There Is No Slowdown for Truck Manufacturers as Performance Improvements Accelerate Into the Fast LaneHigh Gear

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This article originally appeared in Tools of the Trade magazine.

2008 Work Vans

Since its introduction in 2003, the Dodge Sprinter has had something of an identity crisis. A Mercedes-Benz import, it debuted at Daimler-Chrysler subsidiary Freightliner dealerships and ultimately worked its way into the Dodge truck lineup; however, the vehicle itself didn't change at all over the past five years. Sprinter was popular with fleet buyers, but many tradesmen were put off by its delivery-truck size and shape and that its only power option was a small (3.0-liter) diesel engine. And work-van users lamented the retirement of the more conventional Dodge Ram van.

Chrysler apparently got the message. For 2008, the Sprinter gets a 3.5-liter V6 gas engine option (along with its carryover V6 diesel), and Dodge has revived its conventional work-van line as a cargo- and upfit-ready Grand Caravan redesigned for commercial use.

While the Grand Caravan work van doesn't (yet) offer the number of models or options available with Ford and GM vans, it benefits from the passenger model's complete redesign for 2008, and it has features valuable to tradesmen such as a commercial-duty suspension, dual power-sliding side doors, and a unique rear-access door hatch. The only engine option is a flex-fuel gas V6. It provides 175 hp and 205 pound-feet of torque.

In other van news, GM now features optional side-curtain airbags on both Chevy Express and GMC Savana work vans, as well as such safety-enhancing standard features as rear-proportioning, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with Stabilitrak automatic traction control. Both vans have a new interior design.

Both GM vans share the same lineup of engines as the GM pickups, which includes a 4.3-liter V6 base engine plus three V8 gas and one 6.6-liter V8 diesel.

For Ford vans, suspension improvements, larger brakes, and sheet metal account for most of the E-Series changes in 2008. GVWR for the E-350 bumps up to 12,500 pounds, while the GVWR for the

E-450 van now tops out at 14,500 pounds.

	GMC. The Chevy Silverado 1500 series is available with seven engine options: a 4.3-liter V6, a 4.8-liter V8, four versions of the manufacturer's 5.3-liter V8, and a 6.0-liter V8 that provides 367 hp and 375 pound-feet of torque. Regular, Extended, and Crew Cabs are available with a max towing capacity of 10,500 pounds and a payload capacity of 2,160 pounds. Bed lengths come in 6.6 or 8 feet. 800-222-1020. www.chevrolet.com.
Mazda. Built on the Ford Ranger platform, compact and sporty B-series pickups are available with a 4.0-liter V6, 3.0-liter V6, or 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine. They are available in two-door Regular Cab and four-door Cab Plus models. 800-222-5500. www.mazdausa.com.
	Ford. New to the Super Duty line is the F-450, the first factory-equipped class 4 available with a pickup bed or as a chassis cab. Super Duty engine options include a new 6.4-liter, twin-turbo diesel, a 6.8-liter V10 gas engine, and a 5.4-liter V8. F-Series trucks have a max towing capacity of 19,200 pounds and a max payload of 5,800 pounds. Regular, Super, and Crew Cab models are available. 800-392-3673. www.fordvehicles.com.
Toyota. The Tundra comes in three full-size models: the four-door CrewMax (shown) and Double Cab, and the two-door Regular Cab, and with three engine options. The CrewMax and the Double Cab have full-size, front-hinged rear doors. The trucks have a max towing capacity of 10,800 pounds and a payload rating of 2,060 pounds. Tundra cabs feature a center console large enough for a laptop computer and hanging files, a wide sliding armrest that doubles as a portable desk, two 12-volt DC outlets (three in the CrewMax), and two separate glove boxes. 800-331-4331. www.toyota.com.
	Dodge. Dodge trucks, including the Ram 3500 shown here, are available with a range of gas and diesel engines, including a 3.7-liter V6, a 4.7-liter V8, and the 5.7-liter Hemi V8; a 6.7-liter Cummins turbo diesel is available on all but the 1500 series. The Ram 2500 and 3500 with Cummins engine offers a max tow capacity of 16,400 pounds and a max payload capacity of 5,020 pounds. 800-423-6343. www.dodge.com.
Mitsubishi. Based on the Dodge Dakota, the Raider is available with a 3.7-liter V6 or a 4.7-liter V8. It is the only import-brand midsize pickup available with a V8 engine. Extended Cab models have front-hinged rear doors; Double Cabs have four full-size doors and six-passenger seating. 888-648-7820. www.mitsubishicars.com. .
	Honda. Marketed as a midsize SUV/pickup, the Ridgeline features a 4-foot-by-5-foot pickup bed, an 1,100-pound payload capacity, and a 5,000-pound towing capacity. It comes with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that puts out 247 hp and 252 pound-feet of torque. Features includes an on-demand four-wheel-drive system that automatically kicks in when needed, a tailgate that swings out or drops down, and a lockable, waterproof, 81/2-cubic-foot storage compartment below the bed floor. 800-999-1009. www.honda.com.
Isuzu. The i-290 and i-370 share a structural platform and engine with the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon. The four-cylinder i-290 (shown) provides 185 hp and 190 pound-feet of torque; the five-cylinder i-370 outputs 242 hp and 242 pound-feet of torque. The i-290 comes as an Extended Cab, and the i-370 is available with an Extended Cab or a Crew Cab. 800-255-6727. www.isuzu.com.
	Nissan. The 2008 Titan offers a longer wheelbase and an 8-foot bed option on the King Cab. It comes standard with a 5.6-liter V8 engine that puts out 315 hp and 385 pound-feet of torque, and it offers a maximum payload capacity of 2,063 pounds and a tow rating of 9,500 pounds. Three other bed sizes are available. Builder-friendly options include a lockable exterior-sidewall storage compartment, double-hinged 168-degree-opening rear doors, a factory bed tie-down system, and a spray-on bed liner. 800-647-7261. www.nissanusa.com.