GMC Sierra HD

These Burly pickups from GMC are designed, stem to stern, for hard work. But that’s not to say you need to hold a contractor’s license or own a farm to justify their space in the driveway. Folks who like to haul big toys out to play can just as easily appreciate the Sierra HD’s impressive resume. The Sierra HD trucks were introduced last year as part of GM’s push to dominate its competitors in the tough truck segment. I have seen many car games and truck games, but one the most strange thing is I have never seen any GMC vehicles in any famous racing games. Led by a lineup of powerful V8 engines, tough transmissions and a rock solid chassis the HDs are for anyone who needs to take heavy stuff from point A to point B.

There are quite a few models to choose from considering the 2500 HD and 3500 HD are available in various chassis configurations, such as Regular Cab, Extended Cab, Crew Cab, Chassis Cab, long box, short box, 2wd, 4wd… you get the idea. Payloads range from 3301 lb. to 5555 lb, with gross vehicle weight ratings topping out at 11,400 lb. Towing capabilities can reach 16,300 lb. To manage those loads, GMC has outfitted the Sierra HDs with some serious power. The base engine for all models in the Vortec 6000 V8 strong, but shadowed by the optional Vortec 8100 (340 bhp and 455 lb.ft of torque).

Lincoln Blackwood

Mark Hutchins, president of Lincoln Mercury accurately describes the Lincoln Blackwood as ‘a unique American interpretation of luxury’. With a Lincoln luxurious cabin for four, followed by a 26.5 cu.ft, cargo truck that might be thought of as the world’s most ornately trimmed pickup bed, the Blackwood is unabashedly American in concept and execution; Lincoln refers to it as a Luxury Utility Vehicle.

The personality split between luxury and utility appears eve. Despite its decidedly upscale trappings and lowered ride height, the Blackwood remains a capable hauler that counts a built in Class III/IV trailer hitch among its bountiful list of standard equipment and almost used in every truck games as a luxury truck. Spanning the 138.5-in. wheelbase is a ladder frame using an independent unequal length A-arm front suspension teamed with a live axle rear setup combing both leaf and load leveling air springs. Towing capacity is a commendable 8700 lb, made safer by disc brakes that resides at all four corners behind 18x8-in.rims mounting massive P275/55R-18 Michelin Cross Terrain tires developed specifically for the Blackwood.

The 4 wheel antilock brake system in enhanced by electronic brakes, force distribution (EBD) that allows the rear wheels to perform a greater share of overall braking as weight on the rear axle increases. Electronic traction control and a limited slip differential are also standard equipment, but late in the model year a viscous differential called Viscolok will become available.

Ford Expedition

We have seen many outstanding vehicles from the Ford in many car games, mostly in free room car racing games commonly known as Midnight Club and Test Driver Series. Ford built its one millionth Expedition in May 2001, not a bad accomplishment in such a crowded SUV market. It took Ford slightly less than five years to reach this milestone, and the company was so proud they celebrated by giving away unit number 1,000,000 to a luck individual in a special ceremony.

Changes for 2002 are modest, because a 2003 Expedition incorporating several upgrades will make an early debut year. The new gear on the 2002 is mostly limited to the availability of a rear seat entertainment organizer on both XLT and Eddie Bauer versions. The structure includes a 6.8 in. drop down LCD monitor accumulated in the above your head console, a bottom mounted VHS players, two chairs of wireless earphones and game output jacks. A few paint insignia have been deleted, and some of the features of a variety of options packages have been juggled, but beyond that the 2002 Expedition is familiar territory. There are still only two models to choose from, the XLT and Eddie Bauer editions.

Chevrolet Avalanche

You can almost imagine a mad scientist working in his mountaintop laboratory. A Chevrolet Suburban SUV lies connected by wires and tubes to a Chevrolet Silverado pickup. At the smoke of midnight, a bolt of lightning jolts the duo. Amid a shower of sparks and a cloud of smoke, shazammm, the two fuse together and create the Chevrolet Avalanche. It’s alive! Chevrolet is also participating in many truck games like Monster Truck Madness to show there different vehicles to attract the viewers.

With apologies to Mary Shelley and Boris Karloff, the Avalanche represents a new creation. And the villagers appear to be happy, buying every example in sight. Other companies have tried to find the sweet spot for that add commingling of SUV and pickup, but have come away with pickups that won’t carry much or SUV’s that are too truck like.

The Avalanche solves that quandary with a moveable rear bulkhead called the midgate. With the midgate up, the Avalanche is a 5 or 6 passenger SUV with a sort of 5 ft, 3 in. cargo bed. Midgate down, the Avalanche morphs to a 2 or 3 passenger pickup with an 8 ft. 1 in. bed. The conversion involves folding the rear seatback down, removing the rear window and securing it in a holder on the midgate, dropping the midgate down tilting the rear seat cushions forward.

Ford Excursion

The Excursion might look like the Super Duty pickup’s hard working brother on the outside, but things are getting mighty dandified inside. Comfort features abound in Ford’s whopper wagon for 2002. Ford has even developed an Excursion limousine conversion platform for those who simply mush have not only the finer things in life, but also the largest.

Ford, truck, SUV, engine, Excursion Truck include power adjustable pedals, just like on the Expedition. A rear seat entertainment system with DVD play will be a midyear introduction, joining the current VCR entertainment group. The XLT Premium and Limited models get a 6 way power passenger’s seat. Intermittent ‘smart’ front and rear wipers are standard.

The Deluxe steering wheel featuring air conditioning and audio controls on the Limited Ultimate is a good idea, given the vast distances to be traversed in the Excursion’s interior. The limited Ultimate comes with a variety of plush new features, such as heated front seats and the HomeLink system. The dual second row captain’s Nudo leather surfaces and inboard armrests. Other less exotic improvements are shared with the 2002 Super Duty pickups, such as the forward folding trailer tow mirrors and crystalline headlamps.

Ford Escape

After the successful introduction of Ford’s carlike Escape SUV into 2002 with minor polishing and tweaking. The Escape has quickly come to dominate the army of small, maneuverable, relatively economical sport utes that has marched ashore in the US recently. Ford established a new calendar year sales record for small Truck is 2001, selling 121,184 through September, breaking the old record set by the Honda CR-V in 1999.

The template for this class of vehicle, as followed by the CV-R, Toyota RAV4 and other, includes a compact unibody design, 4wheel independent suspension, front wheel drive and 4wd capability, the choice of 4 cylinder or small V-6 engines and a low price. Because many of these vehicles are built on car based platforms, the manufactures rarely bother with low range transfer cases or brawny off road gear. These low fat, eco-savvy urban roustabouts are the politically correct SUVs of the moment.

The Escape brings some traditional Ford Truck brio to the class. Neither the Honda nor Toyota competition offer a V-6, while the Escape can be had with either a 2.0 liter dohc inline 4 or 201 bhp 3.0 liter dohc V-6. The V-6 is now standard equipment on the XLT. The 2.0 liter engine is teamed with a 5 speed manual transmission, while the V-6 comes with a 4 speed automatic.

Chevrolet Suburban

The Suburban’s niche is knack for accommodating a healthy passenger and cargo load, and boasting a towing capacity that falls just this side of a tugboat. Available in ½ ton 1500 Series and ¾ ton 2500 Series platforms, a carefully optioned Suburban can extend its trailer towing capacity to 12000 lb. Maximum payload ranges from 2077lb. to 3153 lb. depending on the series and driveline configuration.

Those impressive weight ratings are due in large part to the Suburban’s muscular engine lineup. The LS and LT 1500 Series models come standard with the Vortec 5300 V8, while the 2500 Series trucks get the beefy Vortec 6000 V8. The serious muscle is found with the 2500’s optional Vortec 8100 engine introduced last year. With 340bhp and a peak torque rating of 455 lb.-ft., an 8100 equipped Suburban can just about move the proverbial mountain? Three transmissions are offered, all electronically controlled 4 speed automatics. The 4L60-E versions optional for the 2500 Series.

One might expect the bruiser like this to come up short in the comfort and handling departments. Not so. The 2000 model year makeover significantly improved the Suburban’s ride quality. The benefits of the precision tuned independent torsion bar front and 5 link coil rear (2500 Series models receive leaf springs and a semi floating rear axle) are further augmented by the Premium Smooth Ride suspension and Autoride shock system.