Pickup Trucks

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2020 Toyota Tundra improved, still trails truck royalty

Like multi-word vehicles’ exterior paint colors, the names of cars and trucks are no longer simple. Welcome the 2020 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro CrewMax. The initials TRD stand for Toyota Racing Development, with the word Pro added as embellishment. Combined, it’s one vehicle simultaneously focused on racing and off-road duties. The TRD Package means Bilstein shocks raise the stance two inches, good for the 18-inch wheels. It also includes dual exhaust, a front skid plate and an eight-inch touchscreen for the Toyota Entune infotainment system. CrewMax means an extra spacious cabin, with a five or six-seat configuration and more interior storage space. Overall, the Tundra is a brute-force beast. It’s 19-feet long, about 6 1/2 feet tall and the same

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Buyer beware: Average price for a new pick-up truck now $50,000

Considering buying a new pick-up truck? Beware. Just like new cars, the average price of a new pickup truck in the United States has increased. It’s now around $50,000, according to automotive analytics businesses like Edmunds and JD Power. With its calculations, the average price of a new pick-up truck in 2019, according to Edmunds.com was $49,543; JD Power determined the average 2019 new truck price was $51,700. Not all manufacturers’ 2020 models have been unveiled, but the average price is expected to further increase. Regardless of the source, the new pick-up truck average cost is the highest in history. Various financial incentives and rebates lower the prices, but industry analysts say truck prices have increased about three percent annually

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2019 Nissan Titan: tough competitors, tough road ahead

Pickup trucks for many years have topped annual sales charts. With their sport utility vehicle cousins as co-conspirators, several manufacturers did what seemed unfathomable — abandon their sedan lineups. Poor gas mileage, difficult entry and exit and sometimes clunky rides don’t matter. Masculinity and versatility reign in new automotive purchasing. The top six best-selling vehicles in the United States in 2018 were either pickups or SUVs. Good reasons abound. In many instances, pickups are luxurious small apartments. The Nissan Titan is among the few trucks struggling. Sales slipped to just over 50,000 in 2018, a loss of nearly 5 percent from a peak year in 2017, according to Kelley Blue Book, the automotive research company. The manufacturer is trying to

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#20, Vintage firetruck gets new life as mobile party pub (video)

Kevin Mullan owns a 1987 E-One first pumper. It’s a fascinating vintage firetruck. And he’s made it further intriguing by converting it to a mobile pub. Mullan, 38, of Toledo, Ohio, purchased the truck, had a walk-in cooler with 10 beer taps installed, and named the business-on-wheels Ladder 419 beer truck. The name is a nod to the city’s area code. As co-hosts of The Weekly Driver Podcast, Bruce Aldrich and I are now bonafide members of the Mullan’s fan club. He’s our guest on Episode #92 of our weekly discussion of all things automotive. The beer truck, which debuted in late June in Blissfield, Michigan, is unique. Its walk-in cooler was installed after the 1,500-gallon water tank was removed.

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2020 Jeep Gladiator stands alone among truck malaise

Lots of new vehicles look similar cruising down the highway. One family sedan is likely related to another. The flood of SUVs, with rare exception, could all be made by the same manufacturer. Tesla and pending electric competition from Byton and Rivian are non-conformists. A Porsche Panamera stands out anywhere. Hummers stand alone in gaudiness. A few gimmick cars get attention. And now there’s the industry’s first convertible truck, the 2020 Jeep Gladiator. It’s a midsize vehicle that resembles its sibling, the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, but simultaneously looks nothing like its relative. Beyond its signature spindle grille, an extended wheelbase and a five-foot cargo bed, the Gladiator is unlike any other mainstream vehicle. When it literally gets unhinged (the doors

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Kaiyun Motors offers new, cheap EV pickup for $8,950

Cheap new vehicles aren’t a new phenomenon in certain countries. But so far it’s only been wishful thinking for a few niche manufacturers in the United States — until now. Kaiyun Motors will soon arrive. It will soon introduce the Pickman, an all-electric pickup in the U.S. It has a base price of $8,950. The price was listed mistakingly listed previously at $5,700, but it was for a non-street legal version of the truck not available in the U.S. The Pickman has a 5.5 horsepower engine and a top speed of 35 miles per hour. It’s classified as a low-speed or neighborhood electric vehicle (LSV/NEV). Kaiyun Motors Co Ltd. was founded in 2014 and is based in Xingtai, China. Kaiyun

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2018 Ford F-150, 2018 Toyota Corolla icons of success

The Ford F-150 pickup, the overt sentinel of masculinity, and the Toyota Corolla, the tiny titan compact sedan, have little in common with two exceptions, reliability and enduring success. The Corolla, manufactured since 1966, is the best-selling car in history with more than 43 million sold. The Ford F-Series, introduced in 1948, has been the country’s best-selling vehicle for decades. It’s the second best-selling vehicle in history with more than 40 million sold. While the sedan might be able to fit in the bed of the pick-up and cost one-third as much, driving either vehicle is experiencing automotive royalty. There’s little out of the ordinary about the Corolla. It’s understated and remains increasingly popular because of its consistency. The F-150

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2017 Nissan Titan improved, but still trails truck pack

The automotive landscape is dominated by large trucks. The Ford F-Series, Chevy Silverado and Ram pick-ups are perennially the country’s top-selling vehicles. So what are the other guys supposed to do to sell trucks? Nissan, which launched the Titan in late 2003, decided it needed to regroup. Except for a V8 diesel, the Titan wasn’t available as a 2016 model. It’s back in 2017 with a new look and an expanded warranty. Nissan’s goal is optimistic. It hopes the Titan can challenge the Big Three. Last year, Ford sold 820,799 F-Series trucks, led by the F-150. In 2005, Nissan sold 86,945 Titans, its best year. Sales haven’t reached 35,000 in any year in the last decade. With its 2017 model,

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1955 Ford F100 best of show at Concours & Cocktails

Supercars, family heirlooms and affordable vintage vehicles are nothing new to the Monterey Peninsula, particularly during Classic Car Week. Gawk at a new multi-colored Rolls-Royce or a carbon-fiber Pagani. Admire a classic Aston Martin, Ferrari or Porsche. They’re all automotive works of art. Bob Kavner appreciates cars as much as any collector or enthusiast. But he has a different perspective. While plenty of sports cars and classic sedans were showcased at the recent Concours & Cocktails at The Santa Lucia Preserve, Kavner presented two trucks. The former Silicon Valley executive, now a resident of Carmel, lives just down the country road from The Hacienda, the 20,000-acre private community’s idyllic clubhouse. As he’s done before, it was only a few-minute task

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Mercedes-Benz breaks from tradition with first pickup

For some purists, viewing a Mercedes-Benz station wagon is odd. Now the German luxury carmaker is further expanding tradition with its first pick-up truck. The latest version of the Mercedes-Benz X-Class concept will be presented at the Geneva International Motor Show. It will be available later this year in selected global markets. One caveat: The new luxury midsize truck won’t be available in the United States — at least for now. Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, has announced the X-Class will debut in “key markets” — Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and some European countries. A Mercedes-Benz spokesperson said the pickup “will close one the last gaps in our portfolio. The X-Class will set new standards in

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2016 Toyota Tacoma stronger, more trims

The redesigned 2016 Toyota Tacoma will feature a new powertrain, enhanced suspension timing and an expanded range of trim possibilities adding to the appeal of the enduring mid-size pickup. Fortified with additional steel, the 2016 Toyota Tacoma will have enhanced rigidity and more overall strength. The steel was integrated into the body shell using a new hot stamping process that reduces weight. Two engines will be offered: * A 2.7-liter DOHC four-cylinder with VVT-i that will produce 159 horsepower and EPA estimated city/highway/combined mpg for the 4×2 with an automatic transmission is19/23/21. Estimated fuel efficiency for the 4×4 with a manual transmission is 19/21/20 and 19/22/20 for the automatic. * A V6 with a segment-first 3.5-liter Atkinson cycle with VVT-iW

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Road Rage Revenge: How Sweet It Is (Video)

Road rage torments many. Maybe we’ve been the victim of road rage. Or maybe we’ve initiated an issue on a bad day or on a lot of bad days. Driving just often brings out the worst in people. Road rage revenge, however, is another matter. How sweet it is. In this instance, earlier this week a woman driver in Tampa, Fla., was the victim of road rage. But she recorded the situation on her smartphone and she had video of the outcome when the perpetrator spun out of control in wet weather and crashed on a median. The woman who made the video posted it on YouTube. She recorded the guy’s anger. She had the guy flipping her off. She

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2014 Toyota Tundra: New design, rugged but carlike

Toyota kicked open the door to the party with its all-new 2007 Tundra full-size pickup truck for the lucrative U.S. large pickup market — only to find an empty room. Where was everybody? Well, the economy had collapsed, causing full-size pickup truck sales to drop an estimated 50 percent. Toyota, which had built a $2.2 billion plant in San Antonio to build the new Tundra, was left with egg on its face. Here was a Toyota full-size pickup that finally was a direct challenge to domestic full-size pickups, with comparable size, power and capabilities. There also were long faces at Ford and General Motors, which had made fortunes selling large pickups—long the top-selling vehicles in America. Chrysler wasn’t happy with

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Prices set for refreshed 2014 Toyota Tacoma

Prices have been announced for the 2014 Toyota Tacoma, with the best-selling compact pickup truck in the United States available in dealerships during September 2013, according to the manufacturer. The MSRP for the 2014 Tacoma will range from $17,875 for the Regular Cab 4×2 with a four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission to $28,285 for the Double Cab 4×4 V6 Long Bed with a five-speed automatic.  The new pricing reflects an average increase of $100, or 0.4 percent. The 2014 Toyota Tacoma offers a new SR appearance package for 2014 with four levels of Entune Audio. In conjunction with the Entune upgrade, the backup camera display has been moved from the rear-view mirror to the Entune head unit display. The

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Ford F-150, 2014: Soon it’ll be a natural gas

The Ford F-150, the best-selling vehicle in the United States, will join several of its siblings and will be offered with a natural gas option beginning with iconic truck’s 2014 edition. The option, however, won’t be cheap. The automaker noted the 2014 F-150 will make it the only company with a full-size pickup that can come configured from the factory for natural gas. Ford’s natural-gas lineup has included the small Transit Connect, E Series vans and the Super Duty pickup and chassis cabs. Honda is the only manufacturer currently producing a standard production gas car with its Civic CNG. The current equivalent of natural gas, according to industry groups, is $2.11 a gallon — nearly half the current pump prices

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Ford F-150, country’s best-seller, facing NHTSA scrutiny for power failure

The Ford F-150 pickup truck, the best-selling vehicle in the United States, is under National Highway Traffic Safety Administration scrutiny. The NHTSA has opened preliminary investigation into 400,000 of the perennially popular trunks from 2011-2013 for acceleration problems. The NHTSA has received 95 reports of incidents of reduced engine power during hard accelerations in 2011-2013 Ford F-150 trucks equipped with 3.5-liter gasoline turbocharged direct injection engines. Some complaints allege unexpected sharp reductions in engine power during hard accelerations at highway speeds, such as attempted merging or passing maneuvers. NHTSA said Ford has issued three technical service bulletins related to intermittent stumble/misfire on acceleration from highway cruise in humid or damp conditions in some 2011 and 2012 F-150 vehicles equipped with

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