Which models will join the 100,000 sales club this year?
Filed under: Car Buying, Chevrolet, Ford, Kia, Toyota
2011 Toyota Camry - Click above for high-res image gallery
The number of vehicle models slated to cruise past the magic 100,000 mark this year is up. In a big way. According to Wards, there are around 39 percent more nameplates expected to clear the six-digit hurdle in 2010 compared to 2009. So far, sales-trends point to 32 cars and trucks expected to meet or exceed the goal, compared to 23 last year. So which models are the winners of 2010?
For the first time ever, vehicles like the Kia Sorento, Chevrolet Traverse and Nissan Versa are aiming to close out 2010 with more than 100,000 units sold. They join the ranks of mainstays like the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado - two trucks that have already well-exceeded the 100k line, even with another full quarter left in the year. In all, a total of 16 cars and trucks have already performed similar feats of sales wizardry.
And who's the fairest of them all? That honor goes to the Toyota Camry. The Japanese automaker has already delivered a total of 220,061 units through August, putting it well ahead of any competition. That pace doesn't look to be slowing anytime soon, either.
[Source: Wards]
Which models will join the 100,000 sales club this year? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsNHTSA probing Ford F-150 fuel tank straps
Filed under: Truck, Recalls, Safety, Ford
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has begun an investigation of approximately 1.4 million 1996-2001 Ford F-150 pickup trucks after receiving 32 complaints that the straps supporting the fuel tank are prone to corrosion. According to NHTSA, in 28 of the cases, one or both straps broke, causing the fuel tank to drop to the ground, which could result in a fire hazard. [Source: Detroit News]NHTSA probing Ford F-150 fuel tank straps originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Sep 2010 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsOfficially Official: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor gains SuperCrew, loses 5.4L V8 for 2011
Filed under: Truck, Ford, Off-Road
2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew - Click above for high-res image gallery
Ford's off-road beast, the F-150 SVT Raptor, has only been on sale for a year, but it's already getting a few upgrades for the 2011 model year.
Many reports and a few spy shots indicated that Ford had been prepping a four-door SuperCrew version of the Raptor (you know, for when the family wants to do the Baja run with you), and the automaker has officially confirmed the details (again). The SuperCrew's wheelbase is a full 12 inches longer than the standard Raptor, meaning it should provide a more comfortable ride along the way, and the 5.5-foot box can still haul everything you need when you get there.
Speaking of capability, all Raptors now come standard with more power on tap - the 6.2-liter V8 will be the only available powertrain for 2011 (sad trombone for the people who rushed out to get the 5.4). As we reported earlier, it stands to reason that the 2011 Raptor will get a price increase to account for the larger mill, but it's a small price to pay for an extra 101 horsepower and 69 pound-feet of torque over the 5.4-liter V8.
From there, the other enhancements for 2011 are purely cosmetic. Raptors can now be had in a new color - Ingot Silver Metallic (pictured) - and matte black accent graphics are available on the hood. These new graphics can be ordered separately from the box side decals, too. Inside the cabin, Ford now offers a standard 4.2-inch LCD display (called the "productivity screen") in the center of the revised instrument gauges, similar to what was introduced on the 2011 Super Duty.
Dealers will start taking orders for 2011 Raptors as you read this with the first examples hitting dealerships later this year. Ford's detailed press release is available after the jump.
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading Officially Official: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor gains SuperCrew, loses 5.4L V8 for 2011
Officially Official: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor gains SuperCrew, loses 5.4L V8 for 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: 2011 Ford F-150 to get 3.7L V6, 5.0L V8 and 3.5L Ecoboost V6
Ford F-150 - Click above for high-res image gallery
When the 2011 Ford F-150 arrives this Fall, it will reportedly get an all-new powertrain lineup. Ford already officially confirmed several months ago that the light-duty pickups would be getting the first rear-wheel drive application of the 3.5-liter Ecoboost V6. The transaxles in the current Ecoboost applications are torque-limited, so when the twin turbocharged and direct injected V6 lands in the truck, it could produce as much as 400 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque.
The current 4.6-liter and 5.4-liter are also expected to be supplanted by the newer, more powerful and efficient engines that debuted in the 2011 Mustang earlier this year. The F-150's new base engine will reportedly be the 3.7-liter V6 with 305 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, while the top engine will be the new 5.0-liter Coyote V8. The 5.0-liter will likely be re-tuned from the Mustang's 412 hp and 390 lb-ft to give it more torque and further elevate the model's 11,000+ pound towing capacity. The V6-powered trucks could be the first light-duty full-size trucks to hit 25 mpg on the highway, a figure that's even better than General Motors' hybrid trucks.
Photos by Sam Abuelsamid / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: AutoWeek]
Report: 2011 Ford F-150 to get 3.7L V6, 5.0L V8 and 3.5L Ecoboost V6 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSpy Shots: 2011 Ford F-150 Lariat Limited spotted strutting its stuff
Filed under: Spy Photos, Truck, Ford
Now that Ford has decided that Lincoln doesn't really need a truck after all, its up to the F-150 to carry the torch as both the everyman's work truck and a luxury toy hauler for the wealthy. Somehow, it seems to manage its dual roles just fine, as evidenced by these spy shots of a 2011 F-150 Lariat Limited edition.Ford's Lariat Limited was last seen in 2007, meaning that the 2011 edition will be the first time the latest F-150 generation is bestowed with this trim level, though there's also the King Ranch, Platinum and Harley-Davidson models to consider if you want to haul all your goodies in the lap of luxury.
Body-color bits are the name of the game, including a six-slat grille, side mirrors, door handle surrounds and accents on the large aluminum wheels. Our friends at PickupTrucks.com tells us to expect Ford's latest 6.2-liter V8 engine sporting something north of 400 horsepower.
[Source: PickupTrucks.com]
Spy Shots: 2011 Ford F-150 Lariat Limited spotted strutting its stuff originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsBigfoot monster truck defects from Ford to Chevy after more than 35 years
Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Truck, Chevrolet, Ford, Celebrities, Off-Road
2010 Bigfoot Chevrolet Silverado - Click above for high-res image gallery
It's true: there really is nothing sacred. In a move that, for us, is on the same level as painting a Hitler mustache on the Statue of Liberty, Bigfoot has abandoned its Ford pickup body for a new Chevrolet Silverado skin. If you listen very, very closely, there are angels in cutoff jean shorts and camouflage hats weeping softly. We know it would hurt less if we told you that George Washington was a closet communist or that Porsche was switching to an all front-wheel drive portfolio, but there it is. For 35 years, Bigfoot was synonymous with the Blue Oval, but no more.
The truck helped launch monster trucks into the public eye, but Ford dropped its sponsorship of the team in 2007. That left Firestone tires as the main sponsor, and since the company also throws plenty of cash at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, it's aching for some cross-promotion. Since Chevrolet also sponsors the event, Big Foot will be wearing new duds and a heart transplant when it rolls out for the first time in public on July 7 in Anaheim, Florida. Yup, the truck will get its power from a General Motors mill, too. *Sigh.*
[Source: General Motors via PickupTrucks.com]
Continue reading Bigfoot monster truck defects from Ford to Chevy after more than 35 years
Bigfoot monster truck defects from Ford to Chevy after more than 35 years originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsCars.com American Made Index ranks Toyota Camry #1 again
Filed under: Car Buying, Plants/Manufacturing, Ford, Toyota
2010 Toyota Camry - Click above for high-res image gallery
It's that time once again for Cars.com to release its annual American Made Index. What constitutes an American-made car, however, is just as debatable now as it ever has been. That being the case, there are a number of notable changes since the last time the crew released its list.
First and foremost, the Toyota Camry is (somewhat ironically) still at the top of the American Made Index. But second place is a bit of a surprise, with the Honda Accord making a debut appearance in the runner-up position. Notably, it takes the place of the Ford F-150, which falls off the list entirely.
Why the sudden change? It seems the Accord now boasts a 75-percent American parts percentage (which is the minimum allowable to make this list) as it is now being assembled in two separate plants based in the United States. Ford's F-150, however, saw its American parts percentage fall from 80 percent down to just 55 percent - a scenario Ford calls "pretty common."
Ford does make a good presence on the AMI list, though, with both the Escape (third place) and Focus (fourth place) making a comeback after a brief disappearance the last time around. General Motors earns fifth place with the Chevrolet Malibu, which is GM's only vehicle on the latest AMI edition. Chrysler nabs number seven with the Dodge Ram 1500 and nine with the Jeep Wrangler.
See the complete American Made Index after the break, and check out additional commentary from Cars.com here.
[Source: Cars.com]
Continue reading Cars.com American Made Index ranks Toyota Camry #1 again
Cars.com American Made Index ranks Toyota Camry #1 again originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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