Showing posts with label Trucks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trucks. Show all posts

Friday, June 15, 2012

Local Motors wants your help designing the next Peterbilt big rig

Local Motors wants your help designing the next Peterbilt big rig
No, that's not Peterbilt's new concept for a futuristic long haul truck you're looking at. It's an entry in the company's RIG2: Road Icon Generation 2 competition, a contest being run by Local Motors to develop new ideas in aerodynamic designs for Peterbilt semis.

Contest entry is open through June 26, with design materials including CAD and Photoshop files available at the Local Motors Forge website. Prizes include $10,000 for the winning entry, and cash for anyone who finishes in the top ten. All will be selected via community voting, except for the top prize, which will be chosen by Peterbilt from the top 10 vote-getters.

The partnership with Peterbilt is just the latest effort in crowd-sourcing from Rally Fighter builder Local Motors, which launched its Forge collaboration site at SEMA last year.

via: Local Motors via Fox News

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Ford F-150 EcoBoost Becomes NASCAR Pace Truck

Ford F-150 EcoBoost Becomes NASCAR Pace Truck
Ford recently announced that its 2013 F-150 FX4 EcoBoost will be the NASCAR Pace Truck, so we are going to see the pickup in action this Sunday at the Michigan International Speedway.

Ford has also published a few photos of the vehicle, so we now what to expect for the race. This announcement means that the pack of racers will be lead by the truck’s 365 hp turbocharged V6 unit, an engine that allows the vehicle to post a 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) time of under 7 seconds, a very respectable time for a car of this size, especially considering that the unit comes with EPA figures of 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway.

We see this as a move that aims to show that pickups are more than just workhorses and since modern times have gifted these cars with special features, we agree with this.

Ford F-150 EcoBoost Becomes NASCAR Pace Truck

Ford F-150 EcoBoost Becomes NASCAR Pace Truck

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Rheinmetall Defense outfits Volkswagen Amarok for world conquest

Rheinmetall Defense outfits Volkswagen Amarok for world conquest
What good is a truck if it can't be used to invade your neighbors? Not much good. Not much good at all, say the armament experts at Rheinmetall Defense.

At the recent Eurosatory defense expo in Paris – consider it the Geneva Motor Show of military hardware – Rheinmetall unveiled its conversion options for the Volkswagen Amarok, transforming the four-door short-bed civilian pickup truck into a Light Multi-Purpose Vehicle for military applications.

The options list includes a reinforced suspension, advanced communications systems and an automated, motorized turret for a machine gun or grenade launcher. (The actual firearms are another, matter, of course.) Military and paramilitary buyers can order theirs with a variety of engines ranging up to 177 horsepower, with either six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmissions.

Somehow, we're guessing that even if this Volkswagen does show up in Canada as is being discussed, we don't see our neighbors to the north getting these sorts of optional extras. 

via: Autobild

Monday, June 11, 2012

Ford offering F-150 fleet customers no-cost Special Service Vehicle package

Ford has officially released a new Special Service Vehicle Package for its F-150 pickup. Targeted at government and commercial fleets for things like police or forest ranger duty, the pack adds in a larger 220-amp alternator and a unique interior configuration at no extra cost. Inside, the trucks offer cloth seating and additional space between the front seats for a range of gear, including communications equipment and firearm storage. Agencies can also specify beefier components like heavy-duty tires and skid plates to suit their needs. The SSV Package trucks can be had with either a 3.5-liter Ecoboost V6 engine with 365 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque or a 5.0-liter V8 with 360 hp and 380 lb-ft.

Both engines are bolted to a six-speed automatic transmission, and buyers can equip either four-wheel drive or two-wheel drive SuperCab and SuperCrew models with the SSV package. Take a look at the full press release for more information. 

Ford F-150 Special Service Vehicle Package Now Available, Fulfilling Fleet Customer Requests for Adaptability, Efficiency

• Ford introduces a Special Service Vehicle (SSV) Package for fleet customers – making the F-150 pickup even more adaptable to unique tasks

• No-charge option package includes a high-capacity 220-amp alternator and a special service-tailored interior layout

• Recognizing diverse requirements among government and fleet customers, Ford offers the SSV Package across varied powertrains and cab configurations


DEARBORN, Mich., June 11, 2012 – Ford Motor Company, the top-selling commercial truck brand for 27 years, is now offering a new F-150 Special Service Vehicle (SSV) Package aimed at government, municipal and commercial fleets.

"Our fleet customers have been asking us to create this option for F-Series trucks," said Ford Government Sales Manager Tony Gratson. "We're confident the current and updated 2013 F-150 equipped with the SSV Package will be of particular interest to our government customers with rugged jobs such as law enforcement, firefighting, and national and state park patrols."

Ford anticipates commercial buyers across a variety of businesses, like their government fleet counterparts, will appreciate the value in this no-charge package.

F-150 SSV content includes a high-capacity 220-amp alternator to support fleet-class electrical needs.

To meet wide-ranging SSV applications, the package will be available for both SuperCab and SuperCrew configurations, 4x2 and 4x4 models, and with a choice of 5.0-liter V8 or 3.5-liter EcoBoost® engines.

When SSV-equipped, the F-150 interior is optimized for driver comfort, maximum adaptability for aftermarket upfit of task-specific accessories, and second-row seat durability.

The SSV seating package is 40/20/40, with the center 20 percent omitted completely to maximize space for in-cab aftermarket equipment such as law enforcement communications and firearms installations. The central console is omitted also, creating even more space.

Individual driver and first-row passenger seating surfaces are upholstered in easily cleaned cloth for comfort over the long haul.

The three-across, full-width second-row seat is covered completely in rugged, durable vinyl, ideal for law enforcement use or work-crew transport.

Ford places no restrictions on F-150 optional content so that fleets – both government and commercial – have maximum flexibility in ordering exact vehicle specifications. This enables F-150 SSV buyers to specify such options as heavy-duty tires, 4x4 skid plates and interior convenience content.

Along with the choice of 5.0-liter V8 and 3.5-liter EcoBoost engines, SSV Package vehicles – like all Ford F-150 pickups – are equipped with a fuel-saving six-speed automatic transmission.

5.0-liter four-valve dual-overhead-camshaft Ti-VCT V8
• Best-in-class 360 horsepower at 5,500 rpm vs. standard V8 competitors
• 21 mpg highway, unsurpassed 15 mpg city (4x2)
• Best-in-class 10,000 pounds maximum trailer tow vs. standard V8 competitors

3.5-liter Ti-VCT EcoBoost
• 365 horsepower at 5,000 rpm on regular fuel
• Best-in-class 420 lb.-ft. of torque at 2,500 rpm vs. premium V8 competitors
• Up to 90 percent peak torque available from 1,700 rpm to 5,000 rpm
• Best-in-class 11,300 pounds maximum trailer tow vs. all competitors
• Best-in-class 3,120 pounds payload vs. all competitors

Via: Ford

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Extreme Truch -Car Crash on Highway

Extreme Truch -Car Crash on Highway
Highways can be a dangerous place, especially if they are above ground. However, even when they aren’t above ground, things can go horribly wrong really quickly.

It seems that in this video, a car is driving the wrong way and hits a truck which then bounces off into the car to the left. The crash is extremely severe, and spectacular at the same time. It’s actually the most extreme crash we’ve seen in a while. Always be on the lookout when on the highway, despite this being a police cliche, the risk of accidents does increase exponentially with the speed you’re traveling at.

Sadly, some crashes cannot be avoided and this is the perfect case in point. Just pray that you never have to face anything like this in your life - it may help!