Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged limited edition
2011 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson Edition
Jul 6th
There are cars and trucks that are blank slates, waiting for you to add your own personal touch. And then there are vehicles that come from the factory with all the attitude you could ever hope for built right in. It should come as no surprise that the Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson edition is one of the latter.
Ford’s partnership with Harley dates to 1999, and each successive edition seems to get bigger, bolder and brasher. The 2011 model is so in-your-face that you might feel compelled to take a step back, in fact. Massive wheels, a lowered stance and a custom graphics look belie the fact that this is a factory-built truck. The Harley F-150 also benefits from a significant round of 2011 upgrades to the F-150 lineup, including new engines and some tricks for improving fuel economy. More >
2010 Honda Element Dog-Friendly Edition
Dec 8th
The multi-tasking, category-busting Honda Element is no longer the only boxy, upright vehicle on the market–Scion, Nissan and Kia are fielding boxes of their own these days. The Element got in at the ground floor of more than one trend, in fact. In addition to being one of the first aggressively cubist vehicles of the new millennium, it was also one of the first crossover vehicles, combining SUV and automotive traits into a versatile package.
With the market nearing saturation with both crossovers and box-cars, does the Element, which hasn’t changed significantly since its 2003 introduction, still have anything to offer? As a matter of fact, it does. This cube has always stood out from the rest of the square cars by being larger and more capable. Thanks to reverse-opening rear doors and clever interior design, the Element does a good job of thinking outside the box, if you’ll forgive the pun. For 2010, Honda updated the Element with new “Dog-Friendly” edition designed to appeal directly to the four-wheeled family members of Element buyers. More >
2005 Chevrolet SSR
Nov 13th
Yes, it’s real. The Chevrolet SSR started life as a dream truck that combined 1930s styling cues, 1990s hot-rod modifications, and a modern drivetrain. Thanks to overwhelming public approval, the SSR made the leap from show car to showroom, and now it’s one of Chevy’s halo cars. Is it really a truck? Sort of. Think of it as the coolest El Camino ever, and you’ll be on the right track. In its second year on the market, Chevrolet’s big-boy toy gets a new powertrain to give it some serious go power.
No one is going to mistake an SSR for anything else. As if the retro bodywork wasn’t enough, this is also the only retractable hardtop pickup truck on the market. The extravagant curves of the front fenders and grille sweep into a compact, arch-topped cab. Chevy says the design was inspired by the Advanced Design pickups of 1947-54. The bed has a rigid tonneau cover, and the rounded-off tail has circular taillights in the fenders, just like the old trucks that inspired it. Chevrolet’s signature horizontal chrome bar bisects the line of the headlights up front. The SSR’s fender lines are echoed on other Chevrolet products as well, but nothing else has curves like this. The massive wheels, measuring 19″ in the front and 20″ in the rear, are the most overtly modern aspect of the SSR. More >