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Only in Japan: Dodge van one-make racing series is a thing

Japan seems willing to embrace a level of automotive insanity that many other places lack. Whether it's 1,200-horsepower Nissan GT-Rs blasting through tight, tree-lined mountain roads or advertisements with dances for the Toyota Prius Plug-in, the country definitely has a unique way of expressing a love for autos. The D-Van Grand Prix might be one of our favorite examples yet of crazy Japanese car culture, because the annual, one-make race at the Ebisu Circuit is exclusively for heavily customized Dodge vans. Like many great things, this wonderfully crazy idea came from a little rule breaking. D-Van Grand Prix organizer Takuro Abe was at a track event for a motorcycle racing school, and vans were used to haul the bikes around. During lunch someone came up with the idea for a race. Ignoring that the big machines weren't actually allowed on the circuit, the drivers headed out. The popularity has just grown since then. These days, the racing vans absolutely aren't the stock machines from the event's inspiration. In addition to stripped interiors and track rubber that you might expect, the list of mods for them is a mile long. For every possible advantage, the racers fit them with things like Brembo brakes, cross-drilled rotors, heavy-duty transmissions, and much more. Seeing vans lumbering around the track is very weird at first, but the racers take the competition very seriously. These folks even employ all sorts of little tricks to coax the most from the machines. This is a fascinating motorsports story, but be sure to turn on the subtitles to understand the interviews with the competitors.

The 2021 F-150 elevates Ford's bed game

The new 2021 Ford F-150 is ushering in a new era of pickup capability, but there's more to it than the introduction of the PowerBoost hybrid. While that new powertrain is certainly the truck's headlining element, the supporting electrical architecture enables a level of utility that hasn't been offered in past consumer half-tons. The true party trick is Ford's new "Pro Power Onboard" feature, which is essentially a built-in generator that provides juice for the 2021 F-150's rather robust in-bed power station. This system is available even on gasoline-engine models, but its utility is maximized with the electrified powertrain. ICE models equipped with the option max out at 2.0 kilowatts, while the PowerBoost hybrid can be had with either a 2.4- or a whopping 7.2-kilowatt inverter.  The idea here is that the F-150 can essentially stand in for a high-output portable generator. In a worksite example provided by Ford, a PowerBoost model with the 7.2-kW upgrade and a single tank of fuel could provide 32 hours of power for an 1,800-watt compound miter saw, a 1,000W circular saw, a 1,200W battery charger, a 1,200W hammer drill, and a 1,000W air compressor with hundreds of watts to spare for lighting and other accessories. But even without the Pro Power Onboard option, Ford's new bed setup enables more versatility than in previous models. The new Tailgate Work Surface option adds a flat work area with integrated rulers, recesses for pencils or small tools, and even a stand for a personal device.  Ford is neither the first to offer an auxiliary power outlet in a half-ton pickup bed, nor was Ford the first to introduce a more feature-rich tailgate. GMC's MultiPro tailgate was a major innovation on that front, and while it is geared mostly toward improving the cargo utility of the bed, it can also be customized with 12-volt power and even an accessory speaker system. The Ram 1500 is also offered with both a multi-function tailgate and AC power in the bed, though the latter option is limited to models with the RamBox cargo package.  As half-ton pickups approach levels of towing and hauling capability that begin to blur lines with heavy-duty offerings, it's clear that automakers are looking for ways to differentiate themselves without stepping on their own bigger trucks' toes. These new bed and tailgate innovations may yet be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to full-size pickup versatility. Related Video:    

2021 Ram 1500 TRX debuts as a Hellcat-powered, desert-running Raptor killer

The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX is here, and Ford’s free ride is over with the F-150 Raptor. Ford has had it good for a long time without any significant competition. Neither GM nor FCA entered the off-road full-size truck market with an offering like the Raptor. Chevy makes the Colorado ZR2, but itÂ’s a midsize truck. With the introduction of the Ram TRX, Ford finally has a proper competitor. Timing of the Ram TRXÂ’s release happens to fall in an in-between time for the Raptor, too. The F-150 is all new for 2021, but Ford hasnÂ’t released any details on the Raptor variant — though, weÂ’ve heard that the wait wonÂ’t be long. Regardless, Ford had better be aiming for the moon if it aims to best the TRX, because RamÂ’s new off-road truck is one hell of a moonshot. There is a lot to take in here, so weÂ’ve divided the chunks of information into a few digestible sections. LetÂ’s start with the underneath bits, which are arguably the most important of all when desert running and jumping is taken into consideration. Ram TRX frame and suspension Ram boasts that the frame underneath the TRX is 75 percent different from a regular Ram 1500. It uses thicker high-strength steel with low torsion attributes for stability and durability. The side rails are fully boxed, and sections of the frame are hydroformed. Ram claims its truck holds up to jumping and high impact events better than the competition, which in this case is simply code for the outgoing Raptor. ItÂ’s designed to handle rough terrain at 100 mph-plus. Compared to a Ram 1500 with the 5.7-liter V8, itÂ’s 600 pounds heavier. Ram is not messing around here. Damping is taken care of by Bilstein Black Hawk e2 adaptive shocks, aided by nitrogen-charged remote reservoirs to ensure maximum durability. The shocks will continuously adjust damping force to best handle the terrain, but you can control them via a number of modes, too. Ram says that in addition to the off-road capability, the shocks make for a smoother ride on pavement. The internals of the shocks feature a “Jounce Cut Off” that has three zones for progressive bottom-out control. You know, for when you take that jump at speed on your way to the office. 2021 Ram 1500 TRX chassis with brakes View 7 Photos Just like the other Ram 1500s, this one uses a five-link coil suspension design for the rear. However, the design is unique to the TRX with different hard points to allow room for a Dana 60 rear axle.