A growing number of posh pickups priced in excess of $50,000 are the most rugged luxury vehicles on the planet
By Jim Gorzelany
CTW Features
With the economy still on a roll and gas prices being more affordable than they’ve been in years, pricey pickup trucks have skyrocketed in popularity and are redefining the definition of “luxury car” for a growing number of consumers. Of the 10 best-selling vehicles in the U.S. having transaction prices greater than $50,000 last year, five were full-size trucks according to TrueCar.com.
An oddly alluring combination of brawn and beauty, these pricey pickups pamper their occupants with rich hand-stitched leather interiors, a staggeringly long list of amenities, and more chrome trim than a mid-1960’s Cadillac. They’re as equally at ease on a construction site on a Monday morning as they are taking their occupants to a five-star restaurant on a Saturday night.
Successful contractors and ranchers are drawn to them as the cowboy equivalents of Rolex wristwatches, and they’re embraced by affluent adventurers for their ability to tow large boats and trailers, and to haul dirt bikes, horse tack, and other sports equipment without otherwise mucking up the inside of an expensive SUV.
Offered in both standard and heavy-duty versions, luxury pickup trucks are usually configured as four-door “crew cab” models, which are built like full-size sport-utility vehicles with a moderately sized cargo bed situated behind the rear seats. They can seat five adults in complete comfort with limo-like leg room and enough headroom to accommodate a 10-gallon hat while still being able to tow a large boat or trailer or haul a serious payload.
The leader among upscale trucks is, not surprisingly, the most-popular vehicle of any kind, the Ford F-150 pickup, with total 2015 U.S. sales of 780,354 units, of which around 50 percent are said to be its costliest Lariat, King Ranch, and Platinum trim levels. These models fetch sticker prices that range from around $50,000 to well over $60.000. Do the math, and Ford’s pricey pickups handily outpace the top-selling luxury vehicles in the U.S., including the Lexus RX crossover, with 100,610 units delivered last year, and the BMW 3 Series at 94,527 units.
With each starting at around $50,000, Chevrolet features its Silverado full-size pickup in opulent High Country versions, while Fiat-Chrysler offers its Ram truck line in Laramie Longhorn models and GMC brings the goods with its Denali editions. They’re also offered in heavy-duty models that are becoming popular among those with serious towing and hauling needs; half of all GMC Sierra heavy-duty pickups are now Denalis, which for HD versions start at around $56,000.
Not to be outdone, Toyota and Nissan have likewise entered the luxury pickup game with their own elegantly outfitted trucks costing $50,000 or more. The top model in Toyota’s Tundra full-size truck line is the 1794 CrewMax, while Nissan recently introduced the first models in a new generation of its Titan full-size pickup, beginning exclusively with the line’s costliest models, the diesel-powered XD SL, PRO-4X, and Platinum Reserve Crew Cab models that range in sticker prices from around $52,000 to nearly $62,000.
And keep in mind those are starting prices – adding accessories and perhaps an optional trim package can drive the cost up even higher. For example, a Ford F-150 Limited SuperCrew 4X4 with every available accessory carries a sticker price of $68,250, including the destination charge. Heavy-duty luxury pickups can be even costlier. Equipped with every available option, a GMC Sierra 3500 Denali Crew Cab easily cracks the $74,000 mark.
Ironically, however, there are currently no bona fide luxury brands participating in the full-size truck market. Lincoln took a stab at it a few years ago with its posh Blackwood model, but failed miserably, and Cadillac recently stopped producing its low volume Cadillac Escalade EXT pickup/SUV combo with the line’s recent redesign. Still, Mercedes-Benz is said to be working on a luxury pickup of its own, and other brands may well follow in pursuit of the genre’s rich profit margins.
© CTW Features