Yearly Archives: 2020

VW Golf GTI finishes a mile short

The VW Golf GTI at Jeffrey Lake, near Brady, Neb. (Kurt Wells  photo)

Right around 350 bucks is all that separated sticker prices on two new cars I drove back-to-back for review in The Post.

The 2020 Mini Cooper SE is fully electric coupe.

The 2020 Volkswagen Golf GTI 2.0T Autobahn rolled in at $37,415; almost matching that is the ’20 Mini Cooper SE all-electric at $37,750. Close in price, yet far apart in their respective market niches.

The Mini, with a limited range of 110 miles, is for short-distance runs, so, on a spring morning, with 93 miles of all-electric range showing on the Mini’s info screen, Jan and I  headed for Costco 25 miles away near Fort Collins. The load of groceries we purchased wouldn’t begin to fit in the Mini’s tiny 7.5-cubic-feet of cargo space, so we dropped the rear seatbacks, then nearly filled the entire space.

The Golf GTI, though, is launching its eighth generation, dating back 45 years, as a leader in the “great-handling hot hatch” category. It’s meant to be driven – so, we did, 600-mile round trip to Jeffrey Lake near Brady, Neb., joining Kurt and Tammy Wells for two days of the Memorial Weekend at their lakehouse.

A mile from my home on the return drive, a mechanical issue shutdown the GTI. It seemed to be a clutch problem, and I limped it home in 2nd gear with no shifts.

Since the 1970s, I’ve driven for review approximately 95 new Volkswagens; this is the first VW ever towed away from my home. I remember a Fiat towed away in the ‘70s, an Audi in the ‘90s, a couple Fords more recently for sidewall tire punctures, and the first Dodge Charger Hellcat I drove was loaded onto a transport, after emptying most of its crankcase of oil, and hauled back to Detroit.

The 2020 Golf GTI performed with a 242-horsepower, 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine and 6-speed manual transmission in front-wheel-drive configuration. Optional is a 7-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The newest GTI is a bit longer and sits lower than previously. Its comfortably bolstered front sport seats were plenty supportive over the lengthy run to the Nebraska lake. With more than half of the driving on Interstate highways, the GTI averaged 30.8 miles per gallon. We visited cemeteries at Sterling enroute and at Wray on the return.

The new Golf GTI sits on a wheelbase of 103.6 inches, is 168 inches in overall length, with curb weight of 3,062 pounds. It is fitted with lane-keeping assist and autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring.

A favorite of youthful drivers around the world, the GTI made its premiere at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in 1975. More than 2.3 million have been produced. The 2020 model is built at Puebla, Mexico.

$233,000 McLaren shines on Father’s Day

The McLaren 570S in the beauty of Rist Canyon. (Bud Wells photos)

Roars from my garage on numerous startups during Father’s Day weekend were from the English-built 2020 McLaren 570S Spider. What an absolute treat for this old dad.

This beautifully structured superperformer drew admiring stares and waves almost everywhere, from backing out of my garage to parking in a Starbucks lot to pausing among four women and a guy in a classy, age-restrictive neighborhood and out onto the roadways of northern Colorado.

Finished in elite vega blue, the $233,000 McLaren 570S boasts 562 horsepower/442 lb.-ft. of torque from a twin-turbocharged, 3.8-liter V-8 engine mounted midship and 7-speed dual-clutch seamless-shift automatic transmission in rear-wheel drive. It will run 0 to 60 in barely over 3 seconds, with a top speed of 204 miles per hour. Throttle and suspension can be set from normal to sport to track. Bright yellow calipers draw attention to its huge ceramic brake discs, 15.5 inches in front and 15 at the rear.

The McLaren 570S Spider with top down and butterfly doors up.

With its butterfly (dihedral) doors opened and the top in place, there is no smooth manner in or out of the driver seat; it is much less a chore with the top dropped. The spider stands just under 4 feet in height and its ground clearance is a tight 3.7 inches. With the touch of a button by the driver, the low-slung car will raise by 1 ½ inches and avoid scraping the driveway curbing, then as speed reaches just over 35 miles per hour the car lowers to normal diving height.

Mike Ward, the dealer out south near C-470 who operates McLaren Denver and six other luxury marques, mentioned that the 570S is the entry-level machine for McLaren. It is overshadowed by the 720S, with that much (720) horsepower. Ward said his store had sold 200 McLarens in three years. There are 26 McLaren dealerships in the U.S. The closest to Denver is at Scottsdale, Ariz., owned also by Ward. High-end businessmen and women are buyers of most McLarens, he said.

The McLaren company, launched by Bruce McLaren in 1963, today operates at Surrey, Woking, England, where the McLarens are hand-built. Among options pushing sticker price of the review model to $233,780 are Bowers & Wilkins audio and $4,780 for upgrade to twin-spoke lightweight wheels.

My final drive in the supercar was on a Monday morning, over through Loveland to Masonville and on north through Rist Canyon to Fort Collins. The well-planted McLaren, of carbon-fibre construction and responsive with adaptive dampers, fears no cornering, and it conquered every one of the hundreds of twists of Rist. Among others I’ve tested on Ritz road are Chevy Corvette Grand Sport Coupe, Porsche Carrera, Ford Mustang GT, Chrysler 300 SRT8 and Fiat 124 Abarth roadster. The McLaren’s fuel mileage was 18.9.

Seat controls, out of sight at the front inner corner of the bottom cushion, made seat and seatback adjustments on the 2020 McLaren 570S Spider a guessing game at times. I questioned, too, the small, 2-inch-square brake pedal pad for a super-performing auto such as that.

From an onlooker’s vantage, though, the McLaren drew nothing but “oohs” and “aahs.”

Its fluid style was well-received. “What a beautiful car; I love it and I don’t even know what it is,” said Colleen Callahan of Greeley. After being told it is an English-built McLaren, she said, “My late husband had a Sunbeam Tiger,” a rare sports car also from England in the mid-1960s.

Here are optional items which pushed the price of the McLaren from a base of $208,800 to sticker of $233,780:

  • Ignition key,
  • MSO Black Pack,
  • tyre pressure monitoring system,
  • Pirelli P Zero tires,
  • ceramic brakes with yellow calipers,
  • twin-spoke lightweight wheels,
  • nose life,
  • parking sensors,
  • rear parking camera,
  • battery charger,
  • branded floor mats,
  • carbon fibre interior components,
  • carbon black leather steering wheel,
  • carbon black alcantra headliner,
  • electric steering column,
  • electric and heated memory seats,
  • luxury pack,
  • jet black interior theme,
  • nappa sport interior trim,
  • soft-close doors,
  • stealth exhaust finisher,
  • sports exhaust,
  • vega blue exterior paint,
  • satellite radio,
  • Bowers & Wilkins audio,
  • transportation.

Laura Tilley,  McLaren public relations manager, reminded me before delivery of the 570S that I am restricted to only 250 miles of use. I’d completed the Rist Canyon drive and was heading home when the odometer’s trip computer registered 250.0, and I . . . . . the quick, brown fox jumped over the lazy dog’s head, the quick, brown fox jumped over the lazy dog’s head, the quick, brown fox jumped over the lazy dog’s head, the quick,

Back then . . . . . 1980 Porsche 924

Photo from article on May 17, 1980

(Forty years ago last month, in May 1980, I drove for a week a new ’80 Porsche 924 including an afternoon to Pueblo Motorsports Park where I joined the late, famed Porsche race driver Bob Hagestad, who also owned and operated Bob Hagestad Porsche Audi dealership on West Colfax Avenue in Denver. Following are excerpts from my column which appeared in The Denver Post.)

Riding into a sharp curve at 100 miles per hour with Bob Hagestad gives a hint of his race-driving mastery. The convincing moments are in completing the curve in a lower gear with RPMs approaching 6,500.

Hagestad’s race Porsche, with which he hopes to earn a national championship this year, is one of the few sports cars that will outsprint, out-handle and brake better than the standard 1980 Porsche 924.

The 2.2-mile Pueblo Motorsports Track southwest of Pueblo is marked by 10 curves, four of them sharply defined, and lots of hills. “Brake, shift and hit your point on the curve,” Hagestad said. “It’s a matter or concentration. A race driver works the curves over and over, race after race, year after year.”

Quality of the German-built Porsche 924 is outstanding. Doors snap shut tightly, body is quiet and solid, interior fit is perfect, braking is good and the engine is smooth and responsive. The car corners exceptionally well.

The little car weighs 2,600 pounds and sits only 50 inches high, with ground clearance of 4.9 inches. Turning circle is a narrow 30.8 feet. During a week of driving the sports car, fuel-mileage checks were 31.7 on the highway and 24.3 in town.

Horsepower rating is 115 for the 121-cubic-inch, 4-cylinder engine, which is slanted 40 degrees. The only practical purpose for the slant is for a lower hoodline. Its top speed is estimated at 120 miles per hour; a peg on the car’s speedometer stops the speed indicator at 85.

The 924 carried a base price of $15,970. Addition of two-tone red-and-white paint, removable top, air conditioning, electric outside mirrors, Grundig AM/FM cassette with equalizer, 15-inch alloy wheels and a $1,960 sports group boosted the window sticker price slightly above $20,000.

Because of less body movement from the stiff suspension, Hagestad’s racing version felt much safer at high speeds on the race track than did the stock 924 I was driving.

’20 Frontier gets new V-6, 9-speed

’20 Frontier gets new V-6, 9-speed

Same old truck (still a model year away from redesign) until the hood is lifted.

My gosh, Nissan has pulled a fast one, moving ahead the production of powertrain for the new-look 2021 Frontier pickup and slipping it into the long-in-the-tooth 2020 version.

And, oh, my, what a difference, as the standard 4cylinder and the optional 4.0 V-6 have been replaced with a 310-horsepower, 3.8-liter V-6 engine and the old 5-speed automatic transmission has given way to a smooth, quick-shifting 9-speed automatic.

Among new standard features are push-button start, leather shift knob, manual-tilt steering, power door locks and power windows.

The new direct-injection V-6 delivers 281 lb.-ft. of torque and provides quick response with the shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive system.

The old-style 2020 Frontier with the new power will go on sale in July.

Why would Nissan go to the trouble of installing the new engine and transmission in the old body for such a short time before the redesigned 2021 arrives? To sell a few more of the old truck; to act as a teaser for the performance capabilities of the new one; to use it as a test before its major run in ‘21?

I’ll admit it was a pleasure to drive the ’20 Frontier, particularly the 9-speed tranny and its oft, quick shifts. The new engine/transmission combination boosted fuel mileage by a couple miles per gallon; my drives averaged 21.5 miles per gallon.

Brought to me was the Frontier Pro-4X Crew Cab pickup, the highest trim level offered. It included 16-inch offroad design machine-finish alloy wheels and Hankook all-terrains, rear differential locker, Bilstein offroad high-pressure shocks, skid plates for oil pan, fuel tank and transfer case; satin chrome ring accent around white-face meter gauges and a Pro-4X tailgate badge. The move into 4WD and 4Lo is with an electronic switch on the dash.

Cheaper trim levels for the Frontier are S and SV models. Those and the Pro-4X are available in the King Cab and the Crew Cab four-door.

Tow capacity with the new powertrain is 6,700 pounds, with payload of 1,400 pounds in the cargo bed. Ground clearance with the Pro-4X is 10.1 inches.

The performance improvements will help the Nissan midsize pickup as it competes with an outstanding group of competitors – the Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma, Jeep Gladiator, GMC Canyon, Chevy Colorado and Honda Ridgeline.

The Nissan Frontier is built in Canton, Miss.; the new 3.8 engine is assembled at the Nissan Tennessee engine facility, which also produces the Endurance V-8 for the full-size Titan pickup.

The first Frontier I drove was way back in October 2000; “It’s my all-time favorite product from Nissan,” I said at that time. But this is 2020; other than a slight facelift in 2010, the truck is basically unchanged for 15 years.

V-6 EcoBoost, 10-speed power Expedition

The 2020 Ford Expedition Limited is mid-trim price level. (Ford)

Almost a quarter-century ago, in the fall of 1996, two of my co-workers, Doug Freed and Karrie Mowen, excitedly took advantage of a blockbuster sale on the last of the big, 2-door Ford Broncos. Each bought one.

The Bronco exodus paved the way for the launch of the 1997 Ford Expedition, a roomy 4-door SUV aimed at stealing some sales from rival General Motors’ long-successful Suburban-size sport utes.

One of the first Expeditions to show up in Denver in that fall long ago was loaned to me for a drive to Durango and Southwest Colorado and back. That one was 3 inches shorter than today’s version  in wheelbase, 6 inches shorter in overall length, was equipped with a 4.6-liter V-8 with tow capacity of 6,100 pounds compared to today’s 9,200 tow capacity with the EcoBoost V-6, which has replaced the V-8. EPA fuel estimate back then was 14-18; today’s is 17-23.

Derived from the F-150, the Expedition was a popular new entry. Sales surged for the first four years from 1997 through 2000, when more than 200,000 Expeditions were sold each year. Sales dipped below 100,000 in 2006 and have remained there since. Sales last year climbed to 86,422 from 54,661 the previous year.

Since 2018, when the fourth-generation model was introduced, the Expedition has been powered by the impressive 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine and 10-speed automatic transmission.

Delivered to me recently was a silver-metallic-finished 2020 Ford Expedition Limited 4X4, with a window sticker price of $71,865.

With a business matter awaiting me up north in Wyoming, Jan and I on a Monday afternoon drove the Expedition to Fort Collins, then followed U.S.  287 to the northwest. That road to Laramie, Wyo., is a swift highway and, over the 65 miles, the elevation gain is more than 2,000 feet, from 4,982 to 7,165. There are lots of truck traffic and numerous passing lanes, in which the Ford took advantage with its EcoBoost power. From a 78-degree reading in Fort Collins we got into falling temps and heavy rain by the time we reached the Wyoming state line. Temperature in Laramie was at a cool 41, unusual in June.

Response of the 5,600-pound Expedition with the EcoBoost V-6 was strong. The drive, which began and ended in Greeley, covered 202 miles; from Laramie we headed east to Cheyenne, then south to Greeley via U.S. 85. Fuel-mileage average for the drive was 20.9 and, when including some in-town trips, overall mpg was 19.5 (EPA estimate is 17-22).

The body-on-frame Expedition is equipped for offroad duty, with 9.8-inch ground clearance, terrain-management system, continuously controlled damping suspension, hill-descent control and push-button activation of four-wheel high and low. It’s a tough competitor for the GMC Yukon, Chevy Tahoe and Suburban, Nissan Armada and Toyota Sequoia. It rides on Michelin 275/65R18 tires.

The three-row Expedition is an eight-passenger vehicle; behind its back row are 20 cubic feet of cargo space which can be expanded to around 60 by folding the third row. The fold can be accomplished by pushing a button inside the opened rear liftgate.

Among  its options are the Ford Co-Pilot360 package of advanced driver-assistances, voice-activated and touchscreen navigation, panoramic roof, 360-degree camera and running boards.

Besides the Limited, cheaper trim levels are XL and XLT and upper levels King Ranch and Platinum. In addition to the standard Expedition, an extended-length Max version is offered; it is 12 inches longer

Smoothly styled Honda CR-V Hybrid

The hybrid version of the 2020 Honda CR-V maintains standard styling. (Bud Wells photo)

Heading south on a Monday morning on U.S. 287 aboard the new 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid Touring crossover, Jan and I turned toward Lafayette and into the Indian Peaks subdivision. The sharply restyled Honda looked right at home amid the well-manicured yards and overall landscaping beauty.

After going in circles through much of the neighborhood, we stopped long enough to photograph the CR-V, which is the most recent model to join the gas/electric hybrid market.

When it comes to the gas/electrics, the CR-V is late to the game among compact crossovers; Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Chevy and others have been there for months, some for years.

Late it may be, but the CR-V Hybrid is the first gas/electric Honda SUV crossover in the U.S.

The underhood area of the Honda CR-V Hybrid is busy and crowded. (Honda)

The CR-V hybrid uses the same powertrain as the Honda Accord Hybrid midsize sedan. It combines an Atkinson-cycle 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine with two motor-generators and a 1.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which is positioned beneath the rear seats. The gas engine and electric motors generate 212 horsepower and 232 lb.-ft. of torque. Transmission is single-speed, and often, on acceleration, emits some whining, like other CVT-equipped autos.

Gear control is from a rather awkwardly designed push-button shifter on the center console. Driver may select from three drive modes – Eco, sport and EV (full electric power). Honda has added its Acoustic Vehicle Alert System as a noisemaker to gain attention of pedestrians when the vehicle is driving in normally all-quiet EV.

The standard Honda CR-V gasoline version has led sales of compact SUVs/crossovers in six of the past 10 years and was either second or third in the other four years. The new CR-V hybrid comes in at a $1,200 price premium over the traditionally powered models; a difference that in many instances might take approximately four years to overcome, based on the hybrid’s fuel savings.

In a week’s worth of driving with the new hybrid, the CR-V averaged 39.6 miles per gallon. Its EPA estimate is 40 in the city, 35 on the highway; heavy usage of the electric motors in lower speeds is responsible for the higher rating for city maneuvering. Two months ago, I reviewed the gasoline-only version of the CR-V Touring; it averaged 26.6 mpg in lots of snow and icy conditions.

The CR-V Hybrid is a great handler and is easy to park with responsive steering and 104.7-inch wheelbase. Its all-wheel-drive system sends torque to its rear wheels in low-grip situations. It rides on Continental CrossContact 235/55R19 tires. Suspension is MacPherson struts in front and multilink at the rear.

Sticker price on the well-equipped CR-V Touring Hybrid is $35,590, including Honda Sensing safety features – adaptive cruise, collision-mitigation braking, lane-keeping assist and road-departure mitigation. The CR-V is built in Greensburg, Ind.

Tuned suspension aids grip of Toyota Tacoma

The Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro in an offroad setting. (Bud Wells photo)

Pacing along at about 50 miles per hour against the slickness of 5 to 6 inches of snow one morning in April, the 2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro 4X4 Double Cab carried us into the Fort Collins area.

It was an excellent vehicle for challenging the wet, cold spring snowstorm, and its performance was capped in a transfer of grip from 4-Hi to 4-Lo on a steep climb along a country dirt trail on our return drive home.

Finished in army green, the Tacoma seemed to seize the opportunity in showing its prowess over the adverse conditions with TRD-tuned offroad suspension and Fox shocks, Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain 265/70R16 tires, electronically controlled transfer case and automatic limited-slip differential.

The holdover 3.5-liter V-6 engine, producing 278 horsepower and 265 lb.-ft. of torque, is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission (a 6-speed manual is an option). Tow capacity for the 3.5 V-6, 4WD double cab is 6,400 pounds.

Running up the A pillar on the passenger side of the truck is the Desert Air Intake, which draws fresh air into the engine from a post high above the level of dirt and dust.

Accessing the interior requires a high, 24-inch step-in. Seating is firm and the ride is somewhat stiff. The Tacoma is Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible, with an 8-inch touchscreen. At the rear is a 5-foot pickup box.

On the safety side is a precollision system with pedestrian detection and automatic braking support, part of Toyota Safety Sense which also includes lane-departure alert and steering assist, dynamic radar cruise control and automatic high beams.

The Tacoma’s overall fuel mileage of 17.9 was at the low end of its EPA rating (18-22).

The desert-air snorkel added $725 to the total tally, bringing it to $49,599. Heated front leather seats, JBL speakers, subwoofer and amplifier are standard items.

The Tacoma, built in San Antonio, competes against the Jeep Gladiator, Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado and Nissan Frontier.

Dodge retains sales with Charger V-6

The Dodge Charger was just shy of 100,000 sales last year. (Bud Wells photo)

Only a few automotive models had defied the lengthy slump in sedan sales across the country before the coronavirus slowed down the entire industry. One which increased its presence was the Dodge Charger, with or without a Hemi under its hood.

It had been five years since I’d reviewed a Charger when the 2020 GT V-6 all-wheel-drive model was brought my way in late April. In the meantime, though, I had driven five Dodge Challengers and four Chrysler 300s, which share a platform with the Charger.

While sedans generally have been on a sales slide in the U.S. in recent years, Charger has remained strong for Dodge. In the first quarter of 2020, the Charger outsold its well-regarded stablemate, the Chrysler 300, by more than a 3-to-1 margin. And in all of last year, almost 100,000 Chargers were sold.

With all-wheel drive available since 2007, Charger and 300 have claimed an edge in winter driving capability in Colorado against such big-car rivals Impala, Maxima, Avalon, Camry and Accord, which haven’t had the option.

The Charger is a good-sized car on a wheelbase of 120 inches, 198.4 inches in overall length and curb weight of 4,235 pounds.

The GT is equipped with a 300-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 engine, 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive featuring a front-axle disconnect. Those and a hood scoop, spoilers front and rear, sport seats – aesthetics to a gearhead. Optional engines are 5.7, 6.2 and 6.4-liter Hemi V-8s, available only with rear-wheel-drive Chargers.

The Charger GT, with its smooth and quick-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission, averaged 22.9 miles per gallon in a drive into northern Colorado. Heading south from Glen Haven toward Estes Park, there are two steep, extremely tight switchbacks adding diversion to the drive. Without slowing to an absolute crawl, the concern was keeping the big sedan on its side of the road. With the T-grip shifter handle moved to sport mode, I paddleshifted the transmission into 1st gear, pressured the throttle and maintained tight grip to quickly turn steering wheel to the cruiser’s starboard side. It responded very well, very safely, not as quickly or as loudly as a Hemi, but impressively for a V-6 in a car with 120-inch wheelbase.

The Charger GT AWD carries a relatively modest base price of $34,995; the addition, though, of nearly 50 optional items, ranging from a $30 cargo net to a $1,000 premium Alpine Audio Group, pushed sticker price to $46,385. Among other additions are nappa/alcantra seats heated and cooled in front and heated at the rear, heated steering wheel, memory for radio/driver seat/exterior mirrors, navigation, power sunroof,  adaptive cruise/forward-collision warning/lane-departure warning/automatic high-beam headlamp control.

Those Chargers I drove five years ago were the V-6 AWD in a snowstorm and the 707-hp Charger Hellcat (what a memorable drive that was).

The ’68 Charger was a muscle-car star. (Dodge)

The original Charger showed up in 1965 and by ’68 was competing with Pontiac GTO, Chevy Chevelle and Camaro, Ford Mustang, the Plymouth Cuda and a couple others for muscle-car supremacy. My son Brent in the summer of 1983 guided his ’68 Charger to “king of the hill” trophy for the season at the Julesburg drag strip.

Notes from email: Bud, I enjoyed reading the Dodge Charger review and the reminiscences about the earlier versions. Back in 1967, my Dad bought my older brother a fire-engine-red Charger – I think through his business, the Beacon lounge, on Main Street in Grand Junction. Well, Nick got a few speeding tickets – gotta wonder how anybody would expect to get away with speeding unnoticed in a bright red muscle car in Junction, which had a population of about 20,000 in the 1960s. So, Dad took away the Charger and gave it to our Mom, who taught Latin at Grand Junction Central High. You guessed it: She got caught speeding, too! Is a lead foot hereditary? – Pete C.

GMC boosts trailering with DuraMax/10-speed

The GMC Sierra heavy-duty trucks are all-new for 2020. (Bud Wells photos)

Among the many features set aside by the postponement of the 2020 Denver Auto Show was what would have been an imposing sight in the GMC display – a big, tall four-door truck, the ‘20 GMC heavy-duty Sierra Crew Cab. The 2500HD and 3500HD are all-new this year.

The show dates set for early April were postponed in order that all considerations and regulations be met for dealing with the coronavirus invasion.

Regarding the big, tall trucks, performance on one I drove – the Sierra 3500HD Crew Cab AT4 4WD – was impressive from the 6.6-liter V-8 DuraMax turbodiesel and an Allison 10-speed automatic transmission. That combination delivers 445 horsepower and an astounding 910 lb.-ft. of torque.

Trailering capabilities have jumped with the greater torque, beefed-up chassis, a variable-speed cooling fan and attention to suspension. Trailer weight ratings for the 3500HD with standard bed are maximum 20,000 pounds with conventional hitch and 21,300 with fifth-wheel or gooseneck hitch.

The DuraMax/Alison combo in a regular-cab, two-wheel-drive 3500HD with gooseneck hitch is rated at 35,500 pounds.

With GMC’s 6.6-liter naturally aspirated V-8 gas engine on a crew cab, the tow rating drops to 14,500 with conventional hitch and 16,410 with fifth-wheel or gooseneck.

Opting for the turbodiesel and other amenities on the four-door review model raised sticker price to $78,775. The DuraMax turbodiesel added $9,890, the AT4 premium package $4,215, a technology package $2,125, electric sliding sunroof $995, driver-alert package $645, gooseneck/5th wheel preparation $545.

GMC’s innovative MultiPro tailgate has been added to the heavy-duty line.

The Sierra 3500HD was equipped with the fascinating MultiPro tailgate, part of the optional AT4 premium package. A year ago, the tailgate was featured on the Sierra 1500 pickups. The gate offers use as an easy step-up, a workbench, half-open capability, more handy access to the bed or as a seat at a tailgate party.

I received a brief walkaround of the GMC heavy-duty from Milt Brown, new car sales manager at Weld County Garage in Greeley. The tall hoodline on the big, black truck stands 58 inches off ground level; it’s the AT4 trim level – all-terrain four-wheel drive – which rates just above the SLT and below the Denali.

Highlighting the comfortable, roomy interior are leather seating, navigation, wi-fi connectivity, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay and wireless charging.

Included in the AT4 build are offroad suspension, Rancho shocks, skid plates and red tow hooks.

Also offered in the GMC heavy-duty line are up to 15 camera views, including the industry-first transparent trailer view and the first-ever heavy-duty in its class with head-up display and rear-camera mirror.

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No door count needed for BMW Gran Coupe

The BMW 228i has similar style  to the 3 series. (Bud Wells photo)

Most of us, at one time or another, have thought how rewarding it would be to own a BMW 3 series auto.

BMW’s newest model offers the opportunity into a similar ride for lesser price and very little sacrifice.

It’s the 228i xDrive Gran Coupe. A coupe won’t do? Gotta have four doors? Well, this coupe is of four-door structure. I know, coupes were always of two-door build, I’ve always believed that, but that was back in the day. Those German factories today turn out such fine premium cars, their designers can describe them however they wish.

That 228i has the look of a 3 series, though at 178.5 inches in overall length, it is 7 inches shorter than a 3 series model, so a bit more limited in legroom and trunk space.

The neat part of the comparison is that base price for the 228 Gran Coupe is about $5,000 cheaper than the starting price for the comparable 3-series with the same 4-cylinder turbo as the “coupe.”

The 228i xDrive’s sticker climbed from $38,495 to $47,845 with the addition of M Sport steering and spoiler, heated front seats and steering wheel, panoramic moonroof, head-up display, ambient lighting and SiriusXM radio.

Performance comes from a 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine developing 228 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque, mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission with all-wheel drive.

Best results come after switching the drive mode from comfort to sport and occasionally using the paddle shifters. As the suspension stiffened in sport mode, the heavier steering put me in much more direct feel of the road.

Brisk shifts occur with the paddles, as the turbocharged 4-cylinder is matched up well with the 8-speed automatic.

We drove on a Sunday to Fort Collins, then followed U.S. 287 to Livermore. Our plan was to reconnect with I-25 via the Owl Canyon Road to the east, but a mile into it convinced us to save that drive for an SUV. The Gran Coupe can be a rough rider.

Back on the highway, the BMW’s lane-guidance system is effective, though it has a bit of ricochet feel to it, not as smooth as Mercedes I’ve driven. Other safety features included automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.

Along with handling, fuel-mileage is an attribute for most BMWs; this one averaged 31.1 miles per gallon for 200 miles. Its EPA estimate is 23/33.

The 2 series models are built at Leipzig, Germany, home to one of BMW’s most modern assembly plants. The 228i rides on the same platform as the X1 and X2 SUVs.

BMW’s 2 series entry-level luxury model will compete against Mercedes-Benz’ A-class sedan and Audi’s A3.