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Ford can't seem to build F-150 SVT Raptors fast enough. The off-road-ready trucks have been one of the Blue Oval's most reliable sellers, with record sales in eight of the last 10 months and a 14-percent jump in 2013. That's impressive enough, considering that the least expensive Raptor starts at $44,000. Factor in the modded F-150's fuel economy (it's rated at 11 miles per gallon in the city and 16 on the highway) and a national average gas price, as of this writing, of $3.55 per gallon, and its success is as unlikely as Ford's home team, the Detroit Lions, winning the Super Bowl this year (sorry, Lions fans, we're just quoting the experts in Vegas...).

General Motors revealed today redesigned large sport-utility vehicles — Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL — which are among the company’s most profitable vehicles.

The 2015 model-year SUVs, which will hit showrooms between January and April 2014, share the same vehicle architecture with GM’s recently redesigned full-size pickup trucks.

Separately, GM is expected to reveal the redesigned CadillacEscalade on Oct. 7 in New York.

LANSING — Area auto workers, business leaders and government officials plan to celebrate a milestone on Monday morning in downtown Lansing.

Officials with General Motors Co. expect the 1 millionth vehicle built at the Lansing Grand River assembly plant to roll off the production line that day.

A celebratory program is scheduled for around 10:30 a.m., with expected guests including GM’s Lansing regional plant manager Tony Francavilla, union representatives and local, state and federal officials, GM said in a statement.
 

DETROIT – Cadillac engineers applied the principles of psychoacoustics, the science of sound perception, and car-guy instinct to create powerful and pleasant exhaust notes for the all-new 2014 CTS midsize luxury sedan and CTS Vsport.

Knowing that engine sound communicates throttle response to the driver, CTS engineers uniquely tuned each selectable driving mode – Tour, Sport and Track – to provide the driver with a specific sound impression of what’s happening under the hood.

Tour mode purrs with refinement. Sport mode growls with power. Track mode, only available on the CTS Vsport equipped with Cadillac’s first Twin-Turbo engine, roars even more aggressively.
 

Ford and the American Humane Association have teamed up in a new pet safety campaign to remind pickup truck drivers that dogs should never ride in the bed of a pickup truck. Called “Dogs Ride Inside,” the campaign reminds all drivers that simple, basic actions can prevent serious injury or death while transporting a beloved family pet.

“It is estimated that 100,000 dogs die each year riding in truck beds” said Dr. Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane Association, the country’s first national humane organization. “Unfortunately, we have all seen dogs riding in the bed of a pickup truck, which is an extremely dangerous way to transport your pet.”

Ford is increasing production of its off-road super truck, the F-150 SVT Raptor, at the Dearborn Truck plant to meet demand.

Ford started making the desert racing truck in 2009 as a 2010 model, making two an hour on the same line that pumps out hundreds of thousands of regular F-150s a year.

Raptor production then increased to three trucks an hour in early 2012. Now, Ford is working with suppliers to boost that to five an hour, hopefully in the next eight to 10 weeks.

September 10, 2013 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - The 2014 Ram Truck lineup offers a truckload of innovative, segment-exclusive features and services, adding to an already best-in-class interior. For 2014, Ram Truck offers the latest Uconnect systems, with an available six- or 12-month Uconnect Access trial, in addition to a trial of Uconnect Access Via Mobile (late availability), which enables drivers to listen to and control their personal Aha, iHeartRadio, Pandora and Slacker Internet radio accounts via the 8.4-inch touchscreen display.

Smart Uconnect system
Two Uconnect systems are offered to provide Ram Truck customers with a range of features and connectivity options to best suit their needs, including:
Uconnect 8.4A — features an 8.4-inch color touchscreen and offers customers the flexibility to purchase navigation after the vehicle sale. The system also provides Ram Truck customers with multiple ways to stay connected. Drivers can use the voice recognition technology to place handsfree phone calls, control their music or send a text message. There are a variety of ways to access digital music content, including SiriusXM Radio, access to a SD, USB and 3.5 mm auxiliary input in the media console, and all are standard. Also, an optional CD player is located in the lower storage bin of the center console.

Uconnect 8.4AN — features an 8.4-inch color touchscreen with standard navigation and provides Ram Truck customers with multiple handsfree ways to stay entertained in their truck.
 

Frankfurt — General Motors Co. — which has been exclusively building the limousines that ferry the president around for more than 30 years — isn't talking about the next-generation Cadillac presidential limousine.

Last month, NBC "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno received a toy model of the limo — nicknamed "The Beast" — from President Barack Obama during a stop on the show. "My friend (GM vice president for global design) Ed Welburn designed that car," Leno told Obama.

In 1983, Lee Iacocca, then chairman of Chrysler, unleashed the minivan on the auto market when he introduced the new breed of garageable front-wheel drive wagons and vans – the 1984 Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager and Mini Ram Van.

He said: “I predict the Voyager and Caravan will be to the ‘80s what the Mustang was to the ‘60s – vehicles that create extraordinary excitement and buyer interest and force other manufacturers to come up with copycat versions.”