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Mazda BT-50 Freestyle

June 9th, 2011 by Arman

This is the new version of Mazda BT-50 pickup truck which like its base model will be revealed at the upcoming Australian International Motor Show to be held in Melbourne on 1 – 10 July, because that’s the most appropriate place for it!

The new Mazda BT-50 Freestyle features Freestyle door configuration first seen on the RX-8, the BT-50 Freestyle Cab offers a unique combination of seating for four, an exceptionally wide pillar-less door opening, and a large carrying capacity. What’s more, a front-hinged door and a rear access panel combine to provide a 1,408mm-wide opening that makes for easy entry to and exit from either the front or rear seats.

Mazda BT 50 Freestyle Mazda BT 50 Freestyle

Rear-seat comfort has been taken to levels never seen before in the Freestyle Cab. Cushions have been lengthened by 50mm for better thigh support and more stable fitment of child seats while the seatback height has been increased by 128mm. It also has an overall cargo volume of 1,453 litres.

No word on pricing yet, but it will go on sale later this year.

Mazda Australia managing director, Doug Dickson, points to the significance of this global unveiling. “Just as we were delighted to be given the privilege of hosting the global debut of the All-New BT-50 Dual Cab in Sydney last year, we are equally delighted to be hosting the global debut of the Freestyle Cab in Melbourne this year. With Australia expected to be the largest market for the All-New BT-50 it’s no coincidence that we’ve been asked to host not one but two global unveilings of this important new model. It’s only appropriate that the Australian public see it first.”

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Ram Runner Kit

May 27th, 2011 by Arman

Besides its hybrid programs, Ram Trucks is also working with Chrysler’s performance arm Mopar to make super sport off-road trucks as well.

The latest offering is the Mopar Ram Runner Kit which in brief turns your Ram truck into a full-on off-road racer inspired by Baja cars. The Mopar Ram Runner Kit, developed with successful Baja off-road racer Kent Kroeker, includes the following: Pre-Runner Stage II Lift Kit, off-road front bumper, off-road front and rear fenders, off-road rear-tire carrier, sport performance hood and cat-back exhaust. Each element of the kit may also be purchased separately. The street-legal kit may be installed by do-it-yourselfers or in a Ram dealership.

Ram Runner Kit BU010 027EV mid

Here’s more information on the Mopar Ram Runner kit, which is available for owners of 2009 to 2011 model-year Ram 1500 models:
Pre-Runner Stage II Lift Kit: 5-link coil-spring rear suspension, 4130 chrome moly lower control arms, upper control arms, rebuildable high-angle ball joints and forged steel, high-angle tie rods. Fourteen inches of suspension travel in front and rear, 3-inch internal bypass Fox shocks. (MSRP: $13,270, Part No. P5155662)

Off-Road Front Bumper: Steel construction with integrated aluminum skid plate, high approach angle of 41 degrees provides greater clearance over off-road obstacles. (MSRP: $1,250, Part No. P5155663)

Off-Road Rear Tire Carrier: Rear placement allows for easier access and ability to carry larger tires needed for the off-road. (MSRP: $1,010, Part No. P5155664)

Off-Road Front Fenders: Tough, durable fenders feature wider wheel wells allowing for tremendous suspension articulation, zero tire-to-body interference, and provide an imposing, aggressive look. (MSRP: $1,020, Part No. P5155665)

Off-Road Rear Fenders (6’4″ bed): Tough, durable fenders feature wider wheel wells allowing for tremendous suspension articulation, zero tire-to-body interference, and provide an imposing, aggressive appearance. (MSRP: $1,350, Part No. P5155666)

Sport Performance Hood: Stamped aluminum, dual-scooped hood with molded bezels adds to the forceful appearance of the Ram Runner Kit. (MSRP: $978, Part No. 82211065AD)

5.7L Cat-back Exhaust: Dual exhaust with chromed tips for bumper with cut-outs. (MSRP: $1,135, Part No. P5155280)

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Posted in 4x4, Offroad, Pickup Trucks, Ram | | 0 Comments

PHEV Ram 1500 Pickup Trucks

May 27th, 2011 by Arman

Chrysler’s Ram Truck brand is dispatching a fleet of one hundred forty plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) in selected cities around America as test vehicles to evaluate thermal management, charging performance, fuel economy and real-world performance.

Looks like Chrysler is pretty serious about becoming the first company that fully functional hybrid pickup trucks. They’ve even signed a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for this.

PHEV Ram 1500 Pickup Trucks Yuma2 mid

The Ram 1500 PHEV includes a liquid-cooled 12.9kWhr lithium ion battery pack and a 6.6 kilowatt (kW) on-board charger. Additional features include AC power generation of up to 6.6kW; directional charging; reverse power flow and full regenerative braking used to capture more energy. For fuel economy improvements, the front axle can be disconnected when not needed. The powertrain also includes a 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 engine and a two-mode hybrid transmission. The 5.7-liter HEMI is equipped with a Multiple Displacement System (MDS) that improves fuel efficiency at highway speeds by shutting down fuel delivery to up to four cylinders.

The Chrysler Group also is developing a similar fleet of 25 Town & Country minivans with plug-in hybrid technology for demonstration and evaluation that will be allocated to select cities later this year.

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Ram Long-Hauler

May 5th, 2011 by Arman

Ram Truck, Chrysler’s brand specializing in pickups and commercial vehicles, revealed an amazing concept truck called the Long-Hauler.

To make this thing, designers started with a Class 5 Ram 5500 Crew Cab and converted to a Mega Cab passenger compartment, added an 8-foot box and upped the range between refueling stops with a mid-ship fuel tank. Combined with a second frame-mounted tank and a third, optional, bed-mounted auxiliary tank, total fuel capacity is 170 gallons. It has an overall length of 24 feet and curb weight of 9300 lbs. It’s a monster!

Ram Long Hauler ram hauler

The powertrain for the concept truck includes an inline six-cylinder 6.7-liter High Output Cummins Turbo Diesel engine rated at 800 lb.-ft. of torque. The Ram’s legendary diesel engine is mated to a six-speed, Aisin AS68RC automatic transmission with four-wheel-drive transfer case coupled to a 4.88 Dana 110 axle with dual rear wheels.

For now the Ram Long-Hauler is just a concept and will be shown at selected events across the country. There’s no plans to actually make it.

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Volkswagen Amarok Pickup Wrecks A Chimney!

May 5th, 2011 by Arman

With this test Volkswagen wanted to show us that the mighty Amarok pickup truck is as powerful as a big pile of explosives usually used for the pull-down operation.

Recently in Reading, UK, they had to demolish an old chimney which weighed nearly 140 tonne. VW picked up the challenge and did it using only four Amarok diesels which pulled the big chimney done using nothing but engine power and some 200 meters of rope!

Volkswagen Amarok Pickup Wrecks A Chimney! vw amarok demolishchimney 1

A series of tests were developed to challenge the power and traction delivered by the Amarok.  The structure was prepared using a standard procedure for any ‘pull-down’ demolition of flame cutting a ‘shark’s mouth’ into the base of the chimney, reducing its structural integrity, though ensuring that it remained free standing. Four 200m lengths of rope were rigged to the top of the chimney and attached to the towbars of four standard Amarok pick-ups, each with Volkswagen’s latest four-cylinder, 2.0-litre TDI engine producing 163 PS of power.

This will remain in the car’s portfolio as one of its greatest achievements. They may even make a commercial based on it.

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Posted in Pickup Trucks, Volkswagen | | 0 Comments

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