One hundred years of engineering and the growl of the 5.3L V8 ECOTEC3 engine provoked a big grin on my face as I started up Chevrolet’s Centennial Edition Silverado Z71. The bold front end mated to the truck’s stance with special commemorative badging was just a hint of the awesomeness I would enjoy as my family and I departed for Seminole Canyon State Park, located near the Mexico/U.S. border in Texas.
Chevy is no stranger to quality-built trucks and the 2018 Silverado 1500 LTZ with the Z71 package is no exception. Three powertrain options are offered, including a 4.3L V6 with variable valve timing, putting out 285 hp and 305 lb.-ft. of torque, averaging 17/22 mpg in the four-wheel drive version; a 5.3L V8 with variable valve timing, putting out 355 hp and 383 lb.-ft. of torque, averaging 16/20 mpg in the four-wheel drive version; and a stout 6.2L V8 with variable valve timing, putting out 420 hp and 460 lb.-ft. of torque, averaging 15/20 mpg. Our crew cab test vehicle’s 5.3L V8 provided plenty of power when needed, though fuel efficiency really suffered with the Patriot Campers X2 camper in tow, delivering a paltry 11.5 mpg at highway speeds despite the truck having an eight-speed automatic transmission and trailer tow rating of 11,700 lb. This is relevant as the trailer, fully loaded as it was for our journey to Seminole Canyon, weighed about 1,800 lb. I’m curious how the larger, stouter 6.2L V8 performs with a comparably sized trailer in tow.
Read MoreIt was the 1920s and the world had evolved. In San Ciro de Acosta, located within the state of San Luis Potosi in Mexico, a young family was living on a farm and sharing in the responsibilities of farm life. The family was large with a total of eight children but due to illness, three of the children passed away. Shortly thereafter, both parents – my Great Grandparents – died within a year of each other, leaving the remaining five children without family and without an inheritance, causing them to eventually move to Mexico City where they lived on the streets and struggled to survive. The youngest of these children, Jeronimo, was my Great Uncle. He developed an entrepreneurial spirit as a young boy and eventually turned himself into a successful businessman who, amongst other things, loved anything and everything Americana. Whether it was something as mundane as drinking a Coke or as expansive as his passion for Harley-Davidson motorcycles, my Tio Jero enjoyed American ingenuity. He also loved Jeeps.
Read MoreHarley-Davidson Motor Company (NYSE:HOG) and Tuscany Motor Co. will introduce the first Harley-Davidson edition GMC pickup in history at the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona on January 11, 2020. Only 250 Harley-Davidson branded GMC® Sierra® trucks will be available through select authorized GMC/Tuscany dealers in North America.
"Fans have long hungered for a limited edition GMC truck that celebrates their passion for Harley-Davidson motorcycles," said Jeff Burttschell, Vice President, Tuscany Motor Co. "Working closely with Brad Richards, Vice President of Styling and Design at Harley-Davidson, we created a fantastic truck worthy of the Harley-Davidson name. For the first time in history, it will be possible to rumble down the road in a V8 powered Harley-Davidson edition GMC truck."
The new pickup includes over 65 edition-specific components that make the 2020 model truck distinctly Harley-Davidson. The styling was inspired by the famous Harley-Davidson® Fat Boy® model.
Read MoreAs a native Texan I’ve been around trucks my entire life. And as is the case with most everything in my home state, trucks are bigger in the Lone Star state. Enter Nissan’s Titan full-sized truck.
Introduced with the 2004 model year, the Nissan Titan has evolved to become one of the most underrated trucks on the market. The example I spent my time in, the PRO-4X, is one of several Nissan vehicles enhanced with an off-road prowess that’ll get you from Point A to Point B, whether it’s to the local grocery store or across the Sonoran Desert.
Read MoreBarrett-Jackson, The World's Greatest Collector Car Auctions, is continuing its decades-long tradition of consigning the very best classic American muscle collector cars for its 49th Annual Scottsdale Auction, January 11-19, 2020, at WestWorld of Scottsdale. One of the finest No Reserve offerings in Scottsdale history, the 2020 docket will feature rare, prototype, restored and original American muscle cars that dominated the tracks and streets throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
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