Totally New Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra Coming Next Year

If you're shopping in the highly competitive pickup truck market, expect to see a completely redesigned Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra next year, according to our friends at PickupTrucks.com.

The Chevy Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 were last redesigned in 2006. They got a new body, frame and suspension. This time around, expect more of the same. We should see a totally new exterior and interior design, a new frame and heavily revised engines, PickupTrucks.com reports.

PickupTrucks.com: 2012 Midsize Shootout

Our partners at PickupTrucks.com just published a seven-truck Shootout featuring midsize trucks. Most truck buyers opt for full-size trucks these days, but these smaller haulers still make up a large chunk of the overall automotive market.

See which one of the following trucks wins: 2012 Chevy Colorado, 2011 Ford Ranger, 2012 GMC Canyon, 2012 Honda Ridgeline, 2012 Nissan Frontier, 2012 Suzuki Equator and 2012 Toyota Tacoma.

PickupTrucks.com 2012 Midsize Shootout

PickupTrucks.com Tests the 2012 Ford Transit Connect Electric

Ford plans on selling an electric version of its Focus compact car, but the automaker’s first gas-free offering is the Transit Connect Electric. Based on the van that was launched in the U.S. for 2010, the Transit Connect Electric trades the traditional version’s 136-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine for a 74-hp electric motor and a 28-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. But are more robust acceleration and a smaller carbon footprint enough to justify the 2012 Transit Connect Electric’s $35,000 price premium over the base version? According to Cars.com Editor Mike Hanley, Transit Connect Electric’s high cost will be a significant hurdle to its success.

2012 Ford Transit Connect Electric Review

Dodge Caliber, Dodge Nitro, Ford Ranger Officially Dead

The oft-forgotten Dodge Caliber and Dodge Nitro are officially dead; both vehicles ceased production this month. The old, but still popular, Ford Ranger compact pickup has also ended production, according to PickupTrucks.com.

The 2012 Caliber officially kicked the bucket this past Friday. The Caliber, which was produced at Chrysler Belvidere Assembly in Illinois, will be replaced by the 2013 Dodge Dart. The new compact sedan will go into production at the plant in August or September. In preparation for the Dart, the plant got a $600 million upgrade.

PickupTrucks.com Tests the 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew

At the 2011 State Fair of Texas, Ford unveiled an updated 2012 Ford SVT Raptor F-150, which received some performance upgrades for the model year. PickupTrucks.com Editor Mark Williams had the opportunity to test-drive the model, and he thinks it’s just as mean and aggressive as ever.

Changes included a new front Torsen differential and grille-mounted camera, which gives a front-facing view of the ground when set in low range.

To learn more about the Raptor remake, go to PickupTrucks.com.

Quick Drive: 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew (PickupTrucks.com) 

How to Stop Tailgate Theft

We're not talking about your neighbor in the stadium parking lot grabbing an extra hot dog. The actual theft of truck tailgates is a serious matter that can sometimes cost thousands of dollars. PickupTrucks.com found one simple solution to the problem and offers some other tips to keep your truck’s tail safe and sound.

Protect Your Tailgate Against Tailgate-Jacking (PickupTrucks.com)

PickupTrucks.com Names 2011 Truck of the Fair

This year, PickupTrucks.com asked attendees of the 2011 State Fair of Texas to be the judges in naming the Truck of the Fair, with truck fans texting their vote for their favorite pickup at the show. Voting has closed, and we now have a winner. A week ago, the Chevrolet Silverado was in the lead, followed by the Ford F-150 and the Nissan Titan. But is that how final tally turned out? Visit PickupTrucks.com to find out which pickup won.

PUTC's 2011 Truck of the Fair Is ...

Ram Announces New Lifestyle Trims

Off-roading and outdoorsy types, take notice: Ram has several new models for you come December, according to PickupTrucks.com.

Starting with the Ram 1500, there’s a new Ram Mossy Oak Edition. For those of you not familiar with Mossy Oak, it’s an outdoor camouflage apparel company. As such, the bedcaps, tailgate, center console, door inserts and headrests feature a Mossy Oak camouflage pattern.  The model is available for $38,915, excluding a $995 destination fee, and goes on sale in December.

The other two additions are the ST and Laramie trims for the 2012 Ram Power Wagon. The Power Wagon is Ram’s heavy-duty off-roading model. The ST is the new base trim of Power Wagon, displacing the SLT trim, and starts at $41,625. The Laramie trim features more luxury features than previously offered on the Power Wagon, like leather seats, dual-zone automatic climate control and wood trim, and starts at $51,000. Both prices exclude a $995 destination fee.

In addition, the 2012 Power Wagon now features the RamBox side-storage system, which previously was available only on the Ram 1500, as well as a new heavy-duty six-speed automatic transmission. The new Power Wagon trims also go on sale in December.

For much more on both trucks, head over to PickupTrucks.com.

2012 Power Wagon Gets Upgrades and New Trim Levels
2012 Camo Ram Aims to Deliver a Bull’s-Eye to Outdoor Enthusiasts

New Chevy Colorado Is Coming to U.S.

While Ford and Dodge have confirmed that they’re scuttling their smaller pickups for America — the Ranger and Dakota, respectively — Chevy announced today that it will hold steadfast with its Colorado midsize pickup for the U.S. (The vehicle made its global debut last week in Thailand.) Production details, timing and pricing will be announced at a later date, but you can expect the Colorado to be more fuel efficient and affordable compared with the full-size Chevy Silverado. No word if the GMC Canyon — a virtual twin to the existing Colorado — will also survive the redesign process. For more info, continue reading at PickupTrucks.com.

It's Official! The New Colorado Is Coming to the U.S. (PickupTrucks.com)

Which Automaker Has the Best Pickup Truck for $30,000?

The latest PickupTrucks.com Shootout is a different beast from its predecessors. Instead of choosing between similarly equipped pickup trucks, the focus of this Shootout is pricing. All the trucks in the competition had to stick to a firm $30,000 budget, leading to significant differences between them.

Five trucks participated in the Shootout:

• 2011 Chevy Silverado 1500 extended cab
• 2011 Ford F-150 regular cab
• 2011 Nissan Titan King Cab
• 2011 Ram 1500 Quad Cab
• 2011 Toyota Tundra Double Cab

To see how the trucks fared through a vigorous barrage of testing, including four days of back-to-back driving and a long stint at Ford’s Michigan Proving Grounds, go to PickupTrucks.com.

2011 $30,000 Shootout (PickupTrucks.com)