A quick update this morning from the fellas at Automation. They say those of us who pre-ordered will unlock V8s on the 4th of July. Happy Independence Day indeed.
Jun 26
2013 F150 Raptor gets some upgrades
The option sheet on the Raptor just added a few more goodies. The most interesting especially if you are the rock crawling type is the bead lock rims. These rims are really interesting in that they are actually regular rims that can be broken down then the tire be remounting on a bead lock system that is available from Ford racing. It’s the first of it’s kind and really pretty interesting.
You’ll also get some electronic goodies like Ford’s My Touch infotainment system, HIDs, and the same LCD screen in between the gauges for the track apps that Ford is putting on the new Mustang. If you’ll remember from our review a few days ago that’s pretty damn cool.
Lastly you’ll get the option for a desert camo paint scheme called Terrain. You know just incase you are out dune jumping and need to sneak up on something. Good luck with sneaking up on anything with that monster 6.2L V8 up front.
So the Raptor gets some upgrades which will probably keep it the coolest truck on the market.
Jun 25
Cheap new cars
The question comes up a lot “what car should I get on a budget?” Of course I’d recommend buying used but today let’s take a look at what’s out there new and kind of sporty. I’m sure I could drone on and on about each of these cars but you probably don’t want to read a giant article about small cheap cars. So I’ll hit the highlights and you can research from there if you like the car.
First up the Hyundai Volester. It’s funky and it’s look isn’t for everyone, but it’s cheap and can be fun to drive. Starting at around 17k and getting 40mpgs on the highway it’s a pretty decent buy.
Dodge Dart. The Dart is fun, big enough to comfortably seat you and your friends, and has a ton of options to tick off. Also at 18k it won’t break the bank.
Fiat 500, with good fuel economy and a 15k starting price you’ll have a lot of fun in this little package.
VW Jetta. Again at around 15k and large enough to haul a family the VW Jetta has been a staple in the cheap car category for years.
Scion IQ which is a four seater that barely seats two might be a good choice. It’s cheap and highly customizable. Also reliable. Fuel economy is ok at 37mpgs on the highway.
Kia Soul, maybe the cheapest on our list at a shade under 14k it’s roomy and with love it or hate it styling it might just be for you if you are a love it kind of person. Economy would be good but not best in class good.
Ford Fiesta at about the same price as the Soul but with generally better looks it’s a hot contender in the sub 20k segment. It’s also very efficient and well built.
Chevy Sonic. While it replaces the less then stellar Aveo it sheds any comparison to it’s predecessor. Good looks, an upgraded interior, rock solid reliable ecotec engine, and excellent economy. At 14k it’s cheap too.
Mazda 2, with it’s skyactiv technology option you’ll get great economy and it’s base price of 15k you won’t break the bank either.
Jun 24
ALMS going green…er with natural gas.
Word today from the Washington Post is that the ALMS is taking more steps to be green by developing natural gas powered cars for the LMPC category. Word is a version of the Chevy LS3 is being developed by Patrick racing to power their Oreca car. We don’t have a lot of details yet but Ralph Hensen who is President of marketing for Patrick says the sponsors are on board in a big way and that the idea of natural gas has opened up some new sponsors. Natural gas is abundant here in the US and pretty affordable. So this isn’t really a surprising move, not to mention it’s rated at 130 octane.
Natural Gas is probably in our future as motorist so starting in the racing world makes some sense. However one thing that concerns me as a motorist is that it’s price can be volatile and supplies are not infinite. I suppose that’s getting way ahead of the game though and it’s nice to see ALMS working towards cleaner racing.