Range-Topping 2013 Ford F-150 Limited Arrives This Fall

Ford says that more than 30% of F-150 sales are “high-end” examples that range from $35,000 to $50,000.

And they’re taking advantage of that niche with a new range-topping trim—the 2013 Ford F-150 Limited.

Available only in SuperCrew four-door configuration, the Limited joins the Raptor as models designed to blend the utility of a truck with the performance and aesthetics of sports and luxury segments.

“The F-150 Limited signifies the highest levels of design refinement, luxury and technology that we’ve ever offered in a Built Ford Tough pickup truck,” said Ford Group Vice President for Product Development, Raj Nair. “The F-150 Limited reflects a growing trend – more and more customers today have high expectations for luxury and convenience, yet their needs call for a truly capable truck.”

Arriving at dealerships this fall, other “Limited” features include 22” polished aluminum wheels, special exterior paint colors, aluminum and piano black interior finishes, special F-150 insignias in lamp design, ambient lighting, and a standard moonroof among a myriad changes.

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Buick Banks on Active Safety

In addition to passive safety features that attempt to mitigate injuries after a crash is inevitable, Buick is also hoping to stop them before they occur by adding active safety features to their expanding lineup.

While the 2013 Buick Verano and 2013 Buick Encore each offer no fewer than 10 airbags and high-strength steel body structures, Buick is also incorporating other technology-driven enhancements in the name of safety, including Side Blind Zone Alert designed to reduce accidents due to driver blind spots.

Other safety enhancements include a Rear Cross Traffic Alert that can detect cross traffic up to 65’ away when backing up, alerting the diver of the potential hazard with a red directional arrow on the rear vision camera all current Buicks are equipped with.

“We want to integrate our backing visual warnings onto that screen so drivers know where to look and can quickly see for themselves what’s causing the warning,” said Raymond Kiefer, General Motors Active Safety Technical Fellow. “That way, they can react quickly to what the camera, radar and ultrasonic sensors are detecting.”

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Porsche Focusing on Brand, Not Affordability

In a story from Auto Week, Porsche is on record saying they have no intentions of building a model priced beneath the Boxster, which in 2013 guise approaches $40,000.

"To build a Porsche for 30,000 euros [$37,800 at current exchange rates] currently doesn't fit our brand," Bernhard Maier told the Automotive News Europe Congress in Monaco on Thursday. "The extraordinary purchase experience is not for free and the entry price is currently covered with the Boxster and in the future by the Macan."

While Porsche marketing efforts insist on the pursuit of brand and exclusivity—in huge part driven by sports cars--Porsche will launch a second SUV to compliment the Cayenne, the smaller Macan.

Said Maier, "No matter what we build--we build sports cars."

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