Ford Vertrek Concept
Matt: Hit and miss. Hit because the Escape's boxy styling is way too 90s and outdated. Miss because one of the things that made the Escape great was its huge trunk and voluminous interior. The Vertrek, like other compact CUVs, sacrifices cargo volume in favour of styling. Hit because the gas-guzzling 3.0L V6 will be dropped for EcoBoost power and compact efficient 4-cylinder engines.
Mike: Hit. It’s stylish, dynamic and will offer an EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine that should be almost as powerful as the Escape’s V6 but without the heavy fuel consumption. I’m just wondering if Escape owners will trade in their boxy SUV for something that’s aesthetically so different.
Luc: Hit. Drivers have a thing for uniquely-styled compact SUVs and crossovers – to the point of overlooking practicality at times. Consider the success of the new Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson. If the production version of the Ford Vertrek stays true to the eye-catching concept presented in Detroit, it will likely make people forget about the boxy Escape and its decade-old design.
GMC Sierra All-Terrain HD Concept
Matt: Hit. I'm no diehard truck guy but this one makes me want to rip my shirt off, pound my chest and go backyard fence crushing. I'm a fan of the SVT Raptor but if you drop a Duramax diesel engine in, as is the case in the All-Terrain, versus a 6.2L gas V8, I'll sign anywhere. Fox shox, massive rubber and and a whole lot of attitude will guarantee that the few that will be able to afford this monster, will love them to bits.
Mike: Miss. I’d love it if I was living in the deserted outskirts of Las Vegas, but elsewhere, the Sierra All-Terrain and the SVT F-150 Raptor don’t make much sense in today’s world. And good luck finding off-road trails large enough for these behemoths. It does look pretty nasty, though, so GM should build the All-Terrain no matter what I think of it.
Luc: Miss. Ford has the Raptor, so naturally, GM had to strike back. Their new mastodon on wheels sends chills down the spine of many customers and enthusiasts... even though they clearly don't need such a big truck! I like the idea to use full composite underbody protection, but everything else is nothing more than a subtle evolution from the existing Sierra.
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| Photo: Ford |
Matt: Hit and miss. Hit because the Escape's boxy styling is way too 90s and outdated. Miss because one of the things that made the Escape great was its huge trunk and voluminous interior. The Vertrek, like other compact CUVs, sacrifices cargo volume in favour of styling. Hit because the gas-guzzling 3.0L V6 will be dropped for EcoBoost power and compact efficient 4-cylinder engines.
Mike: Hit. It’s stylish, dynamic and will offer an EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine that should be almost as powerful as the Escape’s V6 but without the heavy fuel consumption. I’m just wondering if Escape owners will trade in their boxy SUV for something that’s aesthetically so different.
Luc: Hit. Drivers have a thing for uniquely-styled compact SUVs and crossovers – to the point of overlooking practicality at times. Consider the success of the new Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson. If the production version of the Ford Vertrek stays true to the eye-catching concept presented in Detroit, it will likely make people forget about the boxy Escape and its decade-old design.
GMC Sierra All-Terrain HD Concept
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| Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com |
Matt: Hit. I'm no diehard truck guy but this one makes me want to rip my shirt off, pound my chest and go backyard fence crushing. I'm a fan of the SVT Raptor but if you drop a Duramax diesel engine in, as is the case in the All-Terrain, versus a 6.2L gas V8, I'll sign anywhere. Fox shox, massive rubber and and a whole lot of attitude will guarantee that the few that will be able to afford this monster, will love them to bits.
Mike: Miss. I’d love it if I was living in the deserted outskirts of Las Vegas, but elsewhere, the Sierra All-Terrain and the SVT F-150 Raptor don’t make much sense in today’s world. And good luck finding off-road trails large enough for these behemoths. It does look pretty nasty, though, so GM should build the All-Terrain no matter what I think of it.
Luc: Miss. Ford has the Raptor, so naturally, GM had to strike back. Their new mastodon on wheels sends chills down the spine of many customers and enthusiasts... even though they clearly don't need such a big truck! I like the idea to use full composite underbody protection, but everything else is nothing more than a subtle evolution from the existing Sierra.