I found this truck on the same block where the Evil New Yorker once parked, and just around the corner from the '60 Rambler American Custom. I can tell its model year falls somewhere within the 1948-1950 span, thanks to the grille and passenger-side vent louvers, but that's as close as I can guess so I'm going to say it's a '49. Any clarifications, early Suburban experts?

This truck, which had a shipping weight of 3,710 pounds, came from the factory with an overhead-valve Thriftmaster 216-cube six generating 90 horsepower. Compare that to the 2009 model, which scales in at an 18-wheeler-esque 6,327 pounds… and packs an engine that grunts out 352 horsepower. So, nearly twice the weight, moved by nearly four times the power. Cupholders and power seats versus postwar style and a bouncy, rattly ride. Which would you prefer as your personal passenger truck?

Apparently a couple of GI's were out minding their own business, driving a shiny maroon Chevrolet Suburban about five klicks out from the live fire range at Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah. Unfortunately at 10,000 feet, it's a bit more difficult to discern distance-from-target, and an F-16 pilot in the area thought the Suburban sure looked like fair game, opening up with 70 20mm rounds and totally decimated the SUV all about the 'merican revolution. Fortunately, the only injuries sustained by the occupants were from the flying glass and jumping out of the truck as it was being lit up. Unknown was whether live-fire is covered under the General's new 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. [StrategyPage]

Anyway, the push for the new architecture has a target date of 2012, or just about the time gas hits $15,000 a gallon in the US, so the idea is to provide room and size while reducing weight and improving gas mileage. We're wondering why they don't just follow through with the Autonomy concept that they spent so much money (and the motoring press spent so much time) on. [Bloomberg via Carscoop]