@TRX4
In Australia it is illegal to tow over 750kg without brakes on your trailer. My trailer is rated to tow 2 tonnes and I have 4 wheel brakes. So braking is not an issue, unless the US doesn't have any comparable regulations regarding trailer braking.

The brakes are very similar on both vehicles. Some of your chassis on your pickups are actually based on the smaller trucks ie Nissan Titan > Frontier. The difference would be marginal between the new mid-size truck and a 1/2 ton pickup towing.

Drivetrains are similar on a mid-size versus 1/2 ton pickup. My little diesel has the same Getrag MT82 that is in your Boss Mustang, this is to handle the torque of the diesel. So pulling weight is no issue.

Our standard suspension is rated to carry more weight than a standard half ton pickup, but this is only a simple change.

Yes your tow rating is higher. Why? Maybe your trucks are over rated, because you don't have an adequate tow standard.

Take the new Grand Cherokee, it is rated to tow more than my truck. Maybe the NA vehicles are over rated.

Finally, I do realise people tow with their pickups, but how often and what percentage? And how often would someone tow over 5 000lbs. Really your 1/2 ton pickups are daily drivers, like ours. Recreation is their primary use. Because if you bought a pickup to carry that piece of plywood from Home Depot or Lowes you could use a Toyota Yaris with roof racks. This would be much cheaper.

TRX4 you are one of the people who don't believe in change or it could happen, but it will. Contrary to Robert Ryan I do believe we have made terrific inroads into changing atitudes about vehicle ownership in Australia. We used to be a petrol (gas) only society, but we have changed over the past 30 years because of the Asian and European influence.

@LOU TRUE BELIEVER

YAAASSSSSS.

I am SAY-VED

I see the light.

All hail the great pentastar.

Bow to Auburn hills and pray.

Alpar is my bible.

HemiV8 is my sheppard and Marcionne is the great prophet or is that spelled profit?

Hallelujah

Anyone want a used F150 and Sienna?

I'm buying a Fiat 1500 and a Fiat Grand Caravan tomorrow at the great cathedral that is the Fiat dealership

Boy I am glad that they have that 5 year 100,000 mile warranty.

Thank you hemiV8

@Big Al from Oz - Canada has regulations based on the size of the trailer relative to the tow rig. I do believe there is also a weight restriction as well.
Exerpt:
"Have brakes – if loaded trailer weight exceeds 909 kg (2,000 lbs) or if gross trailer weight is over half that of towing unit. Keep in mind that a Class 1 operator’s license is required when operating a vehicle equipped with air brakes."
Exerpt:
"Towing a holiday trailer in British Columbia:
When towing a trailer in British Columbia, each unit has to be within the GVWR and GAWR specified by the manufacturer.
■Surge brakes are required for a trailer with a weight of 1,400 kg (3,080 lbs.) to 2,800 kg (6,160 lbs.).
■A trailer heavier than 2,800 kg (6,160 lbs.) will require the use of electric, hydraulic, vacuum or air brakes.
■A Class 3 or higher operator’s license is required when towing a trailer with a weight in excess of 4,600 kg (10,120 lbs). A Class 5 licence is sufficient as long as the trailer you tow does not exceed 4,600 kg.
■An air brake endorsement is required when operating a vehicle equipped with air brakes.
■Only one trailer may be towed at a time.
■Hitch must be secured to the vehicle frame and safety chains are required."

@Lou
Robert Ryan should be able to enlighten us, as he is "into" 5th wheelers and caravans.

@Robert Ryan
I do realise that many in NA love their pickups, but I think many more aren't as involved as us on this site. The great Ausssie ute will come to rest if they don't drop a diesel in them. Also, as I have pointed out the Button plan and other changes in the early 80s has changed the vehicle market in Australia.

If NA had our diesel trucks I do believe that they would "steal" sales from SUVs.

Ford's demise in Australia is primarily caused by 3 reasons;

1. It has been mismanaged by Dearborn.

2. The relatively small size of our economy and the globalisation of the auto industry.

3. Our currency has increase in value to quickly. This reduced our productivity level with little time for manufacturers to adjust to the new environment.

I do think Holden (GM) will eventually go down the same track as Ford Australia, even with their exports.

@HEMI V8
How old are you?

There are many good contributors on this site like Lou, Robert Ryan, Jeff S, Highdesertcat, Vulpine etc. We might see the world through different lenses, but we still "chat" without belittling ourselves. Please stop.

And don't blame others, like you have been.

Why can't you ever contribute something tangible?

Sorry, I've been working 12 hour days and I need to catch up.

@Robert Ryan
A lot of people when choosing a vehicle first look at how many dollars are available then research. That's how I ended up with my BT50. I narrowed it down to 3 pickups and 2 SUVs. I even considered a 3.0 diesel Discovery 4 and crossed it of the list quickly as the Grand Cherokee seemed more promising.

I ended up with the BT50 because I felt it offered the best for what I needed, especially living up in the NT.

So far I haven't regretted the decision, I'm actually quite surprised at its overall performance.

I don't really get the argument "how many times do you tow". I have an F-250 diesel and don't tow every day, not even every month lately. And yes, it's my daily driver. I bought it because I do tow occasionally and do haul near its capacity more often. Probably the same for most owners. I average around 20 mpg and its roomy and comfortable. I don't want a smaller vehicle with half the power even if its artificially rated with a higher payload. Like I've said before, the USA is a huge market and if global manufacturers thought their trucks would sell here they'd be here.

A lot of good points have been brought up. @Tom I do agree that the USA will always be unique and with 300 million plus we are sizable. We will alsays have some type of HD truck but I believe that our full size half tons will become more global in nature. Highdesert is correct about the midsize trucks but after the new fuel standards are implemented the full size will be even closer to the midsize trucks except maybe bigger in be and cab size. I do think there will be some variations of compact trucks derived from compact cars with less capacity than a half ton which would meet the needs oif sububanites and commuters who do not need towing and hauling capacity. Platform sharing is the only way that the manufacturers can justify the cost of developing a compact truck and sharing assembly facilities with their compact car and crossover brethren. Global platforms will become essential to contain costs and to speed the process of bringing out new products to meet an ever changing market place. Manufacturers cannot afford to have 3 to 5 year product development cycles when a competitor comes out with a new redesign. Look at the GM trucks for example it is taking them longer than necessary to come out with a redesign of their full size half tons. Shortening development cylces can increase the success of a product because if your current product is not well received or the competition blind sides you you can react quicker.

China and Asia will have much more influence on truck designs as they are now on cars. Even though we have a huge country most of our market for cars and trucks is a replacement market not new growth. In China most of the sales of their cars and trucks is first time buyers. This is why GM, VW, Toyota, Chrysler are now in China and Ford is quickly trying to enter the market. China already has more cars than the US. China's middle class is larger than the entire population of the USA. That is why I have said before that GM will not go out of business it will just become more Chinese and that might happen to Ford as well. Who knows for sure what will happen but I believe China and Asia will have more influence over NA trucks and SUVs in the future as they are now having in Australia. None of these changes will happen overnight they will take many years (10 to 20 years).

@Big All from OZ. There is a lot of similarity with Canadian specifications. We do not allow "double towing". There have been problems with US single plane hitches cracking(more something to do how we treat a 5th Wheeler) , they have been replaced by multiplane units. Everything has to be reversed in Australia, electrical wiring changed, local appliances installed. US imports need their suspensions braced otherwise you can get the suspensions collapsing.
The local 5th wheelers have had bedrooms placed in the middle, airbags fully independent suspension. Some have no slideouts.
Great variety in tow vehicles.
http://www.netfx.com.au/5thwheel/DSCF3034.JPG

http://www.southerncrosscaravans.com.au/images/sc_u_expedition_001.jpg

http://d454457.u23.fasthit.net/images/Owners%20Adventure%20Images/8.1m-26_6_028_CathyAlanEves_COBAR_P2040007.jpg

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9caWNRIYTrc/0.jpg

Saw one of these towing a 33ft Carriage 5th Wheeler, combined mass 21,000lb
http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a186/RobRyan7/?action=view&current=IVECOPlaymor31ft2slideouts-1.jpg

@Big Al From Oz What is happening to Ford Australia is a tragedy. If Ford US had put as much faith in it's local operation as Holden did, then we all could have benefited with a New Global Mustang or getting Lincoln an effective RWD platform.

@Robert Ryan--You got me thinking about Lincoln and Holden. You might not be familiar with the Mark series of Lincoln but it would be neat if they would design a new Lincoln Mark (do not number it or put meaningless intials such as MKZ). Call this simply the Lincoln Mark and put it on a Falcon UTE platform with the high performance Falcon engine and make this strictly a European type performance car. Make this a 2 door coupe only to compete against BMW and Mercedes. This type of car would reignite the Lincoln brand and give Australia Ford a new life. You have some great cars and trucks and Ford is crazy not to use them. Lincoln needs a shot in the arm. Even Cadillac has become more competitive. RWDs are not going away they just need to be used for more high performance cars. You do not have to sell a ton of these new Marks just get people to come into the showrooms and excite the public. Then Lincoln could work on a high performance rear wheel drive 4 door and call it the Continental and use the same Falcon platform and motor. Better idea yet make these new cars in Australia along with a new Crown Victoria for Ford along the same lines. Infuse new blood into Ford and keep your Australian Ford viable. Oh well just an idea. Would be nice if Dearborn were reading the comments on this blog. They should be using Australia Ford to the fullest potential. Hear that Ford Dearborn! Wake up.

@Robert Ryan-I realize Holden is GM but Ford should do likewise with Ford Australia. The police departments primarily used the old Crown Vics and now they are mainly using Dodge Chargers with Hemis and the new Chevy Caprice in cruiser form has been introduced which is strictly a Holden on the lines of the Pontiac G8. Even GM is smart enough to use Holden. Wake up Ford!!

Forgot to say "Ford how about a new Crown Victoria based on the Falcon UTE with the Falcon high performance motor to sell to law enforcement". That would sell like hotcakes. Law enforcement really misses the Crown Victorias.

Stay on topic. We want to hear your opinions and thoughts, but please only comment about the specified topic in the blog post.

Yes trucks can be downsized some, but the fact is they will never go away and they will always be macho and relativly oversized. I mean its the American way and people drive these things because they like them even if they don't haul much of anything.

@Doppy--I agree and that will never entirely go away.

I think that the 2013 Ram is the new benchmark and compass pointing the direction all of the automakers will head towards.
Ram will take tons of wind out of Chevy sails (sales too) with this mid-cycle upgrade. That is the part that impresses me - the 2013 is not supposed to be a "new" model.

Posted by: Lou

@big al form who cares, I don't know if you noticed on this site
it's about american pickup trucks. Not europe or australia . You go on and on about ford falcon and G.M holden. Who cares?
seriously go to some site where the people besides lou in canada gives a $#it. Thank you and good day mate.

@Jeff S basically yes to those suggestions.

@not really a hemi made in Mexico and Italian owned -

For once you said something smart.

You need to quote me more often.

Robert Ryan and Big Al from Oz have a better understanding about trucks than you ever will.

@Mike/@not really a hemi made in Mexico and Italian owned
- if it will make you happy, we can ditch the intelligent conversation and go into some rant about how a certain brand is the best of the best and how all the other brands suck.
That is par for the course on this site and if it will make you feel more at home.

I'll throw you a bone:

Guts, Glory, Ram

We are taking out Chevy in to 2099.

Lou, I'm not that guy. I stated that to get the topic back on point., too many are going off on tangents...not just this one, but others as well.

@HEMI V8
I thought it was a Ram site from all of your threads. And the Italians who are European own Ram.

Having more than a couple of competitors is to much for you, maybe. People with your attitude is the reason why the USA lost its competitive edge.

Hemi, this site is more than Chevs, Rams and Fords. There are many more commercial vehicles in the world than those three.

My Mazda pickup is actually a Ford, jointly designed with Mazda. The lead of the design team came to Australia and guess what he was also the designer of the current F-150.

And some of the technology we currently are getting might end up in your pickups and vans.

If you can comprehend what I have just written you will learn. You seem very inflexible to new things and new ideas, you present yourself as an insecure person. Try eating different foods as well from different countries.

The world isn't confined to the one horse town you live in, mate. Come visit Australia or the county alongside where you live.

Robert Ryan and Big Al from Oz have a better understanding about trucks than you ever will. I don't have any use for a UTE. LOL I tow 8,000lbs trailer off road. I bought a real truck 03 Hemi 4x4 quad cab. With a fully boxed hydro formed frame. 35's BFG Rancho suspension 4.56 gears auburn rear end. Intake & exhaust.

@Mike
Actually, I believe this discussion, the intelligent part anyway, has been very much on point. The post is about the future of truck sales in the near term; the discussion merely evolved into thoughts over the future of pickups, specifically half tons, in the world of tightening emissions standards and globalization. Sure, posts about Ford's future in Australia are a bit off topic, but overall this has been one of the better discussions lately.

Several automakers do their R&D testing in Australia.

If some of you self-righteous all-knowing mental midgets had made the effort, you might have been surprised what was built and developed down-under, before being built and sold in North America.

I'll give you a hint - look into GM sporty cars and ppvs. While at it, you may want to take a peek at what Ford has been doing down there. They weren't playing with themselves as some of you pocket-pool artists seem to be doing.

You might find the articles in the WSJ, Automotive News, and other auto-related industry sites. There are plenty of articles out there so even a blind man can see them.

@Reposted by...: While I might agree with your sentiments, I had two factors working against me.
A) My situation was time-limited and money-limited. Believe it or not, my wife developed a need for a truck to carry a number of garage-sale tables in a hurry so WE checked some online sources and found the one we bought at a used-car lot approximately one week before the load had to be picked up. That gave us time to at least make the truck road worthy.
B) Where I live gives me no secure location to park a utility trailer of any size, though I will freely admit I would have strongly preferred to tow one behind my Jeep if I could have.

Again, I took what was available at the time because I simply didn't have time to make a more in-depth search. That said, I'm quite pleased with the Mustang engine in the truck. I keep forgetting what strong torque feels like. On the other hand, my Jeep gives me significantly better gas mileage in town and on the road.

@Mike - sorry for confusing you with one of the Rambo Spambo boys.

@not really a hemi mostly made in mexico and italian owned -
Quote " I tow 8,000lbs trailer off road"

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

You tow your trailer to the beach.
That technically counts as offroad?

Who are you kidding?

other than yourself!

Funny, italian rambo fiat spambo posted the same stupid cut and paste on all of the threads except this one.

My last post must of hit home.

I can see rambo spambo talking to his neighbour, "Yup, my super tough hemi powered Ram with 35's easily tows my trailer to the beach, it is a real challenge having to go into 4 low to get through that sandy parking lot."
"You know how hard it is to find a union shop tow truck company when you get stuck?"

@Big Al: Nope, didn't really buy mine to make runs to Home Depot. Although I can say I have bought a few things there at Home Depot, and carted back a propane fireplace from Lowes, not one piece of plywood hauled yet.

I bought mine to tow my trailer. The last time I did was less then a week ago I scrapped a 95 Chrysler LHS that I took any possible part I thought I would need and got down 1000 pounds from original weight of 3500, on a 1800 pound trailer. Cleaned up the yard too, with 360 pounds of scrap in the bed. The time before that? I brought home a 1992 Chevy K2500 (4x4) ext cab. 350 engine. I think that's over 5000 pounds?? On a (once again) 1800 pound trailer. So try that with your little truck. Yeah, maxed out my trailer. The time before that? Another Chrysler parts car. Before that? A 94 Chevy Caprice.

You say I "Don't believe in change or it could happen" ? Try loading a couple engine blocks (Dodge 340!), a couple transmissions and cylinder heads, thow in various other parts in the bed, oh wait, your TRUCK OF CHANGE does not have room for all that! Now add you some 1962 Chevy torsion bars with lower control arms, extra intake manifolds, flywheel and clutch settups, steel blow bell, extra Hoosier racing tires on 15x8 wheels, fenders, doors AND a 3200 pound racecar, and drive 800 miles. Your idea on how some of us here use our trucks is a bit off. I had a little Dodge Dakota quadcab 4x4 with about the same bed size your little truck has. It wouldn't have mattered if it had a Ecoboost getting 25 MPG, or a Hemi with an 8 speed. Too small of a bed! Too narrow, too short! Had to leave the tailgate down to move my go cart?? WTF? Can't hardly fit many tires in the bed! And that little 130" wheelbase wasn't the ticket for towing. No matter how many springs they stick in the back of those trucks, you can't fix these things. Little trucks are ok for some folks, not me. Yeah, I shopped a Frontier. With flat leaf springs and (they are available with) a long but narrow bed. Where exactlty do I have room in those little cabs for a speaker thats 30"x20"x22" and a cooler, plus my clothes, a laptop, oh, and my friends stuff, so I could bring said speaker back from Idaho to Arkansas? Wonder how that woulda worked comming back 800 miles from Colorado with that 3200 pound racecar on my trailer, and all that other stuff? I can just imagine it squirming around. You ever put a 1968 Chrysler New Yorker hood in the bed of yours? Doubt it would fit, but it sure is easier to put in the bed as opposed to putting it back on after you pulled the engine and trans and now the car itself is wenched onto the trailer.

But I did draw the line somewhere, cause although I bought a 7200 pound small rv 120 miles away and it will fit on my trailer, it's massively overweight. Yeah, I can pull it, but if I had to, I'd be looking to borrow a 3 axle and continue using my weight distrubution hitch. (most 3/4 and 1 ton drivers don't use them while some of their hitches bend, cause "I got me a BIG 2500/3500 TRUCK!") Guess I will fix it on the spot and drive it in.

Yeah, your perception of us is derainged. Today I went 320 miles (Round trip) to Little Rock. Man, love my truck-I left it home! Why bother when I can be in my bro's VW GTI turbo Golf getting 30 MPG hauling ass! Or my 96 Camry getting 33 MPG, not hauling ass!

As for some change, Ram coulda atleast gave us the Dakota I had with a longer bed like the club cab has, then it coulda trailered and had space for alot more, and modern v-6 Pentastar 8 speed or diesel (our your clean air requirements like ours? Price of diesel? More expensive by a longshot here in Arkansas.) Shoot, my 96 Chrysler 3.5 coulda wooped any of those weak v-6s those Dakotas had.

@TRX4
We do the same kind of things in Australia. Move engine, race cars, boats etc. NA isn't the only place that does these kinds of things.

My comment was it will become less affordable to run and maintain a large pickup in the future and globals will eventually replace your 1/2 ton trucks. And our global trucks will tow and move what you described. There are small differences between them and in 99% of cases they will replace them.

I also stated that HD will not disappear. One day they will with Euro and Asian light trucks.

I also stated that not many people who tow with their pickups tow often if ever. I also stated that some do buy to tow.

As I stated your truck is a lifestyle vehicle.

My comment to you was that you can't see change or want change. There are vehicles around the world that work and achieve what the NA market is achieving. You guys will change the way you do some things, but overall its not going to end your lifestyle.

@TRX4: You are not the kind of driver that would either need or want a 1/4 ton truck. You also aren't the kind of driver I see around where I live where the heaviest load in their trucks is a freakin' hand mower for their lawn In fact, a large percentage of the trucks I see around here have a one-piece hard-shell tonneau cover over the bed which means almost no loads EVER! For drivers like those, the road whale is nothing more than a status symbol and the kind of driver I rail on about. The problem is, if I want to protect the bed on my 1990 (remarkably clean despite its age) I'm going to become one of those types and I hate it.

Here's my point: I didn't want a big truck and I've been talking my wife into a truck mindset as a second vehicle for years. The problem is that the size of truck I want is a minimum of 25 years old and most are literally destroyed by hard use or simple neglect. As such, I took what I could find and consider myself lucky that it's such low mileage for its age (144,000 when I bought it). In four months I've put just over 1500 miles on it with one 400 mile road trip carrying camping gear that took up less than a quarter of the bed length. An 80's Ranger, S-10 or import could have done the same job and given me about the same gas mileage as my Jeep Wrangler where this F-150 came a hair short of 20mpg driving 55mph on the expressways.

Yes, SOME drivers need their big trucks to do things like you do; but by no means do all of them need such big trucks. You want to know WHY the American car companies dropped the small trucks? Because they didn't make AS MUCH profit as the big trucks do. That's all. At one time trucks offered the manufacturers nearly 100% profit over production costs; a big RamCharger of the early 80's only cost about $10,000 to build and sold for as much as $20,000. While I doubt they have that level of profit today, they're still making their biggest profit on the big trucks and next to no profit on family cars. If they could, the Big Three would shut down their car lines and sell nothing but trucks.

@Lou, I tow my trailer on the beach in soft sand you moron. I have seen plenty of diesels stuck in the sand. Probably their tires. 70psi. I have never got stuck when aired down 12psi.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAC4s1v8gDU&feature=related

@Rambo spambo - ass who ass kisses ram - " I tow my trailer on the beach in soft sand"
A few hundred yards down a beach and that is the extent of your hauling offroad.
Thank you for proving my point.

Wow - all that off roading experience.

Wow - all of that Mopar expertise.

Wow -all of that flatulence stinking up PUTC.

@Loogie Lou, You know about has much as where I 4x4 then you know about trucks lol. You don't have clue as usual. Just talk out of our @$$ because your mouth knows better. Not only do I climb cajon pass @70mph with 8,000lbs trailer. I go out into the dunes at pismo. Also go to Glamis and drive through dunes without trailer and into the wash with trailor. My Die Hard Dodge does everything I ask of It with gusto. More then I can say for your 5.4 Triton V8. LOL. Even go in snow Lake Tahoe. My Dodge with 4.26 gears kicks @$$.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cajon_Pass

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9P4ZpywMl8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIiglZHg3bE

@Rambo spambo - ass who ass kisses ram
Exerpt:
Cajon Pass elevation 3,777 ft
Cajon Pass gets snow occasionally, sometimes enough to close the pass temporarily. When there is snow, the California Highway Patrol will set up checkpoints on the freeway. Since most Southern Californians are without snow tires or snow chains, they are forced to turn back, or wait until the snow has stopped and the freeway has been cleared of snow.

Laugh my f--in ass off. I live at over 2200 ft above sea level.

Gets snow occasionally - again = laugh my f--in ass off.

You drive in sand dunes packing quads. You get into trouble there are what? 37 million people within a few hundred miles of where you are "offroading".
How's the cell phone coverage?

Laugh my ass off again and again.

I can post all of my offroad experience, back country experience, driving experience , the various terrains I've driven, the various dirt bikes, quads, 4x4's etc I've operated but why?
I'll end up sounding like you or oxi.

You stop your BS and you might gain some credibility.

Read the posts.

Even the mellow guys have lost respect for you.

Even the Dodge fans are upset at you.

All you are doing is hurting yourself and your favorite brand.

You want respect for you and your truck - you are sure as sh-t going about it the wrong way.

I prefer decent conversations, but if you want to continue looking like a giant ass who ass kisses Ram then go right ahead.

I don't say stupid things to make the brands I like look bad.
Give it a try sometime.

Your call.

@Loogie Lou, My 03 Dodge Ram With 4.56 gears and 5.7L Hemi
will do circles around your 10 Ford 5.4L up hills pulling trailers off road in the dunes. Period. Laugh all you want. I will get the last laugh. Ha,Ha, Eat Hemi Dust!

@@Rambo spambo - ass who ass kisses ram

By your own admission, your truck isn't stock.

And by my own admission, I don't care.

Whether or not your truck is better, faster, stronger, more reliable etc. - you keep preaching that message and all you do is is keep making yourself look the ass who ass kisses Ram.

Your reply indicates that you have not comprehended a word I have said.

Keep living in your fantacy world of Chrysler supremacy.

Why don't you change your name to Hemi Bob, or Oxi Hemi.

Keep damaging the Chrysler/Hemi/Ram/Mopar/Fiat badge and we will keep laughing at you not with you.

You are the epitome of a chauvinistic man.

@Loogie Lou, You started this again. You called for a truce. You could not help your self. You bash Chrysler every chance you can. I will not let you get away with it. Be a man admit when you are wrong and have been beaten. Then I will have respect you until then carry on.

@Big Oz: How is it you say your global trucks will do what mine does? Will you tell me the bed size dimensions? I think I looked it up once. But you can't do alot of what I do without space. My last run to the scrap yard I had full size bumper in the back. Does that even fit in yours? They are over 6 feet long. Can you put car ramps that are 6' long in the bed? Maybe sticking over the tailgate...try that with a Backflip bed cover on it. Yeah, I can lock that up in mine, and the Backflip folds open whenI want to put something bigger in. However, my trip to Colorado-Washington I was able to cover all that stuff with the backflip. I don't want people in the wee hours of the morning eyeballing my cylinder heads, or what have you. Or stuff getting wet. Try loading all that in you narrow little truck, it aint happening.

I can imagine you do the same racecar and engine and parts hauling there. But I would bet there are alot more 4 cylinders getting raced there, and the tires to go on those cars there? Not many classes there with 26"x11" tires are there? Actually my class of racing here just went down to 8" wheels from 10" ones, but just the same, not enough room for those in your little trucks. I am sure you can just stick a baskit on the hitch reciever allowing more room, (and more weight aft of the axle!) How do those short wheelbase trucks tow 24-28' travel trailers? Do you have those there? I could bought one, but then chose a RV because I don't feel like making two trips to the lake so I can get a camper there then come back with my 24' pontoon boat.

Some change I can see just fine. V-6 non turbo engines are doing what 4.6 Fords, 5.2 Dodges, and 4.8 Chevy do. Transmissions aren't just old 3 speeds. They are alot tougher then 15 years ago and will continue getting more mileage (although at more cost for those trannies) Give me a 6 or 7 speed manual tho I would pocket some change and way down the road avoid paying for a transmission rebuild (the autos will always eventually need a rebuild.) Keep a manual trans oiled and be nice to the cltch, it will last. I am not so against diesels, but it seems alot that love them are places where it's cheaper then gas, or maybe the clean air standards are less restrictive. The heavy duty diesels here are getting/ (are fix'n to be getting) more expensive. I have said on here if the noses are more aero and the front bumpers don't stick out as much or as low, I am fine with that for better mileage. We have already made the midsizes darn near useless for having 3 in a row of seating, (ie. older Dakots could sit three accross.) Now I am not too crazy about them making our full sizes narrower. Some actually do put 6 people in them. Your truck do that? Bet that would be stuffy! No, we don't need them narrower. Especially when you consider there is more being added to toughen the doors and side airbags we didn't have 15 years ago. My truck is just a bit longer then a old school single cab 8 foot bed one is. It could be bigger. I can get a mega cab 8 foot bed I believe, or atleast a crew cab with 8 foot bed in a heavy duty, can't say I need all that. So I am already shorter then can be. Yeah, when the new Rams come with the crew cab/6'4" bed I can run out and get one, but I can't say too many people ride in the back of my truck to justify the bigger cab. Woulda been nice for the 500 mile trip to Nashville I took with my sister and law and her 16 year old 5'10" daughter, so she could audition for a model show. But it does a fine job of holding my toolbox and various other things in the quad cab.

Now you want to compare our brake rotors? Yours are what? Mine are 13.2" or bigger. Cause you must have your brakes on your trailer, (as me too) yet the new testing standard tests stopping without using trailer brakes, cause $#!t happens, or you have a bunch that tows without trailer brakes, right or wrong. What is the max load rating on those little Mazda's tires anyway? Are they a LT tire, or P metric? Just curious what the GVWR is and tire size.

Midsize trucks have their purpose. Just not with me, and you are not gonna force your "smaller is better" overseas ways on me.

@Big Al: I did see the racing from Australia on Speed Channel, atleast the cars that look sort like sprint cars but are built tougher then $#!t! And they are about like roller derby! Suits me fine as I have a friend that does roller derby, gotta love those ICT Roller Girls in Wichita, Kansas!

@TR4 Bit off the money .as my background is Australian racing. Same variety as in US as far as engines go plus large displacement V8"s that never existed in the US
They use Japanese Cabovers, up to Class 8, European up to Class 8, US Pickups, Australian Utes you name it a lot more variety than you would see in the US. Some examples:
http://www.my105.com/private_images/13060/20921_DSC01544(Copy)_m.JPG

http://www.my105.com/private_images/16410/42796_SilverTruck0005_m.JPG

http://www.my105.com/private_images/17382/76125_Truck&Gooseneck001_m.jpg

http://www.my105.com/private_images/17259/67350_7_m.jpg

http://www.my105.com/private_images/17320/38636_truckandtrailer007comp_m.jpg

http://www.my105.com/private_images/5707/1124200921754722_m.jpg

http://www.my105.com/private_images/4335/59761_DSC02042_m.JPG

http://www.my105.com/private_images/11602/13200_shane3_m.jpg

http://www.my105.com/private_images/5457/16390_Scania1_m.JPG

Holden Torana
http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a186/RobRyan7/?action=view&current=StreetMachine5.jpg

http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a186/RobRyan7/?action=view&current=StreetMachineExtremePerformance.jpg

A Ford Car/Ute towing.
http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a186/RobRyan7/?action=view&current=FalconUteTowing.jpg

@TRX4
You have a funny idea about Australia.

We have a significant number of V8s on the street. Not counting your pickups we might even have a larger portion of V8 cars.

Check out the V8 Super Car site. Some of your NASCAR technology comes from our V8 Super Cars.

I'm talking 1/2 ton pickups. And yes I do believe the general performance of our globals and your 1/2 pickups is not that great.

We even have a fantastic form of Jet Boat racing, little 10' long things powered by V8s race around large mud puddles.

HDs are a different story, though.

@TRX4
These can have over 1 000hp V8s in them. They are generally moved around with globals, Landcruisers etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jetsprint

@TRX4
Here's what the boats look like in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2Iyw5LFrJs

@Big Oz: The idea I get about Australia is the picture you paint with "utes" and little midsizes.

Yes, we have small V-8 boats here, running courses. I see it on Speed Channel alot. Looks awesome and I think it's about the same as we have here.

I think you have it backwards, Nascar doesn't need to borrow from your V-8 supercars. But it is good that Marcus is in Nascar, and he can drive the wheels off a Nascar road course car!

Now, can you show me some trucks like yours hauling 3200 pound (I say 3200 cause my class lost 300 pounds of mandatory weight this year) race ready cars with all the tools, ie, welder, generator, toolbox, extra 4 or 5 tires, fuel, etc. Maybe some 108 or bigger wheelbase cars. (Mines 111) The kind that barely fit your trailer with 10" rims. Now, are those trucks that can only fit 2 in the cab? Or two more people stuffed behind them? Sure performance can always be better! But I used to haul with a 1983 single cab (what else!?) W150, those old non overdrive 4 speed trannys and 318 4 barrels like gas! My new one? A ways ahead, with much more comfort and space to boot! I know towing all that stuff back at about a 13,500 GCW I was getting 11 mpg @65 MPH and mid 10 mpg at 70 MPH, thats up and down southwest Missouri hills on the interstate. Plus the suspension in the racecar was held up about 4 inches higher cause a broken crossmember where the torsion bars mount. Not that old figure eight cars are built with any aerodynamics, cause they must be able to handle hitting a car in the intersection.

Do they even have full size cars of the 80s being raced there? Like 115" wheelbase? Gotta think we are in two totally different worlds.

@Robert Ryan: What was all that about? Pictures of mostly big trucks? What in the world does that have to do with the conversation? Is it that those haul racecars? NO KIDDING? Well, us people in the lower levels, Hobby stock, pure stock, cruisers, street stock, bombers,call them what you like we don't have cash for big stuff like like that. No, that would be your modifieds, late models, superstocks, and such that run those big things. WE don't have the kinda money to drop on those things to race $5,000 cars. Or $10,000 ones. Yeah, you see alot of enclosed trailers for that latter group, and a good deal are towed with a one ton, diesel. Some do have tractor trailers that have the tractor all modded out for space for a crew to ride. Great for that purpose, however if I want to go pick up a 18' swimming pool like I need to tommorow, kinda overkill, eh? Unload car just to do that! Can't imagine the registration fees! I don't think my "Persion Gulf Veteran" 4.25 a year plates will apply to cover it! I do know my Enduring Freedom plates cover my B300 Dodge RV! @ 4.25 a year!

@TRX4
You'd be surprised our worlds are so similar. And you would also be extremely surprised of how much our V8 racing technology goes to the US. And even 4x4 technology that goes around the world.

We also lead the world in logistics (trucking), bulk handling etc.

Get onto cable and watch V8 Super Cars, much better than NASCAR for entertainment. It's being raced in many countries now. The same as those boats, they started in NZ came here and now you guys have it.

A lot of NA sports is only NA including motor racing. For the US to survive and retain your lifestyle you guys will have to look at the rest of the world.

We run the same as you at the Drags. We have speedway on dirt and tar. Not to mention bikes whether it be moto cross or superbikes etc.

We have basically the same forms of racing as you guys. Running similar technology.

The most advanced motor racing come from Europe. F1, Le Mans, Paris to Dakar, Rally etc.s

What I'm saying, is just because your pickups look bigger doesn't mean they are more capable. This seems to be a US disease.

@TRX4
The picture that Robert Ryan had of the Ford one ton ute towing an old falcon ute and Mini would or had a weight of at least 6 700lbs plus the weight of the ute itself which is another 4 500lbs. That's over 11 000lbs.

My "global" BT50 can have a total mass of over 14 500lbs. My truck weighs 4 800lbs empty. Heavier than some of your pickups. You can't compare our pickups with a Tacoma or even a Dakota as they are different in construction ie strength.

The photo below is at least 5 500lbs. An thats by a previous Mazda ute with a 3 litre diesel. And they are the size of the old Hardbody.

On the highway I've seen many race trailers being towed by utes. Don't forget we call even a F-350 a ute.

http://www.ultimarv.com.au/index.php/intl/public/rv/gallery/product/ultima-fw/photo/160

@TR4 Racing in Australia is a very different world to yours, we do have the budgets Those "big trucks"are the norm and relatively inexpensive for the teams. In Speedway Racing, Dirt Track racing too you, a blue collar hobby you see those as well these, the variety of transporters. factor in Australia is a huge country, distances are much more than the US due to its shape
Sprintcar Trailer
http://my105.com/private_images/13060/18451_trailer496_m.JPG

Sprintcar Box Truck
http://my105.com/private_images/17255/15383_DSCN0184_m.JPG
Car inside
http://my105.com/private_images/17255/98241_DSCN0185_m.JPG
http://my105.com/private_images/3278/617201073814480_m.jpg

http://my105.com/private_images/17566/67023_IMG_2443_m.JPG

http://my105.com/private_images/17417/99031_IMAG0030_m.jpg

"Yes, we have small V-8 boats here, running courses. I see it on Speed Channel alot. Looks awesome and I think it's about the same as we have here."
Sport of Jet Boat Racing orginated in New Zealand, then to Australia and now the US

"I think you have it backwards, Nascar doesn't need to borrow from your V-8 supercars."
Sure does, unleaded fuel and EFI as well as engine builders.
PWR Radiators are used by many NASCAR teams.Paul Wheel was a V8Supercar driver, developed PWR with his father.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/PWR-Performance-Products/157696120917759

http://www.pwr.com.au/#/view=info/s=ns/p=172/

"MWR and PWR Offer NASCAR.COM’s TrackPass RaceView Coverage on Team Websites Free of Charge"