Have a good week or so Mike. I'm sure there'll be more than one surprise there. Git r done!

". . . Interviews scheduled with executives."
Think you could pry some numbers out of the Ford reps for Horsepower and Torque ratings for the new 6.7 Powerstroke? Ditto for GM and the updated Duramax.

Hey mike can you get more info on the new 5.0 for the F150?

I just want to welcome you and hope you dressed warm. I am a machine tool pipe fitter laid off from an auto tooling supplier. I spent the last 15 years building tooling for the auto companies and always loved the auto show. I used to love looking at the new vehicles I just finished tooling for during the year. Detroit has been my home for my whole life. Please be kind to us, and I'm looking forward to reading your review.

You are Lucky Mike....

If you can,ask if a 6.4 HEMI version of a Ram 1500 is in the works,or a SRT RAM....or any limited edition Ram,hopefully a high performance model,but any news would be good..Wonder if there is any more news on a class 8 truck?

Have fun,and also,do you want to trade jobs with me ? Just a thought...

We are in the Doldrums so far as pickups go , I will be waiting for the next gen Tacoma 2012/13 or the next gen Ford Ranger 2012/13 [ if they actually make one ] or the Mahindra pickup . if Toyota and Ford shaft the USA with regards to the Tacoma or Ranger it will probably be a Mahindra . My real hope is Toyota puts the USA back on the world based Hilux but I wont be holding my breath .

I want to know when Nissan is going to have out the next Gen Titan, I can't wait to see what it will look like.

Fullsize pickups cheat us out of more reasonable trucks like the Hilux and Ranger. They're so big you can barely fit them in a standard garage, and their full power is only utilized by heavy users like construction workers and career farmers. They guzzle gas, aren't available with diesel, and yet if you talk to an international friend they say "What are you complaining about? You get to have huge trucks like the F-150."

I sat in one at the Ford dealership, and I'd take a Ranger any day. I don't need a Bradley fighting vehicle to tow a trailer, thanks.

...Sorry, I have a grudge against the "larger is better" culture in this country.

That said, I, like Taylor, will defect to India if Ford and Toyota cancel their compact trucks. I am sick of being told to purchase a vehicle that is far too big and overbuilt for what I need, and American markets are notorious for doing just that.

Mike, good luck in finding some truck news. I desperately want a reason to buy a Ranger so I don't have to get yelled at for buying a foreign make by the rest of my family.

I would like to see all truck makers start offering hybrid/internal combustion combinations.
I feel this is a good mileage increase compromise for what/how most 1/2 ton trucks are used.

Toyota, cancel their compact trucks????

The number 1 selling compact?

Are you kidding?

More deets to come but at least one company is working on a true compact pickup for the U.S. Thats all I'm saying for now. See the earlier VW Amarok post from the L.A. Auto Show. The buzz continues here in Detroit.

Mike are you talking about the GM bare necessities truck ? I actually kind of like that truck and I am a true truck guy .
And Ric17 the Toyota Tacoma ain't no compact truck its nearly the size of my 2004 Silverado , Toyota stopped making small truck about 2004 .

Searching for L.A. Auto show I found nothing on the Amarok.

Volkswagen? Kia Soulster? I have no idea. In fact, I can't find any info from the 2009 L.A. Auto Show.

Looking forward to find out new info. Thanks Mike! Hope you have a good time at Detroit!

Is this what you are referring to Taylor. GM's Bare Necessities Truck:

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/11/gm-goes-back-to-the-bare-necessities-w-video/

How about it Mike?

Here's the link:

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2009/12/the-amarok-would-have-to-sell-100000-units-to-come-to-the-us.html

My 2011 prediction: We get the Amarok. All VW has to do is add wider seats, 6 more cup holders, and an automatic for the US market... Have a blast in Detroit, Mike! I’ll be on top of your Tweets!

All vw has to do is build a production plant to avoid the chicken tax, must be outside the rust/union, but first get permits, ecological studies, pre-negotiate with state/counties for sweatheart deals, hire the right staff, train/educate, .... Maybe by 2015?

Well, if Volkswagen wants to court me as a customer, it has to release it by calendar year 2012. I'm buying then, I want to get the sweet college grad sales incentives.

I love wolves and I sort of like the Amarok. I still don't think an American release... is exactly wise. If they do make an American release, it absolutely must have the diesels available, in which case it might have a chance of scoring some sales.

VeeDub could pick up a slightly used, shuttered GM, Ford, or Dodge factory somewhere in Canada or USA:) They could figure out how to import it as a car then convert it to a truck like Ford does with the Transit van;)
Kidding aside - They will not set up shop in North America unless they figure they can sell 100,000 units a year. The Tacoma sold just short of 112,000 vehicles. The Amarok's only real competition would be Toyota. If VeeDub made it available with a diesel that meets US emisisons it might sell. I doubt that it could be available before 2014.
Ram is rumoured at building a unibody Dakota replacement.
There are no definite news from Ford on the new Ranger. I haven't heard anything in relation to a Colorado/Canyon replacement.
The small to mid size market is ripe for the picking. All is needed is a manufacturer to do something innovative - like listen to consumers. Give us something fuel efficient, and reasonably priced ie. a big price gap between full size and compact.

Here is a link to Fiat's unibody pickup. It will look much better with a huge Ram logo in the middle of the drop gate.
http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/studio/96coggiola_fiat_brava_sentiero_2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.carstyling.ru/en/cars.1996_Fiat_Brava%2520Sentiero%2520.html&h=297&w=420&sz=42&tbnid=po993FWmc_38CM:&tbnh=88&tbnw=125&prev=/images%3Fq%3DFiat%2BSentiero&usg=__F6tr0hw5HEYn2WemlhEGMO4VQuo=&ei=vQtMS-GjHY-wNvKJ1YEN&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=4&ct=image&ved=0CBIQ9QEwAw

Not much substantive news from this auto show.

Stuff I want to know:

1. Any info whatsoever on the 5.0L and 6.2L in the F150
2. Power ratings for the 6.7L PSD
3. Any info on the 2011 GM HD
4. Any info on the new Duramax
5. Any info on the rumored 7.0L GM HD engine
6. Any info on the rumored 6.4L Ram HD engine
7. When the Ram 1500 will get a 6spd auto

MIKE:

PLEASE FIND OUT WHAT FORD IS DOING ABOUT THE RANGER/F100!

THANKS!

Am I the only one that just found out about the facelift they did on the Mexico Ranger?

http://www.ford.com.mx/vehicles/homevehicle.asp?idModel=RAN

JP, I'll make a bet with you. I predict they do a mild refresh on the Ranger for the Americas, with lightweight fuel-efficient motors. One might be an Ecoboost, with the other remaining the 2.3 Duratec. They strengthen some parts so they can bring the Mexico crew cab over to US markets. The F-100 takes a midsize place.

So my bet is, Ranger becomes fleet and small business use, a la the Transit Connect, and is left alone save for a mild refresh to update the interior and powertrains. It remains the North American compact truck, along with the Lobo (F-150) and larger choices. F-100 takes the midsize position for recreational users and is about the size of the 1999 F-150. Euro Ranger stays Euro. All trucks remain body-on-frame and retain their overall dimensions.

Ford is killing the Ranger because it doesn't meet the new roll over crush standards, and would be too expensive to upgrade. I've owned a few Rangers and liked the size,but I need a crewcab for the family. You can't fit booster seats in a Ranger. Ford needs to come out with a decent compact. I like the idea of an F100. Ford is going to put the Mustang 3.7 V6 in the F150 as a base engine. The 3.5 Ecoboost is coming as well.

Waiting for news and rumors on:
2011 GM HD's, specifically the redesigned suspension and chassis, and the rumored 7L direct injection V-8.
2011 4500 and 5500?
LML Duramax output figures.

This auto show was a bust/joke.

The whole truck argument really cracks me up. As in who cares???!!! Buy what YOU like and get on with your life. Bigger payload, more torque, so what! It's like the morons that spend thousands putting lifts on their truck and 4000 dollars worth of 22 inch wheels and tires - to never go off road. It's like a bunch or peacocks trying to show off. By the way, I've owned all the 4WD heavy duties over the years, Chevy (dually), Ford F-350 and two Dodge 2500's. I liked them all. My current 6.7 Dodge with the 6 speed and factory exhaust brake has been the best drive train so far though. And, if I want to go out and compete with all the other knuckle draggers that have nothing better to argue about than trucks, I'll drag out my fully restored 5/4 ton M-715.

What's with all the speculation about VW with a North American plant? They are building one in Chattanooga and broke ground several months ago. It's a $1 billion plant. This should strengthen their ability to compete with their diesels for their entire lineup, but I think it would be risky for them to jump into a declining pickup market where the F150 keeps gobbling up more and more market share as overall truck sales continue to decline.

Just an observation.

Ask Ford Execs when they're going to stop recycling the same Super Duty body (since 1999) and do a bottom to top redesign. A new grill, fenders, and tailgate isn't exactly a "new" truck despite the interior and engine.

@herman

What else does it need? The frame is still the strongest in the class and the truck rides well for an HD. In all honesty, the only thing it ever needed was the new diesel, the 6.2L V8, and the six speed trans, the costmetic and interior updates are just icing on the cake.