Depending on where you live, a hiccup in GM’s truck supply lines might make buying a pickup from your local Chevrolet of GMC dealer difficult.

With its current line of Silverados and Sierras remaining unchanged since 2006, GM is falling behind the pack. There will be a new RAM pickup in the fall and Ford’s F-Series came on the scene two years after the current GM line. That line will be refreshed to remain competitive, but that means a full production halt for a total 29 weeks between all the plants affected.

Of course in that time, there will be a lapse in normal production, something the company tried to soften by ramping up production in anticipation. While that might seem like a solution in theory, problems started to rise when it became apparent that dealerships wouldn’t all have a positive disposition to bulking up truck supplies ahead of time.

Some dealerships are going with the plan, but according to Automotive News, there are also stores saying no to the trucks. As AIS Rebates, an Ann Arbor, Mich., firm that provides incentive data to dealers reports, there is a $3,000 incentive for dealers on crew cab versions of the Silverado and Sierra 1500, but anything beyond that is unlikely because the gap in production will already be squeezing GM’s profits.

That leaves dealerships in one of two places, which inevitably affects the consumer. Dealers will either find a stockpile of trucks that might not move given the impending approach of improved trucks, and those turning the vehicles away may find customers flowing to new dealerships or brands over the unavailability.

Either way, it could spell out a sweet situation for customers who play their cards right. On the one hand, your local dealer might put cash on the hood if there are too many trucks getting sun tans on the lot. In the other scenario, where that dealership runs dry, you might find another dealership eager to sweet talk new customers away from the competition.

[Source: Automotive News]

The Durango has been a hit for Dodge, bringing back SUV buyers to a brand that has shed numerous products over the past few years.

While equipped with a standard (and efficient) 3.6-liter V6 engine, as a truck (and a sizable one at that), rising gas prices could send potential buyers away from the Durango and into something smaller. In order to keep pace with such changes Dodge is moving up the introduction of the 2014 model, which will see a several mile per gallon improvement thanks to a transmission with two extra gears.

According to one source the 2014 Durango will launch in May of 2013, sporting the same 8-speed automatic transmission that is already being used in the Chrysler 300 and which is expected to make its way under the hood of the Jeep Grand Cherokee soon.

In addition to that update, also look for the addition of the Chrysler brand’s larger 8.4-inch LCD screen as a part of the Uconnect system.

[Source: JeepGarage.org]

When last we spoke to Scion boss Jack Hollis, his interest in a small truck for the youth brand was undeniable. Now reports of increased production at the automaker’s RAV4 facility in Woodstock, Ontario have spawned new rumors about the as yet unconfirmed sixth model in the Scion lineup.

Increased production of the RAV4 (up by 25%) could simply be a method Toyota is using to keep costs down by reducing the number of RAV4 models it imports from overseas. However, it also supports the possibility that Toyota will build a Scion truck based on the compact crossover platform.

Currently compact pickups are a dying breed, with CAFE rules penalizing smaller trucks that still aren’t tiny. Toyota has bucked this trend with the Tacoma, due mostly to the compact pickup’s dominance in the segment and Toyota’s continued efforts to be a player in the truck segment.

A unibody “truck” that is designed more as a lifestyle vehicle and less as a work machine would continue to help out Toyota’s fuel economy, and could also be rebaged as a Toyota model and sold overseas.

With Toyota currently offering both a 4-cylinder and a V6 in the RAV4, this might also make way for Scion’s first-ever six-cylinder model.

[Source: TacomaHQ]

In 2007, Top Gear aired the “Polar Special”, documenting Jeremy Clarkson and James May’s Toyota Hilux racing against Richard Hammond and a team of sled dogs.

Amid the childish antics of the three television presenters lay a landmark achievement — this was the first time any expedition had ever reached the Magnetic North Pole in an automobile.

Touted as one of the most indestructible trucks in the world, the Toyota Hilux continues to push the boundaries of extreme endurance further still, having tackled a 5,900 mile journey into Antarctica, a distance that is further than any vehicle of its type has managed ever before. Organized by Extreme World Races, the journey took four months, from November 2011 to this February.

Enduring temperatures dropping as low as -58° Fahrenheit and climbing wild terrain rising to elevations above 11,000 feet, the expedition called for thorough vehicle preparation for safety and success. In total, Extreme World Races outfitted three Hilux trucks for the event, including a “6×6″ models.

Modifications to the trucks included a heavy-duty crane to lift equipment, suspension and drivetrain strengthening, extra-large tires inflated to 2.0 to 3.o psi, which provided the arctic explorers with a footprint 17 times larger than those of standard tires and a 74-gallon fuel tank carrying jet fuel to best cope with the unforgiving cold. In the case of the 6×6, an even larger 211-gallon fuel reservoir was fitted instead. Surprisingly, the Toyota trucks retained the standard 3.0-liter D-4D engines without modifications. Other than a crawler gear, the transmission was left untouched as well.

Upholding its reputation for toughness, the three Toyotas completed the entire journey without a single technical hiccup. This latest feat, the longest expedition in polar history, now recognizes the mighty Hilux for its achievement in reaching both the Magnetic North and South Poles.

GALLERY: Toyota Hilux Antarctic Journey

Time topples regimes, ends companies and kills men. A lot can happen in a century, yet that much has passed since the first GMC truck debuted in New York. 

In light of that, the automaker decided to debut a commemorative package that includes the Yukon, Yukon XL and Sierra trucks and SUVs. Bearing commemorative exterior badges, these special edition vehicles will debut next week at the New York Auto Show.

Of course, nothing is changed mechanically for any of them, but a few premium interior features and an ebony and light tan interior add to aesthetic appeal.

Still, the vehicles themselves aren’t even radically different from a luxury perspective. The Heritage Edition package is an option for SLT trim Yukons ($1,970) and Sierras ($2,645).

For that money you get embroidered floor matts, headrests and 20-inch chrome wheels, though those cost extra on the pickup truck. Other items include a rear view camera for the Yukon and 10-way leather memory seats for the Sierra.

GALLERY: GMC Heritage Edition package

It seems like the Ford F-150 is going to keep its current look, despite a Chevrolet Silverado update slated for the next couple years. 

“Segments like the midsize car, where we need to make a big noise against Honda and Toyota, are much better places for Ford to make strong gains, but where we already have a strong presence and people are holding onto their trucks longer than ever before, we’re likely to continue giving customers what they want,” Eric Merkle said at the Motor Press Guild monthly meeting at the Ford Design studio in Irvine, Calif.

That doesn’t mean Ford fans will have to deal with dated drivetrain tech. Merkle was clear in telling the Chicago Tribune that updates will still happen, though cosmetic changes will be minimal. Instead, major changes will be focused on powertrain updates.

Those updates will probably include smaller, more efficient engines given that the company is talking about doing the same with the Mustang, which probably comes the closest to rivaling the pickup truck community’s V8 fanaticism.

There’s another budding branch in the Ford family tree of pickup trucks, one that we reported in August of last year.

“You know we announced the partnership with Toyota,” Merkle said, “to explore the idea of a hybrid pickup truck. … I think it would be kind of cool to use whatever electric generator that might include to run a bunch of power tools or set up a well-stocked campsite,” Merkle said.

Despite what the hardcore truck community might think, there are changes on the horizon for all gas-thirsty vehicles, pickups included. For now, the loyal old school can take comfort in Merkle’s prediction that the F-150 will stay true for the coming years.

GALLERY: 2012 Ford F-150

[Source: Chicago Tribune]

In an effort to improve the Sprinter’s fuel efficiency without compromising its rugged dependability, Mercedes-Benz has introduced an optional seven-speed automatic transmission, capable of delivering “silky smooth gear changes” at temperatures as low as -30ºC or -22ºF. Additional fuel saving updates that help optimize performance from the 4-cylinder diesel engine include BlueEFFICIENCY engine start/stop technology, low rolling-resistance tires, an ECO steering system, and high-ratio rear axle to achieve 7.0liters/100km or approximately 33 mpg.

For safety and improved braking response, Mercedes-Benz also introduced the Electric Stability Program with Brake Disk Wipe and Electronic Brake Prefill. Brake Disk Wipe removes water from the brake discs while Electronic Brake Prefill activates the brakes the moment a driver quickly removes their foot from the accelerator.

These updates will be found in Mercedes-Benz Sprinters beginning this spring.

An international auto show is a great opportunity for an automaker to introduce an all-new product to the public in order to gauge approval and reception.

Oftentimes, these concept vehicles are near 70 percent of the finished product that the public should expect once it reaches the market. However, there are rare occasions where the public’s reception to a concept car is less than enthusiastic.

After some lukewarm feedback from its Geneva unveiling, Bentley has announced that it is already working on a redesigned version of the new EXP 9 F luxury SUV concept.

During the Geneva Motor Show, a Bentley spokesperson admitted that the EXP 9 F’s styling is “a little heavy handed” and that a sharper, more refined design is underway. The source added that the EXP 9 F will be treated with “more traditional SUV proportions and less retro surfacing.” An instantly recognizable Bentley fascia will remain, complete will grill, large round headlights and fog lights. The headlights in the revised version will be slightly smaller and set farther inward.

Based on the VW Group’s Touarag, Audi Q7, and Porsche Cayenne platform, the new Bentley SUV will receive a W12 gasoline engine good for 600-hp. Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer expects a production version ready for sale by 2015.

GALLERY: Bentley EXP 9 F Concept

[Source: Whatcar?]

Despite some of the lineup having off-road capability, Volkswagens in North America rarely sport off-road tires.

The same isn’t true in Europe where the German automaker sells its Amarok pickup truck which has serious off-road prowess. VW chose the 2012 Geneva Auto Show to debut its Amarok Canyon concept, which is a beefed up version of the pickup.

It sits on Mickey Thompson all-terrain tires and a 1.6-inch lifted suspension that give the truck a total 3.4 inches of extra ground clearance over the standard model. Tough-looking 18-inch wheels painted “Adamantium Dark” add further to the truck’s muscular appearance.

Other accenting features add more to that theme, like the tubular roll bar that runs along the bed and over the cab.

Unlike American pickups, the Amarok drivetrain is influenced by European sensibility with a 180-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder twin-turbo-diesel instead of the large engines most North American trucks of similar size have.

The bed is small but functional, with lots of tie-down handles available for securing goods. Realistically, the Amarok Canyon isn’t meant for the same construction site work horse life of an F-150 or the like. It’s crew cab setup and shorter-than-average short box are more designed for ferrying passengers between kayaking trips, which is probably why the concept shown above had that equipment in the bed.

In keeping with the European mentality, the Amarok is available with a six speed manual. That might throw most American truck buyers a curve ball, but it doesn’t matter because this truck isn’t meant for the U.S. market. The Amarok Canyon is still a concept but a more practically oriented version may be available as early as this summer to Europeans.

GALLERY: Volkswagen Amarok Canyon concept

Jeep is celebrating its 2 million Facebook fans milestone as the first domestic automotive brand to reach the figure.

Addressing the achievement, Jeep Brand President and CEO Mike Manley said, “On behalf of the entire Jeep brand team, I would like to extend a personal ‘thank you’ to our consumers– and literally millions of fans– for their continued loyalty and support. We are proud of our 70-year history and all that the Jeep brand has accomplished along the way. Jeep vehicle owners are unlike any others; from those who embrace the ‘Jeep wave’ to those who look forward to helping a fellow off-roader along the trail, there is a sense of community and passion among Jeep owners that make our brand unique.”

While we aren’t sure how Jeep will be celebrating, Porsche revealed a Facebook Cayman S to celebrate its 2 million milestone. Featuring red-tinted profile photos of all its Facebook fans to create a mural inspired by the color scheme of the Le Mans winning Porsche 917K, this special one-off is displayed at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart. Could we see a similar project for a special Jeep Wrangler decked out in Facebook camo?

Trucks aren’t known for fuel economy, but finding a pickup that isn’t a gas hungry beast is a top concern for many truck shoppers. So if you’re looking for a good way to save money, both in terms of overall vehicle cost and especially at the pumps, check out this list of our Top 10 fuel friendly pickups.

The six cylinder Nissan Frontier can achieve a solid 17 mpg when packaged up with the either transmission, or drive-train. That’s right, it doesn’t matter which model of the 4.0 Frontier you choose, you’re looking at exactly the same EPA numbers: 16 mpg city, and 20 mpg highway. That V6 gets 261 hp and 281 lb-ft of torque. The V6 Frontier starts at $22,620 and while it’s not the most fuel efficient, most powerful, or cheapest car on this list, it does offer a nice balance of the three.

Two weeks ago, we saw that China’s Jianghuai Automobile Co. (JAC) recreated its own version of Ford’s F-150 pickup truck to an amusing level of detail. According to The Detroit News, JAC now plans to unveil its 4R3 pickup at the upcoming Beijing Auto Show.

Copying Ford design cues to even sport the F-150 grill and big blue oval badge, the JAC successfully mimicked the pickup’s brawny appearance to a tee. However, the JAC 4R3 receives its power from a rather un-Ford-like, gutless, 2.8-liter diesel engine with just a little over 100-hp and 177 lb-ft of torque.

Aware of its clone, Ford has yet to decide the best way to approach JAC on the matter.

“We’re aware of it and we’re investigating. We’re just trying to get an idea of what’s going on with the vehicle and haven’t decided what our next steps might be,” Ford spokesman Mike Levine told the Detroit News.

Chinese knockoffs are anything but rare and it’s really not surprising to see something like this from JAC. That said, Ford may actually struggle to sue the state-owned automaker because doing so would likely require filing against the Chinese government, which might not ever hear the case.

Despite the obvious design ripoff, it might be easier and cheaper for Ford to let the wimpy clone live in the true truck’s shadow, rather than taking legal action.

GALLERY: JAC 4R3

[Source: Detroit News]