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" Dodge Muscles Up Ram Pickup Line    is adding two high-powered trucks to its Ram lineup, The Associated Press reported.   They are the Dodge Ram Power Wagon and SRT-10 Quad Cab, which were recently unveiled at Chrysler&amp;#039;s Chelsea Proving Grounds 60 miles west of Detroit.   The Power Wagon name is being resurrected for the first time in 25 years, the story said. It&amp;#039;s based on the Dodge Ram 2500 and is designed more for rugged working conditions than for mainstream driving; its 33-inch tires are the tallest standard tires offered on a production pickup. The Power Wagon will come with just one engine, the 345-horsepower Hemi V-8.   The Quad Cab adds a four-door version to Dodge&amp;#039;s existing Ram SRT-10 regular cab pickup. Both come with a 500-horsepower Dodge Viper V-10 engine.   Ford Puts Premium on Hybrid SUV Price   Ford&amp;#039;s new Escape Hybrid SUV, which combines an electric motor and conventional engine to boost fuel efficiency, will cost at least $3,300 more than a standard Escape SUV, Reuters reported.   The Escape is Ford&amp;#039;s first hybrid gasoline-electric model, and the first hybrid SUV on the market. The manufacturer&amp;#039;s suggested retail price for the Escape Hybrid will be between $3,300 to $3,425 above the price of a comparably equipped Escape XLT model with a V-6 engine.   The base model of the 2005 , which gets an estimated 35 to 40 miles per gallon and goes on sale this summer, is priced at $26,970, or $28,595 with four-wheel drive. Both prices include destination and delivery charges of $590, the story said.   However, the Escape Hybrid qualifies for various federal and state incentives, including a &amp;quot;clean fuel vehicles&amp;quot; federal tax deduction of $1,500 for 2004 purchases, Ford noted.   NHTSA Cranks Up Chrysler Minivan Safety Probe   The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it is upgrading an investigation into a possible defect on nearly 1.3 million Chrysler minivans to an &amp;quot;engineering analysis,&amp;quot; a step that often precedes a recall, Reuters reported.   The problem being investigated is a possible defect that could cause failure of the van&amp;#039;s airbags, horns or cruise control systems.   A part known as a &amp;quot;clockspring&amp;quot; may interfere with the driver&amp;#039;s side airbags on the minivans, as well as normal operation of the horn and speed control, NHTSA said. Four accidents and injuries had been linked to the problem and consumers have filed a total of 782 complaints about it.   An advisory posted on the NHTSA&amp;#039;s Web site said the possible defect, which has already triggered a recall of about 500,000 minivans in November 2002, affects models from the 1998-2000 model years.   The vehicles involved include the Dodge Grand Caravan, , Plymouth Grand Voyager, Voyager and Chrysler Town &amp;amp;amp; Country.   Chrysler Marks Test Track Anniversary    Chrysler&amp;#039;s Chelsea Proving Grounds is celebrating 50 years of service on June 16, 2004, according to a company press release.   The state-of-the-art testing facility and engineering laboratory that has been involved in the noise, vibration and harshness, ride and handling, drivability and emission calibration of over 800 different products since the facility started operations in 1954.   &amp;quot;The Chelsea Proving Grounds provides an up-front analysis on all Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brand vehicles to ensure reliable and durable products,&amp;quot; said Donald E. Goodwin, Vice President \u2014 Scientific Laboratories and Proving Grounds, Chrysler Group. &amp;quot;This facility is a one-stop shop for comprehensive vehicle testing, cascading technical improvements throughout the corporation.&amp;quot;   The Chelsea Proving Grounds houses 3,800 acres, 700 employees, 95 miles of durability roads \u2014 47 miles of asphalt, 36 miles of concrete, and 12 miles of gravel roads, as well as the most comprehensive off-road testing events and trails.   Vehicle development is evaluated by multiple facilities within the Chelsea Proving Grounds. For example, the Laboratory facilities includes the emissions laboratory with 14 chassis dynamometers, emissions measurements with computerized data analysis, a temperature controlled soak room, parasitic-loss dynamometer, a ride and roll rig (measures spring heights and body roll characteristics), cold and hot rooms, a surface plate and a brake, instrument, computer and photographic laboratory.   The Impact Test Building is 26,000 square feet and is used to anticipate how each component will work together during a crash to absorb and reduce crash forces sent to passengers. Airbag and restraint development, sensor calibrations, vehicle structure and component development and government regulations are the factors addressed. The Chelsea Proving Grounds Impact facility has the highest volume of tests in the industry.   Furthermore, new Chrysler Group vehicles are tested beyond the current regulations with tests such as the pole test and high-speed rear impact to improve vehicle safety and help ensure optimum performance in a wide range of crash scenarios.   The 11,000 square foot wind tunnel is used for engine cooling, underhood temperatures, air conditioning, wind noise and aerodynamic design. The wind velocity in the tunnel simulates speeds up to 120 mph on full-size vehicles and 150 mph on a 3/8 scale model. A 12-1/2 foot diameter, 16-blade fan driven by a 600-horsepower electric motor can force 670,000 cubic feet of air per minute through the 280-foot long loop.   The Handling and Evaluation Road is 1.6 miles long and was designed for the development and testing of vehicle suspension systems at the extreme limits of their capability. The road consists of a series of curves of various radii, with the pavement sloping both into and away from the center of the curvature.   &amp;quot;The Chelsea Proving Grounds is key in the Chrysler Group&amp;#039;s overall quality and engineering advancements,&amp;quot; Goodwin said. &amp;quot;The correlation of test procedures to real-world customer usage will continue to produce significant contributions.&amp;quot; "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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