GMC Takes Fans Along for the Ride at Super Bowl XLIX

Brand takes over Phoenix 

with largest onsite presence ever

DETROIT – The National Football League’s biggest game is days away and GMC, Official Vehicle of the NFL, is taking fans across the world behind the scenes throughout the weekend.

LIVE from the GMC mobile studio

GMC has teamed with Emmy award-winning interactive TV host Jenni Hogan to provide all-access updates and behind-the-scenes coverage of exclusive events throughout Super Bowl weekend.  She will be taking fans along for the ride, quite literally, from the GMC mobile studio, a 2015 GMC Yukon XL Denali connected by OnStar’s 4G LTE Wi-Fi. 

Hogan will report from unexpected locations around the Phoenix area, interviewing athletes and celebrities from the red carpet, attending private parties and giving the play-by-play from University of Phoenix stadium during Super Bowl XLIX. Fans can follow along and take part using the hashtag #VIPwithGMC.

All the conversation, photos, videos and posts can be viewed at www.tagboard.com/VIPwithGMC where many fans have already begun posting photos in their team’s colors

“GMC looks forward to providing fans and family members a memorable experience throughout the Super Bowl week,” said Duncan Aldred, U.S. vice president of GMC sales and marketing. “Whether it’s behind the scenes via the #VIPwithGMC hashtag or onsite at our displays in and around Phoenix, fans of every team can get involved.”

Super Bowl XLIX

GMC’s presence in the Phoenix area can’t be missed with its more than 600 vehicles supporting the game’s activities – transporting celebrities and VIPs, providing shuttle services, and on display at the NFL Experience Engineered by GMC.  

The latter, taking place at the Phoenix Convention Center, opened Saturday with the unveiling of 32 white diamond 2015 GMC Yukon Denalis, each adorned with an NFL team logo on the hood.  The reveal was emceed by ESPN’s play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico.

Inside the convention center, fans can visit various GMC interactive displays and get player autographs, get their picture on the cover of EA SPORTS Madden NFL 15, virtually appear on the jumbotron at the University of Phoenix stadium, and get their caricature created by a digital artist to share via social channels. 

Fans can also interact with GMC’s portfolio of 2015 vehicles on display including the all-new GMC Canyon, Yukon and Sierra as well as the entire Denali lineup.

On game day at the stadium, GMC also enhances the fan experience with more interactive displays for photo sharing, vehicle displays, player autographs and more.

GMC has manufactured trucks since 1902, with innovation and engineering excellence built into all GMC trucks, SUVs and crossovers.  GMC covers the broad spectrum of customer needs in the pickup market with a premium truck in the midsize, light duty and heavy duty segments.  The all-new midsize 2015 GMC Canyon is pure GMC with premium materials, refinement and offers class-leading truck capabilities.  GMC’s highest-volume vehicle, the Sierra pickup, is the most powerful light-duty pickup on the market, and the first full-size pickup to receive the highest-possible five-star Overall Vehicle Score for safety since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration changed its New Car Assessment Program for the 2011 model year. Details on all GMC models are available at http://www.gmc.com/, on Twitter at @thisisgmc or at http://www.facebook.com/gmc.

2017 F-150 Raptor’s EcoBoost V-6 to Make 450 hp, Says Ford’s Raj Nair

There’s a lot to be excited about with the all-new 2017 Ford Raptor: The weight-saving aluminum body. The crazy-cool combo 4WD/AWD drivetrain. And the EcoBoost twin-turbo V-6, which, Ford’s head of global product development, Raj Nair, says will kick out a walloping 450 horsepower.

The number-drop came during a Fox Sports TV interview at the 24 Hours of Daytona, and it confirms what Ford promised at the Raptor’s Detroit auto show debut—that the 3.5-liter V-6 in the new truck will crank out more power than the 6.2-liter V-8 in the current model. Asked to comment, a Ford spokesman would neither confirm nor deny Nair’s figure but pointed out that much calibration remains to be done before the truck’s showroom debut in 18 months.

Today’s Raptor makes a respectable 411 horses and 434 lb-ft of naturally aspirated torque. But the all-new EcoBoost V-6 that will appear under the 2017 model’s hood uses some serious tricks, including a complex anti-lag system and a combined port- and direct-injection setup, to crank out major power. That engine, which you can read all about here, will also go on to power the supercar Ford GT, meaning 450 horses is likely just the beginning.

So don’t sweat, pal. The V-8 may soon disappear from the Raptor, but it won’t be taking any performance with it when it goes. Ford’s insane muscle-truck will be just as bonkers as ever.

Source: http://blog.caranddriver.com/2017-f-150-raptors-ecoboost-v-6-to-make-450-hp-says-fords-raj-nair/

A version of this story originally appeared on roadandtrack.com.

Watch 2015 RAM Rebel Pickup Debut at the Detroit Auto Show - Raptor Fighter?

The 2015 RAM Rebel Pickup is a very off-road worthy truck that's certainly set to compete with the Ford Raptor. Not only does it look like a bad ass truck but it also has something the Raptor is missing....air suspension. Watch this video to get the complete scoop on this new off-road worth truck that is destined to give the Ford Raptor a run for your money.



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Rack-it Truck Rack Provides a "Roll Cage!"

The driver exclaims "Your Truck Rack Literally Saved My Life!"

This amazing video shows how lucky the driver was in having installed a Rack-it truck rack. Although the truck sustained damage from rolling over three times, the driver sustained no injuries, largely because of the Rack-it rack.

Rack-it racks are made of heavy duty tubing and the joints’ are fully welded. This makes for a very rigid and very strong truck rack. In this case it could be described as a “Roll Cage” Some other racks would have collapsed and we can only speculate on the outcome!

The product is built to support heavy loads and last for many years.  Welded connections are solid right from the beginning at the factory; bolted connections may loosen over from loads and vibration over time. The powder-coat option offers many years of corrosion free service for the rack, likely longer than you will own the truck and beyond!  

To learn more about Rack-it find us here.  

800-445-7666

2015 Ram Rebel 1500: First Look

 

Let's be crystal clear: It shouldn't take anyone more than two seconds to realize the 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel is not a Raptor fighter or anything close to a Power Wagon. It is, however, a special half-ton package that includes unique features and design changes that are pretty cool. Further, this is not a new off-road package but a collection of some of Ram's best and most capable features that have been tweaked or modified to highlight the rugged, adventure-focused capabilities of Ram's half-ton — think of it as a Ram Outdoorsman Plus.

This will give the Ram truck brand 10 distinct trim packages (Tradesman, Express, SLT, Big Horn/Lone Star, Sport, Outdoorsman, Laramie, Laramie Longhorn and Laramie Limited) with the Rebel slotting just above the Outdoorsman for customers who want a more active, customized look. The Rebel allows Ram to compete with more serious 4x4 packages like the Tundra TRD Pro and Nissan Titan Pro-4X while nudging ahead of the GM Z71 and Ford FX4 packages.
What It Is

A peek underneath the Ram 1500 Rebel makes it clear it starts with a standard crew-cab Ram 1500 platform with the four-corner air-suspension option. The crew-cab-only Rebel can be ordered with a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 (4x4 or 4x2) or a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 (4x4 only) with axle ratio choices for the V-8 of 3.21:1 or 3.92:1. The V-6 will only get the 3.92:1 gears; both will be mated to their respective eight-speed ZF transmission.

Obvious front-end changes include the bulging hood (actually an aluminum sport hood from Mopar) and a brand-new molded grille with monster-sized Ram lettering; this grille drops the crosshairs. The front bumpers have been reshaped to allow for slightly better approach angles and larger openings for the frame-mounted tow loops. A powder-coated front skidplate protects a portion of the bumper, then wraps under the front of the truck. Exterior designers agonized over every inch of this new Rebel's front end; they've even removed the small chrome accents inside the headlights — exclusive to the Rebel — to keep the overall look clean and sporty.

Front and rear wheel arches have the fender flares from the heavier-duty Ram 2500 Power Wagon with similarly sized 33-inch (actually 285/70R17E rated) Toyo Open Country tires. This is a unique tire selected specifically for the Ram Rebel package.


A Distinct Look

All Ram Rebels will be offered in two-tone paint or monochromatic styles. Color choices will include Flame Red, Bright White, Bright Silver Metallic, Brilliant Black and Granite Crystal Metallic. Regardless of exterior paint scheme choices, the interior will have a single look, which will include accented stitching in the molded seats, anodized red surrounds in the doors, center console and gauge cluster as well as the tire's footprint embossed into the seatbacks and cushions. A Radar Red ram's head and Rebel logo will be embroidered into the seats and bolsters as well.

The bed design will not changed but we're guessing the RamBox option (with its handy lockable bedside storage) will be popular. Additionally, a new, sturdy three-section tonneau cover offered through Mopar should make hunters, campers or fisherman grateful for the extra high-mounted deck space. It's worth noting most of the tailgate design is similar to current Rams (meaning remote lock and strut assist will be available), but almost the entire rear face of the Rebel tailgate will now covered with 7-inch-tall letters spelling out Ram. The base of the lettering pops out of the metal tailgate, and then each letter sits on top. This three-dimensional effect isn't subtle at all, but it matches the front grille perfectly.

The air suspension computer control setup in the Ram Rebel is a little different than normal Ram 1500s with the same option in that there is only one "off-road" setting to the driver-controlled suspension (normal Rams have two off-road settings: off-road 1 and off-road 2). That's because all Ram Rebel will offer a normal ride height an inch or so taller than a normally equipped Ram air setup, but will still have the automatic aero setting for highway cruising.

The taller "normal" ride height (along with the taller tires) gives the Rebel a more "aftermarket" or lifted look, separating the new package from its Ram counterparts and all of its competitors. The extra ride height gives the bigger tires a little more room to move around for those enthusiastic drives into the backcountry. To round out the improved suspension package, Ram will include a set of specially tuned high-performance Bilstien shocks to help give it extra durability and support.

The new Ram 1500 Rebel will be available by June, but don't expect pricing to be announced until we get closer to its actual on-sale date.

To read the full 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel press release, click here.
To read the full 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel specification sheet, click here.

Manufacturer's images
Source:http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2015/01/2015-ram-1500-rebel-first-look.html

2015 Detroit Auto Show Video: 2016 Nissan Titan XD

When a brand-new full-size pickup truck debuts at an auto show, you know we'll be there with the video crew and a skeptical eye. We got a chance to poke around the all-new full-size 2016 Nissan Titan at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and there's plenty to like here. With nothing to lose — sales for all of 2013 were just a touch more than 1,000 units per month — Nissan has not been shy about wanting to cast a wider and deeper net into the pickup segment. From where we stand, Nissan's strategy just might work.

2015 Detroit Auto Show Video: 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel

This might not be an all-new Ram 1500 or a hugely different take on the existing Ram Outdoorsman, but there are several significant changes and upgrades that could make this a standout player for 2015. It should be ready to go on sale by June. We thought we'd take a closer look.

Cars.com photo by Evan Sears

Source: http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2015/01/2015-detroit-auto-show-video-2015-ram-1500-rebel.html

Rack-it Forklift Loadable Square Tube Service Body Rack

 

 Right Rear Corner - Forklift Loadable Style

 RR Corner View - Service Body

Rack-it offers HD Square Tube  Racks for Service Bodies, Utility Bodies, Flatbed, Contractor Bodies and more. These super HD racks are designed for long-term heavy-duty use in commercial applications.

Give us a call at 800-445-7666 and we will be glad to build one or more for your fleet.

To find out more, you may call Rack-It truck racks at 800-445-7666.

Also find us at http://rackitinc.com/

Reinventing the F-150 Truck with Aluminum

The Ford F-Series has been an icon in the pickup truck market for more than 60 years. Now in its 13th generation, the truck is up to 700 pounds lighter than its predecessor model, increasing available payload without sacrificing strength.
CalAmp, Click Here....

"What do fleet customers want? They want to haul more, tow more, and go faster. But, they want to pay less for fuel. And, that is just what this truck does," according to Scott Fosgard, F-150 communications at Ford Motor Co. "The aluminum body on a lightweight high-strength steel frame allows us to use a 2.7L EcoBoost engine so customers can choose the best engine to best meet towing and payload requirements."

Needing to Change

This feat of structural engineering did not happen overnight.

"Back in 2008, we had a new platform for the F-150 and were thinking about what we could, and should, do," said Peter Friedman, Ph.D., manager of the Manufacturing Research Department at Ford Research and Advanced Engineering, with a background specifically in aluminum body construction. Friedman is responsible for the development and implementation of new automotive manufacturing technologies.

Prior to his current position, he led the Lightweight Materials and Processing group focused on the development of technologies that can enable expanded use of wrought aluminum products in automotive body structures.

After running, and re-running, sophisticated models, it came down to three possibilities, according to Friedman:

•     Make a smaller truck to deliver the customer better fuel economy.
•     Go with an alternative powertrain, although that wasn't currently what F-150 truck owners were looking for.
•     Significantly lightweight the truck to provide for additional payload or other additions later down the road without sacrificing fuel economy.

"Once we decided to go with lightweighting, the challenge was figuring out what we could change that would lighten the weight significantly. Not just change out a few panels here or there, but move enough weight to fundamentally change the truck enough to increase capacity and capability, and improve fuel economy — basically, make a better truck," Friedman said.

After other automakers utilized aluminum bodies, such as with Jaguar and Aston Martin, F-150 engineers decided that this was the road to take.

Testing the Possibilities

Ford engineers increased the use of high-strength steel in the all-new F-150 frame from 23 percent to 77 percent to create a pickup frame that is stronger, more durable, and structurally more rigid than the predecessor F-150, while saving approximately 60 pounds of weight. The remaining weight loss is due to the use of aluminum.

In designing the backbone of the F-150, Ford engineers improved the truck's fully boxed ladder frame. High-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloys are used throughout the F-150 body as well.

In 2009, Ford built a program called "Go Fast," in which the company built four aluminum F-150s utilizing the outgoing model, and performed the start of the truck's rigorous testing process.

"At the same time, we started designing the X1 — seven more trucks using the 'lessons learned,' and tested the trucks across the board," Friedman stated. "We performed the traditional durability cycle, and when we were done, we ran it 50-percent more, just because we could."

In testing the X1 prototype, the automaker had fleets test the vehicle without telling them it was an aluminum box. Fleets included those in the energy, mining, and construction industries.

The customers were told to drive and treat the trucks as they normally would in their daily working routines, but they were not told what parts of the trucks may have been different. After two years and more than 300,000 miles of abuse, teardowns, and inspections, new engineering tests and design changes were made to ensure the production box would be ready to handle customers' demands.

One thing that was confirmed: "Customers don't buy weight, but weight affects so many different things, such as fuel economy and drive quality, etc.," Friedman said. "But, if we are 700 pounds lighter, we can tow that much more, which directly impacts capability."

These updated trucks are also better in dent resistance.

"Since aluminum is roughly one-third the density of steel, you can make the metal thicker and still save weight," Friedman said. "For example, the new box floor went from 0.85 millimeters to 1.4 millimeters."

Another benefit of aluminum is that it is corrosion-resistant.

At a Glance

Some of the updates for the all-new aluminum truck include:

•     Lighter weight body, by approximately 700 pounds.
•     Increased box floor thickness for durability while still decreasing weight.
•     Increased use of structural adhesive and predominate use of self-piercing rivets.

Turning Challenges into Opportunities

With any new program, there are going to be challenges. There were several challenges in building the all-new F-150, from requiring spot welding and changes in the assembly process to requiring a large supply of aluminum, all while ensuring that line-speed and order-to-delivery times are not impacted.

First, the new design required a much larger stock of aluminum than the automaker previously had used.

"One of the biggest challenges was access to the amount of metal we were going to be using," Friedman explained. "Our aluminum suppliers did not have the capacity for this truck. New facilities were built to handle the increased capacity, including Alcoa, that made significant expansions to their systems."

However, with proper planning and working with its suppliers, the automaker was provided with an opportunity to rethink material specifications and tailor them to Ford's needs.

"Additionally, we operated a truly closed loop process for our aluminum, with any unused aluminum going back to the provider," he continued.

Another challenge was the simple fact that many new technologies were required to build the new trucks from the new materials.

"We have three times the amount of structural adhesive in the trucks and are predominately using self-piercing rivets and mechanical fastening. We do some resistance spot welding, but it's with new mid-frequency DC-welding techniques," Friedman noted. "It is a predominately stamped vehicle, but there are hydroformed extrusions and stress-banked aluminum extrusions, which are good ways to get structure into a tight package."

"One large hurdle was the turnaround time between Job Last and Job One, which was only four weeks," Friedman added. "Last year, one truck was built every 42 seconds and the new line rate is exactly the same."

Source: http://www.worktruckonline.com/article/story/2015/01/reinventing-an-icon-building-an-aluminum-truck.aspx#.VLLd5V7rCak.linkedin

GMC Introduces 2015 Canyon Nightfall Edition

Special edition model offers sleek, shadowy   appearance 
  

DETROIT – GMC today introduced the 2015 Canyon Nightfall Edition – a stylized, blacked-out edition of the brand’s all-new premium midsize truck that blends a dramatic appearance with popular features and accessories.

The Canyon Nightfall Edition is offered on SLE crew cab models, either 2WD or 4WD, in Onyx Black and will be available in the second quarter of 2015. In addition to standard equipment on the SLE, the Canyon Nightfall Edition includes:

·      Unique black grille

·      Black assist steps

·      Factory spray-in bedliner

·      18-inch multi-spoke aluminum wheels with Dark Argent painted inserts

·      Polished exhaust tip

·      Automatic climate control

·      Remote start

“The new Canyon Nightfall Edition expands the Canyon lineup and gives style-conscious customers another choice,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of GMC Sales and Marketing. “Importantly, customers get the great looks of the Canyon Nightfall Edition and its unique content at a greater value than ordering the features separately.”

The distinctive appearance of the Canyon Nightfall Edition reflects customer preferences for personalization and features that support different lifestyle interests. More than 40 percent of the initial orders for Canyon include at least one selection from the comprehensive collection of accessories GMC developed for the truck. The Canyon accessories portfolio includes the available GearOn™ system for optimal cargo management, as well as bed protection, styling enhancements and trailering components.

“The Canyon is a lifestyle enabler and its accessories lineup matches lifestyles of all types,” said Aldred. “The accessories take their inspiration from how customers use their vehicle, and they are crafted cohesively with the team of designers and engineers.”  

Additional standard content on the Canyon Nightfall Edition includes:

• Rear-vision camera
• Eight-inch-diagonal Color Touch radio with GMC IntelliLink
• OnStar with 4G LTE and its standard built-in Wi-Fi hotspot (includes three-month/3GB data trial, whichever comes first)
• Two USB ports for charging located on the rear of the center console in addition another USB port inside the console
• Multi-color driver information center display
• Soft-touch instrument panel with aluminum trim
• Auto-dimming inside rearview mirror
• Remote keyless entry
• Tilting and telescoping steering column
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls
• SiriusXM satellite radio (includes three-month trial)
• Automatic locking rear differential (4WD models)

Canyon was named Autoweek’s Best of the Best truck for 2015. It offers the segment’s best horsepower and EPA-estimated fuel economy: 200 horsepower (149 kW) and 27 mpg highway (2WD) from a standard 2.5L I-4; and 305 horsepower (227 kW) and 26 mpg (2WD) from an available 3.6L V-6. The V-6 engine enables a segment-leading 7,000-pound trailering rating.

GMC has manufactured trucks since 1902, with innovation and engineering excellence built into all GMC trucks, SUVs and crossovers.  GMC covers the broad spectrum of customer needs in the pickup market with a premium truck in the midsize, light duty and heavy duty segments.  The all-new midsize 2015 GMC Canyon is pure GMC with premium materials, refinement and offers class-leading truck capabilities.  GMC’s highest-volume vehicle, the Sierra pickup, is the most powerful light-duty pickup on the market, and the first full-size pickup to receive the highest-possible five-star Overall Vehicle Score for safety since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration changed its New Car Assessment Program for the 2011 model year. Details on all GMC models are available at http://www.gmc.com/, on Twitter at @thisisgmc or at http://www.facebook.com/gmc.