Chevy Trucks at Discounted Prices

NTEA 2010: 2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD puts the Heavy in Heavy Duty
by Jeremy Korzeniewski
10 Mar 2010 at 9:59pm

Filed under: Truck, Work, GM, GMC, Misc. Auto Shows, Diesel

2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD - Click above for high-res image gallery
For the first time in its history - and considering that the company has been around for over 100 years, that's significant - GMC decided to make an official appearance at the National Truck Equipment Association show in St. Louis. And the Professional Grade brand brought along the heavies... specifically, the 2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD.

When the truck hits the market later this year, it will be the first time that GMC has offered a Denali version of its Heavy Duty truck platform. After giving the truck a thorough once (and even twice) over, we have to say that the Denali, even with all of its drilled-out chrome highlights, looks rather subdued and classy in all-black paint. And, though we certainly appreciate the in-your-face attitude of General Motors' two main competitors in the pickup wars, we'd say that understated appearance is a good thing.

Inside, you'll find the expected luxury trimmings, including heated and cooled leather seats and a matching wood-trimmed heated steering wheel, along with some nice details like Denali-specific door sill plates. All that is well and good, but the big news resides under the truck's big black hood: a revised 6.6-liter Duramax V8 diesel engine, which is mated up to a stout Allison 1000 six-speed automatic transmission.

For those who like to keep track of these thing, which is to say every single person who's actually interested in purchasing one of these earth-moving behemoths, GM's latest Duramax beats out the 2011 Ford Super Duty in the all-important horsepower and torque wars with 397 horsepower and 765 pound-feet. Wanna pull a ten-ton load? No problem. That powerplant is also more fuel efficient (by 11 percent) and cleaner than the unit it replaces.

Interestingly, GM representatives tell us that they had a bit of a back-and-forth with the Feds regarding how best to handle the required refilling of the diesel exhaust fluid tank, which won't run dry for about 5,000 miles between fill-ups. It seems that when the truck gets dangerously low on the exhaust treatment, its speed will be capped at 55 miles per hour. If you run out, the computer nannies will keep you to just a four mph crawl so that you'll never be stranded completely. Want more? Check out our gallery of high-res images below and click here for the rest of the details.

Gallery: 2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD

Gallery: 2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD

NTEA 2010: 2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD puts the Heavy in Heavy Duty originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Nissan unveils NV commercial van, available in three different flavors
by Jeremy Korzeniewski
10 Mar 2010 at 4:15pm

Filed under: Truck, Work, Nissan, Misc. Auto Shows

Nissan NV commercial vans - Click above for high-res image gallery
Historically, America's commercial vehicle marketplace has been dominated by domestic automakers. Besides a small percentage of Sprinter sales from Dodge while under Daimler ownership, the fullsize van market has really only been occupied by Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. Nissan is ready to change all that, and its opening salvo in the commercial vehicle marketplace is its NV series of vans.

Nissan's NV series - "NV" rather unimaginatively stands for Nissan Van, for what it's worth - relies on three different designations, NV1500, 2500 HD and 3500 HD, and two different roof heights (the High Roof is only available on the NV2500 HD and NV3500 HD models) to provide a platform for every conceivable need. Opting for the tall version will provide enough room for most people to stand up inside with no need to duck.

Interestingly, Nissan's research indicates that commercial van owners are the least satisfied of any vehicle segment, and as such, the automaker says that the NV design is that of an armored car a 'clean-sheet' approach resulting from one of the most researched projects Nissan has ever undertaken. That research has yielded a vehicle that utilizes a fully boxed steel ladder frame and rear-wheel drive with either a 4.0-liter V6 or an optional 5.6-liter V8. Both engines are mated to a standard five-speed automatic transmission.

No matter which engine or roof style is chosen, the NV will come with a user-definable interior layout that can accept standard-size drywall or plywood or any number of aftermarket cargo solutions. Up front, there are a number of storage pockets and compartments to hold whatever is needed, while High Roof models offer an overhead console for additional storage options.

Pricing is not yet available, but Nissan promises the NV series will hit authorized commercial U.S. dealerships before the end of the year. Want to know more? Be sure to check out our gallery of high-res images below and click past the break for the official press release.

Gallery: 2011 Nissan NV

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Nissan unveils NV commercial van, available in three different flavors

Nissan unveils NV commercial van, available in three different flavors originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Report: Toyota Tundra frame rust recall to go nationwide
by Jonathon Ramsey
10 Mar 2010 at 3:31pm

Filed under: Truck, Recalls, Safety, Toyota

Last November, the Toyota Tundra recall to address premature rusting frames was expanded to include trucks from the 2000-2003 model years. That recall, though, only applied to 20 states and Washington, D.C. - those areas where cold weather and road treatments could cause expedited corrosion.

Today, however, The Associated Press reports that the recall has been further expanded to include Tundras from those model years in all 50 states. Toyota apparently hasn't said how many trucks that means it is recalling, but if you have one of those Tundras, you might wish to give your dealer a call.

[Source: The Associated Press via Google]

Report: Toyota Tundra frame rust recall to go nationwide originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
GM quickly one-ups Ford with 2011 Duramax diesel ratings, shows off GMC Sierr...
by Jonathon Ramsey
10 Mar 2010 at 1:29pm

Filed under: Truck, Chevrolet, Ford, GM, GMC, Diesel

2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD - Click above for high-res image gallery
Not even a month ago, at the end of our post on the 2011 Ford Super Duty engine specs, we wrote: "General Motors, there's a big ass ball in your court." Someone at GM has apparently grabbed their big ass racket and said, "Oh, I got this...", then smacked the ball right back into play. The Ford's measurements 390 horsepower, 735 pound-feet of grunt. The General has just announced that its 6.6-liter Duramax turbo diesel has 397 horsepower and 765 lb-ft. of torque, a jump of 32 horsepower and 105 lb-ft. over the previous Duramax.

A closer look at the numbers does reveal some give-and-take, however. The Ford's maximum tow rating is 21,600 pounds, while GM's is 20,000 pounds. And while not exactly engine related, the Ford truck also has a higher max payload than the GM twins. Still, the RenCen pickups take the power crown, and the new Duramax is more efficient than the previous one - GM didn't put a specific mileage number to it, but claims 680 miles of highway going possible from the 36-gallon tank. You'll find GM's press release on the new engine after the jump.

In related news, GM has released the first image of its GMC Sierra Denali HD pickup, mechanical and sheetmetal twin of the Chevrolet Silverado HD. There's an additional press release after the jump for it as well.

So... anyone else want to take a swing at that even bigger ass ball?

Gallery: 2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD

[Source: General Motors via PickupTrucks.com]

Continue reading GM quickly one-ups Ford with 2011 Duramax diesel ratings, shows off GMC Sierra Denali HD

GM quickly one-ups Ford with 2011 Duramax diesel ratings, shows off GMC Sierra Denali HD originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
First Drive: 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty brings the biggest tools
by Rex Roy
8 Mar 2010 at 4:56pm

Filed under: Truck, Work, Ford, First Drive, Off-Road

2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty - Click above for high-res image gallery
It's a guy thing. Tim Allen understands. If you've got a job to do, you need the right tool. As guy logic goes, the bigger and more powerful the tool, the better.

If what you do requires a tool shaped like a truck, then you're currently experiencing a nirvana-like period in history. In just the last few months, Chrysler and General Motors introduced their new heavy-duty trucks. We drove the 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty in October and liked it. We also saw the Chevrolet and GMC HDs at the Chicago Auto Show last month. Although we've yet to get behind the wheel, the powertrain and chassis improvements appear promising.

Not to be left out, Ford's rolling introduction of its latest F-Series Super Duty just culminated with an Arizona-based press-only driving event (we first reported on the new truck in September). Want to know everything about Ford's big, new tool? For starters, the blue oval on the grille measures 13 inches. Believe it or not, there's more. Find out after the jump.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty

Photos by Rex Roy / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty brings the biggest tools

First Drive: 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty brings the biggest tools originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Report: Mahindra to set U.S. Pik-Up launch date in next few weeks
by Jeremy Korzeniewski
5 Mar 2010 at 7:29pm

Filed under: SUV, Truck, Work, India, Diesel

Mahindra Pik-Up - Click above for high-res image gallery
Tired of waiting around for an official launch date for the hotly anticipated (in certain circles, at least) compact diesel pickup truck from Indian automaker Mahindra? Good news, then. According to a report from Automotive News, the largest utility vehicle maker in India and its U.S. distributor, Global Vehicles, will make an official announcement regarding the targeted sale date of the Pik-Up within the next two-to-three weeks.

Before you get too excited, realize that Mahindra only hopes to announce a launch date - when that date will actually be is still anyone's guess. In fact, Mahindra President Pawan Goenka said in an interview that the vehicle is still undergoing Environmental Protection Agency testing here in the States and an official application to allow the truck to be sold here has yet to take place. The truck could also receive a new name by the time it comes to market in the States.

Following the Pik-Up's official launch in the U.S., Mahindra plans to continue focusing on its export markets with a new SUV designed specifically for the European and North American markets. Judging by how long it's taken to get its first model on the market, though, we'll keep our excitement bottled up for the time being.

Gallery: Mahindra Pik-Up

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Report: Mahindra to set U.S. Pik-Up launch date in next few weeks originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Future Chrysler production plans reportedly leaked
by Jeremy Korzeniewski
4 Mar 2010 at 8:32pm

Filed under: Coupe, Minivan/Van, Sedan, SUV, Truck, Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Hatchback, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep

Chrysler, now led by Sergio Marchionne and the rest of the management crew brought in by Italian automaker Fiat, has big plans in place that will replace just about every single vehicle the American automaker currently offers. Judging from the purported list of new vehicle launches secured by the Mopar fanatics at Allpar, it would seem that new Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles will be hitting the market all through 2010 and well into 2011.

Looking over the list of 2010 production start dates, the first date to get excited about (barring the March 29th Viper production launch, of course - we're talking about for the mainstream market), is May 10th, which is when the thoroughly recreated Jeep Grand Cherokee will begin rolling down the assembly line. In mid-August, the 2011 Wrangler will make its initial appearance, and we're really hoping for a new powertrain combination for the venerable off-roader.

Towards the end of 2010, we should begin seeing the heavily revised Pentastar minivans along with the new Avenger and Sebring replacements, though the Chrysler midsizer seems likely to get a new moniker to erase memories of the current car. Finally, the three LX-based cars - those being the Challenger, Charger and 300 - will go into production in November, followed closely by the North American 2012 Fiat 500. Keep it together, Chrysler.

[Source: Allpar]

Future Chrysler production plans reportedly leaked originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Nissan recalls 540,000 vehicles for brake pedal pin, fuel gauge problems
by Steven J. Ewing
3 Mar 2010 at 6:23pm

Filed under: Minivan/Van, SUV, Truck, Recalls, Safety, Nissan

Another day, another recall. This time Nissan is the automaker in question, recalling a total of 539,864 vehicles due to faulty brake pedal pins and fuel gauge components.

Nissan reports that three instances have been reported where brake pedal pins have partially disengaged, resulting in a loss of normal braking ability. Additionally, the fuel gauges in certain higher-mileage vehicles may incorrectly indicate the amount of fuel in the tank. The automaker sites that no accidents or injuries have been reported with either issue, and that all of its new vehicles currently on sale are not affected by these problems.

Vehicles affected by the brake pedal pins are the 2008-2010 Nissan Titan, Armada, Quest and Infiniti QX56. Of those recalled brake pins, 178,916 are in the United States and 25,869 in other markets. As for the fuel gauge inaccuracies, this affects 2005-2008 Nissan Titan, Armada and Infiniti QX56, as well as any Nissan Frontier, Pathfinder and Xterra models produced between January and March of 2006 or between October 2007 and January 2008. This accounts for 418,865 vehicles in the U.S. and 53,253 elsewhere in the world.

Beginning this month, Nissan will be notifying all owners of the vehicles in question, and they will be able to bring the vehicles to any Nissan or Infiniti dealer to have the problems repaired at no charge. For vehicles affected by the fuel gauge issues, Nissan recommends that in the mean time owners maintain a fuel level of no less than a half-tank. Hit the jump for the full details in Nissan's press release.

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Nissan recalls 540,000 vehicles for brake pedal pin, fuel gauge problems

Nissan recalls 540,000 vehicles for brake pedal pin, fuel gauge problems originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Consumer Reports releases annual list of American Top Picks, Ford the big winner
by Jeremy Korzeniewski
26 Feb 2010 at 7:32pm

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Sedan, SUV, Truck, Crossover, Hatchback, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, GM

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery
Each year that Consumer Reports offers up its annual list of Top American Picks, it seems less and less a consolation bracket and more like a reasonable set of choices. To wit, if you wanted the very best family-sized SUV (Chevrolet Traverse) or fullsize pickup truck (Chevrolet Silverado), Consumer Reports will tell you that you're best off choosing American, regardless of which list its from.

Further, CR has found the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan twins have proven to be more reliable than a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. Blasphemy, you say? To borrow a marketing phrase from the Blue Oval itself, Drive One and find out for yourself. We have, and we found out that it's a great car. Apparently, it's also reliable. Not surprisingly, the Fusion managed to earn two more awards in its hybrid guise, including CR's Best Overall Car.

All told, seven of the 10 awards handed out by CR went to Ford - an impressive performance. Two Top Picks were filled by vehicles from General Motors while Chrysler didn't have a single model on the list, which isn't particularly surprising since the Dodge Ram is the only model from the Pentastar that CR even recommends. Click here to check out the rest of the winners from CR.

Gallery: 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid

[Source: Consumer Reports]

Consumer Reports releases annual list of American Top Picks, Ford the big winner originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
2011 Ford Super Duty power, towing specs released
by Damon Lavrinc
25 Feb 2010 at 5:59am

Filed under: Truck, Work, Ford

2011 Ford Super Duty - Click above for high-res image gallery
Heavy duty truck lovers have been waiting for these figures for a while, so let's just cut to the main course. The 2011 Ford Super Duty can be had with two engines: the 6.2-liter gasoline-powered V8 found in the upgraded SVT Raptor, which puts out 385 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque, or an all-new, Ford-designed 6.7-liter turbo-diesel V8 producing 390 hp and a pavement pummeling 735 lb-ft of twist (at 1,600 rpm).

The latter engine in the F450 is able to tow some 24,400 pounds and has a maximum payload of 4,920 pounds. The F350, which is the closest competitor to the Chevrolet, GMC or Ram equivalent, comes to the fight with 21,600 pounds of towing capacity and 6,520 pounds of payload (if you're curious why the F450's maxium payload is less than the F350's, check out this explanation half-way down the page). Each engine is mated to a 6R140 heavy-duty TorqShift six-speed automatic transmission.

Our First Drive of the new King of the Hill will be forthcoming, but you can get all the details in the press release after the jump. Oh, and General Motors, there's a big ass ball in your court.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Super Duty

Continue reading 2011 Ford Super Duty power, towing specs released

2011 Ford Super Duty power, towing specs released originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Report: GM may euthanize Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon small pickups
by Steven J. Ewing
24 Feb 2010 at 10:20pm

Filed under: Truck, Work, Chevrolet, GM, GMC, Rumormill

2010 Chevrolet Colorado - Click above for high-res image gallery
The future of the small pickup truck market in the United States doesn't look good. A new global Ford Ranger is in the works, though we have good reason to doubt that will replace the model currently available in North America. For its part, Chrysler has plans to nix the Dodge Dakota next year, and new reports suggest that the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon twins may have their plugs pulled, as well.

In speaking with General Motors vice chairmain Bob Lutz, PickupTrucks.com asked about plans to kill off the two models, with Lutz responding, "It's uncertain at this point...They may well [go away]."

GM has not announced any official plans to update or kill off the Colorado and Canyon, but we won't be surprised if these two dated models meet that Great Car Crusher in the sky over the next couple of years.

Gallery: 2010 Chevrolet Colorado

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Report: GM may euthanize Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon small pickups originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Spy Shots: Next-gen Ford Ranger global quad-cab spotted
by Steven J. Ewing
23 Feb 2010 at 8:58pm

Filed under: Spy Photos, Truck, Work, Ford

Ford Ranger spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery
Ford has done a lot of work over the past few years to really improve its F-Series line of pickups, in both standard F-150 and Super Duty forms. And while the Blue Oval's "Built Ford Tough" motto stands true to the latest and greatest versions of these pickups, the smaller Ranger has been greatly overlooked over the past decade.

These most recent spy shots show Ford's new Ranger, but don't get too excited. Despite the long-in-the-tooth truck's aging underpinnings and FoMoCo's push to standardize platforms with it's "One Ford" initiative, the all-new Ranger most likely won't make it to the States (despite our best hopes).

Our spies indicate that this new Ranger will be slightly larger than the version currently on sale in other markets, but that it's actually somewhat smaller than the truck currently sitting at U.S. dealerships. We think that may be a visual trick of the camouflage and the four-door configuration, however, as this vehicle is expected to be larger than the current North American model, as it will go on duty in countries where Ford doesn't offer the F-150. Still, should the Blue Oval perform an about-face and bring the truck to America, we don't think this would hinder Ford's overall sales too much, and this much-needed overhaul would make the model better positioned to compete with the likes of the Toyota Tacoma, as well as the Nissan Frontier/Suzuki Equator twins in markets abroad.

Gallery: Ford Ranger - Spy Photos

Spy Shots: Next-gen Ford Ranger global quad-cab spotted originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Consumer Reports adds six cars to Top Picks list, touts diversity
by Steven J. Ewing
23 Feb 2010 at 5:58pm

Filed under: Budget, Hybrid, Minivan/Van, Sedan, SUV, Truck, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM, Hyundai, Infiniti, Lexus, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen, Luxury, Off-Road

2010 Consumer Reports Top Pick Cars - Click above for high-res image gallery
Each year, the automotive editors of Consumer Reports select their Top Pick Cars, representing vehicles that are the best in their individual segments. These cars are deemed to have "average or better" predicted reliability and have scored high marks in government safety testing. In past years, automakers like Honda and Toyota have dominated this list, but since more and more manufacturers are ramping up their quality within each competitive segment, the 2010 list proves to be the most diverse CR Top Picks group in over a decade.

So, which cars garner the most praise from CR? The Nissan Altima has officially dethroned the Honda Accord from the top family sedan spot, the Volkswagen GTI takes honors as the best sporty car, the trusty Subaru Forester takes the cake in the small SUV category, the quirky Mazda5 wins for best family hauler, and both the Chevrolet Traverse and Silverado stand tall as the best family SUV and pickup truck. These six newcomers join the Hyundai Elantra SE, Infiniti G37, Toyota Prius and Lexus LS460L to round out the entire list of Top Pick Cars.

Unlike most automotive media outlets (Autoblog included), Consumer Reports actually buys its own test cars before putting them through rigirous evaluations of handling, braking, comfort, safety and more, and each test car is roughly 6,000 miles older by the time all of the tests have been completed. Follow the jump to read the official press release from CR, and scroll through our attached gallery to see high-res shots of all the 2010 Top Pick Cars.

Gallery: 2010 Consumer Reports Top Picks

[Source: Consumer Reports - sub. req.]

Continue reading Consumer Reports adds six cars to Top Picks list, touts diversity

Consumer Reports adds six cars to Top Picks list, touts diversity originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Report: Chrysler legal turns into schoolyard bully over use of Ram logo *UPDATE
by Chris Shunk
20 Feb 2010 at 8:22pm

Filed under: Truck, Government/Legal, Chrysler, Dodge

About the same time Chrysler and Fiat executives were running through a marathon eight -hour look into the future with the world's automotive journalists, Pentastar lawyers were working over the principal at Lake Mary High School in Lake Mary, Florida. You may be asking yourself what Chrysler lawyers would want with principal Michael Kotkin when, just six months earlier, The Pentastar needed billions of taxpayer dollars to exit bankruptcy. Good question, for sure, but the answer appears to be pretty lame.

Moto Bullet reports that Chrysler's legal department has been all up in Kotkin's grill because the school's logo is a near-perfect match for the Dodge Ram logo. Team Pentastar ordered has the school to replace the company's favorite goat head as the school logo or risk having to drive a Sebring head into court. Chrysler lawyers even have several photos of the logo being used at the school in several different spots. The Seminole County School District has decided that the logo isn't worth an expensive legal battle, so the school, ranked in the top 1.4 percent nationally for academics, reportedly has until June 15 to remove it from the premises. But while avoiding court will likely save the district plenty of money, the school won't get out of this mess scot-free. Removing the horned-head from the school's gym floor alone will reportedly cost the school (read: local taxpayers) $15,000, or roughly the cost of a new science book for about 300 kids.

We don't want to pretend that we're experts on branding rights and corporate logos, but we just can't see what the harm is to Dodge if the brand and the school share the logo. After all, we're assuming the school isn't going to start making a competitive truck in wood shop. Principal Kotkin is still putting a positive spin on the situation, saying that Chrysler's actions have "galvanized my school," but unfortunately for Team Pentastar, the school's new battle cry sounds something like "I'll never buy a Chrysler as long as I live."

UPDATE: The Chrysler Group got in touch with Autoblog to tell its side of the story, which you can read after the jump.

[Source: Moto Bullet]

Continue reading Report: Chrysler legal turns into schoolyard bully over use of Ram logo *UPDATE

Report: Chrysler legal turns into schoolyard bully over use of Ram logo *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Ford SVT Raptor outselling estimates, black most popular color
by Chris Shunk
20 Feb 2010 at 5:18pm

Filed under: Truck, Ford

2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor - Click above for high-res image gallery
While we wholeheartedly love the F-150 SVT Raptor, part of us wondered whether there'd be many takers for a $40,000 truck that was purpose-built for the sand dunes. Looks like we needn't have worried, as it appears demand is very strong for the Raptor. In fact, Ford had its flacks issue a press release bragging about just how successful the Raptor's been so far. The factory super-truck has reportedly found 5,300 takers to date, and F-150 marketing manager Mark Grueber says Raptor "is so popular that we actually wound up building more 5.4-liter V-8 models than we had originally anticipated."

The reason Ford thought customers might be interested in waiting to pull the trigger on a Raptor is the spring availability of the Dearborn, MI-based automaker's new 6.2-liter V8 engine. The new 6.2 promises 411 horsepower and 434 pound-feet of torque, or 91 more ponies than the soon-to-be-mothballed 5.4. Ford's already taking orders for the 6.2-liter model, and we're thinking they'll only increase in number over the coming weeks and months.

After filling out 5,300 orders, Ford also has a better idea of which amenities customers want in their Raptors, and the content story is a good one for the automaker. Ford reports that customers are checking option boxes for the luxury package, reverse-sensing camera and moonroof at a rate of at least 79 percent. Ford's expensive but fantastic touchscreen navigation with SIRIUS Travel Link[TM] is being chosen in 62 percent of Raptors sold. And while we loved the Raptor in Molten Orange, 52 percent of customers are opting for Tuxedo Black. Hit the jump pore over Ford's bragfest press release.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford SVT Raptor outselling estimates, black most popular color

Ford SVT Raptor outselling estimates, black most popular color originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Feb 2010 12:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Automotive SEO by DealerBytes

Panel suggests changes to NC motor fleet, Medicaid
10 Mar 2010 at 11:51pm
A North Carolina government and budget reform panel formed by Gov. Beverly Perdue says she should consider ways to make Medicaid and the state's motor fleet more efficient.

Italy, FBI raids crack down on Mafia in US, Sicily
10 Mar 2010 at 11:32pm
The FBI arrested a reputed U.S. mobster Wednesday on charges he provided protection for a Sicilian counterpart mapping out criminal turf in Florida - part of an international sweep aimed at further crippling the storied Gambino organized crime family and disrupting its ties to the Italian mob.

Groups aim again to reduce spanking in N.C. schools
11 Mar 2010 at 12:51am
Children?s advocates in North Carolina are this year seeking a spanking ban on students with disabilities after losing political tussles over corporal punishment in public schools the past few years.

Automotive SEO by DealerBytes