Posts Tagged ‘Crew Cab’

2011 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4×4

Wednesday, April 13th, 2011

Review and photos by
Jil McIntosh, Autos.ca

I’ve never stood at the helm of an ocean liner, my hand on the controls, watching as the enormous ship responds to my commands. But way up in the cabin of my 2011 Ram test truck, I think I have some inkling of how it feels.

2011 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4x4

2011 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4x4

This truck is big. This truck is very nice, but it is very, very big. And while that may appeal to many buyers, it’s unnecessarily large, as are all of its oversized competitors these days. My 1995 Dodge 1500, purchased at a time when it was pretty much the biggest of the big, looks more like a Dakota when parked alongside. It will be interesting to see who will be the first truck maker to finally pull back the reins. And now that I’ve got that off my chest, let’s see what this Ram has to offer. (That’s the proper name of it now, by the way; Ram has become its own brand, although I still think of this truck as a Dodge.)

There aren’t a lot of changes from the 2010 model, but one that applied to my Laramie 4×4 was a new, active on-demand transfer case, which is also standard on the Big Horn and Outdoorsman trim levels. (more…)

2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 4WD Crew Cab

Sunday, April 3rd, 2011

Review and photos by
Jil McIntosh, Autos.ca

If there’s anything General Motors has learned from the tough times it faced in the past, it’s that you need to spend the money where it counts. So while the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD (heavy-duty) is a new model, you’ll probably say it doesn’t look much different from the 2010 version, apart from a new domed hood and chrome bumpers. That’s because the cash was channelled into the stuff that really matters on a heavy-duty: beefier frame, stronger suspension and more diesel power. It worked: the new model was named Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year for 2011.

2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD Crew Cab 4×4 LTZ

2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD Crew Cab 4×4 LTZ

The 6.0-litre gasoline V8 carries over, making 360 horsepower and 380 lb.-ft. of torque, but my tester was powered by the big news, a new 6.6-litre Duramax turbodiesel producing 397 horsepower and 765 lb.-ft. of torque. The block is the same as last year’s oil-burner, a 6.6-litre making 365 horsepower and 660 lb.-ft. of twist, but the guts are new, providing more power, quieter operation, and what GM says is improved fuel economy. We’ll have to take the company’s word on it, since the 2500 HD is large enough that published fuel figures aren’t available, but I noticed a considerable difference between this truck and one I’d driven in the past. (more…)