Truckblog News

Hummer Ends Off Road Racing Sponsorships

Tue, 6 Jan 2009 12:53:47 -0600

Hummer have announced today they will end their sponsorship with Rod Hall Racing who have participated in many off-road races such as the Baja 1,000 and SCORE races' The team raced in the stock full and stock mini classes and even brought home numerous race championships including victories with the "stock" trucks' Now the race team are selling their H1 and H2 SUT trucks due to the sponsorship termination and market conditions' General Motors are still trying to sell the weakened Hummer brand and haven't had much success doing so' Sources: HummerGuy'net via Autoblog

Isuzu To Stop North American Sales Entirely At End Of Month

Tue, 6 Jan 2009 10:00:57 -0600

According to sources at Kelly Blue Book, Isuzu will stop selling passenger vehicles in North America at the end of the month which include their Ascender SUV and i-Series pickup trucks' The company, which only sold 7,000 units last year, have been on the downward spiral of vehicle sales for some time now' Their trucks are actually just badge-redesigned trucks from General Motors whom have been struggling themselves' Sources: Kelly Blue Book via Autoblog

Ford F-Series Is Best Selling Vehicle In 2008

Tue, 6 Jan 2009 08:02:55 -0600

The beat goes on' For the 32nd year in a row, Ford’s award-winning F-Series is America’s best-selling truck with 2008 sales of 515,513' F-series outsold its nearest truck rival by more than 50,000 units' In addition, for the 27th year in a row, F-Series is once again America’s best-selling vehicle of any type – car, crossover, SUV, truck or van'

miRoamer Partners with Blaupunkt to Introduce the Worlds First Internet Car Radio

Tue, 6 Jan 2009 07:05:19 -0600

miRoamer, a global innovator in the Internet radio industry, is announcing a partnership with Blaupunkt, one of the world’s leading consumer electronics manufacturers and specialists in car multimedia, at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show (CES)' The partnership will introduce the world’s first Internet car radio, giving drivers access to the world’s largest and most diverse selection of Internet radio content through their car stereo'

First Production 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor to be Auctioned at Barrett Jackson This Month

Mon, 5 Jan 2009 12:34:44 -0600

On January 11, Ford will be auctioning the very first production 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor pickup truck at the 2009 Barrett Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona' Lot number 1347, all proceeds for the truck will go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)' The F-150 being auctioned will feature Ford's 5'4 liter V8 model, not the highly anticipated 6'2 liter V8, which pumps out over 400 horse power and 400 foot pounds of torque' The auction description reads "The DNA of a Baja Prerunner' Built Ford Tough' The Ford Special Vehicle Team (SVT) takes performance supremacy off-road with the new F-150 SVT Raptor"' For more information visit the Barrett Jackson website '

Rhys Millen Performs Backflip in Red Bull Trophy Truck, Fails Again

Mon, 5 Jan 2009 11:00:36 -0600

@digg@ Automotive drifting phenomenon, Rhys Millen, attempted to perform a back flip in a Red Bull Trophy Truck in 2007 which failed miserably and landed him in the hospital with a broken back' To ring in 2009, last Wednesday night (or Thursday morning however you look at it), Rhys attempted another back flip in his truck and failed again, although this time not so badly' Rhys managed to land the truck somewhat straight but the brute force of hitting the ground and the rear end bottoming out flipped the truck onto its side' Check it out below' Sources: Gizmodo , Autoblog

GM Announces Significant New Loan Financing As Low As 0% APR for Up To 60 Months

Mon, 5 Jan 2009 08:01:08 -0600

GM today announced new reduced rate financing as low as 0% APR for up to 60 months on select new cars and trucks' The reduced rate financing is available to qualified buyers today through January 5, 2009 on many 2008 and select 2009MY vehicles (see list inside)' Of note, many of the vehicles listed below have stackable bonus cash and/or dealer cash ranging from $500 to $4,250'

GMAC Gets $5 Billion In Aid, Lowers Credit Score Requirement

Mon, 5 Jan 2009 07:00:48 -0600

GMAC Financing are now approving loans for consumers with credit scores of 621 or higher, a score that was lowered from a previously announced credit score of 700 or higher' The move comes as GMAC received $5 billion dollars in government aid as part of a bailout plan, separate from the additional $13'4 billion GM received from the government to avoid bankruptcy' This means now pretty much anyone can go out and be approved to purchase that new Chevrolet 2500 HD diesel pickup truck they always wanted and still have no means to pay for it' Woohoo! Sources: Autonews via Autoblog

Stillen Truckin' Magazine Cover and SEMA Truck For Sale On eBay

Sun, 4 Jan 2009 22:56:14 -0600

I just found this awesome priced auction on eBay from automotive aftermarket parts retailer, Stillen' They are selling their 2004 Ford F-150 SEMA truck that was also featured on the cover of Truckin' Magazine' The truck is currently going for $12,100 and has quite a bit of modifications done to it including 22 inch wheels, Air Ride suspension, full audio and video system, and Stillen/Street Scene Equipment exterior upgrades' Sounds like a killer deal if you ask me' The auction ends Tuesday' Click here to check out the auction'

AT&T CruiseCast Will Deliver 22 Satellite TV and 20 Satellite Radio Channels To Your Pickup Truck

Fri, 2 Jan 2009 08:01:56 -0600

AT&T Inc' and RaySat Broadcasting Corp today debuted to the auto industry AT&T CruiseCastSM, the Total In-Car Entertainment service that will enable families, commuters, and mobile professionals to watch a lineup of 22 satellite video channels anywhere in the country' Unveiled at SEMA, the world's premier automotive specialty products tradeshow, AT&T CruiseCast utilizes a compact, low-profile antenna for use on cars, trucks and SUVs, and a breakthrough technology that overcomes line-of-sight obstacles such as overpasses, buildings, trees or tunnels'

Friday Beerblog: Pickup Truck Saves Alaskan Man From Becoming Polar Bear Dinner

Fri, 2 Jan 2009 08:01:24 -0600

A man in Barrow, Alaska was out surveying a site for work where he was encountered by a large polar bear who wanted to eat him for dinner' In these amazing photos, the man is chased around his Ford Bronco and Chevrolet Silverado by the bear and managed to get away safely' Check them out inside'

General Motors Sends Custom Cars and Trucks To Barrett Jackson Auction

Thu, 1 Jan 2009 08:08:58 -0600

In an article by Autoweek , General Motors have made the decision to place a large chunk of their custom cars and pickup trucks up for auction at the Barrett Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona next month' GM are sorting through more than 1,000 vehicles that sit at the Heritage Center in Detroit, Michigan, a privately owned special vehicle fleet building' The decision is somewhat sadenning, as the center houses over 100 years of General Motors history' Up for grabs are numerous custom trucks that GM designed and built for the SEMA show over the years, as well as some that are "slightly used at the Heritage Center"' If you want to own a little bit of GM's history yourself, head on over to the Barrett Jackson website for more details about their auction next month'

2009 Chevrolet Colorado ZQ8 V8 Pickup Truck Test Driven

Thu, 1 Jan 2009 07:00:20 -0600

Small pickup truck owners rejoice! General Motors have finally released a V8 motor for the Chevrolet Colorado truck and Pickuptrucks have gotten their hands on the new pickup for a test drive' "From behind the wheel, the ZQ8 Colorado has the heft and ready torque of a full-size truck but one with a performance bent" says John Stewart of PUT' GM added their 5'3 liter V8 motor that produces 300 horsepower and 320 foot pounds of torque, quite some power for the smaller truck and from the sounds of things, it seems like an awesome ride' Click here to read their review of the 2009 Chevrolet Colorado ZQ8' Sources: Pickuptrucks via Jalopnik

2009 Dodge Dakota Gets 5 Star Crash Test Rating

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:22:47 -0600

The 2009 Dodge Dakota four door pickup truck has received a five star crash test rating by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the front driver, front passenger, side driver and side rear passenger spots' The truck was not equipped with side impact air bags as well as electronic stability control' The NHTSA also gave the Dakota pickup a four star rating for roll overs in both the two wheel drive and four wheel drive models, with a 17 and 19 percent chance of a roll over' Source: Safecar'gov

Truckblog's Top 10 Blogs Of 2008

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:03:55 -0600

2008 was an exciting year again for us at Truckblog' We showed you how to install more aftermarket products with technical articles, launched a successful automotive show called MOTORZ TV, upgraded our website and hardware for faster load times, and delivered fresh automotive news every day' As a celebration of the past year, we've collaborated a list of the top 10 blogs of 2008' Check them out inside'

MOTORZ Episode #16: Parking 2008 in the MOTORZ Garage

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 08:15:28 -0600

The final episode of MOTORZ TV for 2008 is now online, where Chris takes a look back at MOTORZ in 2008 while showing you how to install a license plate on a 2008 Ford Mustang' Chris also reviews intros, out-takes, ZOOTs, and looks ahead to MOTORZ in 2009' Click here to check it out!

Consumer Electronics Show Begins Next Week, Whats New In The Auto Industry

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:00:23 -0600

The Consumer Electronics Show begins next week on January 8 in Las Vegas, Nevada, where Ford Motor Company CEO Alan Mulally will give a keynote address about the company and automotive industry, as well as provide information about their newly updated Microsoft Sync system' Automotive mobile electronics company, Alpine Electronics is expected to release their new IVA-W203/P1 audio, video and navigation system, a first all-in-one head unit to hit the market for a light price tag of $1,200' Other exhibitors include a Goodyear-branded navigation unit, miRoamer's internet radio content delivered directly to your vehicle, new HD Radio products, and more' Make sure you check back in the next few weeks for future product announcements' Reported by Autoweek

2009 Super Bowl XLIII Automotive Commercials Will Be Slim, So Far No GM, Chrysler or Ford

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 07:09:26 -0600

Already selling 85 percent of their commercial spots for the 2009 Super Bowl XLIII, NBC Universal are selling 30 second advertising spots this year for a cool 3 million dollars each, up slightly from $2'7 million each in 2008' Of the commercials that are already locked in, very few are automotive related and none are coming from General Motors, Chrysler LLC or Ford Motor Company this year' Luxury automaker, Audi, have purchased one 60 second spot during the first quarter but have not disclosed yet what the content will be' Bridgestone purchased two 30 second spots this year and we at Truckblog are hoping they are not as bad as last years commercials with Richard Simmons ' Cars'com have purchased one 60 second spot during the second quarter this year and "are expected to be humorous" (very informative) according to an person familiar with their commercials this year'

Toyota Faces Layoffs, End of the Toyota Tundra Pickup?

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 07:00:12 -0600

Facing their first decline in automotive sales since 1995, auto juggernaut Toyota Motor Corporation may have to be forced to cut their North American payroll consisting of both white and blue collar workers which has not occurred in over 24 years for the company' One of Toyota's first steps was halting production at their Texas pickup truck factory for 15 weeks, which may lead to layoffs' “If we don’t see a rebound by the second half of next year, they’d probably have to consider layoffs" said Haig Stoddard, an analyst for IHS Global Insight Inc in Michigan' Toyota have also faced their first operating loss in 71 years of $1'7 billion dollars, due to a 13 percent drop in sales' Is it possible that the death of the Sequoia SUV and popular Tundra pickup truck are near? We shall see' Reported by Bloomberg '

New 2009 Ford F-150 Hauls Away Accolades

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 08:08:04 -0600

The new 2009 Ford F-150, which already delivers unmatched capability and unsurpassed fuel economy, is now quickly piling up awards and honors from many of the auto industry’s top organizations and publications – including the Motor Trend 2009 Truck of the Year' F-Series also is on track in 2008 to extend its streak of truck leadership to 32 straight years as well as being America’s best-selling vehicle – car, crossover; SUV, truck, or van – for the past 27 years'

Chrysler LLC Cuts Production Too

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 07:01:53 -0600

Due to the continued lack of consumer credit for the American car buyer and the resulting dramatic impact it has had on overall industry sales in the United States, Chrysler LLC announced that it will make significant adjustments to the production schedules of its manufacturing operations' In doing so, the Company will keep production and dealer inventory aligned with U'S' market demand' In response, the Company confirmed that all Chrysler manufacturing operations will be idled at the end of the shift Friday, Dec' 19, and impacted employees will not return to work any sooner than Monday, Jan' 19, 2009' Chrysler dealers confirmed to the Company at a recent meeting at its headquarters, that they have many willing buyers for Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles but are unable to close the deals, due to lack of financing' The dealers have stated that they have lost an estimated 20 to 25 percent of their volume because of this credit situation' The Company will continue to monitor the production schedules of its manufacturing operations moving forward' Source: Chrysler

Chrysler LLC Says They Will Build Ram Hybrid and Ram Light Duty Diesel

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 10:11:53 -0600

In an interview with Chrysler LLC, Mike Levine of pickuptrucks has confirmed that Chrysler is in fact planning on offering a light duty diesel engine for their Dodge Ram 1500 pickup as well as a Ram Hybrid version' “It still makes sense to offer a light-duty diesel,” said Frank Klegon, Chrysler’s executive vice president of product development' “We think from the total perspective of the regulatory environment, fuel efficiency and other things down the road, diesel is still going to be an element that’s important in this market, and that customers will be attracted to a diesel light-duty truck"' In order to develop and build the new light duty diesel engine, Chrysler has teamed up with Cummins who have been producing their current diesel motors since 1988' Fuel efficiency is also noted as a priority for the new motor, over towing performance and other common requests, and the new engine may be produced as a 5'0 liter version' Mr' Klegon also confirmed that Chrysler has promised a hybrid version of the Ram for the 2010 model year and the Ram Hybrid "is still on track"' We'll keep you posted Truckblog!

Toyota To Display 2010 Tundra Pickup With New Work Truck Package At 2009 San Diego Auto Show

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 08:02:49 -0600

Toyota Motor Sales U'S'A, Inc', today announced that a new work truck version of the 2010 Tundra full-size pickup truck will make its U'S' debut at the 2009 San Diego Auto Show' The Tundra Work Truck Package is aimed at commercial truck buyers in industries such as farming, ranching and construction, who require a tough no-frills truck with exceptional cargo and towing capacity' The new Work Truck Package will be available on Tundra 4x2 and 4x4 Regular and four-door Double Cab models in standard and long bed configurations' It will be available with a V6 and two V8 engines including Tundra’s powerful 381 horsepower 5'7-liter i-Force V8, with a towing capability of up to 10,800 pounds'

Happy Holidays Truckblog!

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:14:30 -0600

On behalf of the whole Truckblog crew, I would like to say happy holidays to our members and readers, and thank you for your support, enthusiasm, and memories here at the blog this past year' Make sure you stay logged to the blog in 2009!

Tough Times Get Tougher, Increased Production Cuts Lead To Plant Shut Downs

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:03:27 -0600

According to Autoweek , Ford Motor Company have planned to shut down 10 more plants by January 5, 2009 as an effort to reach their budget cut as well as planned production cuts' The factories effected are all in North America, slashing nearly 430,000 vehicles by the first quarter of 2009' The plants that are not effected are a plant in Dearborn, Michigan as well as Kansas City, both of which produce the F-150, Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner' Two factories, one in Hermosillo, Mexico and one in Oakville, Ontario, are both on the chopping block for production with some being shut down for the whole month of January'

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Delays Increase In Crash Test Standards

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:00:28 -0600

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have delayed passing an increase for higher crash test standards citing a "new ratings system will make it more difficult to achieve top scores and the new standards were scheduled to take effect for the 2010 model year"' The adjustment in crash test standards come as a relief for automakers, specifically for companies based in the United States, as tighter standards would cause "more financial headaches"' The NHTSA disagrees though, saying "it will make the situation tougher for consumers in the long run"' Sources: Azstarnet via Autoblog '

2009 Ford F-150 and 2009 Dodge Ram Drop Stars In Roll Over Crash Tests

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 07:08:27 -0600

Pickuptrucks posted the latest NHTSA roll over crash test ratings for the 2009 Ford F-150 and 2009 Dodge Ram, and the results were not that great for the four wheel drive platforms' "The 2009 four wheel drive Ford F-150 was given a 22 percent chance of a roll over versus 19 percent in the 2008 F-150"' The Dodge Ram increased as well, earning a "21 percent chance of a roll over compared to 19 percent in the 2008 Ram 1500"' The new roll over tests drop the two trucks' ratings from 5 stars to only 3' You can check out more information about each pickup truck by heading on over to their site '

Land Rover Cancels G4 Offroad Challenge

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 07:00:36 -0600

Land Rover has today confirmed that it will cancel the Land Rover G4 Challenge program in order to focus more on product launches in 2009' "Given the severity of the global economic downturn and trading conditions, we need to make some tough decisions and that means prioritizing our budgets on new product launches' We are disappointed for the competitors who have shown so much commitment and put tremendous effort into succeeding as representatives of their nation' We have and will continue to take swift and decisive actions for the benefit of the business; unfortunately that means the Land Rover G4 Challenge has to come to an early close," said Phil Popham, Managing Director Land Rover'

New 2010 Chevrolet Equinox Is Built For All Seasons

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 07:00:06 -0600

Chevrolet unveiled the all-new 2010 Equinox, a compact crossover that blends distinctive design with outstanding efficiency' A new, 2'4L direct injection engine helps the Equinox deliver expected best-in-segment estimated highway fuel economy of 30 mpg (EPA certification pending) – a 25-percent improvement over the previous model' Chevrolet expects nearly two-thirds of customers will choose the efficient, 2'4L engine' The new Equinox draws its exterior design inspiration from the Chevrolet Malibu sedan and Traverse crossover; and like those vehicles, the new Equinox complements its styling with attention to detail and unexpected features, according to Ed Peper, GM North America vice president, Chevrolet'

MOTORZ TV Adds Social Networking

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 14:51:13 -0600

MOTORZ has announced a huge new feature at the www'motorz'tv website''' forums! Well, it's actually quite more than that' There's so much that it took an entirely new domain to manage it all! people'motorz'tv This not only has a robust forum feature (discussion boards), but it also allows you to upload and rate photos, videos, communicate with other members to share ideas and get help! Another good reason to sign up: this is what will be used to notify you (if you have that feature enabled) about new episodes, contests, and other things we may be coming up with in the near future! Check it out!