Ford’s Special Vehicles Team (SVT) which has produced some crazy cars like the Cobra and Lightning are going outside their comfort zone to create the greatest off-road truck ever offered by a car manufacturer. The F-150 Raptor is a high-performance off-road truck that Ford hopes will sell like umbrellas on a rainy day.
This beast is powered by a V-8 engine that spews out 400 horsepower and 400lb-ft of torque; which is necessary when climbing incredibly steep hills or blasting down a dirt road at impressive speeds. Fuel economy and emissions are actually a bit better in this 2010 F-150 than previous years due to Ford’s open valve technology.
As with all Baja trucks the proof is in the suspension. And the Raptor is no slouch. The running track has been widened 7-inches compared to a stock F-150 and chassis has been modified to allow for much more suspension travel in order to absorb jumps. The last piece of the puzzle is the hi-Tech Shock Absorbers from Fox Racing Shox. These little gems include an internal bypass feature which allows the Raptor to have a comfortable street ride, and an excellent stiff off-roading ride.
The electronics on the Raptor in clued things like hill-descent and an electronic locking differential which are necessary when navigating the desert. The Raptor will be available soon!
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GMC showcased one of their top two-mode hybrid concept cars at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show, the Denali XT Hybrid concept truck. The Denali XT Hybrid is the latest feature of Professional Grade engineering and offers a 50% increase in fuel economy. It is combined with 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline capability and a more efficient 4.9L engine with 326horsepower. It also has Active Fuel Management powers and features fuel saving technology like direct injection. The engine matches the exclusive two mode propulsion hybrid system which includes an all electric drive at slow speeds. The multi-link face suspension exhibits forward mounted steering and dual lower links with ball joints. This feature in the XT provides sharper responses to the driver’s input.
The XT is rear wheel drive but is still categorized into the Sport 
Utility Truck [SUT] group. It overlaps the defining lines between the pickup and the SUV but is lighter in weight than the traditional conservative truck. To bring the Denali XT a confident road presence, this high-tech hybrid has nominal overhangs, outsized wheels, lustrous headlamps, and a low roof profile. The interior of the car is leather trimmed with metal backdrops, seats four, has large cargo bed space, and embodies the inside of an aircraft cockpit.
Sources:
http://www.gmc.com/denali-xt/index.jsp
http://www.motortrend.com/future/concept_cars/112_0802_2008_gmc_denali_xt_concept_first_look/index.html
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