The Donahoe suspension company recently signed a deal with both Ford Motor Company and the Best in the Desert racing series. As the official suspension system for Best in the Desert Off-Road Racing Series, Donahoe will offer attractive discounts for Best in the Desert teams. Donahoe is now an official Ford-sponsored team as well. As such, Donahoe will race a brand-new '05 Ford F-350 4WD Diesel Super Duty, complete with Donahoe Racing's new '05 Ford Super Duty suspension system. This new '05 Super Duty will compete in the Best in the Desert 8100 Class beginning with the Nevada 1000 in July 2005. Ford Motor Company's official sponsorship of Team Donahoe stipulates that Team Donahoe, as an official "equipment testing team" for Ford engineers, provides Ford feedback on the durability of Ford parts in the grueling Nevada desert.
Go to Europe and you'll see darn few SUVs and practically zero pickup trucks. Nevertheless, our dedicated search of the 2005 Geneva Motor Salon (yep, that's Switzerland) did yield a few interesting tidbits.
The star of Nissan's display in Europe was, of all things, an SUV. SUVs are a curiosity on The Continent, a land of AWD station wagons and medium-duty trucks. The Zaroot-the name is supposed to play on "root" and "route," linking Nissan's heritage with the path ahead-is equipped with Nissan's All-Mode four-wheel-drive system. The system uses electronic traction control to enhance grip in low-traction situations. Ground clearance is generous, and overhangs are short, not unlike the current Xterra. Tire size on this concept vehicle is given at 245/55R20.
The Zaroot is a compact SUV measuring 177 inches overall length, and 70 inches wide-just a tad smaller than the Xterra. Two huge doors dominate the profile, opening gull-wing style, with the rocker panel unfolding downward to act as a step. These would be impossible to open in a tight parking space, but for an auto show, they are dramatic. The third door is a rear hatch. A roof-mounted spotlight package is integrated into the roof-rack rails. Instead of taillights, a U-shaped band of lights wraps the rear window.
The main aim of the interior design is to create maximum space for people and gear. Seats are thin, but exactly anatomically correct, so as to provide comfortable support. The Zaroot is a concept SUV intended to illustrate what Nissan might do in the future, but we wouldn't hold our breath.
The JAVX, a kind of European vision of the Meyers Manx, stands for "Journey Adventure Vehicle X." This prototype is a product of the Mazel Group, a Spanish design and development studio located in Barcelona. It was a husky set of 295/70R16 rear tires, Z-rated, that caught our eye.
The JAVX is powered by a 4.0L, eight-cylinder, aluminum-block engine, which sounds a lot like a Range Rover motor to us. Built on a 100-inch wheelbase, the JAVX is 69.5 inches wide and just 61 inches tall. The track is an inch wider in the rear than the front, and the rear tires are substantially larger than the front 265/70R16s. The tires are mounted on alloy wheels; brakes are Brembo discs.
There doesn't seem to be a lot of suspension travel available here, just short coilovers on all four corners. The press kit doesn't say much, either, other than "Designed for Brave People." Considering the suspension, we agree.
We couldn't resist snapping this shot of what is probably the most rugged vehicle in the whole Geneva show. Like the front plate says, this would be a Daihatsu Taft, circa 1982. We don't know much about it, other than we heard they are popular in Indonesia. They'd be popular in the States, too, with straight axles and leaf springs, front and rear. In size, it's about halfway between an FJ40 and Suzuki Samurai.
We were told that power comes from a 2.8L diesel coupled to a low-geared manual box that tops out at about 65 mph in 5th gear. However, we saw one on the Internet for sale in Germany that had a 48hp, 1.6L four. Hey, at least it's got character!
-John Stewart