Word on the street – The Latest News, Rumors and Changes in the Truck World

Ford Unveils All-Electric F-100 Eluminator Concept

Ford previewed the future of electrified custom vehicles at SEMA with the reveal of the all-electric F-100 Eluminator concept—a zero-tailpipe-emissions demonstration truck powered by the all-new Ford Performance Parts Eluminator electric crate motor that customers can now buy online.

Based on a heritage 1978 F-100 pickup, the F-100 Eluminator concept features all-wheel drive via two powerful electric motors shared with the 2021 Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition. Two electric traction motors drive the front and rear wheels, packing a powerful 480 horsepower and 634 lb-ft of torque. Eluminator, the first e-crate motor from Ford Performance Parts, is based on the Mustang Mach-E GT’s traction motor.

“Ford owners have personalized, customized and enhanced their vehicles since the beginning—from changing looks to bringing the power,” said Eric Cin, global director, Vehicle Personalization, Accessories and Licensing. “Our F-100 Eluminator concept is a preview of how we’re supporting customers as they go all-electric and embrace zero-tailpipe emissions performance, even for our heritage vehicles.”

The all-electric F-100 Eluminator concept, designed and created by Ford Performance, was built in collaboration with MLe Racecars and sits on a custom chassis by the Roadster Shop. It’s painted in Avalanche Gray with Cerakote Copper accents applied by Brand X Customs, while the interior features a billet aluminum dash by JJR Fabrication and avocado-tanned leather upholstery by MDM Upholstery. It’s fitted with custom 19×10-inch billet aluminum three-piece wheels by Forgeline wrapped in Michelin Latitude Sport 275/45-19 high-performance tires.

Part No. M-9000-MACH-E, the e-crate motor is now available at authorized Ford parts warehouse dealers or online at Ford Performance Parts. Retailing at $3,900, it is targeted for builders looking for a transverse-oriented powertrain to electrify a range of vehicles from modern to vintage cars, trucks and SUVs. Each Eluminator e-crate motor produces 281 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque and is street-legal in all 50 states.

Over time, Ford Performance plans to develop a wider list of components for the Eluminator powertrain with some of the leading performance manufacturers, including battery systems, controllers and traction inverters to close the loop on full turnkey aftermarket electrification solutions.

Customized Maverick Lineup Highlighted at SEMA

Afresh new lineup of Ford trucks and SUVs—including the all-new Maverick pickup—is creating new opportunities for customers to imagine, build and show off personalized versions of their new rides with Ford Performance Parts and Ford Licensed Accessories.

The all-new 2022 Ford Maverick pickup—the highly anticipated Built Ford Tough compact pickup—made its SEMA debut with three custom builds leveraging its ingenious customization and storage solutions while demonstrating the catalog of more than 160 Ford Licensed Accessories, Genuine Ford Parts and Ford Performance Parts items offered at launch.

D.R.A.G.G. Maverick Pickup

An innovative afterschool program—a collaboration between Oxnard Union High School and the police department of Oxnard, California—is bringing a unique beach rescue concept truck based on the Maverick pickup to SEMA this year.

Drag Racing Against Gangs and Graffiti (DRAGG) puts police, industry professionals and at-risk youth into a program encouraging a career path in the auto industry. The result of this collaborative program is the SEMA D.R.A.G.G. Maverick, kitted out with a Ford Licensed Accessories topper with toolbox swing cases, roof rack and crossbars.

The compact pickup also features a watersports carrier, fender flares, Neosupreme front seat covers from Cover King, sunshade and off-road cube lights.

Air Design Maverick

Air Design USA will have a 2022 Ford Maverick Lariat SuperCrew FX4 Off-Road Package at SEMA featuring 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine and all the style and hardware to blend right in with the California lifestyle.

This year’s must-have truck is fitted with Air Design USA fender flares, door moldings and tailgate appliqué styling package. Performance upgrades include a cat-back exhaust with black chrome tips, 1.5-inch lift kit, plus 18-inch wheels wearing 31-inch all-terrain tires.

Added utility comes via a bed cap. The cabin benefits from Ford Licensed Accessories all-weather floor mats, a roadside assistance kit, rear under-seat storage bins and a portable refrigerator.

Tucci Maverick

A Maverick all about tarmac performance inspired by race cars of generations past appeared at SEMA courtesy of Tucci Hot Rods.

Starting with an XLT series Ford Maverick pickup with 2.0-liter EcoBoost power and all-wheel drive, the truck gets widened, muscular fender arches with Tucci-made 3D-printed fender flares and a 3D-printed front lip, while a rally-inspired 3D-printed spoiler brings significant style. Added performance comes from coilover shocks, custom Borla cat-back exhaust with dual carbon fiber tips, and meaty tires on custom wheels with a retro feel.

This Tucci truck wears Ford Licensed Accessories hard rollup bed cover, spray-in bedliner and tailgate spoiler. The cabin sports a Ford Licensed Accessories F200 IR dashcam, Ford Accessories windshield sunshade, four RECARO Sportster seats, racing harnesses and custom-painted trim accents. Everything comes together for an aggressive look on a platform that’s ripe for customization.

Brembo Performance Introduces Brake Upgrade for GM Trucks and SUVs at SEMA 

Brembo, the world leader and acknowledged innovator of brake technology, together with General Motors Performance Engineering designed, engineered and tested a Performance Brake Upgrade System for the Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban and the GMC Sierra, Yukon, Yukon XL and Cadillac Escalade for on and off-road performance.

The Brembo Performance Brake Upgrade System is designed for quiet, consistent operation on the street, as well as dependable and robust stopping when working or towing.

GM challenged the Brembo team to design a 6-piston caliper that would fit over 20 different wheel profiles, allowing the customer to add this bold 6-piston Performance Brake Upgrade System in combination with a wide variety of GM production and GM Accessory wheels. In order to achieve this goal, Brembo developed a unique compact fixed aluminum, 6-piston caliper.

Using a rotor significantly larger than production also presented several technical challenges, particularly for cooling, which required several iterations of rotor geometry, for both the ventilation and the center bell design.

Before going into production, the Brembo R&D team directed over 1,300-hours of design and Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) time, 850 hours of dyno testing for vibration endurance, torque and pressure endurance, corrosion resistance, strength and fatigue, rotor structural integrity as well as on-road testing of 40,000 miles to validate the performance bench tests.