For the purposes of this article, we’ll define “truck” as a pickup truck or SUV, as denoted in the Environmental Protection Agency’s breakdown of Market Class. We’ll identify the most expensive trucks by category: Pickups and SUVs, and we’ll exclude commercial trucks from our survey. “Expensive” will be defined by the manufacturer’s suggested retail price including destination, excluding any incentives or discounts. Special editions and factory options will be included in the total price. Our information comes from the car configurator at Cars.com.

A few decades ago, the idea of an expensive luxury truck was almost unthinkable. Trucks and SUVs were designed as work vehicles, and the idea of adding luxury features seemed in opposition to the vehicles’ purpose. Then, in 1998, Lincoln debuted the Navigator, a full-size SUV based on the Ford Expedition. Cadillac responded with the Escalade, and the race was on for the luxury SUV. Ford upped the ante by including luxury features in a pickup truck and slapping on the Lincoln badge and aesthetic to create the Blackwood and the Mark LT, neither of which survived for long. But the concept of adding luxury features to a pickup truck lives on. It is now possible to order a pickup truck with heated and ventilated leather seats, a hi-fi sound system and state of the art navigation, for a level of factory-delivered luxury that pickup owners could only find in the aftermarket just years ago.

IN PICTURES: THE MOST EXPENSIVE TRUCKS OF 2011

Maserati seems poised to debut an SUV concept car at the Frankfurt Auto Show this week. Rumor has it that Lamborghini is developing a successor to its LM002 SUV. The Porsche Cayenne leads sales for its brand — by a wide margin. The luxury SUV, contrary to predictions to the contrary, is alive and kicking.

Fuel economy ratings and the general downturn in the economy may take the shine off of luxury pickup trucks and SUVs, however. Many of the most expensive trucks are also large and demanding to drive and park.

The diesel engine option is a costly one, but unavoidable for trucks that have to do serious work, like towing a horse trailer or fifth wheel. Expect to add another $8,000 to the bottom line in order to get a diesel engine and associated technologies.

There’s no denying the utility of a pickup truck. For those who need the carrying and towing capacity of a big, diesel-powered pickup, nothing else will do. The question becomes whether or not to load up your capable truck with luxury and comfort features that do nothing to improve its utility.

Maybe the new trend will be toward more utilitarian trucks, and more luxurious compact cars. That way, you’ll be more inclined to drive the fuel-efficient vehicle in your fleet, rather than the biggest one.

Until then, we’ll have the most expensive trucks of 2011.

SUVs

Porsche Cayenne Turbo

Base Price: $106,975

Key Standard Features: 4.8-liter V8 with twin turbochargers

8-speed Tiptronic S Automatic Transmission

Heated leather power front seats

Key Options:

Premium Paint: $3,140

Sport Package: $3,500 (Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus, 3-spoke Sports steering wheel with paddles

Premium Package Plus: $5,320 (Includes 4-zone climate control, Lane Change Assist, adaptive cruise control, proximity key, rearview camera, front seat ventilation)

Off-Road Underbody Protection: $1,330

Ceramic Composite Brakes: $8,840

21″ Wheels: $4,555

Optioned Price: $162,675

Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG

Base Price: $125,325

Key Standard Features:

5.4-Liter V8 engine

Heated and Ventilated Multicontour Front Seats

harman/kardon LOGIC7 Surround Sound System with HD-based navigation, satellite radio, HD radio, Bluetooth

Key Options: None

Optioned Price: $125,325

Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged Autobiography

Base Price: $95,465

Key Standard Features: 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine

Heated and ventilated front bucket seats

harman/kardon LOGIC7 Surround Sound System with HD-based navigation, satellite radio, Bluetooth, 6-disc CD Changer

Key Options:

Autobiography Package: $21,485 (Includes full semi-aniline leather seat trim, wood trim, 20″ wheels, rear seat entertainment, audio system upgrade, adaptive cruise control, vision assist pack, rear seat recline, infinitely variable rear differential lock)

Optioned Price: $117,800

BMW X6M

Base Price: $89,200

Key Standard Features:

4.4-liter V8 with twin turbochargers

6-speed automatic transmission

20″ sport wheels

Extended Merino leather upholstery

AM/FM/HD/CD stereo radio

Key Options:

Premium Sound Package: $1,400

Active Ventilated Seat Package: $1,900

Driver Assistance Package: $1,900

Perforated Merino leather seat upholstery: $3,800

Keyless entry: $1,000

Rear seat entertainment: $1,700

Optioned Price: $104,875

Mercedes-Benz GL550 All-wheel Drive 4MATIC

Base Price: $84,450

Key Standard Features:

5.5-liter V8

7-speed automatic transmission

Full leather seat trim

Heated/ventilated multicontour front bucket seats

harmon/kardon LOGIC7 Surround Sound System with HD-based navigation, satellite radio, HD radio, Bluetooth

Key Options:

Trailer hitch: $550

Rear Seat Entertainment System: $1,950

Heated Multifunction Steering Wheel: $225

Illumination Kit for Side Running Boards: $650

Optioned Price: $91,525

Lexus LX 570

Base Price: $79,455

Key Standard Features:

5.7 liter V8

6-speed automatic transmission

Heated leather power front bucket seats

Lexus Premium Audio System with XM, Bluetooth and DSP

Key Options:

Luxury Package: $3,740 (includes semi aniline leather seats, climate controlled front seats/heated second row seats, African Bubinga Wood interior trim, 20″ wheels)

Mark Levinson Audio System: $2,850

DVD Rear Seat Entertainment System: $1,990

Optioned Price: $89,910

Cadillac Escalade Hybrid Platinum Edition 4×4

Base Price: $88,435

Key Standard Features:

6.0-Liter V8 plus electric motor

Magnetic Ride Control Suspension Package

Heated leather front seats

AM/FM/XM stereo with navigation

Key Options:

Theft-Deterrent Wheel: $215

Optioned Price: $89,600

PICKUP TRUCKS

Ford F-350 Lariat 4×4 SD Crew Cab

Base Price: $46,700

Key Standard Features: 6.2-liter Flex-Fuel V8

6-speed automatic transmission

17″ wheels

Leather seating surfaces

Premium AM/FM/CD player

Key Options:

King Ranch w/Chrome Package: $4,880 (Includes unique leather front seats, rear view camera, unique door trim panels, two-tone paint, trailer-tow mirrors, running boards)

6.7-liter diesel V8: $7,835

5th Wheel Hitch Kit: $1,695

Tailgate Step: $375

Spray-in Bedliner: $450

Power Moonroof: $995

5th Wheel Hitch Kit

Crew Chief Telematics: $425

Optioned Price: $67,635

GMC Sierra 3500HD Denali 4×4 Crew Cab

Base Price: $47,685

Key Standard Features:

6.0-liter V8

6-speed automatic transmission

17″ dual rear wheels

Leather seat trim

Heated front bucket seats

AM/FM/XM/CD stereo with 6-disc changer

Key Options:

6.6-liter turbo diesel V8: $7,195

Allison 6-speed automatic transmission: $1,200

Forged aluminum 17″ wheels: $575

Power Sunroof: $995

Hard Shell Tonneau Cover: $1,495

Heated and Cooled Front Seats: $650

AM/FM/CD/DVD/Navigation system: $2,250

Rear Camera System: $450

Optioned Price: $66,260

Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD 4×4 Crew Cab

Base Price: $46,230

Key Standard Features:

6.0-liter V8

6-speed automatic transmission

17″ dual rear wheels

Leather seat trim

Heated front bucket seats

AM/FM/XM/CD stereo with 6-disc changer

Key Options:

6.6-liter turbo diesel V8: $7,195

Allison 6-speed automatic transmission: $1,200

Power Sunroof: $995

Hard Shell Tonneau Cover: $1,495

Heated and Cooled Front Seats: $650

AM/FM/CD/DVD/Navigation system: $2,250

Rear Camera System: $450

Optioned Price: $64,795

Dodge Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn 4×4 Mega Cab

Base Price: $56,940

Key Standard Features:

6.7-liter diesel inline 6-cylinder

6-speed automatic transmission

Dual rear wheels

Premium leather heated and ventilated bucket front seats

Heated second row seats

Media Center radio with GPS navigation and Sirius Satellite Radio

Key Options:

Rear Seat Video System: $1,695

Power Sunroof: $850

Chrome Tubular Side Steps: $655

Optioned Price: $62,440

Ford F-150 Harley Davidson 4×4 SuperCrew Cab Styleside

Base Price: $51,770

Key Standard Features:

6.2-liter V8

6-speed automatic transmission

5.5′ box

22″ wheels

Heated and cooled power leather bucket front seats

AM/FM/Sirius CD/DVD player with Navigation

Key Options:

Stowable Bed Extender: $250

Tailgate Step: $375

All Weather Rubber Floor Mats: $95

Optioned Price: $53,485

SsangYong’s SUT-1 might be a pick-up truck but it is far from a stripped out commercial version of the concept. The truck has a luxurious cabin befitting that of a premium SUV. The spacious cabin can seat five in comfort and gets equipment like a sunroof, a bluetooth stereo, a reverse guide camera and cruise control. The SUT-1 comes with a five link double wishbone suspension for a comfortable ride. 

The SUT-1 comes with a 2.0 liter diesel power plant which delivers 153 horsepower with a peak torque of 360 Nm. The engine sends power to the rear wheels via a six speed manual transmission or a six speed automatic transmission. The six speed automatic box has a sixth cruising gear for maximum comfort and efficiency on highways. 

The SsangYong SUT-1 comes with six airbags, seatbelt pretensioners with load limiters, ISOFIX attachments for child seats, Active Rollover Protection, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Anti-lock Braking System (ABS). 

The pick-up truck has been styled with Ssangyong’s design philosophy consisting of the words ‘Robust, Specialist, and Premium’. SsangYong say the large deck at the back makes it ideal for loading extreme sports equipment for leisure activities such as camping, skiing and cycling. SsangYong has targeted the vehicle more for civilian purposes rather than utilitarian purposes.

Organizers  say  at  least  80 trucks have registered for this year’s event  on the Perimeter Highway.
    The drivers and their big rigs are gathering in Oak Bluff Saturday morning  and they expect to get onto the Perimeter,  from Highway 2,   around 11.

    The trucks will have a police escort  and move around the Perimeter in a counter-clockwise direction.
    Since  2001,  These Convoys have raised two million dollars across North America   for Special Olympics.

     Last  year,   the Manitoba Convoy involved 52  trucks and raised about 22,000 dollars

According to Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks, the U5000-based concept “has an impressive, dynamic and extremely expressive ‘face’ corresponding to the future form language of Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle design. The design concept combines the past and future of the Unimog in an extremely avantgardist way.” We’re all for avantgardist, though we’re not exactly sure we’re onboard with the hyperbling wheels. We do, however, dig the truck’s super-weird face and red coil springs. And the aluminum-clad chassis, as well as the open top that hearkens back to fresh-air ’Mogs of yore. Benz claims Bertrand Janssen’s design team was inspired by the poison dart frog. To us, it seems as if the design brief were simply “Sindelfingen goes to SEMA.” We’re a little afraid to think of which synapses overload when Germans hear the tired line about what happens in Vegas.

First up is the Jeep Wrangler Pork Chop. Apart from its quirky name, the Pork Chop has been produced as a very serious off-road vehicle. It features a comprehensive roll bar set-up incorporating colour-coded bars, Sparco race seats and pin stripes. It also exhibits 35-inch Mickey Thompson dirt tyres, a chopped windscreen (by 5cm) and an overall weight reduction of around 385kg over the standard Wrangler.

Next up is the more traditional Jeep Wrangler Renegade. It also features a full roll cage set-up, but it showcases traditional AEV Pintler wheels with the same 35-inch tyres as the Pork Chop. Under the bonnet however, is a 6.4-litre HEMI V8 capable of displacing bits of Earth in 354kW accelerator prods. The Renegade gets a winch mounted on the front as well as a four-inch suspension lift kit for the ultimate in off-road potential.

The most serious of the Jeep Wrangler concepts unveiled is the Jeep Wrangler Blue Crush. Even though the name sounds like something you might buy from a Boost Juice outlet, this Wrangler is ready for the most extreme off-road conditions. It features vast suspension revisions that leave it in little relation to the standard Wrangler. It comprises custom suspension joints, internal bypass shocks, hydro-steering and a new front stabiliser bar. Under the bonnet sits a 403kW 7.0-litre V8.

As for the non-Wrangler concepts, at the modest end of this showcase is the Jeep Compass Canyon. It features a number of Mopar enhancements including a cold-air induction kit for the engine, a new exhaust system and interior trimming revisions. There’s also 5cm lift kit for the suspension and Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ 225/75-R16 tyres.

Looking a bit like a safari tour vehicle, the Jeep Cherokee Overland goes for a more practical approach. It uses the standard 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engine for propulsion and the Selec-Trac II four-wheel drive system. It comes with an ARB 7cm suspension lift kit comprising of Old Man Emu shocks, Mickey Thompson 265/75-R16 MTZ and an ARB air-lock rear differential. The Overland also comes with its own air compressor system in the rear compartment, while underneath the car is treated to a number of bash plates for the transmission, sills and differentials.

Last of the concepts is the Dodge Ram Truck Mopar. It was designed taking inspiration from trophy race trucks that compete in various US desert motorsport events. It features fibreglass front and rear guards to reduce the car’s weight, a 5.7-litre HEMI V8 and a suspension lift kit underneath. It’s also treated to an obvious paint scheme incorporating Mopar and Dodge logos.

Unfortunately, all of the concepts are likely to remain as concepts. They do, on the other hand, give us a taste of what is possible in the modified Jeep scene, and we’re sure most of the parts could be bought separately and adapted to suit production versions.

Ssangyong says the goal of the SUT 1 is a simple one: to be the world’s best pick-up truck. It may sound ambitious, but the company is back from the brink of bankruptcy, so what else is the company to do apart from reach for the stars?

The production vehicle based on the SUT 1 concept will replace the Actyon Sports utility, which was released in 2006 and has a considerable following in parts of Europe, South America and Asia.

Designed in collaboration with Italian stylist Giorgetto Giugiaro, the SUT 1 is a sharp, modern design with a robust, sporting energy, sharing styling elements with the recently launched Korando SUV.

The SUT 1 is powered by Ssangyong’s FR 2.0-litre diesel engine, producing 114kW of power and 360Nm of torque (from 1500rpm to 2800rpm).

The engine will be available with six-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmissions, as well as rear- and four-wheel drive.

The production version of the SUT 1 will be well equipped, with available features including leather seats, heated front seats, climate control, 18-inch alloy wheels, leather steering wheel with audio controls, reversing camera, sunroof, cruise control and Bluetooth audio.

Safety will include dual airbags, four disc brakes, active rollover protection, front and rear fog lamps, daytime running lamps and electronic stability control.

Ssangyong will start production of the SUT 1 in the second half of 2011 ahead of its launch in Korea and other markets in early 2012. Production is expected to peak at 35,000 units per year.

The production version of the SUT 1 utility is expected to go on sale in Australia in the first half of 2012.

Ssangyong also used the Geneva Motor Show to unveil three new diesel engines and one new petrol engine.

The 2.0 Active diesel outlined above in the SUT 1 shares the e-XDi200 engine construction with the 2.0 Green diesel. The Green diesel produces the same 360Nm of torque and slightly less power (110kW). While the Active diesel will power rear- and all-wheel drive vehicles, the Green diesel will be reserved for front- and all-wheel drive models.

Ssangyong says the Green diesel variant will produce 30 percent fewer emissions than the previous generation engine and the time between oil changes will increase by 30 percent.

A new e-XDi220 two-stage turbocharged 2.2-litre engine will produce 165kW of power and 500Nm of torque. Ssangyong says the engine will be perfect for a premium saloon vehicle, with strong performance and efficiency.

A turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine has been designed for future Ssangyong SUVs and premium passenger cars. The engine produces 163kW of power and 300Nm of torque, and will be fitted to front- and all-wheel drive platforms.

All four new engines displayed by Ssangyong at Geneva are Euro VI compliant, meeting Europe’s most stringent emissions standard that won’t be introduced until September 2014.

Given that Ssangyong Australia’s current slogan is ‘We live diesel’, the introduction of the petrol engine to the local range appears unlikely, at least in the short term.

The iPad 2 has only been in the market for 3 days, and California based SoundMan Car Audio has done it again. They’ve managed to install an iPad 2 into the dashboard of a 2010 Ford F-150 pickup.

Last year, SoundMan Car Audio experimented with a Toyota Tacoma and proceeded to give it an A/V system overhaul with the first generation iPad taking center stage in the modified dashboard.

One aspect of Palethorpe’s design I do like, however, are the high-tech fenders that show how long the truck’s been on the road. A series of lights, clearly visible to other drivers, would indicate the number of hours the truck’s been driven in the last 24 hours, and the last time the driver had a break. While truckers might accuse them of being draconian, I see it as essentially putting your money where your mouth is with those “How’s my driving” signs. Who’s with me?

This is 3d model of the truck concept made by me for fun. Hope you like it and want to use it in your work. Nobody can tell you illegally use an existing brand because it is my personal development and unexisting model. Polygons counted with MSmooth iterations 0 Rendered with MSmooth iterations 2 (over 550000 polygons) All 3d, textures used in interior and grills included. Tire, headlights, cameras and glas washers are 3d. Rendered with V-ray. Press render to get the same as preview result.