Towing with a 2008 Ford F-250 Diesel

Towing with a 2008 Ford F-250 DieselWow. It's amazing what 650 lb-ft of torque can do for you. I towed about 9000 pounds behind a 2008 Ford F-250 Super Duty and I could hardly tell it was back there. Even crossing the mountains in Virginia and West Virginia, the truck had more than enough power and easily maintained speed up hills.I towed a 1989 Ford F-250 down to South Carolina to trade it for a 1965 Willys pickup. The Willys is in decent condition and runs very well. I plan to drive it for a few years and then restore it once some of my other vehicle projects are finished.With temperatures ranging from 70 degrees and foggy to 102 degrees and sunny, the tow rig got quite a workout. The most amazing part was how easily the truck maintained speed with a load and how quiet the rig was at speed. Unless we were climbing a hill, we couldn't hear the 6.4-liter diesel engine. The seats were very comfortable, even after 18 hours of driving in a day. Fuel economy ranged from 9.7 to 11.6 mpg, depending on the load and speed we were running. My dad came with me on the trip to help with the driving and lend a hand in the event of a disaster along the way. Since we came prepared with tools, a spare tire for the trailer, and a plan of attack, nothing went wrong. The only issue was a temporary electrical glitch that caused us to lose trailer brakes. After turning the truck off and reconnecting the trailer wiring to the truck, everything went back to normal. This took a total of about two minutes.I always knew the modern heavy duty trucks were incredibly capable, but I never fully understood how incredibly easy it could be to tow such a heavy trailer. I once towed a 1988 Jeep Grand Wagoneer behind the 1989 Ford F-250 and it wasn't anything I'd like to do on a regular basis. Diesel trucks have come a long way in 20 years and the results are simply incredible. Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

Spy Shots: Jaguar XK diesel under development

Spy Shots: Jaguar XK diesel under development

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertibles, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Jaguar

The reports are true: a 3.0-liter diesel Jaguar XK is on the way. The new XK, long due for a serious refresh, will show up in 2009 with the minor addition of the JaguarDrive selector a la XF and the major addition of a diesel engine to boost fuel economy and sales, along with two new V8s.

Since Jaguar's 2.7-liter V6, which puts out 204 hp and 320 lb-ft., is only getting bored out to 3.0 liters it probably won't match the numbers put up by BMW's 3.5-liter, at 286 hp and 427 lb-ft. But the larger lump should goose the horsepower number and seriously increase torque (we hope) at least to the level of Audi's 3.0-liter V6 diesel, which turns out 240 hp and 369 lb-ft.

If diesel economy and pump prices still don't register with you, there will still be two gas options to fuel the fires. The 4.2-liter V8 goes away to make room for the new 5.0-liter with 400 hp, and if you want whipped cream and cherries on top, hit Jaguar up for the supercharged XK-R with 500 hp.

[Source: CAR]

Spy Shots: Jaguar XK diesel under development originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michelin partners with Chinese firm to create Active Wheel system

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Tech

Click above for more shots of the Michelin Active Wheel and the Ventire Volage

Before Michelin began wrapping halos of rubber around the wheels of our cars, the hoops were made completely from wood -- horse and buggy style. That's what we call a serious innovation, and the French tire maker has got plenty of ideas to keep it at the forefront of rolling technology. The latest bit of high-tech kit revolving out of Michelin's design department is known as the Active Wheel system. Two motors, one to propel the car and another for the integrated suspension system, sit inside the hub and allow the entire drivetrain to fit neatly enclosed at each corner.

This innovative design would potentially allow for an amazingly diverse set of platforms that could be engineered to accept the same set of shoes. Depending on the size of the actual Active Wheels used, the technology could be applied to virtually any type of car. With so much going on in just the rolling-stock, it should come as no surprise that Michelin is looking for partners to help offload some of the rest of the car's design and has just signed an agreement with CITIC Guoan Mengguli Corp. in China. Important bits like the lithium-ion battery development will be carried out in China where test-mules equipped with lithium-powered Active Wheels are already running around city streets.

Gallery: Venturi Volage

[Sources: Michelin, Automotive News - sub. req'd]

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Michelin partners with Chinese firm to create Active Wheel system originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AutoblogGreen for 12.01.08

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green

click to visit AutoblogGreen

While a lot of Americans got full stomachs and empty wallets this past weekend, the discussion of how to save Detroit through greening Detroit continued. The holiday also brought us green news from the Macy's Parade and gave us a chance to sit back and think of ten green automotive things we're thankful for.

• Forum poster proposes plan to boost fuel economy, save Detroit
• Congressional plan for green Detroit could be financially fatal
• Electric smart not expected until 2012
• Tesla opposes using advanced vehicle fund for Detroit bailout
• Prius sub-brand officially DOA
• Plug-in America applies for a spot in Obama's inaugural parade
• GMC Yukon hybrid featured in Macy Parade
• Nissan selects plant for building subcompact Chryslers
• The Swedish electric motorcycle conversion you've ever seen
• Motown to Washington caravan a bust
• Ten green automotive things we're thankful for
• VW adds Twin Drive technology to sixth-gen Golf
• Consumer reports points out automotive turkeys of '08

More headlines after the jump.

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AutoblogGreen for 12.01.08 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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