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Comments
I want the bed for dirty shovels, getting into my tool chest easily, not breathing fumes from what I am hauling, carrying a 10' length of something, loading recycle plastic, aluminum, motor oil, dead batteries, etc.
For my regular needs, even the tiny Baja bed would work fine. The Baja problem for me is that the cab is too small.
Joh
Is this old news?
Ken
VVT is only on the XT right now, so that should make the base engines a lot nicer, even if absolute numbers don't jump up.
Put that together with the sheet we saw earlier, which seperated the Baja, and that tells me the Baja is the only 2.5l base engine that will not get the updates.
I hope so, that would mean the Forester, Outback Sport, and Legacy 2.5i would get a much needed power boost!
Right now power peaks at the same 5600, but torque peaks at 4000. So it looks like they improved the breathing some what to keep torque from dropping off quicly at higher revs.
The Phase II was never as good a revver as the DOHC Phase I, so this might address that.
Wonder if it'll be DOHC too?
-juice
I recall reading, or maybe hearing from the B9 rep at the Philly show, that FHI wanted Zap to recreate the Alfa look for Subaru.
-Dennis
If Subaru continues their normal cycle, the totally new (Zapped) Forester will appear here in spring/early summer of 2007 as an 08 model.
Craig
Interesting. I thought they would just bring over the JDM NA 2.5 with AVCS. I believe that model has DOHC.
They must have designed an engine just for the USDM.
Ken
~c
Also Navigation system appears to an option on at least the VDC and possibly LL Bean. I can't tell from the new model codes.
No 6 speed manual for 2006
In the diagram, the image on the left depicts low-load operation and the one on the right shows high-load or high RPM operation.
It seems to be an alternative to Tumble Generator Valves.
Forester redesign should come in MY2008, they may have meant calendar year 2007.
5 to 10% is 8 to 17hp or so. Could be anywhere from 165+8=173 all the way up to 168+17=185. I'll guess 175 for the fun of it.
-juice
Occupant sensing air bags
Multi-reflector lights
Multi-function center console
Engine specs are totally in bold (VVL)
Basically some Legacy stuff, the lights sound good though.
How much po-wahhh?
-juice
http://home.gci.net/~maddog20/pictures/subaru/Other/06-im2.jpg
It states 2007 & 2008, and for both those years the Baja is still listed. I bet we see another "new" Outback-based Baja for MY07.
Bob
Bob
Perhaps we'll be surprised and see one late this year, maybe in LA since it moves forward to November?
-juice
With a lift and a slightly bigger bed, this could be a great truck. See Toyota Tacoma.
I dont think it will ever be Subaru bread and butter though. The segment is too packed with quality offerings. My response- buy a 500$ trailer.
BTW, I've already got the trailer. The current Baja could tow it, but I'd feel better if the next Baja's towing could be rated at 3500 pounds.
Bob
They should think about making the moonroof optional (I can't believe that I, of all people, am saying that).
-juice
But as interesting as that Honda is, I see plenty of room for improvement. The middle rear seat is rock hard, the interior seems a bit cheap, and the styling is a little over the top.
I think they will be leap-frogged by a competitor's next generation truck, the question is who will that be?
If you look at the Ody, it was dominant, but then the Sienna showed up with windows that roll down, seating for 8, and AWD. 3 significant improvements.
I predict the same will happen to the Ridgeline.
-juice
Not sure I agree with that.
Can't comment on the middle of the rear seat, but even if it is hard, so are most of the competitors. The two outside rear seats are very comfortable, at least in comparison to midsize crew cabs.
I completely disagree about the interior looking cheap. It looks very purposeful—and is extremely well thought out, like all Honda. It's not trying to pretend to be a luxury car, because it isn't. It's a truck, and as such, very well done. I'm especially intrigued by the clever expandable front center console. There's very little I'd do to the Ridgeline's interior. Offer more colors? Maybe...
Styling? Well, it ain't great, but I can live with it.
I know you're not in the market for a pickup, but you really ought to drive one—and examine it closely. It's really pretty nifty.
Bob
-juice
Are there any vehicles, other than fullsize domestics that offer comfortable middle rear seating?
Bob
They are few and far between, but a vehicle that wide should easily be able to accomodate a 5th person comfortably.
Sienna and Expedition can.
-juice
John
Who is prepared to do it? We have Honda, Subaru, and the 2007 Sportrac.
I don't see anyone else giving up their solid rear axle. Toyota, Nissan, and the Avalanche are all locked in with their solid axle. It will take a major success by Honda to change their minds.
John
I see someone like Hyundai/Kia entering this market - they don't have any truck history either. Subaru most likely. A Scion would probably make more sense than a Toyota. And perhaps Lexus and Infiniti.
Bob
Another question-- is Armada AWD?
John
Yes, well sort of... It's an on-demand AWD, with a 2-speed transfer case, much like what the Expedition has. It's normally RWD, but sends power forward upon slippage. I believe it also has a part-time, center dif locked position too.
Bob
Yep. Armada, Q56 and new Pathfinder too.
Bob
Bob beat me to it.
Armada as well.
Titan and F-150 did not, but I think the light-duty versions of those pickups might next time around. Don't be surprised if they do.
Oh, and taxes are due April 15. :-)
-juice
So the only reason for the pickups not getting IRS is do to marketing concerns.
Bob
whaaat?
now I'll fully admit two things here:
1) I did not do any specific research regarding the Nissan connection I spoke of before. I just recalled that Nissan and Subaru had used the same VVT on some Japanese-only market vehicles in the past.
2) I definitely did not know this technology already existed on the 3.0R. That changes things.
however--
this is definitely not at all related to a tumble generator valve! those were built for emissions compliance only. they alter airflow in the intake port with a butterfly-- that's nothing like altering the valve timing or lift.
what you've linked an image of is clearly cam-profile changing vvt that draws its roots to honda's first VTEC from around 1990. there are many companies doing this sort of vvt today where the lifter has a hydraulic piece of it that elevates and causes it to follow a different cam profile.
~Colin
Ken
VVL would vary the degree of lift, i.e. how high the camshaft pushes the valve.
VVT would vary the timing or duration of that lift.
AVCS is a form of VVT I believe.
Honda's VTEC is actually VVTLEC, variable valve timing and lift with electronic control. So they're more advanced in that regard.
-juice
There are two general types of large-scale movements the air/fuel mixture can make within the cylinder. Whirling in the cylinder whose axis is perpendicular to the cylinder axis is called "Tumble." Whirling in the cylinder whose axis is parallel to the cylinder's axis is called "Swirl."
Subaru's Tumble Generator Valves, used in all its current turbocharged engines, obviously produce tumble. So how does one produce swirl? Simple - only open one of the two intake valves. If you look back at that diagram I posted, you'll see that one of the two valves is essentially closed in the "low load" state and the motion arrows indicate swirl.
Here's what my Internal Combustion Engine Handbook says about tumble and swirl: Hence my statement that Subaru's VVL appears to eliminate the need for Tumble Generator Valves.
Edit - Tumble Generator Valves? Isn't that what Doc added to the Delorean in Back to the Future?
No doubt.
-juice
Thanks for the link. Come to think about it, I don't recall getting my Winter 2005 Drive.
I thought it was interesting that Subaru used diagrams with pistons in a vertical position.
Ken
Take a look here. This starts with basic theory, which I'm pretty sure you have a decent grasp of, but takes it further by describing many of the VVT and VVL systems on the market. Then compare that with the link Jon provided.
-juice
But I wonder what the EJ255 engine will get, they pretty clearly say VVL. That implies it varies the amount of lift, not the phasing/timing.
-juice
however I will say this. the type of variable valve timing he linked an image to a bit ago and discussed in his last 2 posts is made to optimize fuel economy. it simply won't offer more performance-- there is no way that using 3/4 of your valve area will produce more power than using all of it. when you have 1 valve shut you will get more swirl, possibly more port velocity on the one valve still opening, but there is no way you'd get more flow than if both intake valves were open. using a hydraulic 'peg' to switch cam profiles is one thing, but the images I see depicted are not that we're changing from a mid-rpm profile to a high-rpm one-- it's more like 'normal' and 'cruise'. during cruise it switches to a flat lobe which leaves a valve shut because you don't need flow.
honda, again, has done this first. in fact they have a motorcycle using this technology, the VTR 800 sport-touring.
~Colin
-juice