Pickup Trucks

, ,

Volkswagen hints toward new electric pickup truck

Nearly 40 years after Volkswagen stopped selling pickup trucks in the United States, it will do so again. At least that’s what VW of America CEO Scott Keogh suggested recently during an interview with Business Insider. “I think it’s the chance of a lifetime in this segment because electrification gives you a reset moment,” Keogh said. “It gives you a chance to bring some, let’s say, alternatives and some new ideas into this great segment.” VW leaning toward pickup truck return Keogh said an electric pickup is something VW is “actively investigating.” Volkswagen has twice suggested it would re-enter the U.S. market. Its previous pickup was last offered in 1983. In 2018, the automaker unveiled at Atlas Tanoak concept which

Read more

Ford Lightning pickup truck will strike soon with 320-mile range

The enduring Ford F-150 pickup family will soon expand with the long-anticipated Lightning debut this summer with its just announced Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certification and manufacturer revealed charge range. Depending upon engine configuration, the 2022 F-150 Lightning will have a range of 230 to 320 miles. Towing capacity is 7,700 pounds. The Lightning will come with two electric powertrain choices. The larger, extended range system will produce an estimated 563 horsepower and 775 pound-feet of torque. That will make the F-150 Lightning Ford’s fastest pickup. It will have an estimated 0-60 mph time in the mid-4-second range when equipped with an extended-range battery. The smaller standard range version will have 426 horsepower and 775 pound-feet of torque. Ford Lightning:

Read more

2023 Ram ProMaster: bigger, badder, more versatile

The 2023 Ram ProMaster, a full-sized van designed for businesses, construction job sites and commercial fleets and a versatile-use towing capacity of 6,900 pounds, debuted recently at National Truck Equipment Association’s (NTEA) Work Truck Week trade show in Indianapolis, Indiana. According to the manufacturer, the new ProMaster will include best-in-class features like cargo volume, turning radius, standard interior cargo height, load-floor height, cargo width between wheel wells and maximum cargo width. Available in 19 configurations, the Ram ProMaster includes three roof heights, three wheelbases and four vehicle lengths resulting in cargo lengths of 8-ft, 10-ft, 12-ft and 13.5-ft.ew is the segment-exclusive rear roll-up door to satisfy the cargo loading and unloading required for vocational and delivery customers alike. The roll-up

Read more
,

Burt Reynolds tribute Chevy Silverado fetches $280,000

Pickup truck prices continues, particularly customized, limited editions, and especially made as an homage to actor Burt Reynolds. One extravagant example, a 2021 Chevy Silverado Bandit Edition, sold recently at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas for $286,000. The customized truck has various integrates cosmetic features included as inspirations by the Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am that Reynolds drove throughout the hugely popular Smokey and the Bandit movie series. Painted black and gold, the modified Silverado also feature a large gold painted hood decal. About 200 of the bespoke vehicles have been built. Some components are made from forged carbon fiber, including the front splitter, rockers, rear spoiler and lower integrated rear diffuser. The hood graphic is hand-painted and incorporates Reynolds’ initials

Read more

2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz goes big in a smaller way

Introduced as the manufacturer’s first pickup truck, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz addresses a niche market. It’s a pickup truck for buyers who don’t want a truck or at least as previously defined. Available last June as this year’s model, the four-door, front-engine, all-wheel drive is marketed as an Adventure Sport Vehicle. Like the Honda Ridgeline and Ford Maverick, the Santa Cruz has a unibody chassis design, not the ladder frame featured on most pickup trucks. The back seats are comfortable only for children or petite adults. The standard Hyundai Santa Cruz engine is a 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder setup with 191 horsepower, 181 lb.-ft. of torque and an eight-speed automatic transmission. It’s based on its sibling, the Tucson crossover sport utility

Read more

GM unveils electric shock treatment: new $105K pickup truck

The electric truck wars are on. With all major manufacturers vying for the future marketplace, GM has just made the biggest, boldest mainstream move to date – the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV. Mary Barra, the CEO of GM, announced the vehicle during the recently concluded Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. She revealed the all-electric light-duty pickup will have an estimated 400 miles of range (with the largest battery), as much 664 horsepower and 780 lb-ft of torque. The 0-to-60 mph time is estimated as quick as 4.5 seconds with the Wide Open Watts Mode. Initially, there will be two trim levels offered: the flagship RST and the WT (Work Truck) model. The new Silverado EV will ride on

Read more
, ,

New GM troubles, massive lawsuit claims faulty transmissions

The eight-speed transmissions installed in numerous Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC vehicles, including several trucks and SUVs manufactured by General Motors, are faulty. According to a new class-action lawsuit against GM in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, the automaker shipped vehicles with transmissions with that: “Slip, buck, kick, jerk, harshly engage, suffer abnormal internal wear, sudden acceleration, delay in downshifts, delayed acceleration, difficulty stopping the vehicle, and eventually require replacement of the transmission or its components.” Vehicles affected include: Cadillac ATS (2016-2019), Cadillac ATS-V (2016-2019), Cadillac CTS (2016-2019), Cadillac CTS-V (2016-2019), 2016-2019 Cadillac CT6, Cadillac Escalade/Cadillac Escalade ESV (2015-2019), Chevrolet Camaro (2016-2019), Chevrolet Colorado (2017-2019), Chevrolet Corvette (2015-2019), Chevrolet Silverado (2015-2019), GMC Canyon (2017-2019),

Read more

Ford goes retro with zero-emissions F-100 pickup truck

What once was old is new is old again — the Ford F-100 Eluminator pickup truck. The automotive industry best-selling truck manufacturer recently announced the concept — a zero-tailpipe-emissions. demonstration truck. It’s powered by the new Ford Performance Parts Eluminator electric crate motor customers can now buy online. Based on a heritage 1978 F-100 pickup, the F-100 Eluminator concept features all-wheel-drive via two electric motors shared with the 2021 Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition. Two electric traction motors drive the front and rear wheels, packing 480 horsepower and 634 lb.-ft. of torque. Ford F-100: The Past Is The Present The Eluminator is the first e-crate motor from Ford Performance Parts. It’s based on the Mustang Mach-E GT’s traction motor. The

Read more
,

Versatile 2021 Ford F-150 has PowerBoost hybrid engine option

The 3.5-liter PowerBoost hybrid engine is offered as an option in the 2021 Ford F-150 and changes the game for V-6 engines in pickup trucks. The combination of a V-6 and a pickup truck was once relegated to use as service vehicles and for supervisors to drive. Ford’s creation of the hybrid PowerBoost has raised the V-6 to a new level of functionality and usefulness. The PowerBoost performs at the level of a V-8, uses less gasoline, and takes advantage of proven technology to handle wear and tear once reserved for V-8 engines. An Overview of the Ford 3.5-liter PowerBoost The Ford 3.5-liter PowerBoost is a hybrid currently used in the manufacturer’s F-series of full-sized pickups starting in 2021. It’s

Read more

2021 Ford F-150 4×4 SuperCrew Lariat Hybrid Electrifying

The Ford F-Series of pickup trucks has been at the top of the automotive world so long, the manufacturer could slide along for a few years without worry. But that hasn’t happened. Trucks dominate yearly sales figures and Ford likes its perch. As such, the carmaker adds and tweaks its trucks, offers variations of variations. It keeps ahead of rivals and their continued attempts to outdo the industry stalwart. Ford hasn’t flinched. New for 2021 is the Ford F-150 4×4 SuperCrew Lariat Hybrid. It pushes the truck leader to the saturation point. It’s offered in three cab style choices, three-bed lengths, six powertrains, six trims and the performance-oriented Raptor. Buyers have preferences, some of which they may not know they

Read more

2021 Honda Ridgeline updated, future seems grim

Seventeen years ago, Honda introduced the Ridgeline to challenge the mainstream pickup truck empire. The Ridgeline was something. It had the industry’s first lockable in-bed storage trunk. It had a fully independent suspension. The truck’s dual-action tailgate could be opened to the side or down. The 2006 Honda Ridgeline (made in Canada beginning in March 2005) also had an unusual exterior design, a unibody frame. It had a 3.5-liter V6 transverse-mounted engine a five-speed automatic transmission and 247 horsepower. Its towing capacity was (and remains) 5,000 pounds. Accolades arrived quickly, including the Ridgeline’s selection as Motor Trend’s 2006 Truck of the Year. It was also named Car and Driver’s top mid-size truck for 2006. The Ridgeline combined truck capabilities with

Read more

NEW TRUCK REVIEW: 2021 Ford F-250 rocks power

Fifty years into its unequaled success, Ford decided it needed more from its lightweight pickup trucks. The Super Duty lineup, including the F-250, was introduced. The family of haulers comprises the country’s best-selling vehicles, and it’s been that way for decades. With its siblings, the F-350 through F-750, the F-250, which debuted in 1998 as a 1999 model, features a heavier-duty chassis and heavier-duty suspension. The result is a pickup truck with a complementary role as a rugged small apartment on wheels. Pickup truck owners accustomed to the girth and power of the beasts will rejoice. The F-250 ideally defines the segment. It’s in charge on the road with a commanding presence but without having to prove its appeal with

Read more

Used pickup truck prices surge, notably Ram and GMC

If you’re considering the purchase of a new used pickup truck, be forewarned. The prices may be alarming, notably for a Ram 1500 or GMC Sierra 1500. Both trucks are among the top-10 vehicles with the greatest prices increases, according to a recent survey by iseecars.com. The automotive search engine and research website tallied the datasets for 1.1 million used car sales from model years 2016 to 2020 in June 2021 and more than 800,00 used car sales from 2015 to 2019 in June 2020. Pickup truck prices surge The average price increase from June 2000 to June 2021 among all vehicles is 32.7 percent. The Ram 1500 pickup had an average used price of $40,200 in June of 2021,

Read more

Ram charges ahead, unveils two new 2022 pickup trucks

Continuing its recent expansion of trucks, Ram has announced two new 2022 pickup trucks, the 1500 Laramie G/T and 1500 Rebel G/T. The models offer customized performance features standard including a cold-end exhaust, cold-air intake, performance pages, paddle shifters and a console-mounted performance floor shifter. The 1500 G/T models feature a sport performance hood and G/T decals to distinguish them from the rest of the Rebel and Laramie offerings. A factory-installed cold-end exhaust and cold-air intake, available through Mopar, are also standard. Two new trucks: New app tools Performance pages are included on the 2022 1500 G/T as standard equipment and give drivers the tools necessary to become familiar with their vehicle’s performance. The app provides access to real-time vehicle

Read more

NEW TRUCK PREVIEW: GMC Canyon tries again in 2023

What can GMC do to improve the country’s worst-selling midsized pickup truck? The 2023 Canyon, the debut of the truck’s third generation, will feature a new exterior and interior. A more modern, stylized exterior including a new fascia, will highlight the exterior; the interior will be based on an improved offer of the current GMT 31XX platform. The Canyon is also distinguishable by its massive grille, projector-beam headlights and LED running lights. The same powertrain as the current model will be offered on the 2023 GMC Canyon and with three engine options. Standard features will include additional equipment, although details haven’t been announced. The base engine is a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder with 200 horsepower and 190 lb-ft of torque. It is

Read more

NEW TRUCK PREVIEW: Fresh look for 2023 Nissan Frontier

Highlighted by a modernized exterior and interior and a more powerful engine, the 2023 Nissan Frontier will arrive next year as the debut of the midsized pickup truck’s third generation. Nissan reports the new Frontier will feature a 310-horsepower V6 and it will be propelled by a nine-speed automatic transmission and rear or four-wheel drive. The Frontier’s new exterior, according to several truck websites, will feature a new body inspired by the classic Nissan Hardbody Desert Runner, its predecessor. It will feature a massive grille. 2023 Nissan Frontier: New Inside, Outside A new instrument will be unveiled and will include a standard 8-inch touchscreen and a 9-inch screen on upper-level trims. Technology will include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration,

Read more
Previous Next