Hot Cars

2007 Roush Nitemare Ford F-150 Limited Series Pickup

ROUSH tuning specialist has unveiled its new 2007 ROUSH Nitemare Ford F-150 limited edition pickup truck. Based on the highly successful Ford F-150 midsize pickup, the hauler’s production will be limited to only 100 supercharged units.

There is hardly anything more impractical than a souped-up pickup truck. With all those bangs and whistles installed, a dull truck, which is supposed to haul and tow thousands lbs of different sorts of cargo, looks more like a supercharged Mustang that happened to get a separate cargo bed.

Whatever. The Ford F-150’s original 5.4-liter engine, Ford Motor Corp. says in its press release, is equipped with the ROUSHcharger, as well as custom manifolds, intercooler, radiator, and air induction system and delivers up to 445 hp of power output and about 500 lb-ft of torque.

To make the pickup more stable on the road, ROUSH’s engineers have also lowered its center of gravity by two and three inches in the front and the rear respectively. Besides the new suspension, there is also a new set of ROUSH-branded front coil springs, rear leaf springs, front sway bar and specially-valved shocks.

Inside, the trucks will feature new leather seats and instrument cluster, as well as new floor mats, a black dash trim kit, and ROUSH billet aluminum pedals.

The 2007 Roush Nitemare Ford F-150 may be ordered with optional rear wing, hood scoop, locking lug nuts and GPS system.

It will cost about $41,750 and will be available nationwide by June.

Toyota Unleashes High-powered Hilux

Toyota’s powerful presence in the UK pick-up market is set to become even stronger with the launch this week of its new 3.0-litre D-4D 170 and higher-output 2.5-litre D-4D 120 engines. These new, Euro IV-compliant powertrains give the legendary Hilux more power, more torque, cleaner emissions and more refined performance, whether travelling on road or in the rough. They also strengthen Hilux’s profile as a vehicle that ticks all the right boxes, whether it’s being driven for work or for pleasure.

The new 3.0-litre D-4D 170 engine produces 169bhp (171 DIN hp) with 343Nm of torque available from 1,400 all the way up to 3,400rpm. Available in the Hilux Double Cab in HL3 and Invincible trim, it can be specified with five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. For improved off-road handling, the 3.0-litre D-4D Hilux is fitted as standard with a limited slip differential.

The revised 2.5-litre D-4D 120 engine sees power up by 17 per cent to 118bhp (120 DIN hp) and torque boosted from 260Nm to 325Nm, with more than 300Nm produced between 1,600 and 2,600rpm. This gives the Hilux an excellent balance of flexible driving performance and low fuel consumption.

The 2007 Single, Extra and Double Cab Hilux range is available from £12,170 (CV on-the-road price, excluding VAT) for the 2.5 D-4D 120 Single Cab HL2 2WD. All versions come as standard with air conditioning, electric windows, remote central locking, driver and front passenger airbags and ABS.

New 2007 Ford F-150 Comes With More Options

The Ford F-150 - the flagship American pickup truck - will enter the 2007 model year with two new body styles, 600 pounds greater towing capability, the best warranty and roadside assistance package of any full-size pickup truck and suggested retail prices that will be up to $1,400 lower, including destination charges.

By cab style, the average price reductions are $720 for Regular Cab models, $830 for SuperCabs and $949 for SuperCrews. Prices including destination will now begin at $19,120 for the F-150 XL Regular Cab 4×2 and range up to $39,565 for the F-150 Lariat King Ranch SuperCrew 4×4.

New models for 2007 include the Ford F-150 FX2 Sport, unveiled in April, which will begin at $29,470, and the Harley-Davidson SuperCrew, which will be unveiled at the 66th annual Sturgis Rally in Sturgis, SD – the largest gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts in the world.

The F-150 FX2 Sport features a dark billet grille, clear headlamps with platinum bezels and a sporty, deep front valance. The monochromatic paint scheme adds body color to exterior components such as the bumper fascias, side mirror caps and door handles. Unique 18-inch wheels and a chrome exhaust tip complete the exterior package. The interior features black captain’s chairs in cloth or leather, and a flow-through center console with a floor shifter.

Ford announced that the redesigned 2007 Ford Expedition would launch in September with suggested retail prices an average of $4,300 lower than 2006 models, and a starting price of only $29,995, including destination.

2007 Chevy Silverado Official Pics Leaked

Chevrolet has inadvertently unveiled some detailed pictures of its new Chevy Silverado full-size pickup. Judging from the photos, the new vehicle, which is essentially a pickup version of the Chevy Tahoe SUV, will feature strong, energetic exterior design and a luxurious interior finish for the top model.

Leftlane News has published four images of the new 2007 Chevrolet Silverado and its 2007 GMC Sierra clone. Both pickups, although retaining clear signs of family resemblance, feature unique elements of exterior design, including unique front fenders, hoods, grilles and headlamps, helping to easily tell one from another.

It is expected, that both trucks will be equipped with new 5.3-liter V8 engines, capable to run on E85 fuel and featuring Active Fuel Management system that lets it shut down half of the cylinders on the highway to improve mileage. The engines are mated to Hydra-Matic automatic transmissions.

Roush Adding 500RC To Ford F-150 Arsenal

Looking for a tow vehicle for your new Ford GT or Shelby Mustang GT500? Roush might just have your number: 500RC. The Ford specialists have just introduced this latest high-power take on the venerable F-150. As seen here, the 500RC generates 445 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque, thanks the company’s own ROUSHcharger.

In addition to a surplus of ponies, the company has given the F-Series an exterior once-over, including 20-inch chrome six-spoke wheels, high-performance twin-exit exhaust, and 500RC fender and tailgate badges. And for that added bit of visual kinship with other high-performance Fords, top and side striping is also part of the deal.

Optional extras include a hood scoop (shown), front chin spoiler, and rear wing on the outside; and sport leather seating, billet pedals, and new gauges on the inside.

For those looking to keep a tighter reign on the RC500’s stray ponies, a reworked ‘sport’ suspension system will also be offered.

2006 Dodge Rampage Concept

Dodge says that the 2006 Rampage concept vehicle is a pickup truck for non-conventional pickup truck buyers. A lot of new, modern pseudo-pickups claim to do this, such as the Explorer Sport Trac and the award-winning Honda Ridgeline, but then again, even by comparison to the Rampage, they both seem rather ordinary.

The interior is also interesting, not only in its design but for material choices as well. For starters, the dashboard, with its floating centre console, is a rather neat design that pivots for angle; hot on the heels of the ultra-thin console found in the Volvo S40/V50/C70. Just above, the Rampage integrates an overhead console system that features storage spaces and flip-down LCD displays, offset at each side by panoramic glass roofing.

“The seating is designed to be athletic, comfortable, yet rugged,” said Chris Welch, designer of the seats, which are contoured around specially-fabricated folding framing finished in satin silver.

With all seats in use, the Rampage is able to carry five passengers, but that’s just the beginning of its functionality. The right front seat and the 60/40 rear seats can be folded into the floor, marking the first use of Dodge’s popular and innovative Stow ‘n Go ™ Seating and Storage System in a pickup truck and the first Stow ‘n Go front passenger seat ever.

Designers allocated much of the Rampage’s overall length to the cabin, followed by a five-foot long bed, leaving the rest of its overall length for the hood and engine.

The Rampage’s three-position tailgate can be upright, folded down 98 degrees, or dropped to an angle of 117 degrees, where you can pull down a slide-out ramp that extends to the ground for easy loading.