Department

The Latest News, Rumors and Changes in the Truck World

By Mike Self

November 29, 2022

New 2022 Ram 1500 TRX Sandblast Edition Joins Lineup

 R am announced it is expanding its light-duty lineup with the addition of the exclusive new 2022 Ram 1500 TRX Sandblast Edition, offering performance truck buyers an even wider selection of exterior and interior appointments and content. 

Ram worked with well-known racing enthusiast Ken Block to reveal the vehicle to his millions of fans across his social channels. Block, who owns a Ram 1500 TRX, put the truck through its paces in Johnson Valley, California.

The Ram 1500 TRX Sandblast Edition offers performance truck buyers an even wider selection of unique content for even greater personalization, and it features a unique combination of technology, graphics, performance, and exterior appearance straight from the factory.

The Ram 1500 TRX Sandblast Edition enhances the well-appointed TRX Level 2 Equipment Group and includes a unique Mojave Sand exterior color and graphics, unique 18-inch all-black beadlock-capable wheels, dual-pane panoramic sunroof, spray-in bedliner, cargo tie-downs, bed step, and an LED cab-mounted brake light. Inside, the TRX Sandblast Edition includes Light Frost accent stitching, an embroidered “TRX” seat back logo, unique carbon fiber accents, a leather and carbon-fiber flat-bottom steering wheel, unique center console badge, Head-up Display, and a driver’s screen that features TRX in Mojave Sand. Safety features include adaptive cruise control, Lane Keep Assist and pedestrian emergency braking.

The 2022 Ram 1500 TRX Sandblast Edition offers the proven and reliable high-performance 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V-8 engine, delivering top output for extended driving sessions without degradation in performance.

Ram 1500 TRX Sandblast Edition manufacturer’s suggested retail price starts at $98,285, plus $1,795 destination.

Chevy Previews All-Electric 2024 Blazer SS

 The all-new 2024 Chevy Blazer EV will be revealed by the time you read this, and the SS model is sure to cause a commotion. Developed from the ground up, the Blazer EV offers a groundbreaking mix of style, performance, and technology, and is the first electric vehicle to carry the SS badge. Stay tuned to learn more and be sure to keep an eye out for our sister publication, EV Builder’s Guide, for updates on drivetrain specs. After all, if it’s going to be an SS, the drivetrain will surely be something worthy of swapping into an older chassis!

Ford Heritage Vault Unlocks 100 Years of History, Now Available Online

 O n its 119th anniversary, Ford Motor Company is making a century of its archival material available to the public through a new online database called the Ford Heritage Vault.

The Ford Heritage Vault contains more than 5,000 curated photographs and product brochures from Ford and Lincoln vehicles, spanning from the company’s founding in 1903 to its centennial in 2003. Ford will grow the Heritage Vault over time, drawing from its archives.

“We’re opening up in a way we’ve never done before,” said Ted Ryan, Ford archive and heritage brand manager. “Our archives were established 70 years ago, and for the first time, we’re opening the vault for the public to see. This is just a first step for all that will come in the future.”

Ford Bronco and Ford F-Series were common search items among testers. Meteor, Fairlane, Galaxie, Model A, and Edsel were also popular, with one user finding the Tempo models their mother and grandmother owned in the 1980s and ’90s.

Ford Heritage Vault has been created with accessibility features that translate photos, charts, graphs, and other pre-digital assets for compatibility with assistive technology used by blind and visually impaired site visitors, such as screen readers, to interpret websites. Heritage Vault users can request remediated versions of additional brochures as needed.

“These assets were born analog, and we have worked hard to bring them to the digital world,” said Casteel, who led the effort to make the assets accessible. “But digitizing isn’t enough. It was important to us that the Heritage Vault is accessible for everyone to enjoy.”