Video: Mopar explains why Ram Runner is better than Raptor, do you agree?

Filed under: Performance, Truck, Videos, Chrysler, Dodge, Off-Road

Ram Runner Autoblog Short Cuts

Mopar Ram Runner Stage II Short Cuts video – Click above to watch after the jump

The Ram Runner Stage II kit makes for one very impressive Ram 1500. Performance modifications like beefed-up control arms, Fox shocks and 14 inches of wheel travel make us want to pit the modified Ram against the 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor in a high-speed dirt race to the death finish line.

We’re not the only ones eager to compare the Ram Runner Stage II to the Raptor. Follow the jump to watch an Autoblog Short Cuts video of Jim Sassorossi, Director of Mopar Parts, as he explained to us why Chrysler believes the Ram Runner is better than the Raptor. In fact, Sassorossi brings up the Raptor no less than four times, and throws in “best in class” for the Ram Runner’s specs another another four times.

This will be a thrilling battle when Ford’s ready-made race truck gets pitted against Ram’s D.I.Y. wonder. To see what we mean, watch the video and then answer our poll below.

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Continue reading Video: Mopar explains why Ram Runner is better than Raptor, do you agree?

Video: Mopar explains why Ram Runner is better than Raptor, do you agree? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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James May explains why he already hates the hosts of Top Gear USA

Filed under: Etc., Celebrities

James MayJames May hates Tanner Foust, Rutledge Wood and Adam Ferrara. Before you Top Gear USA haters get too excited at that last sentence, let us explain further. James May hates the Top Gear USA presenters… because he believes they are destined for greatness.

Why exactly does he feel this way? Because of their names. May believes he’s “lumbered with a single-syllable surname evoking a popular bank holiday,” while Foust’s name suggests he can do things with a car that others only dream about – and he really can.

Rutledge Wood, meanwhile, has a name that leads May to believe he should be the next great American novelist, and Adam Ferrara is one letter away from being a child of Enzo.

Whatever May thinks, his discussion of America’s Top Gear and its hosts is a great read. We’re not saying his insight will cause you to give Tanner, Rutledge and Adam a bit of a break for the first few years… but it might have you questioning your hate, just for a moment.

[Source: The Telegraph]

James May explains why he already hates the hosts of Top Gear USA originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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James May explains why supercars are ‘pointless’ – do you agree? [w/poll]

Filed under: UK, Celebrities

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport 16.4

2010 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery

Here we go again. Dante should have made the question ‘Do Supercars Make any Sense?’ one of his levels of hell near Sisyphus, since so many people love to wail and moan and gnash their teeth on it in circular fashion. James May, a.k.a. Top Gear’s Captain Slow, has taken up the query and come to the conclusion that the speedy little devils are pointless.

He intends to make his point by asking, “what benefit has accrued to Italy, principal arbour of the mechanism of the Renaissance, by their existence?”, and then by comparing the effect that supercars have have on the world to the effects produced by Gore-Tex and penicillin and the radio and the Maxim gun. Mr. May, you have us there – we’d rather our doctor prescribed us antibiotics and not a Ferrari if we had a staph infection. That is, unless we had at least seven days to live, in which case we’d take the Ferrari and trade a ride in it for a prescription.

Most supercars are as useful and as pointless as marshmallows, with little technology actually trickling down to more affordable machinery – at least on a consistent basis. In fact, we’re mildly surprised there’s any debate left in this issue – even in jest. If May wants to talk about pointless things, let’s start with the Salad Shooter or anything else sold by infomercial. We’d live without a Lamborghini Murciélago as soon as we’d live without s’mores, which means that we’d do it but we’d really rather not. Maybe the world hasn’t been changed by supercars, but our world has, and that’s good enough for us. Ergo, when May ends his piece with “Prove me wrong,” we’ll admit we can’t. But we can prove his article pointless.

How about you? Do you see supercars as pointless exercises? Take our poll below and then weigh in with your thoughts in Comments.

Gallery: First Drive: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport

Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

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[Source: Telegraph]

James May explains why supercars are ‘pointless’ – do you agree? [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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U.S.-spec Ford Ranger to officially end production in 2011, Ford explains why

Filed under: Budget, Truck, Ford

2011 Ford Ranger

If you live in the States, say goodbye to the Ford Ranger. The oft-neglected baby pickup from the Blue Oval is set to end production at its Twin Cities Assembly Plant in Minnesota next year, thereby kicking Dearborn out of the segment for the first time in nearly 30 years. The rest of the world won’t be without a Ranger, though. Ford is set to pull the sheets back on the newest version of the global truck at the Australian International Motor Show next month, though released this intriguing teaser image in the meantime. It’s bigger, slated for 180 markets spread all over the planet and it ain’t for us. The question is: Why not?

In order to head that quandary off at the pass, Ford wanted to us in on its reasoning behind killing off the Ranger in the U.S. market. Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s Vice President of Global Product Development, was kind enough to give us a few minutes out of his time to answer that question and more. Get the answers after the jump.

Continue reading U.S.-spec Ford Ranger to officially end production in 2011, Ford explains why

U.S.-spec Ford Ranger to officially end production in 2011, Ford explains why originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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