Ford F-150

The new-generation 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor has been officially revealed, with force-fed V6 power under the bonnet. Powering the third generation of Ford's flagship off-road performance pick-up – the bigger brother to Australia's Ford Ranger Raptor – at launch is a 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine, sending drive to all four wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission and a bespoke four-wheel-drive system with electronic locking rear and Torsen limited-slip front differentials.

The 2021 Ford F-150 will be able to be driven hands-free in certain conditions while a hidden camera makes sure the driver is paying attention, as one of the world’s biggest selling vehicles takes a step towards autonomous driving. It will also make a step towards zero emissions driving, with a hybrid version of this model arriving about two years ahead of a full electric model, the company said.

Ford Motor Company has made three separate safety recalls in North America, the largest being 1.48 million F-150 pick-up trucks for potentially faulty transmissions. The manufacturer says F-150 models fitted with the six-speed automatic transmission from 2011-13 may experience an "intermittent loss of the transmission output speed sensor signal to the powertrain control module, potentially resulting in a temporary, unintended downshift into first gear".

JATO Dynamics says global car sales totalled 44 million during the first six months of 2018, up 3.6 per cent on the same time last year, with SUV sales up 14 per cent to at least 14.95 million units.