Pickup Trucks

Rivian created a splash when it announced and showcased the R1T pickup truck and the R1T SUV. The products looked stunning, came with some brilliant features and specs, and was touted to be the segment leader with these offerings. We kept getting updates on the products ever since, but Rivian hadn’t officially launched it with all the details. Now, after many years, we have some concrete information. Rivian has announced the packages, pricing, and some more information for both these vehicles. Brace yourselves, folks; it’s finally happening!

Nissan Frontier is considered to be one of the best workhorses you can buy today. It never had any oomph factor and was happy being in its comfort zone as a work truck. It has remained pretty much the same for 15 years and Nissan never bothered to bring in a new generation because, well, why fix something that ain’t broken?

Given the long wait, everyone expected the next-gen Frontier to get a complete makeover inside out. The Japanese automaker still hasn’t brought out the new generation, but it decided to give us a glimpse of the future by plonking in a new engine and transmission in the same old body.

The new engine and gearbox come at a cost; the cost being $8,000. The starting price of the truck has gone up considerably and a lot of us were confused if it’s worth the hike or not. So, here’s our take on the 2020 Nissan Frontier that arrived at TopSpeed’s headquarters in the PRO-4X trim finished in a Blue exterior shade.

If I were to ask you to name a six-wheel-drive truck a few years back, chances are you could recollect just one – the Mercedes G63 AMG 6x6. Even the non-enthusiasts were aware of its existence. But, lately, the scene is changing and there are a lot of 6x6 trucks available. Hennessey has not one, but two – the VelociRaptor 6x6 based on the Ford Raptor and the Mammoth 6x6 that’s based on the Ram 1500 TRX.

However, there’s another new entrant from Rezvani Motors that comes with insane performance figures and a sky-high price tag. Ladies and gentlemen, presenting to you, the Rezvani Hercules 6x6!

Nissan has launched the 2021 Navara pickup truck in Europe and South America. It is called the Frontier in the latter, but we’ll stick to calling it Navara to reduce the confusion.

It looks fresh on the outside with noticeable changes, some tweaks inside the cabin, and a few under the skin as well. The highlight of this update is the introduction of the PRO-4X package. Unlike the U.S.-spec Frontier’s PRO-4X, which is an off-road package, the one on the European Navara is just a styling kit. Will Mercedes come back and try to build another truck based on this refreshed model?

A Hennessey Velociraptor 6x6 belonging to DJ Marshmello has found itself in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The massive custom Ford Raptor with three axles and six wheels featured in one of the most surreal car chases in Los Angeles in recent memory after a lunatic stole it in a local dealership where it was being serviced. The lengthy police pursuit ultimately ended when the driver of the VelociRaptor crashed into a light pole outside of a Taco Bell. The driver’s identity has yet to be released, but he did find himself with plenty of charges on his hands.

General Motors has recently unveiled the GMC Hummer EV, an all-electric revival of the iconic SUV and truck. But deliveries of the all-electric hauler won’t commence until late 2021 when the limited-edition and expensive Edition 1 trim rolls off the assembly line. The Hummer EV is still some 12 months away, but Emelia Hartford got her hands on one for a quick walkaround.

Ford hasn’t revealed a lot of details about the electric F-150 yet. Other than its train-pulling stunt and the teaser image revealed recently, there isn’t much known about it. Now, however, we have a big update. As it turns out, Ford doesn’t have any plans to build an electric Super Duty truck. Ford is the best truck seller for decades now, so this might come as a shock to a lot of customers who were probably looking to upgrade to an electric Super Duty in the future. But, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that we saw it coming.

The SEMA Show is turning out to be quite exciting. Jeep is taking part, obviously, and has come with a concept targeted at hard-core mountain bike enthusiasts. The automaker, along with Mopar, has transformed the 2020 Gladiator pickup truck into a fun concept vehicle for serious mountain bikers. But, what’s catchier about this concept is the number of storage spaces in the customized truck bed. Oh, and also, there’s a built-in hot dog machine. How about that!

Ford’s Godzilla engine is old news now, as there’s a new 6.8-liter V-8 powerhouse in the works. This news comes courtesy of the President of a Canadian trade union for auto workers, who claims that Ford is building a new 6.8-liter V-8 engine. While unconfirmed by Ford, this engine is expected to be offered in both the F-150 and the Mustang.

While special editions are a nice thing to have, an overdose of them isn’t taken too well. Not long ago, Jeep introduced anniversary editions on many of its vehicles, and now, it has come up with another one for the Gladiator. This one is called the Gladiator Willys. Willys models in Jeeps have a different fan-base altogether, so we’ll let Jeep off the hook for this one. The pickup truck comes with a lot of off-road equipment in this edition, and it will be an exciting one for the folks who found the standard Gladiator a little too plain-Jane as per Jeep’s standards. Will this qualify to become a standard trim in the future?

After teasers, leaks, and getting Fernando Alonso to drive the Hilux, Toyota has finally unveiled the 2020 Toyota Hilux. The truck has been launched in Europe, where the pickup truck segment is picking pace. The truck has a long history and enough credibility to make it one of the segment’s top picks. But, with growing competition, Toyota, too, had to bow down to the pressure and deliver the best it could. So, for this updated model, the Japanese automaker has introduced a new front end, better tech features and, most importantly, a more powerful 2.8-liter engine. How about that!

Electric pickup trucks are slowly becoming a thing. Major companies like Ford, General Motors, and Tesla have already announced electrified trucks, but smaller brands like Rivian and Lordstown are also working on their own competitors for this niche. And now it seems that Ram Trucks is also joining in, as confirmed by Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley. The EV was announced during the company’s third-quarter earnings conference, but there’s no timeline yet.

Since the automobile has become more mainstream, the car scene has witnessed many trends, some considered to be unnatural. Since the early 2000s, we’ve seen riced out, the rise of stance, and slammed cars, as well as other diversions from a car’s factory settings. The Carolina squat is another “car condition” we can add to the list. The Carolina squat affects mostly trucks, and like the other alterations, mentioned above, it is intentionally done by the owner of the vehicle. So what is the Carolina squat, and where did it come from?

GMC revealed the Hummer EV and let out a few details about the supertruck. In all honestly, it is quite impressive on paper, although it doesn’t offer the same value proposition as, say, the upcoming Cybertruck. This is on paper comparison given that we’ve seen none of these trucks in flesh. GMC announced that the Hummer EV, in the top trim, will make 1,000 horses and 11,500 pound-feet of torque. The torque took a lot of people by shock because it seems unrealistic. If you thought the same, well, you’re kinda right, because there is a catch to this figure.

The automaker announced the torque at wheels instead of the torque at motors, and the latter is way less. Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained broke down the math and concluded that the motor torque is around 1,000 pound-feet of torque. That’s quite a bit less in comparison, but it is not a minuscule number by any means and is on par with other gas- and diesel-powered heavy trucks on the market.