[V8] Pickup truck technology....and all that jazz

[Scott Justusson]

 Problem:  Hauling weight/toys takes power.  4 cylinder engines don't do that well.  BTDT, 22TRE gen II 87 4Runner Turbo (3/4 ton rear end installed) for my tandem axle trailer duty for 6 years.  When I later traded that in for the more appropriate 94 Landcruiser built for that abuse, my overall 'work' mileage didn't change, yet the equipment to do so in comfort and safety was increased by a factor of 10.  

A lot of opinion on 'revolutions' in the industry.  As I seen automotive progress, revolutions are seldom found (Lambda probe, bypass valve on turbo/SC's), evolutions are grown.  So in these discussions of p/u and alternative fuels, I look at evolutions taking place, not revolutions taking place.  As long as fossil fuels are the cost effective strategy per energy unit used (including the cost of production and distribution infrastructure), price of that energy will be inelastic to demand.  The good news is, as price increases, the funding for alternative technology also increases.  Enter the concept car.  20 years ago, hybrids were concept cars...  20 years later, and 15 year in the future...   given our infrastructure, hybrids show the best short and long term promise to energy efficiency.  Run out of dead dynosaurs we can justify trillions of dollars in alternative energy infrastructure.  Until then evolution is it.

Like it or not, what drives technology is marketing, and here in the USA we add, perception and 2 major players dictations of it and market.  When I spoke to Ford dropping Nitrogen fuel program, that's because it's too far out to be considered a practical evolution of energy technology.  Whatever the real or perceived benefits are, it's not a cost effective alternative.  GM has never considered it seriously (they are battery hybrid committed), and Ford just had to step in line.  Do we invest in revolutions in research?  Sure, but revolutions are slow to the transportation sector, if you can find one.  The simple reality then, if the 2 biggest investors in the US transportation sector are GM and Ford, that's who you watch.

Diesel Diesel/hybrids are the immediate and long term future as I see it.  It's an evolution growing at a snails pace in the US, because GM so butchered the Diesel marketing and perception problem back in the 80's, it's a very slow regain of trust.  VAG/BMW/MERC are all feeding a grass roots demand, waiting for the day when they can flood our market.  GM especially will face trouble here, because VAG is probably the best poised to take a big chunk of the diesel market share.  

Which is best summed by two different approaches to strategic outcomes.  VAG invested in the Diesel technology commitment first, then marketed it, and GM invests in the marketing and follows the trend in technology.  That's a problem, and no revolutions are imminent using that approach.

4 cylinder high mileage truck?  BTDT for many years, that's not the answer.

My .02 

Scott J
92 v8 ABT Chipped
94 Landcruiser TRD Supercharged 4.5L DOHC I6


 


 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Roger M. Woodbury <rmwoodbury at fairpoint.net>
To: v8 at audifans.com
Sent: Tue, Aug 16, 2011 6:00 am
Subject: Re: [V8] Pickup truck technology....and all that jazz


Yes, I know well the Toyota Previa. Nice vehicle and well executed provided

the maintenance was absolutly spot on.  Difficult to expect people to

actually want to have the floor taken up or the engine dropped when the

other options are the same old, same old, and the cost of operation and

amount of consumption of that same old same old isn't a concern.

 

But I think we in America are approaching the time when just getting a new

"something" may not be possible for the great masses, so something else that

performs the same old, same old mission may be more than just interesting,

it may be desirable.

 

The Toyota Previa wasn't exactly a heavy hauler...certainly not on the order

of a 3/4 ton GMC pickup.  I think only the concepts within the Previa are

worth considering, not the execution.