txGarage on the infield track at Texas Motor Speedway for the SRT Track Experience

Last week, we were invited to come out and experience the SRT Track Experience put on by the SRT division of Chrysler and the Richard Petty Driving School. This is a member’s only experience, hence to be involved, you must first purchase a SRT product. None of the staff at txGarage own any SRT products, but luckily, it’s more about who you know.

Let us first talk about what SRT stands for. SRT stands for Street and Racing Technology and is the high-performance divisions of Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge. When you purchase any of these SRT products, this SRT Track Experience is included into the price; so if you don’t attend one of these events after buying your car, you’re definitely missing out.

The run down:

[SinglePic not found] The event is held at Texas Motor Speedway. We pulled up following the long road that leads underneath the massive track and parked just to the left of the infield track where we’ll get the opportunity to run some SRT products to their potential. To our left was the Media Center building in the middle of the oval. Checking in with the SRT guys, they handed me a badge with an attached flash drive. Each car is equipped with a camera system to record the driver and out the front of the car. All you have to do is pop in your flash drive and it records strait to it. It’s a pretty slick setup and the video turns out pretty good.

Next, the instructors come out to welcome everyone, get us all familiar with the concept of what we’ll be doing, and lay out some short ground rules. As quick as that, we’re splitting into teams and heading to the infield track. The lineup of SRT products we were able to drive was unfortunately mostly the 2010 lineup. They did have some 2011 Charger R/T’s and the 2011 392 Challengers on hand. Nonetheless, walking out to that track seeing a large group of high performance V8 cars just waiting to be thrashed around the track was a great feeling.

[SinglePic not found] As you could imagine, the lineup isn’t that massive. The SRT brand is pretty exclusive for Chrysler with only a hand full of vehicles making the cut. Lined up on pit-row was a group of 2011 Charger R/T’s, 2010 Chrysler 300 SRT8, 2010 Challenger SRT8, and the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. Now we’ve driven the 2011 Charger R/T and the 2011 Challenger 392 out on this same track before during the Texas Auto Roundup. This time though, we’ll be following in the tire tracks of professional drivers. If you want, or need a little more help, you can ride shotgun with one of the instructors at anytime to get some quick tips on what you should be doing.

You start off running 2 laps at a slow pace getting comfortable with the lines and braking zones of the track. Hop out of whatever car you were just in, hop in another SRT and back out. This time for 2 more laps running a little faster and a little harder on braking and exit speeds. Do another car switch and back out. The pace has increased even more and you’re now doing some hard turning, hard braking, and turning 3 laps now instead of 2.

I easily made it through the entire lineup and even got the chance to make two passes in the SRT8 Grand Cherokee. I also had time to run a few laps sitting shotgun with one of the instructors. Everyone out there was extremely nice and willing to talk and help where they were needed.

[SinglePic not found] Just as we finished up on the infield track, we crossed the street and headed to a parking lot full of cones. This was a time-attack event using the SRT8 Challenger. We got our instructions and pep talk; this was a competition event versus the other team by the way. I was first up for our team and was already nervous knowing there was no way I could keep that big, heavy car from smothering every cone on the course. I jumped in, got a few more words of encouragement from the SRT team leader and off I went. Smash the peddle to the floor and spinning the tires off the line with just enough time to get right back on the brakes hard for the first corner. After coming to a screeching halt back in the box, my time was 35.something seconds with 2 cones knocked down. Not a great time but I get to make another pass. My second pass was a little better, running in the low 34-second range, but I made it through the course without hitting any cones so I was pretty happy with myself. After everyone had their 2 passes in the Challenger, we had the chance to redeem ourselves taking on the same course with the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It was insane to think about taking this same tight track with this bigger SUV, but the AWD was now working in our favor. My time in the Jeep was about the same as my second run and amazingly I hit no cones!

Next was lunch and more time to talk with the SRT staff. This is a great bunch of guys that are dedicated to what they do and travel the U.S. for most of the year to bring these events to a town near you. After lunch, it was back out to the infield track for more fast running, taking the lessons we learned in the first 2 events and applying them back to track driving.

[SinglePic not found] The last event we were in was another competition event called head-to-head. Back out in the parking lot full of cones, they had 2 identical tracks laid out where 2 competitors could run against each other to see who was the fastest and more importantly who was the most accurate. All 4 of my runs in this head-to-head challenge I managed to hit no cones and not accrue any penalties. I was undefeated in my first 3 runs then lost my last run, being a little slower than my competitor who also hit no cones.

After this last challenge, we were all feeling good about our skills and accomplishments throughout the day. As a parting gift, we went once again to the infield track to ride shotgun with the instructors doing what they do best. With no one else on the track but professional drivers, the instructors were unleashed to run all out and really show us what these cars were made of. The distance in skill from what we were running and what these professionals can do is always nice to experience.

All in all, it was a great event and I’m extremely appreciative to the team at SRT for giving me the opportunity to take it on. These events are a great way to really experience what your car can do without having to thrash your car around these tracks. It also helps people develop their skills so they know how to handle their car and get the opportunity to feel the balance and weight shifting of the car. In my mind, all manufacturers should offer something along these lines included in the price of buying a performance car. Even non-performance cars can surprise you when you get it on a track in the hands of a skilled driver. We look forward with working further with the SRT team, Chrysler, Fiat, Dodge, and Jeep in the future and seeing what great products they have for us in the future.

Winners 1, 2, and 3

2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor at the State Fair of Texas

Unfortunately we were not able to make it out to the State Fair of Texas Media event this year, but we still have lots of news to share!

Ford:

[SinglePic not found] Ford brought, what else, but the biggest, baddest truck to be revealed at the Texas State Fair. First from Ford at the State Fair this year was the 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. If you remember we test-drove the 2011 Raptor a few months back and it’s one capable machine. For 2012, Ford expands on its off-roading abilities. New to the Raptor for 2012 is a Torsen front differential that is said to increase grip significantly on the front end of the truck and improve its capabilities in handling obstacles, steep grades, and altogether slippery conditions. Another great new feature is a front camera system. Ford claims this to be a “class-exclusive, patent-pending” technology, but it seems to be more like what Range Rover has been using for a few years now. Basically, it gives you better visibility when you need to carefully navigate around obstacles off-road. The new 2012 Raptor also adds a little in the styling side as well. New wheel design, upgraded interior packages with aluminum accents, and unique bodyside graphics round out the list. After driving the 2011 Raptor, it was hard to see what Ford could really do to make this more capable, but it doesn’t hurt to try. We can’t wait to get our hands on one of these and see how it measures up.

[SinglePic not found] Next up, Ford showed off the new 2012 F-150 FX appearance package. From what we read and what we can tell from the pictures, it looks really good. The 2012 FX will have stealthy flat-black accents, new 20-inch flat-black wheels, new stylized bodyside graphic, and black badge with read lettering. Inside, look for new black leather with red trim and some brushed-metal accents. They have also added a few new technologies to the 2012 FX including hill start assist, a new automatic 4×4 system, and expanded availability of the electronic locking rear axle.

The other big news from Ford was on their already great Eco-Boost F-150. New for the 2012 Eco-Boost 4×4 model is a 36-gallon fuel tank. This with the great gas mileage produced by the Eco-Boost V6 gives this truck a driving range up to 756 miles on one tank!

Scion:

[SinglePic not found] [SinglePic not found] Scion came to Texas and debuted for the first time the 2012 Scion xD Series 4.0 and xB Series 9.0 along with pricing for both. These are both limited production Scions that will be arriving at dealer showrooms in October this year. The 2012 Scion xD Series 4.0 comes exclusively in a premium Blizzard Pearl color. It’s been upgraded with 16-inch alloys that are finished in a smoked platinum color. The pricing for this “exclusive” xD is $16,250 with a manual and $17,050 with an automatic.

Chevrolet:

[SinglePic not found] Chevy announced the first Silverado HD to wear a Texas Edition badge. What’s included? The all-new 2012 Chevrolet Silverado HD Texas Edition is available in 2500HD or 3500HD in both extended and crew cab setups. You get 20-inch polished forged aluminum wheels, trailering package and automatic-locking differential, dual-zone automatic climate control, six-way power driver seat, Bluetooth with steering-wheel controls, power camper mirrors with integrated turn signals, fog lamps, and chrome door handles and body molding accents. There was no word on the price premium for these Texas Edition HD Silverado’s, but if you live in Texas, it’s the one to get for sure.

Toyota:

[SinglePic not found] [SinglePic not found] The Tacoma is one of the best compact pickups in America and soon it might be one of the only. With all the hype over the Raptor and other manufacturers thinking about contending with the Raptor, Toyota decided to do it their own way. For 2012, Toyota converted a limited number of Tacoma pickups into a special TRD T|X Baja Series, inspired by Toyota’s Baja racing heritage. This TRD T|X Baja Series will be powered by a 4.0-liter V6 engine with either a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic. You will see features like Active Traction Control (A-TRAC), a locking rear differential, Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC), and Downhill Assist Control (DAC). The Baja also adds BF Goodrich T/A KO tires and bead-lock style off-road wheels with an exclusive Gun-Metal Gray finish. The interior should also get a new look with a black high-contrast center console, switch plate covers, dash and upper door trim, and a new seat fabric design for the SR5 grade. This TRD T|X Baja Series Tacoma is still undergoing testing, but we can’t wait to get our hands on one!

Ram:

[SinglePic not found] Ram has been it’s own brand now for about a year and has been focused on making great trucks. New for 2012, the Ram 1500 Tradesman Heavy Duty model is said to deliver best-in-class towing and payload with a 3/4-ton capability. With it’s 11,500-pound maximum trailer rating and 3,100-pound payload this Ram 1500 Tradesman HD tows and hauls more than any other 1/2-ton truck.

Also from Ram, the new expanded Ram 1500 Express. You can now get your hands on a crew cab and quad cab 1500 Express. This lineup targets first-time buyers and delivers performance with its HEMI V-8 and Ram distinctive looks for a great price. The 1500 Express Quad Cab starts at $28,050 and the Crew Cab at $30,210 while the regular cab bases out at $23,080.

Ram also unveiled a new, longer RamBox. The RamBox is a new Ram trademark that utilizes the dead space in the rear fenders along the bed and makes them into useable toolboxes. The box now extends to accommodate 6-foot-4inch beds and is now available in all trim levels including Ram HD models.

[Gallery not found]
[source: photos and info by manufacture press release]

2012 Dodge Grand Caravan RT Red Dirt Rodz

At the Texas Auto Roundup, we had the chance to put many different cars through many different driving experiences. We never got our shot at Dodge’s new 2012 Grand Caravan R/T, dubbed the “Man Van” by Dodge, but our friends at Red Dirt Rodz not only had the opportunity to put this van on the track, they proved it did quite well.
Check out their video here, then go check out there site! RedDirtRodz.com

2011 Ram Laramie Longhorn

Not a big surprise here, but the TAWA has named their 2011 Truck and Truck Line of Texas. Brining in the top award is Ford, with the F-Series of trucks named the Truck Line of Texas. The TAWA pointed out the forever loved Raptor and the all new Eco-Boost V6 in the F-150 as reasons for the superb win by Ford.

The Truck of Texas, however, was awarded to the 2011 Ram Laramie Longhorn Edition. This is a bit of an upset to Ford as the F-150 is usually in this top spot as well. The new Ram Laramie Longhorn Edition wins on longest name-plate for sure, but it also packs great “Texan” looks and tons of power.

The Full-Size Pickup of Texas is the 2011 Ram 1500 Outdoorsman Crew Cab 4×4. The Mid-Size Truck of Texas is the great, and one of the only lasting, 2011 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4×2 Texas Edition. The Luxury Pickup of Texas is the 2011 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn Edition, also robbed from the F-150 King Ranch. Lastly, they named the 2011 Ram Power Wagon Crew Cab 4×4 as the Heavy Duty Truck of Texas. The Outstanding Truck Feature of Texas was named to Ford for the MyFord Touch.

Check out more TAWA awards right here on txGarage.

2011 Ford F-150

2010 Ford F-150 Truck of Texas

The Texas Auto Writers Association gathered together last weekend for their annual truck event known as the Texas Truck Rodeo. This year it was held in San Antonio where the trucks and SUV’s would be put through the test at the Knibbe Ranch.
Every year, the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) names the Truck of Texas after this event and for the past six years that truck has been the Ford F-150. This year was no different with the new Ford F-150 taking the big prize yet again. For 2010, the F-150 didn’t just get a new look, it got an all around new package. The interior is a nice place to be whether you are roaring down a highway or driving through an open field. The powertrain has been tweaked giving the new F-150 a boost in fuel economy by as much as 12% over the prior year model. The title for Truck of the Year seems to be well deserved for Ford’s hard work on the F-150 year after year.

Ford also earned the number one spot for Luxury Truck of the year with the 2010 Ford F-150 King Ranch. With its upscale and quiet cabin with plush leather seats, it isn’t hard to see why. This truck combines everything you would want in an upscale luxury car – including heated and cooled seats, navigation, cruise control, leather wrapped everything, and wood grain trim – with everything you would want out of a truck – including 310 horsepower, 4×4 capabilities, 8,200 pounds of towing capacity, and easy maneuverability. So if you are looking for a great truck around the 46k plus range, the King Ranch is for you.

Ford also took home awards for the 2010 Ford Flex EcoBoost (Full-Size Crossover Utility Vehicle of the Year), the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Supercab (Full-Size Pickup Truck of the Year), the 2010 Ford Expedition King Ranch (Full-Size Sport Utility Vehicle), and the 2010 Lincoln MKX (Mid-Size Crossover Utility). They also claimed the Truck Line of Texas award and claimed the award for Outstanding Feature with its Ford Work Solutions.

So was there anything left to give out after Ford grabbed up its eight awards? Well yes, GM racked up two awards with one vehicle. The 2010 Cadillac SRX 2.8 Liter Turbo beat out the competition for Luxury Crossover Utility Vehicle of the year and took an overall victory with Crossover Utility Vehicle of the year. The 2010 SRX 2.8L Turbo is a great 2.8L V6 turbocharged to 300 horsepower with a 6-speed transmission. The powertrain hooks up to an All-Wheel Drive system and 4-channel electronic stability control system with rollover mitigation. It also has luxuries like front and rear ultrasonic parking assist, power liftgate with memory height, adaptive remote start, 10 speaker Bose 5.1 Cabin Surround Sound system, navigation, rearview camera, and a laundry list of more. This CUV with its Cadillac sleek looks and premium luxury most definitely deserved these awards.

The 2010 Mercedes-Benz GL350 BlueTEC also brought home two awards winning the Sports Utility Vehicle of Texas and Full-Size Luxury Sport Utility Vehicle of the Year. This premium 7 passenger SUV is all Mercedes, the pinnacle of luxury. Coming in at a price just under $60,000 the only complaint I’ve heard about this luxury SUV is that its Navigation system and radio don’t split screen. The BlueTEC has a 3.0 liter V6 producing 210 horsepower with a 7-speed automatic transmission affording you 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway.

Lexus won out for the Mid-Size Luxury Sport Utility Vehicle with its 2010 Lexus R450h. The “h” of course is for the hybrid drivetrain that now produces 295 hp (27% better than last year). Everything has been re-looked at on the RX, including the sheetmetal used. The sheetmetal used on the 2010 RX is slipperier than before with a 0.32 coefficient of drag. They also updated the interior including an “iDrive” like information center called “Remote Touch”. This is something Lexus has needed to really compete in the luxury market.

The 2010 Subaru Outback claimed the Compact Crossover Utility Vehicle title. The Outback has grown over the years but always remains true to its nature, a 4×4 off-road machine. Probably the first to be able to claim the rights of being a Crossover Utility Vehicle the Outback has always been a great ride. The 2010 is larger, more fuel efficient, and higher up than its predecessors. You have the choice between a 2.5 liter 4 cylinder boxer engine with a 6 speed manual transmission pushing 170 hp or a 3.6 liter 6 cylinder boxer engine with a 5 speed automatic transmission pushing 256 hp. Both come with Subaru’s great all-wheel drive system as standard.

Now we have Chrysler getting into the mix with an award for the 2010 Jeep Patriot Limited 4×4. The Jeep won in the Compact Sport Utility Vehicle class. Although no one knows the future of the Jeep brand or what the Patriot might look like with some Fiat infusion, we can say that the 2010 is worth a look. The 2.4 liter inline 4 makes 172 hp and gets 23mpg city and 28 mpg highway; not bad at all. We also get to see the two trucks picking up awards for Chrysler. The 2010 Dodge Dakota Crew Cab TRX4 took home the Mid-Size Pickup Truck award and the 2010 Dodge Ram 3500 took the Heavy Duty Pickup Truck award.

Last but not least, the 2010 Toyota 4Runner Trail Edition picked up an award for Mid-Size Sports Utility Vehicle of the Year. We first saw the 2010 4Runner at the debut at the State Fair of Texas media day. I knew from that day this was going to be a great new SUV, especially for the younger audience. Features like “party mode” allowing the 4Runner’s sound system to be concentrated toward the rear of the vehicle for tailgating parties is just one of the many details Toyota has looked at while making the new 4Runner. The reason the Trail Edition made it to the top of the list for Texas is for the cleaver off-roading capabilities of the 4Runner.

For more information on the Texas Truck Rodeo check out the TAWA site:

Dodge Ram 3500 Heavy Duty w/ Cummins Turbo Diesel

On day two of the press meet for the State Fair of Texas we had the pleasure of witnessing two major reviles for the truck industry and the Texas markets. We started off at the Dodge camp to hear about the all new Ram 3500 Heavy Duty with the Cummins Turbo Diesel. Dodge has done a lot of work on this truck not just to distinguish it from the smaller Ram 1500 but to also make the truck more economical, powerful, attractive, and useful. The Ram has been growing in market share for the last several years and they hope to continue in that growth with this new Ram.

2011 Super Duty w/Turbo Diesel

Next we strolled over to the, more impressive, Ford display. Ford had our first real big reveal for the day with its all new Super Duty truck hiding under black sheets as we passed. We first got some information and background for the new Super Duty from Mark Fields, Fords President of Ford America. Then we heard from Adam with the Ford Diesel Team who gave us more details on the all new turbo-diesel engine to power the all new Super Duty. The new engine is all Ford and all American and is full of the best and newest technology. Ford will be releasing the power numbers and fuel efficiency numbers for the new turbo-diesel soon but Mark reassured us that they would not disappoint. Then came the parade of 2011 Super Duty’s only feet in front of us. The first and most striking feature I noticed was the new two-bar grill as opposed to the standard three-bar grill Ford has been using. Next was the massive Ford emblem in-between those bars, soon after I had noticed it Mark Fields explained to everyone that this is the biggest blue oval Ford has ever put on a vehicle. The looks of the new Super Duty are striking and the interior looks to be in good order, as Ford has been working with the materials they put in their cars and trucks for a few years now that didn’t surprise me much. The thing that did surprise me was the technology put into the center interface of the truck. It’s not just a sales pitch, you really can run your entire business from this truck. I liked the new Super Duty and recommend it to anyone or business looking for a great full-size truck, but personally I’d take the Raptor.

Fifth Gen Toyota 4Runner

After viewing the Ford debut and sneaking off to check out some mustangs while everyone else was interested in the new Super Duty, now we head inside to see the highly anticipated debut of the Toyota 4Runner. Bob Carter the new Vice President and General Manager of Toyota was there to give us the rundown of the new fifth-generation 4Runner and even introduced Jack Nishimura, the Chief Engineer, who drove the new Toyota on the famous Rubicon trail. He also told us about the 4Runners new 2.7 liter four cylinder engine which gets 23mpg and has a hefty horsepower rating for climbing the trails. The other choice of engine is the 4.0 liter V6 pushing 270 horsepower and 278 lb-ft of torque while still maintaining a 17 city/ 22 highway fuel economy rating. Bob Carter also told us that the V6 in this 4Runner has 30% more horsepower than the old V6 offered and 10% more than the old V8 offered in the 4Runner while maintaining higher fuel economy as well, now that’s impressive. The 4Runner also has new off-roading features like “Crawl Control” and also has cool features like “Party Mode” which makes the rear of the SUV into party central when the rear-gate is open. I felt like the new 4Runner was a great SUV to own with a huge amount of technology and thought put into the design. If I didn’t have my Suzuki XL7, and needed another SUV this would be up there in my list of must haves.

Terrain Lane

Today we had the privilege of attending the first of two media days for the State Fair of Texas Auto Show. We met up at the Studios of Las Colinas only knowing that today would be dedicated to General Motors, more specifically Buick and GMC. We were in for a treat with two vehicles that I have actually been eager to check out and drive. With all the hype around GM bringing better quality and design to their brands, I knew that these cars would have to be good.

GMC Terrain Front

Our first treat was the all new GMC Terrain, GMC’s new mid-sized crossover SUV. GMC is excited about this new model hoping that it would appeal to a wider audience than the everyday GMC. The Terrain, although built on the Equinox platform, only shares two body panels with the Equinox. It will be offered with a 2.4 liter inline four or a 3.0 liter V6 both mated to a 6 speed automatic gearbox with a manual mode. One big thing GMC tried to tackle in this new SUV was fuel efficiency. The 2.4L has an estimated 22 city and 32 mpg highway rating, which is unbelievably good. Even the V6 has a 17 city and 25 mpg highway rating while still maintaining 264 hp and 222 lb-ft torque and a towing capacity of 3500 lbs. So all in all I think the they did a great job in the fuel efficiency standpoint.

GMC Terrain Dash

So what about the looks a feel of the Terrain? The outside looks sleek and bold. It keeps the masculine look associated with GMC with flared fenders, big headlights, and a big bold grill. The interior was about the best I’ve seen from any GM brand in a long time. The contrast of textures and colors, the sophistication and ease of the center control panel, and the steering wheel and cluster look and feel gives the Terrain an upscale feel. During the drive the suspension felt smooth and direct and the power was never lacking. The Terrain drives with ease like a smaller car or SUV but with the look and feel of a bigger SUV.

I think that GMC and GM has really hit the nail on the head with the Terrain. I was very impressed and thats coming from someone that doesn’t like big SUV’s. I accept GMC will have a real hit on their hands with this one.

Buick LaCrosse

Next up was the all new Buick LaCrosse. Ever since I saw this car as a concept I pleaded for Buick to bring something with as bold and sporty design to the market. Needless to say I think the car looks great on the outside and seeing it in person did not disappoint. It will be offered with a 3.0 liter V6 with 255 HP (replaced later this year with a 2.4 liter four) or in the CXS top of the line you get GM’s 3.6 liter V6 pushing out 280 HP and 259 lb.-ft of torque, both with a six speed automatic gearbox with manual mode. The drive was smooth but not as smooth as you would expect from a Buick. The other thing I just can not get over, even arguing with others at the media event, was the interior. You could tell that they put a lot of thought into the layout and the materials in the car but it just didn’t seem as luxurious as the Terrain, or even any more than an Impala at that. I couldn’t put my finger on it, I just couldn’t get into the gray leather and gray dash and gray headliner. The one good thing that stuck in my head was the instrument panel with backlit gauges and a beautiful ice-blue ambient glow throughout the cabin. All in all I would say the LaCrosse’s design is a success but is it enough to draw people away from Acura or Lexus? I don’t think so.

Buick LaCrosse Dash

The big surprise after driving the Terrain and the LaCrosse was a set of new Camaros. Review coming soon! Tomorrow we check out what Ford, Dodge, and Toyota have for us.

check out the Photo Gallery HERE

Yes! this was in Texas

The hardest hit market in the auto industry during this ongoing recession was the Truck market. Texas, being the largest Truck market in the world, was obviously hit the hardest by the dwindling sales. There is light at the end of the tunnel as Automotive News reports that dealers in Texas are reporting more fleet and retail traffic. In August the F-150 saw its first increase over prior year sales since 2006.

Autoblog goes as far as tying the entire economic recovery to truck sales in Texas, and they have a good point. Let’s all hope that this trend continues and our friends in the car market here in Texas begin to show some success again.