Lexus today announced the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the all-new 2010 RX 350 luxury utility vehicle. The original RX 300 model inaugurated the luxury crossover category in 1998, and the new RX350 once again raises the bar for design, engineering and luxury innovation in the segment. The 2010 RX 350, which arrives at dealerships this month, carries a base MSRP of $36,800 for the front-wheel drive (FWD) model and $38,200 for the all-wheel drive (AWD) version.
The 2010 Ford Ranger, America's most fuel-efficient pickup, comes to market this summer by adding unique standard safety technologies, including Ford's AdvanceTrac® with RSC® – the world's most sophisticated electronic stability control system that helps prevent skidding and rollovers – and combination side air bags.
In this episode of MOTORZ, we show you how to install a LORADO roll-up tonneau cover from Agri-Cover (ACI) on a 2007 Toyota Tundra pickup truck. The video is available on the MOTORZ website, Apple iTunes, Miro, and TiVo!
Ford Racing and Ford's Special Vehicle Team (SVT) announced today that the F-150 SVT Raptor R, the same truck that finished third in class at the 41st SCORE Tecate Baja 1000, will run in the 2009 "Best In The Desert" race series. The truck will be driven by veteran Ford truck racers and former "Rough Riders" Rob MacCachren and Steve Olliges. The privately funded team will run all five points races for 2009 in the Raptor R to continue testing the durability of the 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor and its production components.
One crazy Halo video game enthusiast named Peter Jackson of Wellington, New Zealand, decided to build his very own Warthog ATV complete with a gun turret. Built in only six weeks time, the Warthog features several pickup truck parts which include a diesel Nissan Patrol engine, transmission and transfer case, fully independent suspension, bead lock wheels, Super Swamper tires, and solid axles. The body was the most crucial part of the whole build, painted just right with battle damage and military markings found in the video game. Pictures inside.
For all you Halo freaks out there, the next installment of the Halo series called "Halo Wars" hits store shelves March 5th. You can pre-order the game now from Best Buy or download the demo version on Xbox LIVE.
MOTORZ TV is now available on Miro, an open source media management program similar to Apple iTunes. Available on Windows PCs, Apple Macs and Linux computers. The Miro player also allows you to search all popular video sites on the internet which include YouTube, Veoh Video Network, Google Video, Revver, DailyMotion, blip.tv, Yahoo! video and more.
Click here to find out how to get the Miro player and add MOTORZ to your list of subscribed channels. While you're there, please be sure to give the show a 5-star rating!
The United States Senate have approved a provision on the $800 billion dollar stimulus bill that would allow new vehicle buyers to write off any auto loan interest on their taxes, in return saving the customer approximately $1,500 on a $25,000 purchase. The same provision has not occured since 1986 and will most likely start deterring automotive manufacturers from offering 0 percent financing on future vehicles, instead offering more cash rebates on models. New pickup trucks anyone?
General Motors are now offering buyout packages to every one of its hourly workers which include $20,000 dollars cash and a $25,000 dollar voucher for any General Motors vehicle. The UAW have confirmed the reports stating "the offer will be a one-time cash payout as well as a car-purchase voucher". Employees will have until March 23 to make their decision and until April 1st to officially leave the company.
News has hit the intarweb that General Motors are seeking Isuzu Motors as the latest buyer for their medium duty truck business. Isuzu is currently the world's largest producer of medium and heavy duty trucks which include commercial vehicles and heavy duty trucks. If the deal goes through, Isuzu would take over production of the GMC TopKick and Chevrolet Kodiak, rebranded as the Isuzu H-Series.
Want to get your vehicle featured on MOTORZ TV? We feature various vehicles on our show all the time, showing enthusiasts how to install products on their rides. Why not get involved and let us feature your ride? There's no cost to you, and you get free stuff for your vehicle! All that's required is a little bit of your time. We are looking for cars, trucks, and SUVs that must be located in Southern California.
Click here to learn how to get your ride featured!
Ford’s F-Series truck and Fusion mid-size sedan paced Ford to a fourth consecutive month of retail market share increases. Ford estimates its share of the January retail market was 12.7 percent, up 0.3 point versus a year ago. This marks the first time since 1995 Ford has achieved a retail market share increase four months in a row. In January, Ford’s all-new F-150 truck picked up more accolades and market share. In January, the F-150 was named North American Truck of the Year and earned a quadruple 5-star crash test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Best-in-class capability and safety ratings and unsurpassed fuel economy appear to be driving F-Series appeal among buyers.
General Motors have made the executive decision to begin increasing their pickup truck production for the week of March 16 at two plants nationwide. None of the plants have been active since before the end of December and those being activated are Flint, Michigan, Arlington, Texas. Both were producing the Silverado pickup truck, and Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade SUV's. The reasoning for increasing production is that company believes they will receive a "stronger demand during the spring" and that "inventory is way down", noting they are down to a 90 day supply of vehicles.
If you were one of the millions of people watching the Super Bowl this past Sunday you most likely saw Toyota's new Tundra pickup truck commercial called "Killer Heat". Taking place on top of a 80 foot corkscrew of steel contraption in the middle of the Mojave desert, the advertisement showed a 2010 Tundra towing a 10,000 pound trailer while withstanding temperatures over 257 degrees Fahrenheit. Whether the Tundra really is tough enough to bear those temperatures, the behind-the-scenes video below shows their fire tests actually beginning to melt the truck's exterior plastic. It's pretty cool.
Click here if you did not see the full commercial. The behind-the-scenes video is below.
MBRPinc is proud to introduce a new Front Mounted Light Bar and Grille Guard for Jeep JK. Available this holiday season, the tough and functional Light Bar and Grille Guard is a tubular bar with a stylish black powder coat. Designed for easy installation that does not require removal of the bumper, each bar is pre-drilled for the internal wiring of the lights, and comes with two mounting tabs that will hold lights up to nine inches in diameter.
Unlike Ford's reported $6 billion dollar loss this morning for 2008, Exxon Mobil have set once again a new record of $45.2 billion dollars in profit for 2008. The new figures beat their previous profit record of $40.6 billion set in 2007. The second largest oil company, Chevron, also managed to set their own record with a $43 billion dollar profit for 2008.
I don't feel ripped off at all. If that doesn't make you happy, maybe a few episodes of MOTORZ will?
The fourth quarter of 2008 was a depressing one for Ford Motor Company, posting a $5.9 billion dollar loss in cash. The new losses come as a blow to the company, who only lost $2.8 billion during the 4th quarter of 2007 a year earlier. The company have managed to pull together $23.5 billion in liquidity as a reserve, but that cash on hand is going fast. Let's all hope they can sell some more trucks this year.
Top rental car agencies which include Enterprise, Avis, Budget, Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty and others are now asking Congress to help bailout their own industry, citing a blame on the economy and lack of leisure travel as a downfall in profits. The companies are requesting that Congress allow them to receive a portion of the TARP rescue fund money set aside for Detroit automakers. Apparently the House of Representatives already added a clause to the fund that allows the government to back loans for rental car companies and fleet buyers. What else could go wrong with this situation?
In the following video on YouTube, television personality (and a personal favorite) Mike Rowe places the 2009 Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra, Chevrolet Silverado and Dodge Ram pickup trucks head to head at Ford Motor Company's Detroit Proving Grounds in Michigan. The test shows the handling and performance of each truck on the river bed course side by side in real time. I've had the opportunity myself to test both a 2009 Ford F-250 Super Duty and 2008 Dodge 2500 HD pickup truck on the same course and I will say that all of these trucks do take a beating on the river bed and each truck test proves itself. Check out the video below.
