These 10 pickup trucks rule the industry

These 10 pickup trucks rule the industry: Considering the gas prices are low as never before, Americans continue to show how much they are into big pickup trucks. A look at the top-selling new vehicles in the first nine months of the year shows that the U.S.’ big three automakers are still the kings.

Ford has the nation’s best selling vehicle with its F-150, the next one comes General Motors with its Chevrolet Silverado, and the third one of course belongs to Fiat Chrysler‘s Ram 1500. The Ram’s sales are up the most among these three models, with 8.6% more than the same period last year.

Hennessey is making a 600-HP six-wheeled Raptor!

Six hundred horsepower. Six-wheel-drive. Meet your terrifyingly awesome twin-turbo nightmare: The Hennessey VelociRaptor 6×6. Hennessey Performance took one look at the 450-horsepower 2017 Ford Raptor and said, “sure, but what about more?” Two more wheels, another driven axle, and 150 more horsepower later, you’ve got this monstrosity. Buckle your brain-belts, it’s about to get radical in here.

Hennessey says the VelociRaptor starts at $295,000, including the 2017 Raptor SuperCrew on which it’s based. The rest of that money goes toward the 6×6 locking axles, upgraded Fox Racing suspension, new 20-inch wheels and super-wide tires, custom bumpers front and back, a bed-mounted roll bar, and all the LED lighting you could ask for. Coincidentally, the grand total of $317,500 is almost exactly the same as six regular Raptors, but the VelociRaptor is sure to get six times more attention anywhere it goes.

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The new Q5 keeping Audi on upward US sales trajectory?

The 2017 Audi Q5 is the best SUV for you if you want a stylish and comfortable premium-compact crossover that’s available with one of the segment’s most potent powertrains. Audi US boss, Scott Keogh say that still, the first Q5 is the most successful Audi they have ever launched by far. Now Keogh has to repeat the success with a whole new, second generation Q5, which saw its debut in Paris.

Similar in certain design elements to the latest Q7, the 2018 Q5 will be built mainly at a new plant in Mexico and sold all over the world, including in China. Keogh claims that they thought selling 15,000 units was ambitious when they introduced the original Q5 in the US in 2008. Now they sell more than 50,000. The new Q5 is based on VW’s MLB platform, as is the new A4 sedan and will use the same turbocharged 2.0-liter powertrain in the US market. The newcomer is some 187 lbs lighter than its predecessor, offers up to 22 percent lower fuel consumption and has a class leading 0.26 co-efficient of drag. Front-wheel-drive will be offered as alternative to all-wheel drive Quattro models.On sale date for the US market is spring 2017.

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2017 Toyota 86 – All The Performance You Really Need

There aren’t too many dramatic changes with the 2017 Toyota 86. Rather, it’s a mid-life facelift or a ‘refresh’ in manufacturer terms for a vehicle that’s already been around for nearly five years. First launched locally in 2012, the 86 has been a supremely popular vehicle – a fact mirrored around the world – so you can understand Toyota’s reluctance to make sweeping, wholesale changes.

205 horsepower may not sound like a whole lot in this era of muscle-bound hypercars, but when it powers one of the sharpest handling cars you can get, it’s enough. Buyers can choose between automatic and manual transmissions, but in most cases they prefer the automatic one. Toyota 86s equipped with manual transmissions get a five-pony boost to 205 horsepower and 156 pound-feet of torque. Automatic models soldier forth with a carryover 2.0-liter four-cylinder that puts out 200 hp and 151 lb-ft. Choose the manual and you’ll be rewarded with an easy clutch and a rewarding short-throw shifter. And, as we said, five more ponies, courtesy of intake and exhaust tweaks and the polishing of some internal engine components. The only upside to the automatic is improved fuel economy of 24 miles per gallon in the city and 32 on the highway. Manual 86s are EPA-rated at 21/28.

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A closer look at the U.S. September sales

A closer look at the U.S. September sales: As we already know the U.S. car sales continued to soften this September, and are down 0.7% to 1.434m. The totals yielded a surprisingly robust seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) of 17.76m units, a solid rebound from August's 17.00m. The rate is down about 290,000 sales from last September.

Sales are still slightly ahead of the first three quarters of 2015, it means a new annual record is still possible, although the outlook isn't favorable. Even though car manufacturers were running up incentives with about 2.5% compared to September 2015, they were down 0.2% compared to August of this year, but the money still flowed: FCA increased its incentives by 22.8% to an estimated average of US $4,302- the highest of any of the major automakers.

The refreshed Chevy Trax and its first drive

The refreshed Chevy Trax and its first drive: The 2017 Chevy Trax is the same basic Gamma II-base crossover it was before, a close sibling to the Buick encore. It comes standard with a 1.4 liter, turbo-charged four-cylinder Ecotec engine, with 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque mated to a Hydra-Matic 6T40 six-speed automatic transmission, with standard front-and optional all-wheel drive.

The cabin changes on the new Trax are more dramatic than the exterior improvements. The Trax still has one of the cheaper-feeling interiors int his affordable segment, the new model offers both improved materials and a better overall layout. Even though the overall look is nice, our attention was captured by the super-cheap black plastic, that dominates most of the rest of the view.

Nissan, Toyota U.S. sales up, Honda sales are down

Japanese automakers Toyota Motor and Nissan Group posted U.S. sales increases in September, while Honda sales were flat, despite projections of an overall industry decline for the month.Toyota’s sales rose 1.5% for the month to 197,260 vehicles, as the company’s namesake Toyota brand rose 1.4% and its luxury Lexus brand increased 2%. American Honda sold 133,655 units in September, just 95 fewer than it sold a year earlier. The namesake Honda brand recorded a 1.5% increase, while the Acura luxury brand fell 12.9%.

Nissan Group posted a surprisingly strong month for U.S. sales in September, recording 4.9% growth compared to a year earlier after several forecasts of sales declines. Judy Wheeler, vice president of sales for the Nissan division, said trucks and SUVs led the way. Sales of the Murano and Rogue set sales records. The Japanese automaker sold 127,797 vehicles in the U.S. market, including 4.3% growth for its namesake Nissan brand and 11.7% growth for its luxury Infiniti brand. Discounts might have helped, too. Nissan incentives rose 12.1% in September, compared to a year earlier, to $3,896 per vehicle.

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