The GM booth had a selection of factory accessories for the 2010 Silverado and there were awesome wheel and tire displays at every turn!

There are too many to post up now, but here is just a taste. Look for our exclusive online show coverage which will post just as soon as we are able to put it together.

SEMA has come and is almost gone as today wraps up the final day of the world wide custom auto extravaganza. Take a peek at the action!

With so many cool cars and trucks spread out around the grounds, its easy to find some cool, tricked out ride or an awesome new product. There will be plenty more where this came from...stay tuned.

 Chevrolet released a video last week with a sneak peek at some if the SEMA feature vehicles, and Camaro sites were atwitter with speculation on a possible Z28, new options, and a new color, but we found somehting else worth checking out.

 Of course the teaser video was edited with short cuts just fractions of a second long, but we still noticed something that caught our eye. Some of the engine bay shots were clearly from a Silverado.

Even more intriguing was an engine that was out of the ordinary.

It looks like a 6.2L LSA from the Cadillac CTS-V that makes 556 hp, doesn't it? That looks to us like a heat exhanger mounted between the cylinder heads, with an intake air temperature sensor plugged in

Probably the best photo capture we got from the video is this overall shot.

There's no doubt that there's something special about this truck, but what will it mean for truck enthusiasts like us? Will this be the next Silverado 427, a one-off show truck that has no production intent, or will forced induction be Chevrolet's next trick up their sleeve in the truck market? Here's hoping for at least a factory-backed supercharger from MagnaCharger similar to the TRD blower that's available for the Tundra.

The truck will debut shortly, and we'll have more info and photos as SEMA officially opens this week

For the full video, with a look at the Silverado's custom grille, click here for the YouTube video.

 We have been in the process of creating a project vehicle for this year's "09 SEMA Show an '09 Dodge Ram Crew Cab Hemi. The entire staff has been taking part covering separate tech articles contributing to its completion. One of my tech articles was the custom paint. I followed along as the team from L&G Enterprises in San Dimas, California.

The custom paint scheme and artist rendering was created by Richard Silva at Eye Kandy Designs. Richard's rendering of the '09 Dodge Ram was laid out with a multi-color-graphic paint scheme. The colors used were from House of Kolor: White basecoat, Orion Silver, Black primer, Pagan Gold Kandy, and Lime Green pinstripe, then buried in clear. Teresa Contras laid out and taped-off the graphics and used her steady hand to apply the House of Kolor lime green pinstripes. L & G's painter Luis mixed and applied the numerous House of Kolor hues. After the colors were applied, striped then buried in multi-coats of House of Kolor Klear, the truck was passed over to the L & G Enterprises detailing department. The L & G detailing crew cut, buffed and polished the entire painted surface to a high glistening shine.

The Truckin' Dodge Ram rolls on a set of Giovanna 24X10 Berlin wheels wrapped in Toyo Proxes rubber (pictured here). To achieve the lowered appearance an Air Ride Technologies/Ride Tech pneumatic system both front and rear was installed. A Mopar Parts hood covers the Hemi engine. The BedRug was secured with a Mopar Parts tonneau cover.  The smooth rear roll pan was shaped by Chassis by Arron. 

Checkout the Truckin' Dodge Ram and 11 other  insane custom trucks at the Truckin' Corral outdoor exhibit at this years '09 SEMA Show!

The complete tech article will be featured in Truckin' volume 36 No. 03 2010.

 We got the chance to get some seat time in the newly-redesigned 2010 Ram Heavy Duty at their media event in San Antonio and Tarpley, Texas, and all signs point to the newest Ram truck being as successful as the Ram 1500 that debuted last year.

 To sum it up, the Ram 2500 and 3500 incorporated everything that we love about the 1500 into a beefier package that has proven mechanicals.
You’ll recognize the styling as somewhat of a carryover from the sleek 2009 Ram 1500, as the bodywork from the A-pillar back, along with the headlights, are shared throughout the Ram lineup. However, the Heavy Duty, and especially the 6.7L Cummins, necessitated a taller grille for the added cooling capacity. A new hood, with stamped simulated louvers and a bulge in the center, is another dead giveaway for the HD, along with a bumper that’s slotted to accommodate a winch, more on that later.

Cummins fans will be glad to hear that the 6.7L, along with much of the 2009 Ram Heavy Duty chassis and drivetrain, is a carryover. The 6.7L met 2010’s stringent emissions standards since its launch in model year 2008, so no emission updates were necessary. It still packs 350 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque to remain competitive in the horsepower and torque wars. One feature that’s sure to steer shoppers in the Ram’s direction is a standard engine brake that’s built into the Cummins variable turbo.

Big news for off-road fans, the Power Wagon is back with an all-new look. The Power Wagon packages includes skid plates, front and rear locking differential, manual-shift transfer case, electronically disconnecting sway bar, 4.56 gears, LT285-70R17D BFG Radial A/T tires, a 180-amp alternator, and a 12,000-lb Warn winch that’s tucked away behind the bumper. As was the case of the previous-generation Power Wagon, the position of the winch won’t allow for the Cummins intercooler, so the only engine available is the 5.7L Hemi and its 383 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. We drove the Power Wagon through a course that involved dirt hillclimbs, some twisty articulation, and mud, and found that the truck is at the top of the heap as far as full-size trail vehicles go. We had just missed a storm that had hit the previous wave of journalists and while some of the initial runs in the first wave needed the Tru-Lock differentials to keep the truck pulling up the muddy hillside, our slightly drier conditions didn’t provide any hiccups.

The biggest news for the HD, literally, is the MegaCab. We loved the original MegaCab and the ’10 is still the largest cab on the market, boasting segment-leading rear legroom, interior cargo volume, largest fold-flat load area, most volume behind the rear seats, and the widest opening rear door. Like before, the Mega Cab gets its own bed, but this time around the dual rear wheel models get unique bedsides that flare out smoothly, rather than sporting a tacked-on looking plastic flare like the first-generation Mega Cabs.

A few months ago, I wrote a blog about Amazon's Kindle DX large-format eBook reader device. Long story short, my reaction was lukewarm. It had limited functionality, and only a monochrome (black & white) display.

Today, Barnes & Noble unveiled its Nook eReader, which seems to be an improvement on the Kindle in most respects. Closer in size to the original Kindle rather than the larger DX, it's still better suited to book reading rather than magazines. And despite the hype about the "color" display, the main display area is still black & white, the secondary color display only for cover browsing and menu navigation. So...kudos to B&N for advancing the functionality and benefits of eReaders, but still not the radically game-changing device that will revolutionize publishing as we know it.

Still shrouded in secrecy is Apple's upcoming iTablet (more of a generic term rather than its official name), which is expected to run some version of the iPhone OS and resemble an oversized iPhone. This device will be fundamentally different than the Kindle and Nook in that it's expected to have an LCD touch screen, unlike the e-Ink technology used by the other two. It's also expected to be substantially more expensive than the other two. Somewhere in the neighborhood of $800-1,000 seems to be the consensus.

So why would anyone buy one? Well, for one, it's expected to be a full color display, much better suited for enjoying the vibrant photography of your favorite editor, Dan Ward. Plus, the possibility of streaming media capability. All-in-all, much better suited for magazine feature content than the comparably dowdy interface of the Kindle and Nook. Now...you'd have to be a pretty hard-core fan to go out and plunk down ten Benjamins just to read your favorite magazine in vibrant color on the latest gizmo.

The only color eReader on sale to the general public right now is the Fujitsu Flepia, which, coincidentally, is only sold in Japan. (How come they always get the coolest stuff first?) There are no current plans to sell the Flepia in North America. However, if Fujitsu feels there's enough of an un-tapped market here, and can sell it for a competitive price, you can be assured that it might make an appearance.

It seems the battle of the eReaders has just begun, and over the long-term, the consumer will be the winner.

Mopar Dodge Ram Bianco Image Vehicle: A Stylish, Luxury Pickup Truck

The Dodge Ram Bianco started life as a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Sport with a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8. The Dodge Ram is modified to reflect an upscale feel and appearance with the aid of Mopar performance parts and accessories. Colors, textures and accessories are combined in a manner that showcases the sophisticated side of the Dodge Ram 1500.

Exterior modifications include a Mopar hard tonneau that adds a classic, sporty appearance. The inside of the truck bed features Mopar’s bed rug--a plush, yet washable carpet. For the exterior, a Mopar body kit and modified Mopar fender flares give a unique, sophisticated look. The stance is aided by a Ground Force lowering kit that not only lowers the vehicle, but also provides excellent ride and handling. The Dodge Ram Bianco is layered in several coats of Arctic Ice pearl paint that give it a rich appearance. Holding true to the upscale theme, Mopar’s 22-inch wheels are painted in a matching, high-contrast design. Performance upgrades include a Mopar cold-air intake and a throaty Mopar dual exhaust with just enough growl to let you know there is something powerful under the hood.

The exterior theme continues through the interior. White and black Katzkin seats with matching door trim set the stage for a high-class ride. Piano Black and Arctic Ice accents add to the luxurious theme. For sound, Mopar contributed a Kicker audio system consisting of an audio amplifier, a powerful subwoofer and upgraded speakers.

Although rumored for several weeks, today Chrysler came out officially in saying that in the future, Dodge trucks would be re-branded RAM trucks. Some see this change as largely symbolic, as they would still be sold through the same retail outlets as Dodge cars.

Ostensibly, all future truck models sold will be RAM models. While this branding makes some sense for the current like of full-size trucks (i.e. RAM 1500, RAM 2500, RAM 3500) it starts getting a little more muddled when other products are thrown into the mix (RAM Dakota, RAM Nitro, RAM Caravan?)

So I'm going to open it up for discussion: Is the creation of a stand-alone RAM brand a good idea for giving trucks a stronger identity, or will it just end up confusing consumers? Discuss...

 What if, instead of building the Terrain into the un-cute ute with class-leading fuel mileage that it is, GMC had built a replacement for the GMT-360 platform (Envoy, Trailblazer, Rainier, 9-7x, Bravada, Ascender. . . ) instead?

Maybe it would look something like this photoshop, or maybe it wouldn't. OK, so the grille treatment is a testament to my poor photoshop ability and the A-pillar does give it sort of an Armada sort of vibe, but in general, if you squint really hard you can imagine what could have been. Maybe, kinda, sort of. . .

Ford unveiled its significantly-updated 2011 Super Duty truck today at the Texas State Fair in Dallas. Coincidentally, this is also the location where Ford decided to unveil the 2008 Super Duty as well. By far the biggest news associated with the new truck is its all-new engines, specifically the diesel offering.

For the first time in Super Duty history, the diesel engine is not sourced from International. It is an all-new designed developed in-house using a lot of the experienced gained from more than a decade of advanced diesel development in Europe. Although Ford hasn't "officially" released power figures for the new engine, the numbers of 400 horsepower and 725 lb./ft. of torque have already leaked their way out, and Ford hasn't exactly gone out of its way to dispute these now class-leading figures. The engine is first in its class to use a compacted graphite iron (CGI) block, which is lighter than conventional cast-iron, but has high strength. Similar to GM's Duramax, the new engine has aluminum heads. Also similar to GM's delayed "baby" half-ton 4.5L Duramax, the heads are reverse-flow, with the exhaust ports inboard, and the intake ports outboard.

This also marks the debut of the so-called "Hurricane" 6.2L V-8 engine in the Super Duty. This engine replaces the 6.8L V10. Both the 6.2 gas and diesel engines are exclusively mated to a new 6R140 heavy-duty TorqShift six-speed automatic transmission. The 5.4 V8 remains as the base engine for now, although some expect it may be phased out eventually. By all reports, the manual transmission option is gone. The very low take-rate probably contributed to its demise. On 2011 Super Duty diesels with the PTO prep option, the PTO output gear is linked through the torque converter to the engine crankshaft. This allows the transmission to power auxiliary equipment such as snowplows, aerial lifts, tow truck lifts, cement mixers or dump trucks. The power is available any time the engine is running.

The trucks are expected to go on sale in the first quarter of 2010. 

 We've got an upcoming project and we need your help. The good news is that there's something in it for you.

 We've been planning on revamping our Ford Lightning project for months now, and we're finally under way. There's just one problem, we want to swap the flareside bed for a fleetside and we've got to watch our budget on this build. So, here's the deal. If you're in the southern California area and have a straight fleetside bed and tailgate for a '97-'03 F-150 and want to swap us for a flareside and shaved tailgate, let us know. We'll deliver it to anywhere in LA, Orange, Riverside, or San Diego County. Plus, for helping us out, we'll throw in a Gaylord tonneau cover and bed rug. The only bad news is that it's got an old-school paint scheme. If you're interested there might be other body panels that we'd be willing to include, including a Cervini's dual scoop hood.

Here's the link to the tonneau story that we featured:

Those that know me know my interests are sometimes varied and obscure. One of my recent subjects of interest is air raid sirens. Seems kind of random. Until you've heard one of these Cold War relics at full wail. The sound is unforgettable.

My first experience was about four years ago vacationing in Hawaii with my then girlfriend (now wife). Unfortunately, I was as sick as a dog, and confined to her parents' condo in Honolulu for most of a week. What I didn't know at the time is that their vacation coincided with the monthly test of the civil-defense warning systems in the area. I was actually napping on the sofa, when out of the blue, I hear this surreal (and very loud) wail. This was after 9/11, so all sorts of alarmed thoughts were going through my head as I leaped up off the sofa, with my heart pounding between my ears (so it seemed). I was alone at the time, but eventually mellowed back out when the siren stopped.

I just returned from another trip to Hawaii last month. And sure enough, once again, I heard the siren test. This time, it wasn't as much of a surprise, but it did pique my interest enough to find out exactly what was making such an otherworldly cry.

I found out that Honolulu still uses the Federal Signal Thunderbolt 1000T, a vintage Cold War siren that first came out in 1952. While there are a few of them still operational across the country where hurricanes, tornadoes and tsunamis are still common, many of them have been replaced with electronic warning systems, or the Thunderbolt's more modern mechanical successor, the Federal Signal 2001-series.

But to stay on-topic (at least peripherally) I'm going to get back to the original subject of this blog post, the Chrysler Air Raid siren. Didn't know Chrysler built sirens? Neither did I. But in the course of researching the history of civil defense alerts, I came across it. The Chrysler siren was, and still remains, the loudest mechanical siren ever made. It's powered by a 331 cubic-inch Hemi V-8 (Yes, Virginia, Hemis existed before the 426) that produced a good-for-the-time 180 horsepower, and ran a high (for the time) 7.5:1 compression ratio. While originally gasoline-fueled, many restored examples have been converted to propane. At full wail, these bad boys cranked out an ear-splitting 138 decibels, about the sound intensity of a jet taking off at 75 feet. Probably about as loud as the infamous "train horns" at truck shows. But rather than just a brief "toot" this bad boy was meant to provide a sustained alarm for a LONG time.

Thanks to our sister publication Mopar Muscle, which took some pictures of a restored siren at a vintage Mopar show.

If you're interested in learning (and hearing) more about these interesting historical machines, there are various YouTube videos, sites and forums dedicated to the restoration and preservation of vintage sirens. Just search for "Thunderbolt 1000T siren" or "Chrysler Air Raid Siren."

 GM has just announced that they will offer a Money Back guarantee on all new vehicle sales, allowing buyers to return the vehicle between 31 and 60 days after purchase.

The video to launch the offer contains several future GM products, including what looks to be  Silverado 427 SS concept that debuted at SEMA 2006.The scale model rolls by in the beginning of the video, and the fascia was obscured, but we've got two screen shots that clearly shows similar wheels and side-exit exhuast. Why would GM choose to use that truck in the video that's filled with other future vehicles, including the Volt, Cadillac ATS, and likely the Chevroelt Malibu and Impala? We don't know. We have no insider info, but it's interesting to say that least that they decided to even include the truck. Maybe they haven't forgotten that there are truck fans like us still out there.

What's the same: color, wheels, side exhaust.

What's different: scale model has what looks like an SS door emblem, concept did not. The hood could be different, but it's obscured.

The web-exclusive RA show coverage is live on our home page! Check it out already!

ttp://www.truckinweb.com/webonly/0909trweb_2009_relaxed_atmosphere_truck_show/index.html

 This is my first time taking in the //RA All Star Event in Millington, TN and I sure hope it isn't the last!!

Usually when I travel to shows, I'm sometimes lucky to bump heads with a handful of familiar faces at best, but this weekend I've had to count with both hands and feet to keep track of all the great people I've met along the way of my second show season with Truckin'! And as always, I've met some great new buddies, like this little guy who dropped in at the Billet Specialties booth.

Hop on over to Millington, there's still one more day left!

 The promising Quadrasteer option is long gone at GM, but what about a cutting brake?

Quadrasteer gave GM a unique product; a fullsize truck that could maneuver like a compact car. Unfortunately, the option was pricey and had few takers, so it was discontinued. But what if an electronic system, engaged only at low speeds, could help do the same thing? Imagine making a U-turn and having the left rear brake apply a little extra drag on that wheel, allowing for a tighter pivot. Seems simple, but there must be more to it. Obviously I'm not the first one to think of this solution, so why hasn't it been implemented? I would think that the electronics of ABS were sophisticated enough to allow engineers to play with a system like that and get it to work. What are your thoughts? Is there some obvious fact why this won’t work that I’m overlooking?

Its basic platform has been around since before Reagan was in the White House, and yet the old soldier still trods on nearly three decades later. Yes, I'm talking about the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. Long a favorite of law enforcement fleets nationwide, as well as taxi drivers (many of which are de-commissioned police cars themselves), Ford is giving not-so-subtle hints to the boys in blue that their old faithful may soon be permanently de-commissioned.

The suggested replacement? The new Ford Taurus. Size and weight wise, the Taurus and Crown Vic are nearly peers. They both waddle around to the tune of two tons, and are within about a foot of each other length-wise. So it would seem to be a logical replacement, right? Yes...except for the fact that cops are a notoriously traditional lot, and seem to equate body-on-frame construction, and rear-wheel drive as pre-requisites for police duty. The Taurus has neither.

Chevrolet found this out the hard way when it dropped the Caprice back in the mid-90s, and tried to convince cops to buy its new front-wheel-drive Impala. The outcome? Today, Ford owns nearly 80 percent of the law enforcement market with the Crown Vic, with Chevy and Dodge fighting for the remnants.

Well, I have a proposal that may please both police traditionalists, as well as the bean-counters at Ford. It may seem radical, but I think it's a relatively sound business proposition. Build the new Police Interceptor on a modified F-150 chassis.

Think about it...this recipe covers all the bases for the traditionalists: V8 power, rear-wheel-drive, body-on-frame, and tough-as-nails construction.

Would it require some re-engineering of the truck chassis? For sure. Just about everything would need to be lowered about 8-10 inches for use in a car application. But it seems with the advent of CAD, that some virtual prototypes could be mocked up fairly quickly.

But the advantages over the current PI would be manifold: greater ground clearance, greater toughness against field abuse, easier ingress and egress (from the taller body). While we're at it, if it's going to be a fleet-only vehicle, why not design-in a lot of the hardware that was traditionally up-fitted after the fact? An integrated on-board computer, pre-installed lights and sirens, and a modular, hose-out rear compartment.

Would there be any downsides? Perhaps a few. Fuel economy would likely be slightly worse (due to the beefier, heavier construction of the truck chassis), and the fact that departments would still have to re-tool and re-train their service departments for a new model.

What would this new behemoth look like? Look no further than Ford's own Interceptor concept car from a few years ago. Granted, some of the Interceptor's styling cues migrated to the Taurus. Namely its high, pronounced beltline and gun-slit windows. For the actual "production" Interceptor, I'd suggest raising the greenhouse and glass area a few inches for improved visibility and the aforementioned ingress/egress. Also, a slightly higher ride height in the interest of the abuse the vehicle is sure to see in active duty. Aside from that, I'd change very little from the concept's menacing, no-nonsense exterior.

Although substantial re-engineering of the F-150 chassis would be needed, it would save costs over an all-new model, and deliberate parts-bin engineering would ensure the majority of mechanical components from an F-150 would bolt right up. Although there might be some early doubters, my guess is cops would adopt this as their new favorite quickly. What do you think?

By Brandan Gillogly
Photography: Brandan Gillogly

I know what you’re thinking. ”Did he just paraphrase Zapp Brannigan?” Yes. I did. Despite its size and heft, the Raptor is capable of some impressive, even elegant, maneuvering, both on and off road.

Well, maybe not so much off-road with me behind the wheel. In the desert I manhandled the Raptor through some out-of-frequency fishtails in 2wd with the rear locker engaged, but then I got the hang of it, at least a little, and before I knew it, my time behind the wheel of Raptor was up. I’ll regale you with my dales of driving prowess later. First, what exactly makes a Raptor a Raptor?  
Starting with an off-the-rack F-150 frame, Raptor engineers cut, moved, and reinforced exactly zero suspension mounting points. That’s right, the same F-150 frame that underpins every other F-150 that rolls off the assembly line is as equally suited for high-speed desert runs as it is for towing huge loads and serving as a commercial workhorse. Granted, the Raptor does employ extensive skid plates not found on a typical F-150, protecting the chassis and engine from the typical obstacles and hazards you might come across while running high-speed in the desert: rocks, cacti, coyote, roadrunners, ACME-brand land mines, etc. The only difference in suspension mounting we were able to notice on the frame is that the spring pockets use a wedge-shaped mounting ring to cant the coilovers a few degrees outboard to mount to the beefy, pressure-cast aluminum Raptor-specific lower control arms. The upper arms are also Raptor-specific, but are forged steel. Rather than dropping the suspension mounting points, which is the norm for most aftermarket lifts, Ford engineers widened the track of the Raptor like aftermarket long-travel suspensions do. The longer pivot of the new arms allows for a 35-inch tall, extensively-siped and Raptor-specific BFG All Terrain tire that has 11.2 inches of suspension travel. New, longer half-shafts were needed to compensate for the 3.5-inch increase in width per side. The rear gets an equally-impressive 12.1 inches of travel through a reinforced version of the F-150’s 8.8-inch axle. With thicker axle tubes and stronger axles, the electronic-locker-equipped axle is capable of enduring some hard landings, as evidenced by all of the videos Ford has posted on YouTube and have gone viral throughout the off-road community.

Click here for part 2

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While the frame and suspension hardware allow the truck to survive a grueling blast across the desert, what about the fate of those strapped inside?

 Ford teamed with Fox Racing Shox to develop a remote reservoir oil shock for the rear and an internal triple bypass coilover for the front. The triple bypass function allows the shock to get progressively stiffer as the suspension moves through its full 11.2 inches of travel so that it never bottoms out harshly. Even if you did bottom out the suspension, soft, closed-cell bumpstops act like progressive air bump stops for the last few inches of travel.

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 The 7-inch wider track necessitated wider bodywork of course, so all of the sheetmetal forward of the A-pillar is unique to the Raptor, and Ford designers have done a good a job as any to make the wide bodywork look top notch.

It’s probably the best-looking wide-body truck short of a one-piece fiberglass front end from a trophy truck. The fenders bulge out prominently from the headlights and blend back into the doors by way of a fender-mounted vent. The bedsides also flare out, but are more subtle than the front due to their length. The extra width also called for additional marker lights, which you can find across the tailgate in red and across the grille and front fender in amber. The lights are unobtrusive LEDs that appear white when not lit.
    Hermann Salenbauch, director of SVT, drove along the highway between Borrego Springs and Ocotillo Wells while I sat shotgun. He had to remind himself that the highway, unlike the dirt we had just left, had a speed limit, and he was making a point to drive slower than he had driven me on the dirt. Looking into the rearview mirror at a Raptor that was following us, he spoke about the wasp-like shape that came about because of the flared fenders and bedsides. Speaking with enthusiasm about the design and how aggressive the Raptor looked, I couldn’t help but look into the mirror on my side. The truck behind us didn’t look a bit out of place on the desert highway. In fact, the wider bodywork made it look like it was stalking us, looking for an opportunity to overtake us.

Click here for Part 1

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 When I had my chance behind the wheel, it was on the road at first, as Ford wanted us to get to know the truck in familiar conditions. My initial reaction was that I felt just as confident as in any truck.  Credit the shocks and sway bars.

 The wide track of the Raptor comes with little difference in ride height, so body roll is minimal. As I drove through Highway 78 I pushed the Raptor into corners and the truck responded predictably, with the big BFGs offering minimal tire noise. In fact, it seemed that at highway speeds the combined wind, engine, and tire noises nearly cancelled each other out. I had a moment to speak with Heather Fedullo, a noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) engineer on Ford’s performance SVT, one-on-one. Thankfully Hether was able to explain the complicated NVH tuning in layman’s terms, since I didn’t share her engineering background. She compared the NVH tuning to conducting an orchestra, where each sound needs to be balanced. Raptor’s anticipated buyers, as with most SVT buyers, don’t mind a more aggressive exhaust, and the SVT team came through in that regard, letting the exhaust play a more prominent role in the sound package. I was not the only one to notice, as several other journalists made comments on the Raptor’s exhaust note, which is a nice mellow lope at idle and a low growl under throttle.

Click here for part 1

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 OK, clearly the Raptor is about going fast off-road, so how was it? Well, without resorting to woo-hoos and yee-haws, I’ll do my best to put it into words.

 First off, Ford’s collaboration with Fox was time well spent, as the ride off-road is nowhere near as jarring as I would have expected. While any SVT member could hit the upper 90s on the course we had, I kept my speed to 30-35mph over the whoops, and 50-60mph in the open washes, only breaking into the 70s towards the end of my lap when the wash was a bit wider and my confidence was high. I drove faster and more confidently as time went on, and although I never got the truck airborn, I did cycle through much of the suspensions travel and never felt as though I was being punished. The traction control button might as well be labeled “Push for Fun”, since the traction control elbows its way between your right foot and the throttle to stop any sort of yaw-induced shenanigans, the only way to take any wash at speed is with the system partially disabled, at least if you like drifting through them like I do. Thankfully you have the option. Speaking of drifting, 4wd drifts are predictable, even though I’ve spent only a few sessions driving off-road. Any time I got a little too sideways I could correct by lifting the throttle and the truck would go back where it was pointed. For me, 2wd was a different story, as I got the Raptor’s rear end loose enough to make the SVT engineer sitting shotgun a little worried that I was going to wreck the bodywork on one of their brand-new toys.
    So, if the traction control button is labeled “Push for Fun”, what about the Off Road Mode switch? Well in my case it could have been labeled, “Push to Laugh Maniacally”, or, if you ask Ali Mansour from 4-Wheel and Off-Road, the button could be labeled in such a way that would have Christian groups emailing us in droves because an electronic device on a truck was likened to the coming of the savior. With the traction control off and Off-Road Mode engaged, the Raptor will hold each transmission gear longer, to minimize hunting for gears, and it also remaps the throttle so it’s more suited for both low-speed trails and high-speed desert romps.

Click here for Part 1

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 The other interesting electronic function of the Raptor is the Hill Descent Control.

A first for a Ford vehicle, the hill descent allows you to focus on steering the truck on the right path while it uses the ABS actuators to apply brake pressure for a slow, steady trip. Ford had a loop of rocky trails for us to try out the crawling and hill descent capability of the truck. This wasn’t the Rubicon, but we did get to see some of the suspension’s articulation. One touch of the console-mounted button while we were stopped at the edge of a steep dropoff and the Driver Information Center (DIC) told us we were good to go, both in the display and with an audible chime. As I let off the brake the truck nosed over the decline and set off on its path at a crawl, with the ABS whirring and growling the whole way. Once we were past the worst of the rocky trail I tapped the throttle and the Hill Descent Control (HDC) upped the pace to walking speed. Think of it as a low-speed cruise control that you adjust with the throttle and the brake.
    All of the Raptors at event were equipped with the 5.4L V-8. We’ve criticized the 5.4L before because the F-150s competitors all offer engines with more power, so no doubt many are eagerly anticipating the new 6.2L V-8 from Ford, with its 400hp (est) and 400 lb-ft. of torque (est). However, the 5.4L was more than adequate when it came to both crawling up steep trails and hauling across the sand. We’re not saying that more power wouldn’t be more fun, but we also don’t think that the initial buyers who don’t yet have the option of the 5.4L will be crying when the 6.2L makes its debut in 2010.
    As of last week, Ford had 1,700 orders for Raptors, and they said they’d build as many as demanded. As more people become aware of the Raptor I’d expect the number to grow even faster, especially considering the price. The base Raptor comes in just under $39,000, which is about a $2,500 premium over an comparably equipped FX4. The problem is that an FX4 just isn’t comparable. For the extra $2,500 you’re getting one heck of a package.

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Chrysler and Nissan have announced today that the project between the two automakers to collaborate on a fullsize truck has ended. With Chrysler's recent partnering with Fiat, the two other projects that the two were set to work on, both compact vehicles for the South American and world market, seem redundant.

 We heard speculation that Dodge was planning to build the next-generation Titan as the 1st-generation Titan was set to end its model run at the end of 2010. After driving the '09 Ram, we had no question as to why Nissan would want them as a partner, and we'd secretly wondered if the new Ford Raptor would spur Nissan to make their re-bodied Ram an aggressive off-road machine. Alas, it wasn't meant to be. Despite Nissan's claims that the Titan's future wasn't in Chrysler's hands, we haven't heard news of any pre-production Titans being spotted.

The release, in full:

"Nissan and Chrysler today announced a mutual agreement to end three OEM vehicle-supply projects announced last year.


For the past several months, teams from both companies have been studying the viability of the projects in light of significant changes in business conditions since the projects were announced in January and April of 2008.

Today, it was decided it was in the best interests of both companies to end the projects.

The projects had involved:

1. Nissan providing to Chrysler a compact sedan for the South American market beginning this year.
2. Nissan providing to Chrysler a small vehicle for global markets beginning in 2010.
3. Chrysler providing to Nissan a full-size pickup truck starting in 2011.

A separate agreement involving the supply of transmissions from Nissan affiliate JATCO to Chrysler remains unchanged. That agreement has been in effect since 2004."

We just found a French automotive blog post on the new Fiat Strada Double Cab. Parlez vous francais?

 We couldn't help but think that the mini-ute was sort of cool, but that the bed was a bit too short. Here's a quick Photoshop of a stretched wheelbase Strada with a bit more overhang too.

What are we, the editors of Truckin' magazine, doing checking out Fiat? Well, now that Fiat has partnered with Chrysler we keep wondering what Fiat products we'll get over in the States. We have no idea whether or not the Strada is being considered, but what the heck, it's a truck, at least sort of.