Word On The Street | THE LATEST NEWS, RUMORS AND CHANGES IN THE TRUCK WORLD

THE LATEST NEWS, RUMORS AND CHANGES IN THE TRUCK WORLD

All-New 2021 F-150 Tremor

A Rugged 4×4 for Work and Recreation

Ford is expanding its rugged off-road family of trucks with the all-new F-150 Tremor. The 2021 F-150 Tremor combines all-terrain upgrades designed for tackling the trails with the outstanding towing and payload capability its owners expect.

Like every other F-150, Tremor uses a high-strength steel frame and high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloy body. It comes in SuperCrew configuration with a 5.5-foot box, 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine and 10-speed automatic transmission plus standard four-wheel drive. Available in standard, mid and high equipment groups, F-150 Tremor includes a range of standard and available features. All equipment levels share core suspension hardware that helps balance work with off-road prowess.

The upgraded suspension starts with retuned springs front and rear for added ground clearance and to help keep tires more firmly in contact with terrain. Front hub knuckles and upper control arms are revised, while Tremor-specific monotube shocks at the front and twin tube shocks at the rear are tuned for softer damping at low speeds, with additional damping and control for more severe off-road events.

New 33-inch General Grabber all-terrain tires mounted on unique matte-finish 18-inch wheels offer added ground clearance and a 1-inch wider stance for more confidence off-road. A Raptor-style bash plate serves to protect front end components in challenging off-road situations. All of these modifications together result in an approach angle of 27.6 degrees, breakover angle of 21.2 degrees and departure angle of 24.3 degrees.

To really get into and through tough, rocky trails, standard running gear includes a locking rear differential and front differential, with an optional late-availability upgrade to a Torsen limited-slip front across all equipment levels. Tremor high series customers get a torque-on-demand transfer case similar to the high-performance unit in F-150 Raptor. This cutting-edge case merges all-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive capabilities to handle virtually any off-road environment.

The available 360-degree camera package provides an in-cabin view of obstacles around the truck and the front-view camera provides a real-time tire track overlay to dynamically show the path of the wheels ahead. 360-degree view and rearview cameras can be called up at higher speeds with a convenient dash-mounted hard button.

Ford Trail Toolbox, a set of off-road assist features, is available in the all-new Tremor. Available Trail One-Pedal Drive applies the brakes proportionally as the driver lifts from the accelerator. Available Trail Turn Assist reduces steering radius in tight off-road terrain situations by applying brakes to the inside rear wheel, allowing for tighter turns in low-speed maneuvers. F-150 Tremor also features selectable drive modes, which allow customers to choose the setting best suited to driving conditions. In addition to standard Hill Descent Control, Tremor also has available Trail Control which operates like cruise control for off-road use.

The all-new 2021 Ford F-150 Tremor will be available next summer.

Ram Begins Production of New 2021 Ram 1500 TRX

 Ram recently announced that production of the all-new 2021 Ram 1500 TRX has begun at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant (SHAP) in Sterling Heights, Michigan. The first vehicle—VIN No. 001—was a Ram 1500 TRX Launch Edition adorned in exclusive Anvil exterior paint that will be auctioned for charity. 

“We’re ecstatic to announce the start of production of the award-winning, all-new 2021 Ram 1500 TRX,” said Mike Koval Jr., head of Ram brand. “The Ram 1500 TRX bolsters the brand’s strong history of high-performance trucks while expanding Ram’s light-duty lineup with the segment’s best combination of performance, capability, luxury and technology.”

FCA invested nearly $1.5 billion to retool SHAP to build the next-generation Ram 1500 and to support the future growth of the Ram brand. The all-new truck officially launched in March 2018. More than 7,200 employees currently build the award-winning truck.

Commemorating America’s most powerful truck at 702 horsepower, the 2021 1500 TRX Launch Edition is limited to 702 units, which sold out in less than three hours. The Ram 1500 TRX Launch Edition is visually distinguished by its exclusive Anvil Gray paint, and inside, each truck features a special red and brushed-aluminum center console badge identifying it as a limited-edition Ram 1500 TRX Launch Edition model.

2021 CHEVY TAHOE 3.0L DURAMAX TURBO-DIESEL IS THE MOST FUEL-EFFICIENT FULL-SIZE SUV IN ITS CLASS

 The Chevrolet Tahoe with the available 3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel engine offers an EPA-estimated 28 highway, 21 city and 24 combined mpg in rear-wheel-drive models. EPA-estimated fuel economy for four-wheel drive models is 26 highway, 20 city and 22 combined mpg.

This is Chevy’s first diesel inline-six engine for full-size SUVs, and the brand’s first diesel offered in full-size SUVs since 1999. In the Suburban, the 3.0L Duramax offers an EPA estimated 27 highway, 21 city and 23 combined mpg in two-wheel drive models and 26 highway, 20 city and 22 combined mpg in four-wheel drive models.

The 3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel launched first in the 2020 Silverado, utilizing state-of-the-art technologies to optimize fuel and integrate into the all-new vehicle architecture. Small changes adapt the engine for the full-size SUV application, including enhanced noise abatement and a new engine control module, specifically designed to leverage the faster data-processing power of the all-new models. The engine is exclusively paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission for a smooth shifting experience.

With an SAE-certified 277 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, the Tahoe 3.0L Duramax with two-wheel drive is capable of maximum towing up to 8,200 pounds and a max payload of 1,717 pounds. The Suburban with the same engine is capable of a maximum towing of 8,000 pounds and a max payload of 1,625 pounds in two-wheel drive models. A standard exhaust brake is available in tow-haul mode and can provide additional driver confidence when towing.

The driver-selectable stop/start technology optimizes fuel economy by shutting off the engine at stoplights and certain other stop-and-go situations, helping to save fuel.

The 3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel is available on the LS, LT, RST and Premier trims with an MSRP of $995 over the base 5.3L V-8 gas engine. It is also available in the High Country trim as a $1,500 MSRP decrease over the standard 6.2L V-8 gas engine.