range. The five-speed LT-77S manual tranny was as yet unfamiliar to the American Land Rover scene but certainly proven elsewhere in the world. The engine was virtually the same fuel injected 3.9L aluminum V-8 offered in Range Rovers of the time.

While the NAS D110 had some upmarket features compared to the rest of the world, it was truly set apart by an external rollcage and a roof rack strong enough for an embalmed bull moose. The haphazardly applied comfort features included air conditioning, full carpeting, AM/FM cassette stereo with four speakers, heated front and rear windows, and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. Additional NAS features included side steps, front brush bar, and integrated rear step bumper/receiver hitch. The only option was a $1,900 dealer-installed 8,000-pound Warn winch kit.  

The interior was plain and not particularly ergonomic. When people were kind, they called it “quirky.” It had had not changed much from when the platform debuted in the early ’80s. Plus, the placement of controls in the transition from right to left-hand drive was awkward. For all that, the D110 was not uncomfortable and you could get used to the quirks. There was seating for nine, with four of those in inward-facing jump seats in the rear.

Each D110 wore a numbered plaque: 1 to 500 for the USA and 1 to 25 for Canada. Additionally, there were ten or eleven preproduction rigs, which made for 535 or 536 total. Most went out the door in the $45,000 range, about $74,000 in 2014 dollars, which kept them out of the hands of most hardcore four wheelers of the early ’90s. The fortunate few found an extremely capable rig in its class. The only downside of the stock NAS package was the dinky and wimpy 7.50-16 Michelin X tires. Add lockers and some rubber and the D110 could go almost anywhere it would fit.

If this story gives you the burning desire to own a D110, expect to pay about $60,000 for an average example and up to $80,000 for the best. Take heart -- most of the original 535 known examples are still around. The next lottery ticket could be a winner!

 News Source: http://www.fourwheeler.com/features/1411-1993-land-rover-defender-110-backward-glances/

A Close Look at the 2016 Mercedes-Benz G500 4x4

Mercedes has long been known for high-end luxury vehicles but in the off-road world, they have a rich history of producing some of the most capable vehicles on the planet. Not surprisingly, the Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 6x6 that was unveiled in 2013 was an instant off-road hero despite having a price tag larger than most people’s homes. With 37-inch off-road tires, high clearance portal axles and Ohlins shocks, the G63 6x6 was the stuff that off-road enthusiasts dream of.

 

It seems Mercedes has another ace up it’s sleeve and from the looks of the 2016 Mercedes-Benz G500 4x4-2 (squared), They’ve created another off-road monster that picks up right where the G63 6x6 left off. The G500 4x4-2 can conquer virtually any terrain in it’s path thanks in part to its use of big beefy portal axles like the one’s found on its bigger brother.  

The G500 4x4-2 features a set of portal axles, lower transfer-case gearing, three locking differentials and an optional (mandatory in our opinion) set of 37x12.5R18 Mud Terrain tires mounted on 18-inch Beadlock wheels that can deflate and air up in a matter of seconds allow it to conquer the highest sand dunes, treacherous rocky terrain and even ford water crossings up to 39.3 inches deep. The G500 4x4-2 can do this thanks to the big beefy portal axles that come right from the G63 6x6 and give it more than adequate ground clearance that takes it from 8.3 inches to a whopping 17.7 inches of ground clearance along with a break over angle improvement from 21 degrees to 47 degrees.
 

Those impressive numbers are achieved thanks to the use of portal axles which not only raise the differential high up and out of the way of trail obstacles, but also further reduces gearing to help spin the massive 37-inch rubber. The higher center of gravity is countered by the much wider 69.8-inch track width that give this new G500 4x4-2 plenty of stability both on and off-road.  

Moving all this weight isn’t an easy task but the G500 4x42 gets going in a hurry thanks to Mercedes’ new 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged and direct-injected V-8 engine that pumps out 422 horsepower. This new engine features turbochargers that reside inboard of the cylinder heads in what Mercedes calls a “Hot-V” configuration to achieve a shorter and more efficient exhaust setup that helps reduce turbo-lag. Exhuast gases are then spent out a set of twin side pipes which dump out on each side just in front of the rear tire and give the G500 4x4-2 it’s distinctively aggressive growl.


One of the areas where the G500 4x4-2 differs from it’s bigger brother, the G63 6x6 is in the suspension department. The G500 4x4-2 features dual springs and shocks at every corner to soak up nasty beat up of off-road terrain. One set of springs and shocks are adjustable from inside the cab via a switch on the center console that allows the driver to flip between sport and comfort settings while on the road to deliver sports car-like handling but don’t expect the massive 37-inch Mud Terrain tires to handle curvy canyon roads like the stock 325/55R22 tires.  

Mercedes-Benz hasn’t yet said whether they will be releasing the G500 4x4-2 in the U.S. but we think it would be foolish not to bring it over to conquer some of the serious trails out here to set itself apart from the run-of-the-mill country club luxury SUV’s. All we know for sure is that it’s a pretty impressive off-road beast and we can’t wait to put it to the test off the beaten path.

News Source: http://www.fourwheeler.com/news/1502-a-close-look-at-the-2016-mercedes-benz-g500-4x4-2/

2015 Land Rover Discovery Sport review | first drive

With regular production of the current-generation Defender set to come to a close by year-end, Land Rover is declaring 2015 the Year of the Defender. The celebration will include a trio of Defender special editions: the luxurious Autobiography Edition, the reminiscent Heritage Edition and the ruggedized Adventure Edition.  

Limited edition off-roaders defined largely by aesthetics are generally not all that interesting, but with Land Rover threatening to bastardize the Defender by replacing it with something related to the DC100 concept, these could be some of the last truly rugged Defenders of the foreseeable future.

Hopefully, rumors that the DC100 was sent to the scrapyard in favor of a completely different Defender redesign prove true, but for the time being we're looking at these three special editions more fondly due to the Defender's uncertain future.  

The most intriguing of the new special editions from an off-road standpoint is the Adventure Edition. This model takes a tiny step beyond basic cosmetic upgrades and gets a touch of upgraded equipment for off-road adventuring, including beefed up underbody protection and Goodyear MT/R tires. The package also includes a leather-trimmed cabin with heritage logo floor mats; Santorini black "Adventure" grille, hood, roof, rear door, headlamp surrounds and wheel arches; gloss black split-spoke alloy wheels; and unique badging.

The Heritage Edition should prove popular with longtime Land Rover lovers. It celebrates the Defender as a modern interpretation of the original 1947 pre-production Series I Land Rover, nicknamed "Huey". It features nostalgic design cues that include a Grasmere Green metallic paint job with contrasting Alaska white roof, a heritage grille and headlamp surrounds, heritage logo mud flaps, body color steel wheels, and a heritage graphics and badging package. The interior maintains a modern level of comfort and style that includes a perforated leather steering wheel rim and gear lever and bright aluminum trim. Heritage logos on the seats tie the interior into the nostalgic exterior. 

The Autobiography Edition is the luxury flagship of the trio. In fact, Land Rover refers to it as "the most desirable Defender ever built." Like the Range Rover Evoque Autobiography and other Autobiography editions, the Defender Autobiography gets a slew of luxury and performance upgrades. That starts with a power bump from 120 to 148 hp (torque 266 to 295 lb-ft/360 to 400 Nm) and continues through the Windsor leather upholstery and duo-tone paintwork. The Autobiography also includes 16-in gloss black sawtooth alloy wheels wrapped in Goodyear MT/R tires, unique carpet mats and Autobiography badging.

"We wanted to mark the end of Defender production at Solihull with a special edition, but coming up with a single identity was impossible, so we developed three very different interpretations of the Defender to reflect its strength and breadth of character," said Nick Rogers, Land Rover vehicle line director. "Whether our customers want to celebrate Land Rover's unrivaled off-road heritage, demand the ultimate in terms of design and performance, or have a genuine thirst for adventure, there will be a limited edition Defender that will be fit for purpose." 

The Defender special editions are available for order now. The 90 Station Wagon-based Autobiography will sell from £61,500 (US$93,300) MSRP, arriving to UK and European dealerships in April. Both the Heritage (£30,900/US$47,000) and the Adventure (£38,400/US$58,250) will arrive in global showrooms in August and come in 90 Hard Top and Station Wagon and 110 Utility Wagon and Station Wagon body styles. All three special editions are powered by Land Rover's 2.2-liter diesel engine.

Vehicles like the Defender always look so sad and uncomfortable within the cramped confines of international auto shows. Instead of debuting the new Defender packages at NAIAS 2015 or the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, Land Rover did something a little ... no, a lot different. The new Defenders were trotted out as part of a unique event at Red Wharf Bay in Anglesey, UK, the location where Rover Company engineering director Maurice Wilks sketched and pitched the original, Defender-esque Land Rover back in 1947.

Using six heritage Land Rovers towing 12-foot (3.7-m) harrows as artistic instruments, Land Rover recreated the moment into the largest sand drawing that the UK has ever seen. The vehicles finished the 1-km-long (0.62-mile-long) sketch just moments before the tide came in and washed it away. You can go inside the event in the video below.

News Source: http://www.gizmag.com/land-rover-2015-defender-special-editions/35675/

Extreme off-road Range Rover SVO is in the works

Head of Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations Division hints at extreme off-road derivatives to go with high-performance and luxury spin-offs

The boss of Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations division (SVO) has confirmed that it’s not just high-performance, luxury and small-production run models like the Project 7 in his product plan – more extreme off-road models are on the way, too. Our exclusive image shows how an off-road focused Range Rover SVO could look. 


“There are four different types of cars we want to do at SVO,” John Edwards explained. “There are on-road performance cars, all-terrain performance cars that we haven’t done so far, luxury derivatives and what we’re calling collector’s editions, like the Project 7.  

“On-road performance is fairly easy; you just think about ‘M’ and ‘AMG’ and think how can we apply the same thinking. All-terrain is slightly different; clearly much more appropriate for Land Rover than Jaguar. Land Rover has that all-terrain capability built into all its products, but we need to give customers the permission to use it.” 

Edwards told us every Land Rover has outstanding off-road performance, but it’s about making that performance “useable” and the cars “abusable rather than too precious”.

He gave a series of examples to show what he means by a range of more overtly off-road models: “For example, the material for the seats; it’s leather versus a material that’s very durable and very hi-tech. It’s about ground clearance, it’s about wheel and tyre combinations, it’s about underbody protection, because actually the capability of the cars is class-leading anyway in most cases.” 

Edwards stopped short of confirming exactly which models would be first to receive a rugged makeover, claiming that the idea was still being debated internally, but he hinted that the Range Rover family is near the top of his list. “It’s clearly going to be more obvious on a Defender than a Range Rover, but in a funny way there’s more of an opportunity on a Range Rover," he said.

“When we did the G4 Challenge five or six years ago, there was a strong but niche demand for a G4 Challenge Range Rover. We never thought there would be, but there was. A car that has the roof rack, lights, tyres and underbody protection. There really are people who want to use the car for what it’s designed for.”

News Source: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/land-rover/89407/extreme-off-road-range-rover-svo-is-in-the-works

2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 6.2L 4x4 8-Speed Automatic

The pickup world is abuzz with talk of Ford’s new F-150 and its revolutionary (for a pickup) aluminum body. But the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is no wallflower, having topped a recent comparison test of light-duty trucks. While most of the Chevy’s updates for 2015 are modest, the addition of GM’s new eight-speed automatic transmission to models equipped with the optional 6.2-liter V-8 makes the most of this otherwise traditional rig.

Making the Shift

Available on the high-end LTZ and High Country trim levels, the Silverado’s optional L86 6.2-liter V-8 is a beast, producing 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque and emitting a classic small-block snarl. It’s also clever, sharing much of its tech (aluminum construction, variable valve timing, cylinder deactivation, direct injection) with the Corvette Stingray’s 460-hp LT1 V-8. Paired with the previous six-speed autobox in a test of a 2014 Silverado 1500 4x4, the L86 launched the near-three-ton pickup to 60 mph in a stunning 5.4 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 14.1 at 99 mph.

The 2015 Silverado’s (and the rest of GM’s 6.2-equipped trucks’) new eight-speed Hydra-Matic 8L90 transmission has similar dimensions as the old six-speed but with a greater ratio spread, which aids both low-end grunt and high-speed cruising without incurring a weight penalty. Our 2015 Silverado High Country test truck was actually slightly lighter than the nearly identical 2014 model we drove, weighing 5658 pounds, making it one of the lightest of the species. Although the 2015 model couldn’t match the six-speed truck’s impressive acceleration—5.7 seconds to 60 mph and 14.3 at 98 mph in the quarter—shift action is quick yet smooth, overall drivability is enhanced significantly. The 6.2-liter sounds nice and burly, but no longer are tons of revs needed to get the truck up to speed, the eight-speed’s many ratios leveraging the 6.2’s abundance of torque with minimal commotion. As a result, our observed fuel economy improved from the previous High Country’s 15 mpg to 16 with the eight-speed—not bad for a vehicle this large and quick that is capable of towing up to 9200 pounds to boot.

Still Familiar

The rest of the newest Silverado changes little for 2015, which means it’s still on the sharp end of the light-duty-truck segment. It may not float over bumps like the coil-sprung Ram 1500, but it’s more nimble and carlike in feel, with relatively responsive handling and sharp, accurate steering. Overall lateral grip (0.73 g) and stopping ability from 70 mph (186 feet) are modest on the 20-inch Goodyear Eagle LS-2 rubber, but the truck is nicely composed and luxury-car quiet inside. The one demerit pinned to the eight-speed actually isn’t that consequential: top speed, which is now limited to just 99 mph versus 110 with the six-cog unit. 

 

Within the encyclopedia of modern pickup configurations, LTZ Silverados start just north of 40 grand and go up from there, with the High Country approaching $50,000 as a baseline. Opting for the 6.2 V-8 is a $2495 option, which also includes the new eight-speed gearbox, active-noise-cancellation tech in the cabin to quell engine vibrations, and a taller 3.23:1 rear axle in place of a 3.42. Our 1500-series High Country crew cab 4x4 test truck started at $52,045 before adding the bigger engine. It also tacked on a $995 power sunroof and the $950 High Country Premium package (heated steering wheel, power-adjustable pedals, integrated trailer-brake controller, lane-departure warning, forward-collision alert, and GM’s vibrating Safety Alert seat) for a grand total of $56,485. That’s a lot of money for a light-duty pickup that still swills a gallon of fuel every 16 miles. But it’s also immensely capable and comfortable and surprisingly quick. If you don’t want to spend the extra cash for a diesel heavy-duty truck but still need more power than the Silverado 1500’s 355-hp 5.3-liter V-8—or just want the speediest Silverado available—GM’s new extrastrength powertrain makes for a highly rewarding option.

News Source: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-chevrolet-silverado-1500-4x4-62l-v-8-8-speed-test-reviews

2017 Ford F-150 Raptor Will Make 450 HP

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past month, you’re probably well aware of the all-new 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor which will no longer be offered with the much loved 6.2-liter V-8 that pumped out 411hp and 434 lb-ft of torque. While many off-road enthusiasts and Raptor fans have been up in arms about the replacement 3.5-liter EcoBoost, many of those arguments have fallen on deaf ears largely in part because Ford made it very clear that the new engine would put out more power and torque than the outgoing 6.2-liter V-8 while offering better fuel economy. 

We can understand why people have a blind love of a thundering V-8 engine’s exhaust drone but we aren’t going to act like the Raptor couldn’t use extra fuel economy and the fact that Ford is able to do this without sacrificing power and torque is just awesome.

So how much power does the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor 3.5-liter EcoBoost make? Well, unless you didn’t read the title, it turns this little engine is going to put out 450hp! How’s that for some serious kick in the pants power? 

Ford group president of global product development Raj Nair let the cat out of the bag on just how much power the next gen Ford F-150 Raptor is going to make. Nair let it all slip during an interview at this past weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Nair was speaking about the EcoBoost V-6 engine that powers the Ford-Riley Daytona Prototype race cars and said, “The Development we’re doing here in racing we’re taking right back into the production car, so a lot of what we learned we’re putting back into the F-150 Raptor getting 450 hp…this same engine is going to go in our Ford GT at over 600 hp. So it’s straight from production to racing, back to production.” 

So now we know how much power the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor will be putting out but how much torque is anyone’s guess but we’re thinking it’s a pretty safe bet to expect it to be slightly north of the outgoing 434 lb-ft of torque that the outgoing 6.2-liter V-8 made. One thing’s for sure, it’s going to be hard to argue against a thumping V-8 that makes less power than a 450 hp 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6!

News Source: http://www.fourwheeler.com/news/1501-2017-ford-f-150-raptor-will-make-450-hp/

Comparison: 2014 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited vs. 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser

There's something romantic about a vehicle that can go anywhere and do anything. Endless capabilities mean endless possibilities as to what you and your vehicle can accomplish, whether it be hitting the jungle, or escaping the urban jungle. That might help explain the Jeep's popularity after World War II – the little Willys MB had proven to the American people and the world that it could storm the beaches of Normandy, conquer the cold of Alaska, and take the heat in North Africa. Soon after the war, that little Willys became the Jeep CJ-2, and further refinement would lead to the Jeep CJ-5, CJ-7, and eventually the "Amp'd" yellow metallic 2014 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Willys Wheeler Edition parked on top of this paragraph. 

The roots of the 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Team Ultimate Edition can also be traced back to the little Willys MB. In post-World War II Japan, people took notice of the American Jeeps scrambling around the country's roads. Toyota went to work building its own version. Called the Toyota BJ, the new off-roader was at heart a plus-sized Jeep-clone with a six-cylinder engine. It led to the Toyota Land Cruiser 20 Series, and ultimately the legendary Toyota Land Cruiser 40 Series (better known to some as the FJ) which was produced from 1960 through 1980. The Land Cruiser eventually evolved into the luxury behemoth gracing Toyota dealer lots today. Enter the FJ Cruiser. The retro-styled off-roader entered the fray in the mid '00s, returning an affordable off-roader to the Toyota lineup. 

After seven years on the road with minimal changes, this Heritage Blue 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Ultimate Edition is one of the last of 2500 FJs that will be produced. The FJ Cruiser Ultimate Edition is more than just a good-bye trim package paying homage to the FJ40 – it's an actual going away gift to the loyal 200,000 or so who've bought FJs the last few years. The FJ gets a truckload of TRD off-road parts, including Bilstein shocks with TRD-designed coil springs, 16-inch bead lock wheels with aggressive BF Goodrich A/T KO rubber, a quarter-inch thick aluminum skid plate, rock rails, and a handful of electronic goodies designed to make off-roading easier.

The 2014 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Willys Wheeler Edition also pays homage to Jeeps of yesteryear with a focus on functionality, capability, and value. Built off the base Wrangler Sport trim, the Wrangler Willys Wheeler adds a limited-slip differential and a 3.73 final drive to the Dana 44 rear axle, BF Goodrich KM Mud Terrain tires, and rock rails to the Wrangler – all for less than if you selected those options individually. The Wrangler Willys Wheeler is just as much about show as it is go – it sports a black-painted grille, a "4-Wheel Drive" decal on the tailgate that looks straight out of a 1940's advertisement, and unique black wheels with an original Willys MB silhouette painted on.

With a shared genesis between the two factory off-roaders, and with the FJ Cruiser heading out to pasture, we thought one last comparison test was in order. While it'd be easy to apply our consumer-based Big Test criteria to the Jeep and Toyota, what would be the point? Neither vehicle was designed with things like ride and handling or efficiency in mind. Rather, the Wrangler and FJ Cruiser were designed around one thing only: freedom. Both the Wrangler and FJ Cruiser were designed to free their drivers from the modern world by taking them as far off the beaten path as desired – whether that's up a mountain, or elsewhere. With that in mind, both rigs would be tested extensively around Los Angeles, before escaping north to the off-roader oasis known as Hungry Valley.

This is set to be quite the comparison. Mechanically, both the Jeep and Toyota follow the same school of thought. Both body-on-frame SUVs sport four doors, V-6 engines, five-speed automatic transmissions, and heavy-duty four-wheel drive systems with two-speed transfer cases. They're both about the same size too, with the FJ sporting a shorter wheelbase, but a longer overall length, and both weigh about the same at 4500 pounds.

So no surprise then that both are evenly matched at our test track. The Jeep, powered by a 3.6-liter V-6 pumping out 285 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque is first to 60 mph, hitting the mark in 7.8 seconds. The heavier FJ, with its bigger 270 hp and 278 lb-ft of torque 4.0-liter V-6, hits 60 mph after 8.0 seconds. The Wrangler is again a tenth-of-a-second quicker though the quarter mile, powering through at 16.1 seconds at 83.6 mph, compared to the FJ's 16.2 seconds at 84.4 mph run. When it comes to braking and handling, the Jeep and Toyota are evenly matched again – the Jeep needed 132 feet to stop from 60 mph, while the Toyota needed an additional foot. The FJ Cruiser manages to beat the Jeep around the figure eight, finishing the course in 30 seconds, compared to the Wrangler's 30.6- second time. With seemingly pointless performance tests (for off-road vehicles) out of the way it was time to hit the street. Both the Toyota FJ Cruiser and Jeep Wrangler Unlimited perform well in day-to-day use. Hop into the Wrangler and you're greeted by a well put-together, utilitarian interior. The good impressions continue while on the move. The Pentastar V-6 gets the Jeep up and going quickly and it never leaves you wanting more power. Though the five-speed automatic transmission is adequate at best, the Wrangler Willys Wheeler's standard 3.73 final drive does much to keep the Pentastar in its powerband. Wranglers have never been known for their road holding abilities, but the Willys is surprisingly capable. While the steering rack is deliberately slow, it offers up good feedback that always lets the driver know where exactly the wheels are pointing.

The Toyota FJ Cruiser, on the other hand, is showing its age. Whereas Jeep has continuously updated the Wrangler since its debut with a new engine, transmission, and interior, the FJ Cruiser is largely identical to the original 2007 model. At least the FJ doesn't look old. Its exterior and (surprisingly) its interior have aged rather well. Sure, the highly stylized interior has some weak spots -- the factory head unit, and many blank switches for starters -- but overall it's full of kitschy-cool. The dash-mounted clock, inclinometer, and compass are neat party pieces, and the overhead console complete with hill descent control and the locking rear-diff switch looks great. The FJ's 4.0-liter V-6, last updated in 2010, feels dated on the other hand. Though it accelerates well enough, dipping into the gas pedal leaves the driver with the impression that you're asking the FJ to do something it really doesn't want to do, with the engine emitting an awful-sounding bellow as it gets up to speed. When it comes to corners, the FJ Cruiser's steering rack feels quicker but less-precise than the Wrangler's. The FJ Cruiser may give up a bit to the Jeep in acceleration and handling, but it without a doubt rides better than the Wrangler. That's not to say that the Wrangler's ride is particularly punishing, it's just that the FJ Cruiser Ultimate's suspension, which TRD developed for high-speed off-roading, is simply sublime on the road. The Bilstein shocks easily handle any abuse put in its way, making dips, pot holes, and speed bumps disappear from the road.

Off-road, the Toyota FJ's strong suit is hard and fast running. The Bilstein shocks and TRD springs give the FJ Cruiser Ultimate the ability to haul ass down wide open trails, giving you a feeling of invulnerability rivaled only by rigs like the Ford Raptor. No matter the trail, whether it be hard-packed dirt or loose sand, the FJ Cruiser just powered on through – if you need an off-roader to quickly escape an apocalypse-like situation or you just like throwing up massive rooster tails, the FJ Cruiser should be on your short list. When it comes to more technical off-roading though, the FJ Cruiser falters because of its large front and rear overhangs. While the FJ Cruiser feels as if its mechanically capable of tackling the rough stuff, I lost count of how many times the front bumper and rear trailer hitch caught up on terrain I was driving over. The FJ's 34-degree approach and 31-degree departure angles, about 10-degrees less than the Jeep's, are most likely to blame. The Jeep Wrangler, on the other hand, feels unstoppable off-road. Surprising, right? Though not at home speeding down open trails like the FJ is, the Wrangler still eagerly does anything you ask of it. On tight, technical trails, you never find yourself questioning the Jeep's capabilities. Point and shoot the Jeep at an obstacle and it overcomes it. No muss, no fuss. The Jeep easily took to steep climbs and descents, rocky frame twisters, and more, seemingly eager for yet more. Just about the only trail I didn't dare tackle with the Wrangler was Hungry Valley's water pit – something about explaining to my co-workers why the Jeep reeked of mildew and death didn't seem to appetizing to me.

Though evenly matched on- and off-road, there's a bit of a gap between the sticker price of the two off-roaders. The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Willys Wheeler Edition, based on the Wrangler Unlimited Sport, starts at $32,890; with the automatic transmission and the basic Uconnect infotainment system our Wrangler Willys Wheeler Edition stickered for $34,880. The Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Ultimate Edition starts at $37,455, and with the optional TRD catback exhaust, towing hitch, and carpeted floor mats, costs $39,439. Ultimately, there can be just one winner, and that victory goes to the original: the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Willys Wheeler Edition. While you really can't go wrong with either the Toyota or Jeep, the Wrangler just offers up that little extra something that makes you want to keep going. The Wrangler oozes personality; spend any time in it and it immediately becomes part of the family. Basically what it boils down to is this: the Jeep Wrangler makes you want to drop the top and actively go out and seek adventure. In the Toyota FJ Cruiser, you're content holing up at home for a weekend-long Netflix marathon and hitting the road later.

In an increasingly busy world, there's no beating the feeling of freedom the Wrangler affords you, and for that it walks off with the win. 

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