Trucks

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No computer chips for new trucks, top dollar for old trucks

Across the country, but notably in states like Texas where pickup trucks reign, supplies of new trucks are surprisingly thin. The reason? Car parts, particularly computer chips, are in rare supply. As a result, vintage Ford and Chevy pickups from the 70s and 80s are selling for 10 times more than their worth before the Covid-19 pandemic. So hold off selling that old pickup truck to the first person who offers $5,000 take it off your hands. It could be worth $50,000. In several states, according to several media reports on Drive.com, Ford is storing thousands of new Ford F-150 pickup trucks at the Kentucky Speedway and in parking lots in Detroit. The shortage of chips is preventing the trucks

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PREVIEW: 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz: Don’t call it a truck

The Hyundai Santa Cruz is getting a lot of attention as the South Korean manufacturer’s first pickup truck. But it already doesn’t want to be stereotyped. Hyundai has identified its new crossover vehicle as an SAV. It’s not a sport utility vehicle or a pickup truck. It’s a sport adventure vehicle. The manufacturer is marketing the new vehicle as combining an SUV engineered like a car with pickup truck characteristics. The Santa Cruz will have a small, open cargo bed and also seating for five occupants. Hyundai Santa Cruz: US made Despite is South Korean headquarters, the Santa Cruz will be built in the carmaker’s factory in Montgomery, Alabama. According to one reviewer, “Comparing Ford F-150s, Rams and Silverados to

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Ford regains pickup truck towing capacity lead from Chevy

MotorTrend has just released a comprehensive look at all things related to 2021 trucks, payload to towing capacities, gas mileage averages to bed quality. One of the most coveted category titles is towing capacities for half-ton pick-up trucks. According to the publication, Ford has recaptured the lead among mainstream manufacturers. Towing capacity: Ford No.1, Chevy No. 2 Its F-150 has a maximum towing capacity of 14,000 pounds. Two-wheel drive F-150s fitted with the 3.5L EcoBoost V-6 and either SuperCab or SuperCrew can be configured to hit this maximum weight. Four-wheel drive Ford F-150 trucks drop 100 pounds to 13,900 pounds of max towing ability. Chevrolet‘s Silverado and GMC’s Sierra can tow a maximum of 13,300 pounds with a 6.2L V-8

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Consumer Reports: 2021 Jeep, Honda only recommended trucks

Pickup trucks continue to dominate sales in the United States. But the volume doesn’t impress Consumer Reports. Among the 17 pickup trucks tested by the leading consumer organization, only the Honda Ridgeline and the Jeep Gladiator were recommended. The Ridgeline achieved a score of 65, the highest mark among all trucks tested. Consumer Reports conducts about 50 different tests on the vehicles it evaluates. It evaluates braking to handling, comfort to safety and as fuel economy. Predicted reliability, owner satisfaction, safety technology and crash test results are also factored into overall results. Consumer Reports slams most pickup trucks The Gladiator and Ridgeline are both mid-sized trucks. No full-sized truck were recommended. The Ridgeline scored average or better in every category.

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America’s freeways: the land of spilled milk and money

Freeways full of bees spilled milk, frozen pizza and money? Who knew? They could have been scenes from comedy movies or low-level horror films. And since no one was seriously hurt, a little humor seems just fine when discussing some of the unusual cargo that’s fallen or spilled off trucks traveling the country’s freeways. The industry site freightwaves.com has documented odd circumstances when something’s gone wrong — 14 million bees in on the I-5 median at the I-405 interchange near Lynwood, Washington to the hundreds of pizzas spilled on the intersection of two freeways in Little Rock, Arkansas on I-30, near of I-430. Freeways are often full of unsafe stuff A payload of milk spilled in a crash on the

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New Ford Super Duty Trucks: big, bad, ready soon

The pending 2022 Ford Super Duty Trucks define the brawn and bravado of pickup trucks. The models — F-250, F-350 and F-450 — have impressive statistics for the mammoth segment, specifically in areas important for RVers. Powered by gasoline and diesel engine options, the 2022 model beasts have options: The 7.3-liter gasoline V-8 produces 430 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque; Ford Super Duty Trucks: Big, Bad The turbodiesel 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 churns includes 475 horsepower ad and 1,050 lb-ft of torque; A gasoline 6.2-liter V-8 also remains available. Current max towing and hauling numbers are also massive: 37,000 pounds gooseneck, 32,500 pounds fifth-wheel, 24,200 pounds conventional and 7,850 pounds for payload. The 2022 Ford Super Duty will be

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The legacy of BMW includes 2 funky pickup trucks

BMW makes vehicles admired by many performance-car enthusiasts. The automaker’s reputation, like other German automakers’ pedigrees, is well-heeled and varied. The carmaker makes comfortable sedans that power along the open road like sports cars. What’s less known is BMW’s foray into pickup trucks. It made the E30 M3 and the E92 M3. The E30 M3 debut in 1986. It had a 2.3 liter engine with 200 horsepower and it was a soft top convertible. The pickup wasn’t a success but it lasted for 26 years — as a transport vehicle for the manufacturer. BMW pickup trucks didn’t sell well The carmaker also made a second M3 pickup, the E92. It included a 4.0-liter V8. It was short-lived and only was

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It’s not a canoe. It’s a Canoo, a new electric pickup truck

There’s another new electric truck on the horizon, the oddly named Canoo. formerly known as Evelozcity, Canoo is an American manufacturer headquartered in Torrance, California. While specs and pricing weren’t announced, the start-up announced it will debut its trucks in 2023. The trucks will be offered with single-motor and dual-motor all-wheel-drive options. The latter version is touted to produce 600 horsepower and 550 foot-pounds of torque. Canoo said its trucks will have 1,800-pound payload capacitors and a 200-mile range. The Canoo will be built on the same modular platform as Canoo’s other vehicles. The company announced last December a lineup of delivery vans. Its new dual-motor truck will deliver up to 600 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque. The Canoo

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2021 Dodge Durango: No wonder it’s called a Hellcat

Production has started on the beast of all sport utility vehicles, the 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat. The most powerful SUV ever made, the limited edition (2,000 units) features its share of high-performance. The Hellcat delivers 710 horsepower and 645 lb.-ft. of torque from a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI Hellcat V-8 engine. It’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. With its optional Tow N Go Package, the full-size, three-row SUV has a towing capability of 8,700 pounds. The 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine has a towing capability of 6,200 pounds. Perhaps the Hellcat’s most impressive statistics, it accelerates from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds, completes a quarter-mile in 11.5 seconds and has a top speed of 180 miles

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Truck accidents more frequent, labor stats reveal

Road travelers likely know it all too well. Truck accidents happen. The increase was small in 2019 from 2018 in some areas and it was substantially higher in another segment of the trucking industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 843 trucker deaths in 2019, the most recent statistics available, and a 1.4 percent increase. The highest yearly death tally (880) occurred in 2014. Including professional drivers of light-duty trucks, the industry suffered 1,005 fatal occupational injuries last year. It’s the highest since the agency started tracking the category in 2003. Truck accidents happen; other jobs more dangerous But trucking is not the nation’s most dangerous occupation. It’s only the seventh most dangerous occupation. Fishing and hunting

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Wisconsin pickup truck driver plunges 70 feet, lives (video)

How scary is winter driving? A melting snowbank and freezing conditions on Wisconsin on a freeway ramp could have cost a pickup truck driver his life. A camera operated by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation captured the truck’s crash film, just after the driver, Richard Lee Oliver, lost control. The dramatic footage also documented a miracle. The red pickup truck plunged 70 feet after plowing into the snowbank and tumbling over the barrier. Pickup truck driver loses control Two drivers came to the man’s aid following the wreck on west I-94 just east of Interstate 41 in the Zoo Interchange. The single-car accident victim was transported to a Milwaukee hospital by firefighters with non-life-threatening injuries. A preliminary investigation reportedly revealed

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Can pickup trucks possibly get any more popular?

Despite business doldrums because of the coronavirus pandemic, manufacturers of pickup trucks continue to try to outdo each other, including Nissan. For the first time since 2005, the 2022 Nissan Frontier will be a new design for the mid-size pickup truck. Offered in S, SV, Pro-4X, and Pro-X, the 2022 Frontier will come with a 310 horsepower, 3.8-liter V6. It will be propelled by a nine-speed automatic transmission in rear-wheel-drive or four-wheel drive. With the start of the truck’s third generation, the 2022 Nissan Frontier will have a new exterior and interior and new suspension. The powertrain that debuted in 2020 will remain the same. The new Frontier will be 4.5 inches longer than the outgoing model because of its

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NEW TRUCK PREVIEW: 2022 Ram 1500

Among the lightweight truck’s “Big Three”, the pending 2022 Ram 1500 will feature mid-generation upgrades and include a hybrid powertrain for the first time. The hybrid option will join current gasoline and diesel powertrain options. An all-electric powertrain is on the horizon but won’t be available for at least two years. While not confirmed, the 2022 Ram 1500 will feature the next-generation Uconnect5 infotainment system. Prices haven’t been released and a slight increase is likely for the new Ram. It will likely be released this summer. The 2022 Ram 1500 will have the grille and current slimmer headlamps halogen, LED and adaptive LED lighting setups. 2022 Ram 1500: Three Powertrain Options The current Ram’s 3.6-liter, 305 horsepower engine will again

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2021 Toyota Tacoma: enduring pickup gets edgy

By James Raia It’s been nearly 27 years since the Toyota Tacoma debuted in the United States, and it’s among the most enduring pickup trucks available. For 2021, the versatile daily driver and work truck has a new optional look. Joining six other Toyota cars, vans and trucks, the Tacoma is available in a Nightshade Edition. It’s an edgy look that features a lot of black — alloy wheels, front lower grille, rear spoiler, outside mirrors, door handles, side rocker panels and shark-fin antenna. There’s a single exhaust with dual black diffusers and black Toyota emblem and badges. Available in two-and four-wheel-drive variants with a spacious Double Cab body style, the new Tacoma features a 3.5-liter V6 with 278-horsepower. It

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Pickup trucks again sweep top-3 auto sales in 2020

It’s no surprise. Pickup trucks remained the country’s most popular vehicles in 2020. The Ford-150, Chevrolet Silverado and Ram Pickup 1500 ranked first through third overall among the top-10 best-selling vehicles last year, according to the car engine iSeeCars.com. The study looked at over 12.9 million vehicle sales in 2020 to determine the most popular vehicles throughout the United States. The data was tabulated nationally, state and metro area. “The Ford F-150 has been America’s undisputed best-selling new vehicle for over 40 years, and the popularity of pickup trucks help contribute to its high volume of sales,” said Karl Brauer, iSeeCars Executive Analyst. Three compact SUVs made the list: the fourth-ranked Ford Escape, fifth-ranked Nissan Rogue and eighth-ranked Chevrolet Equinox.

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2021 Ram 1500 TRX: Massive power, performance, prestige

The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX, the latest of the brand’s four straight years of Truck of the Year honors by MotorTrend, is in production at the manufacturer’s facility in Sterling Heights, Michigan. It’s now also available to consumers. Powered by a 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V-8 engine, the top speed for the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX, the industry’s most performance-oriented, half-ton pickup truck, is 118 mph. It has 702 horsepower, 650 lb.-ft. of torque and 0-60 miles per hour performance in 4.5 seconds. The Ram 1500 won the prestigious truck title in 2018 and 2019. The Ram Heavy Duty took top honors in 2020. Adorned in exclusive Anvil exterior paint, the new Ram 1500 TRX is VIN No. 001, a launch

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