Next gen Titan to offer Cummins V8

[Tave]

As has been covered, big trucks are pretty terrible offroaders, but pulling someone out isn't proof of anything. That Rubicon would eat your LR for lunch on a real offroad trail.

Though that's about all the Wrangler/CJs are good for...

The old ones were painful on the tarmac. The new ones have a nice ride but a ton of body roll. If you can get used to the motion, which is a legitimate gripe, it's not a bad highway vehicle. I thought it was fun when I was carsitting one awhile back, but I don't know about long term ownership.

[hotrodalex]

I didn't notice excess body roll on the new Unlimited I test drove. It wandered in the lane quite a bit, though.

[SVT666]

My Explorer has more body roll than the new Wrangler.  The Wrangler wanders on the highway though, but I would still take one any day of the week.  I love the 4 door version.

[Tave]

The track is so wide and short and turn-in so sharp that it does wander a little on road if you aren't paying attention. The 4-door is a little better in that regard. I don't agree with either of you on the roll though, I feel half like a drunken sailor in that thing. The transitions are smooth, and it never feels unstable, but you definitely experience a pronounced side-to-side weight transfer.

[hotrodalex]

I only drove it on city/suburban streets so it might not have been as noticeable.

[Tave]

The 4 door is better on the roll too, but still noticeable IMO.

[SVT666]

The track is so wide and short and turn-in so sharp that it does wander a little on road if you aren't paying attention. The 4-door is a little better in that regard. I don't agree with either of you on the roll though, I feel half like a drunken sailor in that thing. The transitions are smooth, and it never feels unstable, but you definitely experience a pronounced side-to-side weight transfer.

I never said the roll wasn't pronounced, I just said my Explorer's is worse.

[Raza]

I can see the fun in an ATV or jet ski.  Boats, horses, and RVs are totally lost on me.

Boats I get because I like the water.  Horses I get because I can see the appeal, they're just not for me.  ATVs sound like fun, but I think I'd like to try a hovercraft instead.  Jet skis are for douches only.  I don't get RVs at all.  I want to shit in a bucket next to my bed and then drive it around!

[S204STi]

Wrangler is terribad on pavement, but a boss offroad.  I'd rather go with an Xterra.

[TurboDan]

My Explorer has more body roll than the new Wrangler.  The Wrangler wanders on the highway though, but I would still take one any day of the week.  I love the 4 door version.

I test drove a Wrangler and, while cool for what it is, I wouldn't have been able to live with one day in and day out. The interior also sucked balls, although the new ones in a certain trim (forget which one) are actually pretty nice, so I'd consider one next time around. There's no way I'd ride around with mud tires, though, or anything of the sort, which kind of brings the off-road capability down to that of a competent-but-limited SUV anyway. Wranglers also tend to perform not-so-great in soft beach sand (in my observation of living at the beach my whole life) which is the primary off-road surface I drive on. But I'd still try one out as my next vehicle, assuming the interior issues are resolved, which I think they are. I've always really liked Jeeps, in general.

I like Xterras but the interiors are horrific and the options packages are abysmal. If you don't care about that stuff (and LOTS of people do not) they're good in the "bang for the buck" sense. The prices on them are usually pretty spectacular.

I personally think the best blend of off-road and daily driver is the 4Runner. It's a little big for my taste, though, which prevented me from considering it. But that's just a matter of personal preference. Most people would be cool with the size. I probably would too at this point, after driving an SUV for almost two years.

[hotrodalex]

I drove a Modern Warfare 3 edition (4 door) that had all the options and a decently nice interior. Too bad about the silly video game branding.

[Rupert]

The old ones were painful on the tarmac. The new ones have a nice ride but a ton of body roll. If you can get used to the motion, which is a legitimate gripe, it's not a bad highway vehicle. I thought it was fun when I was carsitting one awhile back, but I don't know about long term ownership.

Other than the ridiculous roll and sometimes scary handling, they drive OK-ish, but they're still NVH nightmares. I've only driven the Rubicon 4-doors, though.

[Rupert]

I never said the roll wasn't pronounced, I just said my Explorer's is worse.

I've driven both, and I disagree (though the Exploder does have worse-than-average roll).

[Soup DeVille]

Other than the ridiculous roll and sometimes scary handling, they drive OK-ish, but they're still NVH nightmares. I've only driven the Rubicon 4-doors, though.

The four door TJs were still miles better than the earlier Jeeps.

[Rupert]

Oh yes, absolutely. It's just that the earlier Jeeps were light years behind everything else.

[Mustangfan2003]

So back to the original story, Toyota might get into the game next

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/09/02/toyota-tundra-cummins-diesel-engine/

More head explosions from Cougs

[hotrodalex]

Hey guys, let's just make every truck exactly the same!

[Mustangfan2003]

Well you can chose between a Freightliner or a Kenworth with the same Cummins engine. 

[280Z Turbo]

Hey guys, let's just make every truck exactly the same!

Fine by me. Truck enthusiasm should be discouraged

[S204STi]

So back to the original story, Toyota might get into the game next

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/09/02/toyota-tundra-cummins-diesel-engine/

More head explosions from Cougs

I wish GM would take their own small-displacement V8 diesel out of mothballs and give it a whirl.  It was designed with reverse-flow heads and a turbo in the valley, similar to the BMW turbo V8s, gas or diesel.

[Tave]

Other than the ridiculous roll and sometimes scary handling, they drive OK-ish, but they're still NVH nightmares. I've only driven the Rubicon 4-doors, though.

You know that's another legit gripe. About a year before I drove the 2-door, my friend had a Rubicon 4-door for a summer. We had a blast taking it camping, but the NVH and appointment-fit items were unbelievably bad. Interior bits creaked and squawked all over.

IMO, the 2-door was a lot better. The plastics were cheaper but the interior feels more buttoned-down.

[Mustangfan2003]

I wish GM would take their own small-displacement V8 diesel out of mothballs and give it a whirl.  It was designed with reverse-flow heads and a turbo in the valley, similar to the BMW turbo V8s, gas or diesel.

I think GM was even considering using that engine for Cadillac to help meet CAFE standards.  Maybe this will make Ford and GM go back to their plans for half ton diesels. 

[S204STi]

I think GM was even considering using that engine for Cadillac to help meet CAFE standards.  Maybe this will make Ford and GM go back to their plans for half ton diesels. 

I'm pretty sure most of the R&D has already be completed.  May need some tweaks for new standards WRT DPFs and DEF exhaust treatment, but that shouldn't impact the basics of the package.  The new high-voltage glow-plug system in the current 6.6 allows for instant startup, too.

[Raza]

Hey guys, let's just make every truck exactly the same!

They're not already all the same? 

[Mustangfan2003]

I'm pretty sure most of the R&D has already be completed.  May need some tweaks for new standards WRT DPFs and DEF exhaust treatment, but that shouldn't impact the basics of the package.  The new high-voltage glow-plug system in the current 6.6 allows for instant startup, too.

I'm pretty sure that engine was ready to go but GM backed out when they nearly went bust.  Ford was going to use a Land Rover diesel but I don't know if they are still doing the engine production for them anymore or not.

[S204STi]

I'm pretty sure that engine was ready to go but GM backed out when they nearly went bust.  Ford was going to use a Land Rover diesel but I don't know if they are still doing the engine production for them anymore or not.

Yeah, it was a combination of financial problems, and dropping gas prices making the diesel seem less economically viable.