In the United States, trucks are a part of our culture. The same can’t be said in the rest of the world, but here, these vehicles are symbols of freedom and hard work. The big three have dominated this segment, but nobody has done it better than Ford with the F-150.
With the new Dodge Ram being as good as it is, Ford had to step up their game with their newest version for 2011. In order to maintain their impressive bit of marketing gold for a 34th straight year, the Dearborn-based automaker is putting four brand-new engines into their best selling truck.
Reworking an icon isn’t easy, just ask the designers of the new Corvette. When it came out, those headlights were either loved or hated. With the new F-150, if something were to be too radical then you might lose buyers. So, did Ford keep things simple with this newest version, yet at the same time upgrade the winning formula?
Hit the jump to find out.
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Sometimes the old ways are just the best and, in terms of truck design, this would be one of those times. This old school Chevrolet truck harks back to the old days when you actually used these machines for work, not for driving the kids to school or heading down to the Home Depot for a few supplies.
What we have here is something special and it really stood out at this year’s SEMA show. We know it’s over now and the past is the past, but this E-Rod pickup is just way too cool to leave for the history books. Although, that green paint scheme probably should have been left in the past.
We have some fresh new photos of the truck to share and some new information on the what’s living underneath the bonnet. Needless to say, it’s a rocket that has been tamed back for the environment.
Hit the jump to find out.
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Toyota brought the Tundra Sportsman to the SEMA Show. This is a unique show truck, inspired by the outdoor tradition of hunting. It’s based on a 2011 Tundra Double Cab 4x4 equipped with the TRD Rock Warrior Package and 5.7-liter V8 with a six-speed automatic transmission.
The exterior is painted in a muted color palette of Grays and Black, semi-gloss paint was used for the body and shell while a flat finish was applied to the trim. Other features include a three-inch suspension lift, a custom air intake and snorkel, and a custom exhaust that was created with pipes routed up through the center of the bed and exiting the roof top deck. Finishing the package is ATX 18-inch Teflon-coated wheels fitted onto 33 x 12.5-inch Nitto Mud Grapplers.
Inside, the truck was designed to be a command center for extended hunting trips as essential field electronics such as a weather station and GPS have been installed. To minimize wear, the TRD Rock Warrior bucket seats were upholstered in waterproof Black and Gray material. The black Rock Warrior carpeting is weather protected by all-weather Browning branded camouflage floor mats. The stock 10 speaker JBL sound system is supplemented by JBL all-weather outdoor speakers that are wired into the bed area to create a simple but comfortable recreation space.
Press release after the jump.
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A standard F-150 SVT Raptor pick-up is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 engine that delivers a total of 411 HP and 434 lb.-ft. of torque. We have to admit, this is quite impressive for a pick-up, but everything can be improved nowadays, right? Enter ProCharger with its Intercooled Supercharger System that upgrades the truck’s power to an impressive 600 HP. Sounds better, doesn’t it?
The HO Intercooled System and Tuner Kit are designed to be installed onto a completely stock engine and require absolutely no internal engine modifications or changes to the stock exhaust system. And like all ProCharger supercharger systems and tuner kits, these additions fit under the stock hood. Both the P-1SC-1 and D-1SC superchargers are available with a helical gearset option for reduced supercharger noise levels.
ProCharger is offering the same treatment for the 5.4 liter engine that upgrades the power to 505 HP. The price for the new Intercooled System is $6,496.
Press release after the jump.
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Next to a bunch of customized Corvettes and Camaros, Chevrolet will also be bringing a modified Silverado 2500 to the SEMA Show. The 2500HD Extended Cab Z71 is equipped with the new 6.6L Duramax turbo-diesel engine with B20 biodiesel capability and mated to an Allison 1000 six-speed automatic transmission.
For the exterior, the 2500 HD Z71 gets switchblade silver color with satin low-gloss finish, a body-color grille, Chevrolet Accessory 20-inch wheels painted Corvette Competition Gray, six-inch oval assist steps painted Corvette Competition Gray, Amber roof lamps, and custom Z71 graphics.
For the interior ,the truck gets Dark Titanium leather interior, Chevrolet Accessory interior trim plate kit with custom show paint, dual DVD headrests with HD WiFi headphones, navigation radio, and Autonet mobile Wi-Fi.
The list of control features includes trailer sway control, integrated trailer brake control, hill start assist, automatic grade braking, intelligent brake assist and larger brakes.
Press release after the jump.
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