Abbotsford News Thursday, October 31, 2013
drivewayBC.ca |
A23
Welcome to the driver’s seat
…they can be rugged on a work site and luxurious for all occupants.
Visit the RAM trucks photo gallery at drivewayBC.ca
A big part of the RAM brand success has been built on the sturdy and macho exterior styling.
ZACK SPENCER
Question
Rounding up and riding the RAM range 2014 RAM Roundup The full-size truck market is big business for automakers and a big deal for the businesses and people who depend on them. For almost five decades the Ford F-150 has been the best selling truck, with little chance they will lose that crown in the near future. What has been happening, over the last few years, is a strong shift from General Motors to RAM in terms of establishing the second best selling truck brand. The rise in RAM popularity can be traced back to a few key changes over the last several years, from muscular styling to class-leading interiors, a refined ride, plus engine and transmission advancements. I drove the 2014 RAM model range recently, on a beautiful fall day, just outside of Toronto. The “RAM Roundup” was a great opportunity to get my hands on these new trucks well before they arrive at BC dealerships. Looks A big part of the RAM brand success has been built on the sturdy and macho exterior styling. Front and centre is a grille that was enlarged, but better integrated, for the 2013 model year. Depending on the trim the grille finish can be chrome, painted or with a different insert. This feature is one RAM owners love so, in this case, larger
is better. Behind the grille are “active shutters” that close at higher speeds to help send the wind around the vehicle to improve aerodynamic efficiency. The same idea was also behind the longer side step, which helps reduce buffeting down the side of the trucks. One option that I find fascinating, and would seriously consider, is the $1500 air suspension that can be lowered for easier entry into the RAM or loading into the bed. Plus this system automatically lowers over 100km/h to also reduce aerodynamic drag. At lower speeds and for off-road duties, the air suspension can be raised for better ground clearance. Having had a chance to drive several RAM trucks with this feature I notice the already smooth ride is even better and the cabin is further insulated from vibration. Inside In the past trucks were typically used for work. Today, trucks have grown in popularity because they can be rugged on a work site and luxurious for all occupants. Having driven the Ford and new GM trucks recently, I can easily say that RAM still has the lead in interior design and finish with the Chevrolet and GMC right behind. (Ford is looking dated but look for an all-new F-150 in 2015). The centre console can be equipped with an 8.3-inch Uconnect communications and entertainment screen. In addition, there is a large
7-inch screen behind the steering wheel for fully customizable instant information readouts. The dash and seats can be trimmed in leather typically found in luxury cars not long ago.
for gasoline truck buyers but RAM hopes this 429 lb.-ft. engine will attract more buyers.
Verdict As competitive as the car business is, the truck side is Drive The biggest It takes dynamite nuclear. Truck buyers take their trucks very change for 2014 includes to get a loyal truck seriously and the people the first diesel engine building them do too. It found in a light duty 1500 owner to change takes dynamite to get pickup truck. This is an Ital- brands but RAM a loyal truck owner to ian designed engine that has done a good change brands but RAM has been used extensively has done a good job of in Europe in Jeep products job of blasting the blasting the competition. like the Grand Cherokee. competition. Most of this success has With 420 lb.-ft. or torque, been thanks to constant this new “EcoDiesel” has Zack Spencer improvements instead of the same output as Ford’s waiting years to update Ecoboost but not the same their rigs. With a new diesel engine in towing capacity. Rated at 9200 lbs. this the 1500 to an all-new gasoline engine truck will be perfect for buyers who in the heavy-duty trucks, matched to want impressive fuel economy and sophisticated transmissions, improved good towing capacity; a balance of suspensions and cabins, it is no wonder usability and thriftiness. This engine has that RAM is on an upward swing. not been rated yet for fuel economy but thanks to a standard 8-speed automatThe Lowdown Power: 3.6L V6, ic transmission; this new EcoDiesel is 3.0L V6 turbo diesel, 5.7L V8. 6.4L V8 going to get better numbers than the and 6.7L diesel already class-leading gasoline V6 RAM. Price range: $19,995-$36,495 base Look for the new EcoDiesel RAMs prices. The diesel option adds around arriving in January of 2014. On the $4,500 heavy duty side there is also an all-new engine in the form of a 6.4L Hemi V8. zack.spencer@drivewaybc.ca The old 5.7L was not a perfect match
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Safety Tip: As we set our clocks back an hour this Saturday night for the end of Daylight Savings Time, please take extra care as the time change can affect the quality of our driving – poorer concentration, alertness behind the wheel and slower reaction time.
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A24
Abbotsford News Thursday, October 31, 2013
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ABBOTSFORD
Abbotsford News Thursday, October 31, 2013
A25
driveway
What women want while car shopping Women are a huge driving force (pardon the pun) in the car-buying world. Studies show that around 60 per cent of new vehicles purchases are made by women. Further to that, matriarchs heavily influence decisions on car buying within the family, too – perhaps as much as 85 percent of all purchases. While many hubbies would love a hot, little sports car, perhaps it’s not always ideal for, you know, life. Buying a vehicle is considered to be the second biggest purchase someone can make. The first is your home. So when someone says it’s not that big of a deal, it kind of is. Not only is it a long-term decision, but a financially significant one as well. It can also bring up many emotions: excitement,
stress, anxiety and more. Leading up to the 2013 Vancouver International Auto Show, I had the privilege of assisting six women with their new car purchases. They gave me a budget and a list of “needs Looks are great and wants� and then we went to the drawing board. but it is the safety The experience opened features women are my eyes to a few things. after. Though each of the women were looking for something Alexandra Straub different from each other, there were common threads package or premium sound that presented themselves. system wasn’t a must-have.
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of where you buy it from, it’s really the human element that can make or break the deal. Though, the women I worked with all had wonderful experiences. Ladies, if you’re looking at buying CAR BUYING COMFORT The dealership experience plays a huge a new vehicle and would like some suggestions/assistance, email me and role in having that brand new vehicle you could be featured in Driveway. sparkling on your driveway. In fact, INTERIOR CAPACITY Include your name, your name, email Cargo volume is subjective in the sense you can’t really avoid it unless you’re address best to be reached, a little bit buying through a private sale. where not everyone needs asmuch as about yourself, what you’re looking No matter how good the product, if the other. But when it was in the top for and in what price range you need there’s discomfort or pressure in the three of “needs� sometimes thinking to work. buying process, can sour the sale. outside of the box was necessary. alexandra.straub@drivewaybc.ca The product is the same regardless Sacrificing looks for functionalSAFETY Looks are great but it is the safety features women are after. There’s a lot of technology out there. Sometimes it is even overwhelming. But things like airbags, ABS, traction control and even backup cameras (for the larger vehicles) were high on the priority list.
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WARRANTIES Additional warranties were paramount. For those not leasing and swapping vehicles every four years, having the extra bit of protection from wear and tear was something they wanted to accommodate in their budgets, especially those who drive frequently.
PRICE Budgets are very important to everyone. And sticking to it was even more important for the women I worked with. Yes, there are always temptations to get a few extra bells and whistles, and if you can work it into your bottom line, that’s ideal. But the navigatio-
ity, again, is something that often happens. That said, it is not always the case, and with designs of vehicles these days, it is getting easier to have your cake and eat it too.
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A26
Abbotsford News Thursday, October 31, 2013
Ross Bentley coaching upcoming young US racer Colin Braun.
Shooting for the perfect drive
driveway I keep hearing TV F1 commentary teams talking about the perfect race in relation to the now four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel. As I watched the German driver for Infiniti-Red Bull race team take the chequered flag in India
on Sunday, the repeated reference to his perfect race reminded me of another open-wheel racer. Back in the early 1990s, Vancouver Indy racer Ross Bentley strived for what he called the ‘Perfect Drive’, not on the track but on the roads
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of B.C. Ross, now coaching race drivers and street drivers in Washington state, always told me that he found the racetrack a safer place to drive. On the track he pretty much knew what other drivers were going to do, whereas drivers on the street were very unpredictable. And I was reminded of that the other morning when a young driver whizzed by me in the curb lane, then cut in front and crossed two more lanes to turn left at an intersection just a block ahead. Of course, he didn’t signal when he got there either! Ross devised a little game that he played every day while travelling to and from work across town. The Perfect Drive Concept was designed to help drivers concentrate and I can’t help it would a great game for us all to play some 20 years on from when he first outlined the idea to me. “The idea is to drive smoothly at a constant speed with minimal braking,” explains Ross, who tells me he still tries to achieve the Perfect Drive daily. “To do so, you must anticipate light changes and ease off when you approach a stale green. You have to slow in such a way that if your passengers had their eyes closed they wouldn’t be aware of the exact point you stopped.” Keeping a healthy distance between your car and the one you are following is key. Others do cut into the space but they disappear as fast as they arrive. And even if you ease off to open up the gap again, Ross figured if even 10 cars did that to you and stayed during the average trip you might lose a minute in travel time. “The Perfect Drive can be continued on page 27
DL#8292
Abbotsford News Thursday, October 31, 2013
A27
driveway Honda’s ‘Mean Mower’ is set for a special appearance next week in front of 60,000 trade visitors at the world’s premier automotive speciality trade show, SEMA in Las Vegas.
The 1000cc, 109hp lawn tractor will appear on Honda’s stand within the Las Vegas Convention Centre alongside the 2014 Civic coupe, which makes its world debut at the show, as well as an array of personalised Honda cars and motorcycles. Commissioned by Honda (UK) and built by its British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) partner, Team Dynamics, Mean Mower is set-up and geared to achieve a top speed of 133mph, weighing just 140kgm, producing 96Nm of torque and an incredible power-to-weight ratio of 532bhp/ tonne. The project saw Team Dynamics re-engineer a Honda HF2620 Lawn Tractor from the ground-up, adding a custom-made fabricated chassis, a 1000cc engine from a Honda VTR Firestorm, a bespoke suspension and wheels from an ATV. It features a custom-made paddle shift six-speed gear system, a bespoke sports seat, a Scorpion exhaust system and a steering rack taken from a Morris Minor. Every effort has been made to retain as much of the look of the original mower as possible. The cutter deck was custom-made in fibre-glass, to reduce weight, while, in a stroke of pure genius, the grass bag provides a happy home for the fuel tank, a high capacity oil cooler and a secondary water cooling radiator. Mean Mower can also still cut grass, at up to 25 km/h, thanks to two electric motors on the cutter deck, spinning 3 mm steel cutting cable at an incredible 4,000rpm. kmorgan@blackpress.ca
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FLAT REPAIRS
continued from page 26
ruined by others so I try to figure out what crazy things they might do and adjust accordingly. If I have to brake jerkily in anticipation of the other driver’s move, I don’t deduct any points!” However, if you hold up traffic or disrupt the flow then you deduct points. “The Perfect Drive can be different for everybody and you can work out your own scoring technique. I keep it simple and figure if I drop four points then that was nowhere near the Perfect Drive. I love his final comment: “Oh, and if you drop a point halfway through, you don’t give up and drive the rest of the way like a jerk.” Give it a try, it’s fun. keith.morgan@drivewaybc.ca Twitter.com/ChangeGears
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