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Katy Texas Trucks
Manufacturers offer car-like amenities to lure Katy families
into the trucking business © Katy Magazine - Katy, Texas 2005
December 01, 2005
By Don Armstrong
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Lincoln Lives up to its Name
Ford’s upscale Lincoln division has a new truck. The 2006 Mark LT takes styling cues from the car and SUV lineup, giving the sophisticated trucker a place to wear his Stetson and Tuxedo without looking out of sorts.
With the success of Ford’s new F-150, Lincoln decided it had seen enough and wanted a version of its own. To differentiate the F-150 from the Lincoln, the nose of the Navigator SUV supplants Ford’s, along with a generous amount of
chrome.
The interior is taken from the Ford mother ship but the Lincoln logo is prominently displayed in the leather-covered center console lid. Black-faced, chrome-ringed gauges are easy on the driver’s eye. Seating for 5 is accented
with contrasting piping. The ride is smooth. Powering the Lincoln is a 5.4-liter Triton V-8 that produces 300 horsepower. Mileage is 14-city, 18-highway. The $39,200 sticker is about $3,000 more than Ford’s top of the line Lariat,
but the new Lincoln Mark LT sure hits the sweet spot.
‘06 Dodge Ram Gets Styling Tweaks
The 3/4-ton, heavy duty, Ram 4 X 4 is what little boy’s dreams are made of but only the big boys can afford. Whether it’s pulling tree stumps out of weekend property in the hill country or towing the 30-foot Airstream through the
Colorado Rockies, this is one truck that will make you a proud American, if you aren't already. All 2006 Ram’s get a styling update, both inside and out. A new grille and larger headlights add to the already distinctively bold
font end.
The interior sports an all-new dash with more room given to climate and audio controls. A fold-down cup holder at bottom-center dash accommodates the biggest Icee’s you can buy. The Ram 4-door seats 6. Up front, the massive center
console folds up and doubles as a seat-back. The 6.9-liter Cummins diesel delivers 610-lb.-ft. of torque and 325 horsepower. This serious puller/hauler commands some serious dough. Base MSRP is $35,285. Diesel power adds another
$5,555 to the bottom line.
High Horsepower Jimmy
GMC calls its big horsepower half-ton Sierra Max. Whatever you want to call it, this is one bad truck that kicks out a whopping 345 horsepower and 375 lb-ft of torque from a 6-liter V-8. You'll have to pay at the pump for all that
grunt. Mileage is 14-city and 19-highway.
Whether you're into a Friday night dash with a stop light foe or pulling the boat to the lake, here is the 1/2-ton pick-em-up that'll get ‘er done. Unlike Chevy’s menacing, scowled-face front grille, the GMC Sierra has a more
conservative appearance, both outside and in. GM has had great success with option packages that will get you tons of goodies for a few extra dollars. Make a list of all the things you'd like to have, find an option package that
fits your list and shop, shop, shop. MSRP for the GMC Sierra 1500 2-wheel drive extended cab with the 6-liter V-8 is $33,475. With the price of fuel at all-time highs, you'd think sales would be lagging. Think again. Pricing and
incentives have produced record truck sales the last half of the year so this may be the time to take advantage of the savings. Diversity in the garage, a car or SUV and a truck, may be just the thing for total Katy versatility.
Japan’s Innovative Alternatives
Honda Ridgeline $27,770
Unibody construction on an integrated frame lends to a solid ride. Unique, in-bed trunk but limited to V-6-only power.
Toyota Tundra $16,155
Toyota offers both V-6 and V-8 power, lowest base price and more cab and bed combinations than other Asian competitors.
Nissan Titan $23,250
Regular cab not offered, V-8 engine only. Versatile in-bed rail system can be used for tie-downs and Nissan store accessories.
Katy Wakes up to Don Armstrong’s traffic reports every morning on KPRC-TV. He is also a member of the Texas Auto Writer’s Association.
Submit your Katy news to editor@katymagazine.com.
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