Sporty News Looks for the Nissan Frontier and Titan


Quick Facts … With comments by your SAVVY Publishers, Beverly & Steve Smirnis Quick Facts:


Chevy fittingly touts the Silverado as the longest-lasting, most dependable full-size pickup on the road. An ad that debuted during the past Super Bowl, shows the Silverado navigating devastation and destruction at the end of the world.* A group of friends, who are Silverado owners, makes its way to the designated meeting spot but notice one of their buddies is missing. The missing friend, unfortunately, drives another manufacturer's truck and doesn't appear to have made it to the meeting point.


Photos, courtesy of Nissan®


Quick Facts: Nissan is going after a younger market segment with the introduction of the Sport Appearance Package on its Frontier and Titan trucks. The package includes 18-inch SL aluminum-alloy wheels in dark hyper silver finish, dark grille treatment, body colored front and rear bumpers, body side sport graphics, fog lights, seats featuring bolsters and contrasting stitching, white-faced gauges, Bluetooth®


Hands Free Phone System and much more.


The 2012 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X finished first place the Mid-Sized Pickup category at the Texas Truck Rodeo due to its extraordinary power and off-road athleticism. This is the truck that you may have seen on a commercial during the past NFL season. It features the Nissan Frontier traveling down a large snow covered mountain in a manner similar to a snowboarder run to illustrate these capabilities.* Frontier continues to offer an exceptional level of on- and off-road performance with the use of a 4.0-liter DOHC V6 engine rated at 261 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque. A 152- horsepower 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder engine is also available (King Cab only). With its strong performance, combined with good fuel mileage (17 city, 21 highway, King Cab 2WD), the Frontier is a fitting truck for work or play.


The full size 2012 Nissan Titan PRO-4X also continues to make the Titan a rugged, reliable, spirited choice for active truck buyers seeking style, innovation and excellent value. It is built on an F-Alpha pickup platform, featuring a powerful 5.6-liter DOHC Endurance V8 rated at 317 horsepower and 385 lb-ft torque.


Beverly says: Among the pickup trucks that I've driven recently, I particularly enjoyed the Nissan Frontier. Its smaller size makes it easier to maneuver, and it had a lot of zip.


Chevy's Silverado HD and Tahoe Out-Muscle When it Comes to Towing


The 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD and Tahoe Can Haul!


Photos © GM Company.


The heavy-duty truck segment is one of the industry's most competitive categories, and one in every six HDs is sold in Texas. Chevy did a major update to the Silverado HD for 2011, which lead to a number of awards, including 2011 Motor Trend Truck of the Year. The big news in 2011 was new frame and suspension designs, and a more powerful Duramax diesel engine with 397 horsepower, 765 lb.-ft. of torque, and 11 percent better fuel- economy. As a result, the 2011 Silverado HD proved capable of towing up to 21,700 pounds, or carrying 6,635 pounds of payload. Other improvements included confidence- and control-related features specifically for towing including electronic trailer sway control, hill start assist and a smart exhaust brake system. The Silverado heavy-duty lineup rolls into 2012 with even greater towing and payload capacities to lead the segment, including:


■ ■ ■


Best-in-class 1-ton fifth-wheel towing capacity of 23,000 pounds (10,430 kg) Best-in-class conventional towing capacity of 18,000 pounds (8,164 kg) Best-in-class payload of 7,215 pounds (3,272 kg)


Also new for the 2012 Silverado HD are an available navigation radio with a built-in hard drive, heated/cooled seats for LTZ models, and a Z71 Off-Road appearance package.


Towing capacity is also the main attraction of Chevy Tahoe in the full-size SUV category. A strong V8 engine generating 320 horse- power and 335 lb-ft of torque provides capability to tow more than 8,000 pounds with energetic acceleration, while a well-tuned suspension yields a cushioned ride. The LTZ adds the autoride suspension with variable shock damping and air-assisted load-leveling, which is helpful when towing. Or if off-road prowess is what you're looking for, you may want to opt for the Z71 suspension package with specially tuned spring, monotube shocks, and skid plate with an aluminum front underbody that helps keep the vehicle free of debris. The Tahoe can achieve all these capabilities while seating eight passengers! Three rows of seating are standard on all models.


Chevrolet Tahoe is available in LS, LT, LTZ and Hybrid models, all offered in 2WD and 4WD. Each is built on GM's full-size SUV platform that features a fully boxed frame, coil-over-shock front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering. Wide front and rear tracks enhance handling and lower the center of gravity give the Tahoe a confident road feel. Combining Active Fuel Management™ technology and the Vortec™ engine's efficient air-to-fuel mix, give Tahoe its impressive horsepower without compromising fuel economy. For even greater fuel economy in a full-size SUV, customers can select the Tahoe Hybrid. It uses GM's patented two-mode hybrid system to deliver a 33-percent improvement in fuel economy in city driving.


Changes and new features for 2012 include a new hard-drive navigation radio with a USB port, Time Shift Recording capability and more. Also new is a leather-wrapped heated steering wheel and StabiliTrak now incorporates trailer sway control and hill start assist.


Steve says: The Chevy HD is a hard-working tool for hard-working Texans; if you have a heavy load to haul this is your vehicle. The Tahoe with the LTZ package, in my opinion, rivals the contenders in the full size luxury SUV class… but comes with a much more affordable price tag.


IXII GREATER DFW METROPLEX BUILDING SAVVY MAGAZINE


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SAVVY TRUCKS & TOYS


Quick Facts … With comments by your SAVVY Publishers, Beverly & Steve Smirnis


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