Automakers stole the show when it came to Super Bowl XLVI commercials. However, behind the scene FoMoCo was complaining about a Chevrolet Silverado commercial that took a stab at Ford. Apparently, General Motors ignored a request from Ford to cancel the commercial before it made its television debut last night.

The ad, which shows the Chevrolet Silverado being the only truck to survive an apocalypse, takes a stab at Ford when one of the main characters asks about the fate of one his friends.

“Dave didn’t drive the longest lasting, most dependable truck on the road,” another friend tells him. “Dave drove a Ford.”

“What’s important is that Ford is proud to be the best-selling truck in America for 35 years, the best-selling vehicle for 30 years and the only brand with more trucks on the road with more than 250,000 miles — demonstrating just how durable our trucks are in the real world,” Ford said in a statement.

The General isn’t backing down, however. ”We stand by our claims in the commercial, that the Silverado is the most dependable, longest lasting full-size pickup on the road,” said Joel Ewanick, GM Global Chief Marketing Officer in a statement. In the meantime, people who are really worried about the Mayan calendar coming true should buy a Silverado right away.” Ewanick jokingly added.

Check out the commercial for yourself after the jump.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: CNNMoney

Whenever anyone thinks about America and the automobile industry, one of the first things that should pop-up into mind is the pickup truck: an automobile that is synonymously iconic to our culture like the small roadster is to Great Britain or the executive saloon is to Germany. And when anyone thinks of a pickup truck, the ultimate buy word in the segment would arguably be the proverbial Ford F150. That should be a given considering that the Dearborn-based manufacturer invented the automobile when they produced the “Ford Model T Runabout with a Pickup Body” in 1925. Not to mention, the F150 is indubitably one of automotive history’s most iconic automobiles, racking up some astonishing accolades such as America’s best-selling vehicle for 24-years and best-selling truck for 34.

That said, the Ford F150 can be considered the car that ‘built’ America, much like how Jeremy Clarkson showed the world that the Ford Transit had “built” Great Britain. No matter where you go, you’ll always find some generation and some sort of variant of the Ford F150 running about doing all things utilitarian. I can go on and on about the F150’s prominence, but that would be similar to me rambling on about how famous Mr. Henry Ford is himself—gee, thanks Captain Obvious.

But truth be told, I have very little personal experience with pickups for my short time on Earth. The first and last pickup truck that I had comprehensively driven in-depth was a 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 with the 5.9L Magnum V8. And even though the Ram was uncomfortable, brash and tiresome to drive—on top of abysmal fuel economy that never went north of 15 mpg—the Ram’s commanding view of the road made it interestingly fun to drive and its practicality was hard to trump, considering that the Ram helped me move back and forth between college and home. Afterwards, the last pickup I ever drove entirely prior to this review was a 2005 Ford F150 King Ranch SuperCrew, complete with the top-of-the-line 5.4L Triton V8 during my time working at a used car dealer. Other than that though, pickup trucks never really appealed to my taste for refined and fun-driving performance and luxury cars. And that was due to their sacrifice for utilitarianism in place of luxury and driving pleasure. In other words, I felt one would be socially awkward pulling up to a fancy function in a workhorse pickup truck rather than a stately executive saloon.

2012 Ford F150 EcoBoost Lariat 4×2 SuperCrew V6 Specifications:

• Style: Full-size pickup truck.
• Drive Type: RWD / 4WD.
• Seating Capacity: 5.
• Base Price: $39,475.
• Price As Tested: $45,380.
• Engine: 3.5 liter twin-turbocharged, direct-injected EcoBoost V6 – 365-hp / 420 lb-ft of torque.
• Transmission: 6-speed automatic.
• 0 to 60 mph: 6.1 seconds.
• Top Speed: 100 mph (electronically limited).
• Curb Weight: 5,699 lbs.
• Fuel-economy (EPA city/highway – egmCarTech Observed): 16/22 – 17/19 mpg.

All Photos Copyright © Omar Rana - egmCarTech.

Social awkwardness aside though, over the years numerous others have proven to take Ford’s recipe for a pickup and have perfected it in their own ways, the Ram being one of them. And over those same years, manufacturers, including Ford themselves, have evolved the pickup to be not only a workhorse automobile, but one of the most versatile vehicles money can buy. In order to continue keeping up with the times of fuel economy-conscious buyers and strict CAFE regulations, Ford had decided to gamble with a new engine top-of-the-line option for the 2011 F150: a twin-turbocharged 3.5L EcoBoost V6. It’s a boosted mill that Ford hopes will help improve the brand’s CAFE rating and sway the traditionalists from the typical pickup powerplant, so that the gasoline-guzzling V8 can slowly fade away into the pages of history (Oh dear God please no), or at least be the second choice. So, how does it fare and does it have what it takes to meet Ford’s and the buyers’ expectations?

Exterior:

There’s really not much to discuss when talking about the aesthetic aspects of pickups. Their designs are pretty straightforward. Though what differs Ford’s F150 from the more chiseled-down looks of GM’s GMT900 pickups and the sleek, refined muscle of the Dodge Ram is the F150’s Tonka Truck Toy-like looks. But it’s not outrageously childish or terribly offensive. In fact, I like the way the F150 looks. It comes off as thoroughly American, rugged and masculine—as if it could take on anything you can throw at it. It has every visual trait a real pickup should have. And who’s to argue? And what makes me appreciate the F150 even more is that its looks are also civil enough that once you were done with your dirty work, you could just take a hose and some suds to it and drive it through town like a boss. In other words, I wouldn’t feel ashamed to pull up in a clean, modern F150—like the one we had—at a fancy function. I couldn’t exactly say the same thing with the Ford F150 from several decades ago and earlier. And I definitely couldn’t say that about the 2002 Dodge Ram I drove several years ago.

Interior:

The same Tonka-like characteristics can be found inside the F150 as well. Where as the F150s of yesteryear often had flat, boring and monotone insides, the F150 of today (and ever since the 11^th generation F150 from 2004 such as that 2005 King Ranch I aforementioned) dropped the straight-workhorse looks for some style, without any sacrifice or deviation from the F150’s tough, rugged utilitarian roots. And this latest F150 just takes it even a step further. So if you were like me, with the little experience I have with pickups, you’d be surprised to find a very comforting ambiance when compared to the F150s of the 1990s and prior. The responses elicited from me when I first stepped into the F150 were: “wow, this is pretty darn nice,” and “I’m really impressed.” Ford’s use of different colored materials is extraordinarily well executed making you think that you’re in a more civilized Expedition rather than an F150—and it’s definitely an exponential upgrade from that brash Ram. I simply love it.

Our tester was of the Lariat spec, which is one of the most commonly optioned trimlines of the F150. It surely isn’t the most luxurious model, nor is it the cheapest as Ford pins the Lariat just in the middle of the lineup, below (and in order from least luxurious and expensive to most luxurious and expensive) FX4, SVT Raptor, King Ranch, Platinum and Harley-Davidson Editions and above the base XL, STX, XLT and FX2. Ours was fully optioned up the wazoo complete with Microsoft/Ford’s collaboration called SYNC, their tow package, leather-trimmed 10-way heated and cooled seats with memory function—which also means the transmission shifter changes from a column stalk to a center console-mounted selector. All of the ergonomics were simple and easy to use. Admittedly, a lot of the equipment bespoke to pickups that help its owners tow and haul stuff did throw me off a bit. But I’m sure that’s purely from my lack of experience. Either way, Ford offers a lot of kit and the seats were wonderfully supportive and comfortable. Additionally, our F150 was optioned out with the 6.5-foot bed and the SuperCrew layout, which means four full doors and a rear bench to haul not just your friends or family, but their junk as well.

Performance:

Driving the F150 is where the real news is. For the first time ever, Ford’s iconic workhorse gets their latest twin-turbocharged, direct-injected 3.5L EcoBoost V6, which is the same engine that received some honorable mention and placement in cars like the current Taurus SHO and the Ford Flex EcoBoost. And even though the F150 EcoBoost V6 produces the same 365 horses as the Taurus SHO, the F150’s EcoBoost V6 produces 70 more lb-ft of twist for a whopping total of 420 lb-ft that’s best-in-class—and 90% of that is fully and readily available at 1700rpm, all the way through the rev range to 5000rpm. Mated to Ford’s SelectShift six-speed automatic, mashing the pedal from a standstill in the F150 EcoBoost would yield a 0-60 time of roughly 6.5 seconds, which is not shabby at all. In fact, during our week long test, Editor-In-Chief Omar Rana and I often found ourselves with our windows down in between quick stoplight drags with owners of older pickups and even some quick car drivers, all wondering what the hell just put them in the dust. And because that power is so readily available from the well-tuned and adjusted six-speed, highway cruising and overtaking is a breeze. Turbo lag was virtually nonexistent and traditional pickup purists would feel right at home with the EcoBoost V6. The only thing that would tell them that the F150 EcoBoost has two less cylinders would be the options list and the exhaust note, which was the sound of a muffled yet, meaty V6 with a slight hiss from the snails versus a throaty, rumbling V8. But for those who are truly committed to the seductive rumble of Ford’s V8 still have a choice to opt for their all-new 5.0L V8 mill—the same that debuted in the current Mustang 5.0—and 6.2L Boss V8, which is in the SVT Raptor. The only sacrifice with the V8s is for those seeking practicality in terms of tow capacity: the 3.5L V6 EcoBoost has the highest ratings out of all the other engine options.

Considering the F150 is no performance automobile, I completely relieved myself from any expectations of handling with the F150. But such a notion wasn’t exactly necessary because simply put, the F150 EcoBoost is truly wonderful to drive for being a full-size pickup. Sure, the handling is completely nonexistent when compared to something with a unibody and finely tuned suspension. But the F150, much like many other pickup trucks from the competitors, has thoroughly proven that utilitarian automobiles don’t have to be woeful to drive like they used to be. When compared to my 2002 Dodge Ram experience, the F150 felt like the Mercedes-Benz of pickup trucks. Refined, comfortable and composed describe the F150 EcoBoost’s ride and handling. The same could be said for the 2005 King Range Edition I drove too a while back. Highway speeds were quiet, relaxing and a complete dawdle making me think that it would be the perfect truck to take on a cross-country adventure. The steering for the entire F150 lineup except for the 6.2L Boss V8-equipped models was converted from the typical lifeless hydraulic setup to a more efficient electronically assisted power steering system. When comparing the two, the electronic system offered nothing in the way of feel next to the hydraulic setup I experienced in the 2005 King Ranch F150, but on the upside, the electric tiller was effortless with solid on-center feel, making any kind of maneuvering a breeze. Should you find yourself approaching a corner too fast, the F150 would respond with enough composure surprise to make you forget about the F150’s on-paper body-on-frame and solid-rear axle setup.

Unfortunately, for the time that we had the F150 EcoBoost V6, we weren’t able to put it in a situation to truly test the F150’s ability to haul or tow something. The closest we got though was a quick trip up into North Jersey to pickup a new couch for my apartment. And this trip led us to come up with a thing or two we could point out. Firstly, our fuel economy hovered around an average of 17-19 mpg, which is very respectable for a pickup truck and understandable when compared to the EPA’s rating of 16 mpg’s city and 22 highway. Though, we didn’t think it was much of an improvement over the alternative and more traditional engine, Ford’s new 5.0L V8, rated at 15 mpg’s city and 21 highway and even the 6.2L V8. That said, we were a little perplexed by the fact that Ford chose to opt for a traditional gasoline engine when diesel technologies are so readily available. Altogether, it raises a question for the brand itself too. Are they still betting on gasoline engines when 2/3rds of the world has been benefiting from the higher fuel efficiency of diesel-powered automobiles? Even on home turf, those who are well informed of the pickup market know that a Dodge Ram with a Cummins or a GM pickup with a Duramax, or even the Ford with a PowerStroke will yield far better fuel economy without a sacrifice in capability. Either way, I think “Big Oil” is still to blame. But that’s a whole ‘nother can o’worms.

Overall:

Altogether, I walk away from the F150 EcoBoost in complete awe as to how pickups have evolved over time. Forgetting my lack of experience aside, as a car guy, stepping into an F150 wasn’t overwhelming or intimidating whatsoever. The F150 was a breeze to get used to, especially for someone with my background…or lack thereof. In all, I see the F150 as a Swiss army knife, but one with a snakeskin holster that’s stylish and practical and is sure to elicit some conversation from others and you can take it anywhere without being terribly uncivil. And for that, I can now appreciate the appeal of pickup trucks and I’m sure those venturing into the market for the first time will too. You can haul your friends/family plus their junk and nearly go anywhere all while in good comfort and style of the mighty Ford F150. In other words, where as enthusiasts come to appreciate cars for their sense of value rather than how superior their performance and drive is, enthusiasts can appreciate the F150 for its gung-ho and do-nearly-anything capabilities. And even for those who are looking to buy the F150 for its utility, they are definitely going to feel right at home. Sure, the fuel economy may not meet the promises of exponentially better fuel economy like Ford is pitching. But Ford has apparently tested the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 to extreme ends so the V6 is sure to be as durable and reliable as the V8 it hopes to replace. Not to mention, those who are considering or have experience with pickups are used to getting cruddy fuel economy anyway. Let’s just hope that Ford’s push for the EcoBoost engines in this F150 and its other cars isn’t a harbinger of things to come, like the potential death of the V8. But simply put, the F150 is A+ all the way.

All Photos Copyright © Omar Rana - egmCarTech.

- By: Chris Chin

With fuel economy regulations tightening, Ford automakers may have decided to swap out some of the materials it uses to build its F-150 full size pick up.

Currently, the F-150 averages 17mpg/city and 23mpg/hyway, but for 2016 this number has to hit a better mark. In order to do this, it is rumored that Ford will be looking to cut down on the 4685 lbs, which can end up close to 6500 after fluids, fuel and passengers. The 2014 F-Series, currently dubbed the “P552” could be replacing some of its steel body parts with aluminum.

“We know our customers, and it’s all about the truck being a tool and they want it to be more productive and more efficient,” said Doug Scott, Ford’s truck marketing manager to Wards Auto. “So we have to keep moving the needle if we want to be king of hill. We’re always looking at all the ways of doing that going forward and we have a great strategy.”

No comments have been made to confirm that the way they will be going forward will, in fact, be aluminum, however.

With many automakers doing just that, it still is a valid option for Ford, especially with GM leading the segment in weight-reduction.

- By: Alexandra Koken

Source: WardsAuto

FoMoCo banked on a huge gamble when it decided to offer a fuel-efficienct V6 EcoBoost for its Ford F-150 pickup but that gamble turned out to be success as the turbo V6 F-150 hit a milestone of 100,000 units so far this year. According to Doug Scott, marketing manager for the F-Series pickups, the last time FoMoCo sold that many V6 pickups was in 1985.

In the past couple of months in 2011, around 40 percent of F-150 shoppers have been paying an extra $895 for the 3.5 liter V6 turbocharged EcoBoost engine that promises V8 power and V6 fuel-efficiency.

Ford started selling the V6 EcoBoost in late February. Demand for the model forced Ford to increase production of the EcoBoost engine a couple of months ago.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Detroit News

Here comes another Ford F-150 recall. The Dearborn automaker has announced that it is recalling 2011 model year F-150 vehicles built from Sept. 9, 2011 through Sept. 22, 2011. The recall also consists of F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550 Heavy Duty models manufactured from Sept. 12, 2011 to Sept. 22, 2011. In total, the recall covers 16,091 units

The NHTSA said that the vehicles fail to comply with requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard number 114, which is theft protection. Basically, the transmission can be shifted out of park without pressing the brake pedal due to a brake shift interlock switch problem.

“This will allow the operator to inadvertently shift the vehicle into gear without the brake pedal being depressed, increasing the risk of a crash or injury to a nearby pedestrian,” the NHTSA said.

FoMoCo will start notifying customers later this month. Dealers will inspect the brake shift interlock switch and replace the switch if necessary. Owners can contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

- By: Omar Rana

The 2012 Ford F-150 has been named Motor Trend’s 2012 Truck of the Year.

While the new F-150 wasn’t significantly redesigned for the 2012 model year, Ford did revamp its engine lineup with the V6 EcoBoost powertrain.

Click here for more news on the Ford F-150.

“The EcoBoost is the obvious orange in the apple crate here,” Motor Trend said. “Ford’s throwing a gasoline direct-injection, twin-turbo-fed V-6 under the hood of a full-size truck is almost enough to knock the earth off its axis. What’s even more shocking is that an engine that looks like it would be at home mid-mounted in a sports car is actually better than any of the eight-piston offerings in maybe any company’s lineup.”

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Motor Trend

The ladies and gents over at Edmunds.com appear to be running out of sensible and conventional vehicle tests, so they pitted two leaf blowers against a Ford SVT Raptor and a Fiat 500. Though the clip they produced may be sensationalized a la the National Geographic Channel or History, there is a clear method to their madness: emissions. The seemingly off-the wall test yielded some very interesting results, which are detailed at 2:22 in the video.

The Raptor beat the Fiat and actually removed hydrocarbons that were in the air beforehand; the results thereafter were somewhat predictable: the four stroke leaf blower beat out the two stroke.

Once again, the test brings up a significant point: due to pretty stringent emissions controls even on the 411 bhp single cam V8 in the Raptor, the US is at no risk of turning into a massive, smog-veiled Los Angeles. Obviously LA has a few other factors such as a mountain range-induced inversion layer, but I think you catch my drift.

Check out the video after the jump.

- By: Sawyer Sutton

Ever wonder what the most profitable vehicles are of modern times? Well, while many of you probably don’t care it’s still something nice to know. Bernstein Research in London has put together a list of the top global money makers since 1990 and the list isn’t really all that surprising.

Analyst Max Warburton says that the big winners consist of high price tags, huge volume and long periods of production the spread development cost of building the car over a long period of time. Warburton and his team found three categories of profitable vehicles including Japanese mid-sized sedans, German luxury cars and of course, American full-sized pickups.

Not surprisingly, American pickups were the really big money makers with their huge volume. German vehicles like the BMW 3 and 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz S Class and E Class and the Porsche 911 came in second. Japanese sedans had the toughest times to high profits due to their low price points.

Hit the jump to see the full list.

Bernstein Research’s 12 most profitable vehicles since 1990.

1. Ford F series
2. GM full-sized pickups
3. Dodge Ram
4. Mercedes S class
5. BMW 5 series
6. BMW 3 series
7. Mercedes E class
8. Lexus RX SUV
9. Jeep Grand Cherokee
10. Honda Accord
11. Porsche 911
12. Toyota Camry

Source: Automotive News

Last year, Ford rolled 7,085 Raptors off dealer’s lots, and sales have been growing since. Through October this year, 8,105 Raptors have been sold, leaving dealers with little inventory, as the pickup only spends about 16 days, on average, in showrooms.

Click here for more news on the Ford F-150 Raptor.

Ford originally debuted the Raptor with a price tag of $38,995.00 for 2010. For the 2011 model year, the automaker upgraded the standard motor to the popular 6.2-liter V8 that makes 411-hp, along with the SuperCrew Cab variant, causing prices to climb along with the demand. Sticker price for the 2012 F-150 SVT Raptor Super Cab start at $43,565, and $46,465 for the SuperCrew Cab.

To keep up with consumer interest, Ford has increased production for the 2012 model from two units per hour to three.

- By: Alexandra Koken

Source: Inside Line

The American Guardian features a ton of the brand’s accessories, including a RAM Mounts Laptop Stand System, a Police Interceptor iForce Kit, All-Season Brite-Tread Floor Mats, and Custom Window Bars for the interior.

Outside, the truck features Dee Zee NXt Running Boards, a Blue Series Black Crossover Tool Box, Tailgate Assit, and Grill Guards. Dee Zee also included a tailgate protector, side bed caps, and a bedmat for the truck bed.

Brian Taylor created the custom graphics, and additional highlights such as Bushwacker Fender Flares and a Custom Hood created by Reflexxion Build add to the unique look of this pick up.

- By: Alexandra Koken

Click here for more news on the Ford Explorer.

“The all-new Ford Explorer lends itself to a lot of customization trends because there are so many directions you can go in. Whether it’s amping up the style, performance or capability, they all work seamlessly with Explorer,” said Melvin Betancourt, Ford SEMA design manager. “Additionally, the F-Series trucks are the perfect canvas for customers to personalize. They offer a great wow factor and can easily be taken to the extreme in terms of performance.”

Check out more details after the jump.

Project vehicles to be showcased at this year’s SEMA show include:

2011 Ford Explorer by Stitchcraft Interiors

This “Business Edition” Explorer makes the most of craftsmanship and details with a Stitchcraft Interiors custom interior with Alcantara® leather seating, interior accents and door panels and Orion Car Audio amps, speakers and wiring. Stitchcraft Interiors study trays are matched to the interior and accents. The exterior offers a Seaside Collision two-tone paint scheme with charcoal and orange side graphics.

2011 Ford Explorer by DSO Eyewear

Inspired by current fashion trends, this Explorer embraces an active sports urban lifestyle with a lowered stance complemented by deep lip Niche 24-inch three-piece wheels. BASF Pearl Tri-Coat White paint with black chrome detailing offers a contemporary look on the exterior, while a plush interior showcases Katzkin Midnight Tuscany leather with perforated Raven Suede accents. The lighting is high-tech, with Advanced Automotive Concepts custom LED headlamps.

2011 Ford Explorer by Tjin Edition

This Explorer was designed to stand out from the crowd and with a custom DuPont paint job by L & R Autobody, 24-inch iForged Concave Insite wheels, Falken tires and LightWurkz LED headlights, it lives up to the promise. A Baer big brake kit and Eibach suspension upgrade the chassis, while custom black leather with orange diamond stitching and a Realm audio system round out the interior enhancements.

2011 Ford F-350 Super Duty by Superlift Suspensions

Matchbox® has teamed up with Superlift Suspensions to transform a Super Duty into the Matchbox Superlift Brush Truck. Superlift stays true to its off-road roots by using a 10-inch lift system on 41-inch Interco IROK tires. Shown in a PPG Vibrance “Oh, So Orange” basecoat with a contrasting satin black powder-coated accent, the two-tone paint job is sure to grab attention. It proves it’s up to the job of fighting fires with code-three emergency lights and sirens, along with a firefighting utility bed and equipment. SEMA visitors can receive a miniature die-cast version of the truck by visiting the Ford show stand.

2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost by Skyjacker Suspensions

The “Project No Compromise” is geared toward drivers who want to go green without sacrificing performance. A Skyjacker Suspensions four-inch lift and monotube shocks help boost chassis performance, while a MagnaFlow cat-back dual exhaust system upgrades the powertrain. A Steelcraft stainless steel grille guard, Rigid Industries e-series 30-inch LED light bar and Bushwacker two-inch pocket-style fender flares distinguish this truck.

2011 Ford F-150 by CGS Performance Products

This “Tarmac” F-150 offers unique and sleek styling with a custom aluminum hood, DuPont Jet Black paint and Boyd Red finish by Andy Meeh, Paramount Restyling grille and Colorado Custom billet wheels. The interior offers red leather from Pecca Leather, VizuaLogic headrest monitors and Seat Belt Planet red seat belts. Powertrain and chassis also get a boost from a CGS Performance cat-back exhaust and cold-air intake, Whipple twin-screw supercharger, Bell Tech front coilover suspension and six-piston Baer brakes with 15-inch rotors.

2011 Ford F-350 Super Duty by Hulst Customs

The “Black Mamba” Super Duty shows off the ultimate in luxury and style with Hulst Customs-designed hood and grille with stainless steel mesh insert, Hulst Customs side rockers and lower front fascia with LED lighting by Radiantz. It also features suicide rear doors with Scissor Doors billet hinge kit. Planet Color custom black paint along with 3M Di-Noc™ stainless graphics differentiates the exterior. The interior features Katzkin leather and Hulst Customs aluminum trim accents.

- By: Omar Rana

As a result of a increase in popularity, Ford Motor Co. is putting more turbocharged, direct-injection 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engines under the hoods of its F-150 pickups. Ford has no intentions of altering the motor over the next year, but does have plans to improve it further out.

As of October 13, Ford has sold roughly 75,000 units with the EcoBoost engine, which hit the market in February, and since September, makes up 42 percent of the F-150′s overall sales. The brand expects sales to exceed 100,000 units, or 45 percent, before this year’s close.

Ford also plans on expanding marketing for the EcoBoost, with Ford’s truck group marketing manager Doug Scott commenting “When we move into November, we’ll have a new television commercial for EcoBoost and F-150.”

Scott also comments on future moves, saying “We better have a plan and we do have a plan to continue to improve our performance with EcoBoost. Weather that’s with fuel economy or durability we’ll have to continuously up our game. The competitors are taking note of it. We’re anticipating that what we’re delivering today, we’ll have to improve upon.”

- By: Alexandra Koken

Power for the 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor comes from a 6.2-liter V8 engine, which produces 411 horsepower and 434 lb.-ft. of torque. For 2012, the F-150 Raptor features a new Torsen front differential that increases grip for the front axle allowing for more versatility.

Follow the jump for the video.

Click here for our original post on the 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor.

- By: Omar Rana

“A major element of the SVT Raptor program is our work to continuously expand the capabilities it offers to customers. We want to cover all dimensions of off-roading – from desert running to rock climbing,” said Raj Sarkar, Ford F-150 Marketing manager. “We always aim to keep the product fresh and exciting, and all of our changes for 2012 reflect that.”

Going into 2012, the Ford F150 Raptor features a new Torsen front differential that increases grip for the front axle allowing for more versatility.

“This system is key for letting Raptor customers tackle new ground in their truck,” said Kerry Baldori, Ford SVT Global Performance Vehicle chief functional engineer. “Its extreme capability lends itself well to rock climbing situations.”

In addition to the new diff, the SVT Raptor also receives a unique off-road front camera system, the first of its kind in the segment. Using an eight section portion of the 4.2-inch LCD infotainment screen, the camera appears with a series of dynamic and static overlays to aid drivers.

Other updates include new exterior and interior visual appointments. A new Raptor logo makes its way on the F150 as well as more options of graphics for buyers to customize from. A matte anodized blue interior color was also added to replace the outgoing blue interior and is available on all colors except the new exterior Race Red.

Power still comes from the standard 6.2-liter V8 engine, which produces 411 horsepower and 434 lb.-ft. of torque – making the F-150 SVT Raptor the most powerful half-ton pickup on the market.

- By: Chris Chin

“The new FX package delivers a distinctive style that truck buyers are looking for without compromising on any of the F-150′s rugged qualities,” said Raj Sarkar, F-150 Marketing manager. “It expands our range of specialty vehicles with custom elements that customers previously could find only in the aftermarket.”

The new FX package is available on both FX4 and FX2 variants and feature lots of black coloring to give the F150 a very stealthy look. The interior receives updates too including brushed-metal surfaces, black leather seats with red perforations and piping and much more. New 20-inch wheels complement the exterior with other visual appointments such as updated light designs.

The 4×4 system on the F150 gets updated for all trim levels. Out goes the electronic “shift-on-the-fly” for a two-speed automatic system for a total of nine modes: four high and four low and 4×4 auto.

A new Hill Start Assist system is equipped to keep the F150 from rolling backward at a stop. The F150 also receives a new neutral tow capability, which means customers can now flat-tow their F150.

“These changes are centered around making F-150 an even more useful tool for our customers,” said Jackie DiMarco, F-150 chief engineer. “We’re continuously raising the bar when it comes to capability, and these upgrades and new technologies push us even further.”

- By: Chris Chin

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that it has closed two investigations into safety issues of Ford vehicles. The NHTSA siad that a recall of 1.1 million F-150 units and other trucks was sufficient to address concerns and that it was satisfied with Ford’s recall.

Last month, Ford announced that it was recalling 1997-2004 Ford F-150 in ‘salt-bed’ states after reviewing 700 complaints of corrosion of steel straps holding up fuel tanks. There were 180 reports of leaking fuel. FoMoCo said that 97 percent of the complaints came from states that use large amounts of road salt.

“Ford’s recall action appears to adequately address the problem at this time,” NHTSA said.

Separately, the NHTSA said that it is also closing an investigation into 387,354 2010-2011 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner SUVs. The complaint focused around the liftgate glass shattered without warning.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Detroit News

We here at egmCarTech absolutely adore the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. I believe most of the team here would agree with me when I say that we would use it as a personal daily driver, as a family vehicle, as a sports car and as a source of transportation if the world was ever infested with zombies.

Much to our liking a custom tuner shop in Abu Dhabi (UAE) received an interesting request from an own of a 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew to turn is pride and joy into an SUV – but not just any SUV – an SUV with a total of 6-doors.

How I wish I had money to blow like that.

Oh, and we just happen to have a video of the 6-door F-150 SVT Raptor SUV in action posted after the jump.

6-door Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew:

2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew:

2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew:

- By: Omar Rana

Source MotorzTV

Ford was hard at work advertising their latest EcoBoost V6 in the current Ford F150, especially with their little webisodes where Discovery Channel’s Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs worked with Ford to test the durability and capability of the F150 EcoBoost against the competition. And so far, it looks like everything is working out as Ford has just announced that the F150 V6s are outselling all of the other V6 full-sized pickup trucks and even the F150s own siblings with V8s.

According to J.D. Power and Associates, both new Ford truck V6s accounted for nearly 79.5% of the V6 full-sized trucks sold in July. The Chevrolet Silverado took second place with 12.1% market share, then the GMC Sierra with 4%, Dodge Ram rings in at 3.5%, and the Tundra with 0.9%.

“Both of our new V6 powerplants are changing the way customers think about truck engines,” said Doug Scott, Ford’s truck group marketing manager. “The 3.7-liter has more horsepower than two of the three V8 engines we offered in last year’s F-150. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, at 365 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. torque, is in a class of its own – no one has anything even remotely close to this engine, which can tow as much as 11,300 pounds and deliver 22 mpg.”

This skyrocket in sales even gives the new F150 EcoBoost the title for the highest volume vehicle in Ford’s global family.

- By: Chris Chin