Round-up: Detroit's big new diesels for next year
Over the years, the big two-point-five may have lost market share to their overseas counterparts, but one segment that no foreign manufacturer can touch is Detroit's diesel pickup offerings. With that in mind, GM and Ford will announce the power ratings of their newest oil burners during, where else, the Texas State Fair.For General Motors, Ford and Dodge, the magical torque figure is 650.
Dodge's newly redesigned 6.7-liter, inline-six will dole out 350 hp and 650 ft./lbs. of torque when equipped in their 2500 and 3500 lines of pickups. Ford will follow Dodge's lead and boost displacement of their Powerstroke V8 to 6.4-liters, from the previous model's 6-liter powerplant, with horsepower expected to crest the 350 hp mark as well. Both vehicles will go on sale this January.
The General, whose offerings should hit dealer lots in the first quarter of 2007 as 2008 models, will attempt to win back some of its 'Professional Grade' consumers with the new Duramax. According to GM, the new diesel will make approximately 360 hp and, you guessed it, 650 ft./lbs. of torque.
Expect to see more specific figures over the next few months.
[Source: GM and Automotive News - Sub. Req.]











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jamie 10:02AM (9/12/2006)
Win "back"?
Where did they go?
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Batman 10:25AM (9/12/2006)
But GM's duramax made 360hp / 650 ft/lbs last year, too.
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HemiDakota 10:39AM (9/12/2006)
LOL...any thinking that the Cummins is not a winner in the TQ war is a fool.
Banks has demostrated using the big three and stated that the Cummins is clearly underrated and number one in the Diesel department.
That being said, Banks demostated the 5.9 I6 pushing 1000-lbs of TQ. Imagine what the next 6.7lte will do?
LOL
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goat 11:11AM (9/12/2006)
This is becoming an absurd arms race.
What is needed much more are *small* diesels, of which the big 2.5 offer precious little in the U.S.
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Ed 11:53AM (9/12/2006)
Wow, can you say "Overkill?"
Since 99% of consumers out there are pulling loads between 4,000 and 8,000 pounds when they tow, it doesn't seem like it makes a lot of sense to concentrate on boosting torque numbers beyond what they are right now. Wouldn't they win a few more customers by translating technological improvements into better efficiency?
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Guenther 11:21AM (9/12/2006)
Batman- you are correct- but the '08 model is supposed to have the clean bits on it. Not very glitzy, but definitely something.
Hemi- the bump in displacement of the cummins was necessary to meet emission requrements while maintaining good power levels. Part of the drawback, until now, was their automatic transmission- a band-aided old 4speed never intended to put up with that kind of punishment. Dodge is switching to an Aisin sourced unit that should prove an equal counterpart to the Allison 1000 that's used in the GM.
As for hot-rodding, any of the big US diesels, including the old T444D can be made to put out 1000lb-ft of tourque, but it's just not very useful, as NONE of the one-ton trucks will hold together very long with that sort of power. the biggest drawback of the cummins? it weighs 1500#- wich really taxes the front axle.
GW
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Corey W. 11:19AM (9/12/2006)
"What is needed much more are *small* diesels, of which the big 2.5 offer precious little in the U.S"
Your right about the non existent offerings of smaller diesels but that's not what application this posting is about.
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ANdy 12:26PM (9/12/2006)
Only in america!
But i sure would love to have one of those. Which one is the best of this bunch though?
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ANdy 12:33PM (9/12/2006)
What's the big 2.5? I thought it was the big 3?
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felonious.monk 12:54PM (9/12/2006)
I don't see how this is newsworthy. Give me a diesel in a midsized to even compact passenger vehicle, then I'll pay attention.
Until then... who gives a *#@$!
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Dave 2:16PM (9/12/2006)
Re: What's the big 2.5? I thought it was the big 3?
Welcome Andy, you must be new here. It's 2.5 because Chrysler is now half German.
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DPC car videos 2:39PM (9/12/2006)
This engine has to find a way into an SUV just like Audi did with their Q7 TDI.
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Greg A. 2:59PM (9/12/2006)
You mean the Chrysler group is no longer a corporation unto itself but a subsidiary of (half of) a German-American conglomerate.
But even "the Big 2.5" is a term that needs updating, since Toyota outsells the Chrysler group in the U.S. (and may outsell Ford, too, this year).
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Kumar 7:07PM (9/12/2006)
Good to see we have the comment police out in force.
"Your right about the non existent offerings of smaller diesels but that's not what application this posting is about."
Don't forget the big '2.5' reads this stuff too. How will they ever change if we only comment about the news they bring us and not about what we actually want in the marketplace.
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