GMC back atop HD truck towing and payload ratings
August 16, 2011 by Dodge Blogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Truck , Work , Chevrolet , Dodge , Ford , GM , GMC Mustang , Camaro and Challenger owners use statistics like 0-60 times and quarter-mile trap speeds to prove why their chosen muscle car is better than the rest. If there’s any other segment of the industry where numbers mean everything, it’s heavy duty pickups. Need proof? Check out the latest set of towing and payload ratings for the HD versions of the Chevrolet Silverado , Ram , Ford F-Series and GMC Sierra . For what it’s worth, the GM twins officially have the highest set of numbers with up to 23,000 pounds of capacity when trailering a fifth wheel, 18,000 pounds with a conventional trailer and 7,215 pounds of payload capacity when properly equipped. So, GM’s got the bragging rights… for now. We expect Ford and Ram to counter GMC’s latest statistics with revised ratings of their own, after a few small tweaks allow them to earn back their place atop the HD standings. After all, it’s been happening exactly this way for the last several years. For a fun little rundown of how the three American pickup makers play the game of one-upmanship, we suggest you check out this story from our friends at PickupTrucks.com. Speaking of which, after that website’s latest HD pickup comparison, at least GM has earned the right to boast by taking top honors against the F-Series and Ram. GMC back atop HD truck towing and payload ratings originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra earn IIHS Top Safety Pick Awards
May 13, 2011 by Dodge Blogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Truck , Safety , Chevrolet , Dodge , Ford , GMC , Nissan , Toyota IIHS Full-Size Pickup Rollover Crash Testing – Click above for high-res image gallery Like their body-on-frame SUV cousins, full-size pickup trucks are more prone to roll over than a standard passenger car. That’s exactly why it’s so important to have a vehicle that earns good marks in roof-strength tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has just released the data on its recent volley of tests on full-size pickup trucks, and both the 2011 Ford F-150 and 2011 Toyota Tundra earned the coveted Top Safety Pick designation. The vehicles earned the highest possible rating of ‘good’ in the institutes crush test, where a large steel plate is pressed against one corner of the roof to calculate a strength-to-weight ratio. Meanwhile, the 2011 Nissan Titan took home an acceptable rating in the rollover evaluation while the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado , 2011 GMC Sierra and 2011 Ram 1500 netted marginal scores. IIHS says that the roof on the Toyota Tundra stood up to 4.5 times the truck’s weight while the F-150 handled 4.7 times the pressure. A vehicle must withstand 4 times its weight before five-inches of crush is detected before being awarded a Good rating. Hit the jump for the full press release. Continue reading Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra earn IIHS Top Safety Pick Awards Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra earn IIHS Top Safety Pick Awards originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 May 2011 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Project Kahn’s silver Jeep Wrangler looks ready for urban assault, not much else
May 6, 2011 by Dodge Blogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Aftermarket , SUV , Jeep Silver Jeep Wrangler by Project Kahn – Click above for image gallery The last time a Jeep looked this at home in Europe, it was helping American forces liberate the old world from Nazi occupation. But that was another era. Europe is a new place today – necessity having mandated the rebuilding of so many bombed-out cities – but the Jeep Wrangler (or the older Civilian Jeeps in their various incarnations) has remained a constant. So the people at Project Kahn evidently thought it was about due for a modern makeover. Kahn’s silver Jeep Wrangler is more about the whole than the sum of its parts, but to get it there, Kahn and company dropped the suspension, fitted 20-inch alloys, retrofitted the interior and, apparently, gave it a proper respray. The result (that is, an off-road workhorse with a dropped suspension and oversize wheels) sits at just about the opposite end of the spectrum from the recently-announced Mopar JK-8 Independence kit, and may make about as much sense as the proverbial screen door on a submarine. That said, we’ve got to admit it looks the business… whatever business that might be. See for yourself in the high-res image gallery below. Gallery: Project Kahn silver Jeep Wrangler [Source: Project Kahn ] Project Kahn’s silver Jeep Wrangler looks ready for urban assault, not much else originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read
New York 2011: Chrysler’s 200 S Convertible is the emo cousin to standard droptop
April 21, 2011 by paramopgi · Leave a Comment
Filed under: New York Auto Show , Convertible , Chrysler 2011 Chrysler 200 S Convertible – Click above for high-res image gallery Chrysler has injected a dash of menace into the 200 convertible , and the result is the 2011 200 S droptop. It’s not outright evil, since it still packs the same 283-horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine and the same suspension. However, the S version trends a bit toward the dark side thanks to a host of exterior changes designed to bring a dose of cool to Chrysler’s rental lot standby. Naturally, if you prefer your cars with fixed roofs, Auburn Hills will be happy to sell you a 200 S sedan , as well. The shined-up silver paintwork looks resplendent under the New York Auto Show lights. A Chrysler wing badge sits prominently in the mesh of the black grille, while the headlights also get the black background treatment. The dark theme continues on the S-badged 18-inch aluminum wheels and then winds its way into the cabin. The front leather seats are heated and the driver can also warm up his or her hands on the heated steering wheel. The S logo is stitched into the headrests, along with a line of contrasting silver accent along the seams. The 200 S convertible should hit your local dealer later this spring, and will arrive carrying an as-delivered price tag of $32,490, while the sedan rings up at 26,790. You can eyeball the 2011 Chrysler 200 S Convertible in the galleries below, and be sure to click past the jump to read the full press release. Gallery: 2011 Chrysler 200 S Convertible: New York 2011 Gallery: 2011 Chrysler 200 S sedan and 200 S convertible Live photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL Continue reading New York 2011: Chrysler’s 200 S Convertible is the emo cousin to standard droptop New York 2011: Chrysler’s 200 S Convertible is the emo cousin to standard droptop originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Video: GM produces HD pickup truck comparison tests
April 6, 2011 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Truck , Videos , Chevrolet , Dodge , Ford , Diesel Chevy Silverado HD Truck Shootout – Click above to watch the video after the break Back in the fall, our friends over at Pickuptrucks.com pitted the diesel-equipped Chevrolet Silverado HD against the oil-burning Ford Super Duty in a battle of high-altitude acceleration . Even though the Ford behemoth holds a slight edge in horsepower and torque, the Chevrolet beat the Blue Oval machine handily in the steep-grade acceleration challenge. We’d think General Motors would be satisfied with the results, but apparently The General needed to go a step further. GM hired independent testers from AMCI to once again put up the Silverado HD against the Ford Super Duty, and this time the Ram HD was also invited along. Naturally, GM recorded the whole thing. The three trucks battled it out with a pair of 0-60 competitions, including one with a 1,500-pound payload, and again on a seven-percent grade with a 3,000-pound payload. That’s only the beginning, as the three trucks duked it out for supremacy in trailer sag, frame rigidity, passing power and braking. Since GM is broadcasting all seven competitions with a glut of Youtube videos, you can probably guess which truck reigns supreme. Still, the videos are entertaining and they’re hosted by the one and only Howie Long. Hit the jump to watch all seven videos, followed by the GM press release. You’ll have to sacrifice about 30 minutes of your life to watch all seven, so if you want to pick and choose, we’ll go ahead and tell you that the two 0-60 tests are our favorites. [Source: General Motors] Continue reading Video: GM produces HD pickup truck comparison tests Video: GM produces HD pickup truck comparison tests originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
New trend in looking sharp: A dull finish
November 3, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
In the luxury segment, matte is the new phat. What’s the latest trend for expensive cars? Making them look dull. The matte paint once reserved for cars headed for crash testing is showing up on high-end models. The new Mercedes-Benz CLS sedan can be ordered with the MAGNO matte finish. The Lamborghini Sesto Elemento supercar [...]
