The sad demise of Pontiac is a true American tragedy, not just because the brand is associated with everything that is American, but because it could’ve been salvaged if it’s parent company, General Motors, was in a strong financial position.
Unfortunately, the economic crisis laid waste to the auto industry and obviously, there were some casualties, with Pontiac being one of them. It’s a pity because the brand was on the verge of coming out with a number of vehicles that could’ve easily been successful if there was just enough support given to them. One of the vehicles that Pontiac launched amid much fanfare was the G8 Sports Truck, which was unveiled at the 2008 New York Auto Show.
Pontiac had stirred up excitement with a marketing program that asked consumers to name the future the Americanized version of the popular Holden Ute from GM Australia. The doomed automaker had a few fun offerings in the works, but just couldn’t get them into showrooms fast enough. What could have been had General Motors had more time and financial resources?
Top Speed had the pleasure of trying out a greener option for that other necessary item in any weekend racers garage, a work truck. Sure its nice to have a classic Ferrari or a an all out race car in your garage, but what good are they if you cannot get them to an appropriate environment. That is where our GMC Sierra 2WD Hybrid Crew Cab comes into play, this pick up can haul up to 6,100 pounds of trailer and seat six individuals inside the cab. Aside from the nice touches like the 18 inch chrome rims and larger than life front grill, the Sierra Hybrid has the benefit of being an alternatively fueled vehicle.
The full sized trucks 2-Mode Hybrid/Electric power train is tuned to get as much as 21 MPH when driving around town, impressive for any vehicle that weighs over 5,000 pounds. Don’t let the size discourage you, the Sierra Hybrid is easy to drive and the power adjustable front seat allows the driver to find the perfect vantage point.
The truck uses a combination of an electric module and a 6.0 Liter Chevrolet small block to make 332 HP, but you most likely won’t have to use much of those ponies, we found ourselves driving the Sierra around on electric only power most of the time, negating the need for any of the eight pistons. It was nice to know that they were there when we needed them like when passing on the highway or pulling a heavy load. One thing was for certain, the GMC Sierra Hybrid is working hard to give trucks a good name again.
We recently received a GMC Sierra Hybrid pick-up to try out in our Top Speed test fleet. First thing first, this truck is big; from the Hybrid two-mode badges, to the front bench, everything is huge. One of the best features of this Sierra is the lack of Hybrid badging everywhere. The Sierra is toned down compared to the Chevrolet full size hybrids. The Tahoe Hybrid has the word written in at least six places throughout the truck’s body and glass panels, the Sierra on the other hand has a pair of simple badges on the front fenders (thankfully they don’t have the gaudy Hybrid grills from the Escalade) and another toned down "two-mode Hybrid" badge on the tailgate.
Powered by a 6.0 Liter Vortec V8, the Sierra has plenty of get up and go. The only thing we have yet to test is the full sized pick-up’s towing ability, but with the added torque of the electric motor, that shouldn’t be a problem.
The Sierra hybrid is the perfect fleet vehicle. It has seating for up to six, lots of storage capacity and because it’s a hybrid, cities and businesses will be open to all sorts of tax breaks. With the way that new car sales are going, anyone who wishes to have a fleet of Sierra hybrids has good reason to bargain.
Stay tuned for the upcoming review of the GMC Sierra Hybrid to see just how green this gas/electric pick-up really is.
Have you ever wondered how meteorological scientists study tornados? Well this is an instance where the movies didn’t lie to you. Just like in the film Twister, tornado researchers drive vehicles directly into the path of the storm and release “pods” that take scientific measurements and capture data for the researchers to study.
Real life twister hunter Dr. Joshua Wurman was looking for a vehicle that he could use for the VORTEX2 tornado research study, a vehicle that could withstand heavy rain, hail, flash flooding and washed out roads. What he chose was the HUMMER H3T to be the lead vehicle in the largest tornado study ever conducted.
The elevated ground clearance and ability to ford up to a 24 inch flood made the H3T the perfect vehicle for the job. Dr. Wurman was quoted as saying that “we can send the Hummer into places where we haven’t sent our other probe vehicles before.”
You can follow the Hummer Storm Chaser at the link below for updates and a twister inspired blog.
What exactly does the high-performance R/T badge mean. In the 1960’s on musclecars like the Dodge Coronet it meant Rapid Transit, I’ve also heard that it meant Real Trouble for anyone who would dare to challenge any Mopar at the strip or at a streetlight. In the 1990’s with the birth of the Viper it meant Racing Technology. But today on our 2010 Dodge Ram Sport, the R/T badge stands Road/Track, and although I couldn’t imagine any Chrysler Engineers clocking a Nurburgring time I’m sure the new coil spring rear suspension should be up to the job. One thing is for sure; the restyled aggressive exterior would be right at home in any NASCAR paddock > More
A while ago trucks had a much simpler mission. Owners only demanded two things from their trucks: the steering wheel is connected to the wheels, and that the owner died before the truck did.
Now truck ownership has reached the premium levels. The previous requirements are still the same, but now there are more items added. Trucks are no longer just on the farm and the job site, but they are also in the corporate parking lots used for the do-it-yourself crowd who has learned how to build an addition on the house in a few weekends. So while a truck still has to be tough enough to carry the rocks and gravel in the back, it has to make sure it doesn’t wrinkle the suits up front.
A place where this is really evident is in the 2009 Ford F-150 SuperCrew Lariat that joined our fleet. Ford has almost 60 years experience assembling F-Series trucks, so there is no doubt about it’s tough as nails ability. We just didn’t expect to be so comfy in a workman’s truck.
Ford Motor Company has just released a micro site dedicated to their wild F-150. The SVT Raptor that was unveiled at SEMA is a wide bodied concept based on the F-150. Normally trucks aren’t our thing on TopSpeed, but this one did take on the Baja 1000, so it’s cool with us.
Plenty more pics, info and the site link after the jump
Trucks are fun. Although we’re usually car people, the “in your face” and “get out of my way” attitude that is attached to piloting a tall truck that’s over two and a half tons is sometimes irresistible.
Our Tundra 4x4 Crewmax SR5 represents a final leap for Toyota. When Toyota first entered the large truck market with the T100 in 1992, they though people didn’t need the full size of a full-sized truck. Unfortunately the North American public disagreed. Toyota built the same tough-as-nails trucks as it always did, but people were weary because in the truck game, bigger is better. Now the second generation Tundra rectifies all problems. Introduced in 2007, the Tundra is as big (and sometimes bigger) than the competition, without trading in the Toyota reputation.
The latest masterpiece that will be present at the 2008 SEMA Show is the customized Dodge Ram R/T. The new vehicle features a 5.7-liter V8 engine capable to deliver 380 hp while the exterior of the vehicle features an unique integrated spoiler, new Mopar dual-snorkel aluminum hood, side sills and a new Mopar dual exhaust system. Also, the manufacturer added a new set of 22 inch Alcoas wheels fitted with 285/45R22s tires in front and 305/40R22s in the rear as well as a new Mopar air suspension kit. The body kit is covered in B5 blue paint with carbon-fiber accent stripes while at the interior the Katzkin leather seats feature the same body color.
Press release after the jump! > More
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