Automakers battle in annual Texas truck showdown

General Motors, Ford, Chrysler and Toyota are rolling into this weekend’s Texas State Fair in Dallas with guns blazing -- at each other.Around 3 million pairs of cowboy boots visit the fair each year, which makes it ground zero in the truck and SUV marketing wars. No state comes even close in sales of trucks and SUVs than Texas, with its 803,721 registrations in 2013, according to IHS Automotive data. California was a distant second, with 662,581 registrations, IHS says.“There’s no doubt that Texas is extremely important to Ram,” Chrysler spokesman Nick Cappa said from the fair today. “One out of every five trucks we produce comes here to this state.”The nearly monthlong fair that opens Friday is considered an auto show by manufacturers, and their displays are huge. Trucks, vans and SUVs live in “The Truck Zone,” a 135,000-square-foot area.GM, Ford and Chrysler are using the venue to showcase new models, special editions and marketing tie-ups. But they are also taking pot shots at each other to put some space between themselves and the competition by stressing the attributes that make their trucks unique.For example:GM aims to shoot holes in Ford’s aluminum-bodied 2015 F-150 by touting the advanced high-strength steel it uses in the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups. A concept truck called the Silverado Toughnology features a raw steel appearance.“During the Silverado’s development, we evaluated all materials and chose those that would provide the best strength to support capability while still delivering strong value to customers,” said Jeff Luke, Silverado chief engineer.Ford is touting the technology in the 2015 F-150 and “military strength” aluminum alloy used in the truck’s body. The new truck, which arrives in December, is loaded with technology most often found in luxury cars, including an automated parking system that parallel parks the truck and an adaptive cruise control tied into the braking system that automatically slows the truck to keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. A display at the fair touts 10 of the features.Attendees can use a crane to lift 700 pounds of weight out of an F-150 truckbed and place it on a trailer. That’s how much less the 2015 F-150 weighs than the outgoing steel-bodied model.Chrysler is stressing the fuel economy and capability of the hot-selling Ram truck. Ram owns the title, for now, for best highway fuel economy with gas and diesel versions of the Ram 1500 and several best-in-class towing categories.Ram, which has won the “Truck of Texas” award twice in a row, is reminding visitors of the accolades with a big banner and a giant silver trophy on display. Ram is on a tear this year. It has been the fastest growing truck brand in 2014, and today Chrysler announced plans to increase Ram output by 100 units a day, or 28,565 a year, at a plant in Warren, Mich.Here’s a look at the concept and production trucks and marketing deals being announced by automakers at the State Fair of Texas. Chevrolet Texas is Chevrolet’s biggest market for trucks and SUVs. And this year’s fair is a big deal for Chevrolet. Not only will GM’s top-selling truck, the Silverado, start feeling the heat from the rebuilt F-150 coming in December, but GM is in the midst of launching the second-generation of the Colorado midsize pickup.In addition to the Toughnology Silverado concept, Chevy is introducing a Colorado Sport that it calls a concept but that could be added to the lineup next year. The truck features Chevrolet’s GearOn accessory system that allows easy storage of such things as mountain bikes and kayaks. The vehicle has special wheels that could see production.Chevrolet also is introducing Z71 off-road versions of the Tahoe and Suburban SUVs, which will be at dealers later this year. The Z71s add unique wheels, grille and running boards and a skid plate underneath to protect the engine from rocks and branches. Also debuting at the fair are Texas Edition versions of the Tahoe and Suburban. The SUVs have special badges and are available with unique option packages.FordThe new F-150, no doubt, will attract huge crowds. Spokesman Mike Levine said Ford is demonstrating the truck’s technology and features. Ford also is showing the latest versions of the Transit van, which arrived this summer to replace the aging E-Series van, the smaller Transit Connect, which was all new last year, and the F-Series Super Duty, which has been given a midcycle refresh for 2015. Ram Chrysler’s truck and commercial vehicle division has a huge display, including such features as a Ram truck on a steep ramp that allows attendees to examine the vehicle’s frame and the underpinnings. Another Ram is set up like a giant video game driving simulator. Hydraulic actuators move the truck as the driver turns the wheels. Four big TV screens show the action.Ram also donated $100,000 to the Texas Rangers -- the law enforcement organization, not the ballclub -- to help support the Rangers’ Hall of Fame and Museum.Toyota The Texas-built, full-size Tundra pickup gets a Bass Pro Shops special edition off-road version. The truck, available in silver only and with four-wheel drive, gets a slew of unique cosmetic touches. It will be available in five states only -- Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Oklahoma -- for $43,975.

Automakers battle in annual Texas truck showdown

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