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Ken Block shows us around his Ford F-150 RaptorTrax

From his Fiesta HFHV to his '65 Mustang Hoonicorn, the inimitable Ken Block has some awesome machinery at his disposal. But arguably the coolest of the bunch is the RaptorTrax. Based on the previous-gen Ford F-150 SVT Raptor - the one with the steel frame and V8 engine - Block's back country snowmobile on steroids packs a set of tracks at each corner, a full roll cage, equipment rack, lighting, jump seats, survival gear... everything he could need for a trip off road. The Gymkhana master showcased the beast a couple of months ago on the slopes of Baldface in Nelson, BC, but now he's followed up with a less eye-popping but more informative clip in which he shows us everything his RaptorTrax has to offer. Related Video:

Detroit Three's lucrative pickup war intensifies as Ram makes big gains

DETROIT — The battle for profits from sales of large pickup trucks is intensifying among the Detroit Three automakers as sales of small cars in the United States shrivel. For decades Ford has had the single best-selling truck brand in its F-Series trucks. General Motors' Chevrolet brand was a solid No. 2, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' Ram was a distant third. Now, that hierarchy may be in flux. Sales figures for December and the fourth quarter released on Thursday show Ram tied with GM's Chevy for the No. 2 spot, as sales of the redesigned Ram pickup surged, fueled in part by demand for an optional 12-inch (30.48 cm) dashboard screen. Chevy not long ago held second place to Ford by a wide margin. GM executives said on Thursday they are bullish on their new GMC and Chevy trucks for 2019.Related: How the Detroit Three's pickups compare on paper 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie review 2019 Chevy Silverado 2.7L four-cylinder review 2019 Ford F-150 2.7L EcoBoost review "There's no doubt this segment (pickup trucks) is one of the epicenters of the auto wars," said Sandor Piszar, director of marketing for Chevrolet at GM. "It's been that way forever, and we wouldn't have it any other way." On Wall Street, investors give electric car leader Tesla a higher valuation than any of the Detroit automakers. But in the nation's heartland, big pickups remain far more popular and profitable than any electric car — and most other consumer vehicles of any kind. Large pickups generate at least $17,000 a vehicle in pretax profit for GM, the company has indicated in disclosures to investors. By contrast, many Detroit Three sedans are so unprofitable, their manufacturers have decided not to build them anymore. 'Hotly contested' Sustaining sales and pricing in the large-pickup segment will be critical in a year when most forecasters expect overall U.S. car and light truck sales to fall. Ford's U.S. sales chief, Mark LaNeve, on Thursday called the F Series "the backbone of our franchise" during a conference call, and added the "segment will continue to be strong, but hotly contested" in 2019. Automakers are banking on pickup truck sales to stay strong even if U.S. interest rates continue to rise. Rising interest rates translate into higher monthly car payments and are expected to deter some buyers in 2019. GM has said 27 percent of Chevrolet and GMC trucks — which can haul trailers by day and substitute for a luxury sedan by night — sell for more than $55,000.

Couple fined for parking Ford F-150 in their own driveway

A homeowners' association in New York is suing two of its residents for parking their pickup truck in their own driveway. David and Arna Orlando of Manlius, NY, are facing a lawsuit from the Kimry Moor Homeowners Association for parking their black 2014 Ford F-150 pickup in their own driveway. The Orlandos own their home, but common areas such as their driveway are managed by their HOA, which limits what vehicles can park in the open. They only allow "private, passenger-type, pleasure automobiles" to park outside of a garage. David Orlando says his pickup is a personal passenger vehicle and that the rule is silly. He also feels he is being unfairly targeted. A Syracuse.com reporter drove around the Orlandos' neighborhood and saw another fullsize pickup parked in another driveway, along with a large van and SUV. The Orlandos said in court documents that the pickup is registered as a private vehicle and neither of them have commercial drivers' licenses. The lawsuit was filed in August 2013 and is still in the discovery phase. Depositions are up next. New York seems to have gone power-mad when it comes to regulating common driveway activities. In a Garden City, NY, neighborhood last year police were called when two men began washing a new Volkswagen "in public view", which was against a local ordinance. Related Video: News Source: Syracuse.com Weird Car News Ford Videos hoa parking fines