Dear Truck Trend, GM's full-size van can be fairly easily updated as market needs and styling trends evolve. It's a thoroughly proven full-ladder truck-type frame, so it's no issue at all to put any type of body design or future engine type into it. The mechanical components are time-proven and reliable; it's really just an question of tweaking the van as needed.
To me, GM and the other domestics have a huge issue with the lack of a diesel for their half-ton-rated vehicles, whether they're cargo vans or pickups, which is the biggest part of the light-truck segment. Here's a scenario where the worldwide standardization of many tailpipe abatement regulations, happening in 2014-2015, over a range of countries including Mexico, Chile, China, Brazil, India, South Korea, and others will be a boon for lowering diesel certification costs for the U.S. market.
Both GM and Ford have developable assets. Ford has its European and Asian/Australian-market 3.2-liter five-cylinder diesel, with an output that can be boosted, or an inline-six cylinder version could be created. GM has its newly developed 2500/2800cc DOHC common-rail four-cylinder engine series.
It's state of the art with common-rail D.I. and turbocharging, and it's modular: A 3500cc inline-five or a 4200cc inline-six could be conjured from the four-cylinder baseline. Either an L5 or L6 version should make well over 200 hp and more than enough practical useable torque with great fuel mileage. GM has the 6L80E and 6L90E transmissions, so there are no drivetrain issues.
Even with the higher cost per gallon for diesel, I'd love to own a four-door compact diesel pickup with a four-cylinder turbodiesel and an automatic transmission. I like the new Ranger. I also like the new GM compact truck, which will come here also but likely not as a diesel, unfortunately.
One of my favorites, the world-market Toyota HiLux (not the Tacoma), has a different, stronger high-GVW chassis and a proven 165-hp, 3.0-liter turbodiesel, and is offered with an automatic. The 4WD Toyota compact truck has a legendary and well-deserved and earned reputation for being nearly indestructible as a result of broad years of experience all over the world. A turbodiesel-powered small truck of this type would be a great daily driver, and being efficient, it would still have comparatively low operating costs.
B.P. Dumas
Paragould, Arkansas
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Dear Reader,
We totally agree! If it gets to the point that the potential profit would outweigh the cost of developing the engines for North America, we think there's a market for them. Manufacturers don't have to spend a lot of money to make the engines butter-smooth or super quiet; they just need to make them work well, pass emissions regs, provide a lot of low-end torque, and last a long time.
!!!!!Congratulations, B.P.! Your letter was selected as the Letter of the Month. For that our friends at Leer will provide you with a brand-new, low-profile, custom-fit Leer 550 fiberglass tonneau for your ride!!!!!
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-Truck Trend
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