2011 Ford F250 Powerstroke Super Duty

The Powerstroke was completely redone for 2011. The Super Duty line received a large exterior upgrade that included a new, much bigger and meaner looking grill. Its engines were also upgraded to better compete with the new Silverado HD and Ram HD.  It won Popular Mechanics best workhorse of 2011, and the best "Gear of the Year" in the trucks category as well. The pickup has been a big hit since its release and has overall been very popular. This comes to no surprise because Ford has been the number one seller for pickups for over the past twenty years.

The 2011 Ford Super Duty is available with either a gas or diesel engine. The gas options are an E85-capable 6.2 L 2-valve SOHC V8, which puts out 385 horsepower. The gas engine in this is new for this year but the new diesel engine has been creating a reputation of its own already. The diesel is the new 6.7 Liter Powerstroke, producing 400 hp and 800 lb·ft of torque. This diesel engine is the first diesel engine that is 100% produced by Ford, and its a huge success. Unfortunately, the new pickup is only offered with an automatic transmission. This transmission is the Torqshift 5R110, which is creating a reputation for outstanding pulling performance. Overall, the new 2011 Ford F250 Powerstroke is is a modern day workhorse.

2000 Honda S2000

The Honda S2000 is a roadster that was manufactured by the Japanese based Honda Motor Company. It was launched in April 1999 and was created to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary.  The S2000 is named for its engine displacement of 2 L, or 2000 cc's (cubic centimeters). The S2000 was introduced in 1999 for the 2000 model and was given the chassis designation of AP1.  It featured a front mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout with power being delivered by a F20C inline 4 cylinder DOHC-VTEC engine producing 240 hp. The engine is backed by a six-speed manual transmission and Torsen limited slip differential.



It features a rigid X-bone frame which Honda claims improves the vehicle's rigidity and collision safety. The hood was made out of aluminum to save weight and the car had a 50:50 weight distribution. A 50:50 weight distribution keeps the amount of weight put to the ground the same for each tire, vastly improving its handling.  The compact and lightweight engine is mounted entirely behind the front axle, to keep more weight towards the center of the vehicle in an effort to keep a 50:50 weight distribution. The Honda S2000 is the common man's import sports car. It's affordable and fun to drive mostly due to all of the design efforts Honda put into handling. The car really is a modern sports car.

Ford F150 Raptor SVT

Released in late 2009 as a 2010 model, the Ford F150 Raptor was the first of its kind. It was released as a vehicle dedicated to mostly off-road use. The SVT (Special Vehicle Team) department's goal was to over develop the Raptor to make as stout off road pickup as possible. The pickup comes standard with Fox Free Floating Racing Shox with external fluid reservoirs that provide the Raptor with 11 inches of travel in front and 12 in the back. It comes stock with very low 4.10 gears in both the front and rear differential. The rear differential comes with an electronic locker that is designed to hold up well at high speeds. The front differential comes with a Torsen Helical Gear limited slip differential. On top of well-built axels, they come stock with 35 inch BF Goodrich tires to help make this an off-road ready pickup.

The Raptor comes with a 6.2 liter, fuel injected v-8, punching out 411 horsepower off the crank. The engine also puts out an astounding 434 ft. pounds of torque. Only in 2011, did Ford make this engine standard. It was also offered before with a 5.4 liter Triton v-8, which was the base engine option in all other F150 4x4's. This choice was made because the 5.4 Triton didn't match the performance of the rest of the pickup. I just wasn't enough. The 5.4 liter was rarely chosen anyway as an option for the Raptor so it made sense all around to remove it. The Ford Raptor is currently the only Baja Race style pickup on the market. Its ultra-high performance is what makes it a Raptor as well as a capable off road machine.