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2019 ABC Supply 500 – More Racing, More Controversy

August 21, 2019 by ponycargirl Leave a Comment

Rain and more rain was predicted for the 2019 ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway, but the dark clouds weren’t just in the sky. The specter of Robert Wicken’s 2018 horrific crash into the fence at Turn 2 lurked overhead as NTT IndyCar Series teams set up in the paddocks and welcomed race fans for the weekend. The 2.5 mile (4.023 km) Tricky Triangle seems to have its own micro climate with weather unlike anywhere else in Pennsylvania. Saturday’s first practice was scuttled when low cloud cover prevented the MediVac from flying to the track, then a torrential downpour quashed Qualifying. A two-hour practice session was scheduled for the afternoon once the track was dried. Championship points determined the starting grid, putting Josef Newgarden in pole position followed by Alexander Rossi, Simon Pagenaud, Scott Dixon, and Will Power. A hopeful Tony Kanaan had the fastest lap in qualifying, a blistering 216.354 mph.

There was hope for Sunday’s race – more rain wasn’t predicted until late afternoon, giving the drivers just enough time to finish the 200 laps before thunderstorms were supposed to blow through. The race didn’t stick to plan, though, and after the safety car pulled away and the racing started, it was deja-vu “all over again”. Three deep in the corner in the first lap, Takuma Sato pulled forward on the high side of the turn and clipped Rossi, who then went into Ryan Hunter-Reay on the low side. Sato careened into the wall collecting Felix Rosenqvist, whose race car eerily rode along the wall but fortunately avoided barreling into the fence. James Hinchcliffe – who can’t seem to catch a break at Pocono, and was also involved in last year’s Turn 2 crash along with Sato – hit the wall while trying to avoid the crash. Sato’s #30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan car turned upside down and was on fire, but he walked away after extracted. All except Rosenqvist were cleared by medical fairly quickly; Rosenqvist was alert and walking but went to hospital as a precaution. A 45-minute red flag delayed the race while the fence was once again repaired in Turn 2. Hinch returned to the race after being cleared. Despite the severe penalties for repairing the cars under caution, Rossi’s team fixed the car and re-entered the pit on Lap 75, and Hunter-Reay followed soon after.

Pagenaud snagged the lead early on, then his Team Penske mate Will Power took the lead in Lap 48, jockeying for the lead several more times during the race. By Lap 115, Power was in the lead followed by Dixon and Pagenaud. They would stay the top three until a full course yellow came out on Lap 126, quickly followed by a red flag to return to the pits because of lightning in the distance. The race was soon called and Power declared the winner as fans evacuated the stands. As the trophies were awarded in the cramped media center sans champagne and confetti, the violent storm arrived to unleash a barrage of hail.

While originally contrite about the crash, Sato holds firm that he didn’t turn into Rossi as he shot forward. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing issued a rare statement supporting his insistence that on the cockpit camera footage, he didn’t move his hands to turn. Rossi begs to differ, and the debate continues. The controversy over the crash was immediate on social media. Robert Wickens tweeted, “How many times do we have to go through the same situation before we can all accept that an IndyCar should not race at Pocono. It’s just a toxic relationship and maybe it’s time to consider a divorce. I’m very relieved (to my knowledge) that everyone is okay from that scary crash.” Sage Karam also tweeted, “Glad to see everyone is ok. Never a good feeling when you see something like that especially when it’s your brothers. Think the answer is clear that we should not be here. In my opinion that question was answered awhile ago.”

Commenters weighed in in various forums echoing Wickens’ sentiment, even calling for a suspension or full ban on Sato from the sport. However, the response from the three winners in the post-race press conference was a bit more measured. Regarding the actual crash, Power said. “Looking at that replay, I don’t know what happened there, whether Sato got a seam or something, but man – you just can’t do that. The seams down the back there, like you’ll see cars move around a lot. And maybe that’s what happened. Being three wide is pretty tough, going in there and getting close because it’ll move half a foot, it moves six inches either way when you’re on them. It sucked too to see it in Turn 2 on the first lap, I feel bad for the guys that were taken out that were in the championship too, especially for Rossi. But man, you just gotta respect these places, you do, in every situation, you can’t screw around much.”

Regarding the question on whether INDYCAR should continue racing at Pocono, Dixon weighed in saying, “Honestly, I feel bad for Pocono, the group of people here work extremely hard… some of the race was fantastic, it’s getting some really good momentum and hopefully it does continue, but (it’s) down to weather and some mistakes that happened on track that honestly could happen anywhere… I think the drivers in a lot of situations could do a better job to help that situation. Honestly, I hope we come back and I want to say a big thank you to everyone here at Pocono, the fans and everyone that comes out because it’s definitely a tough place. Will can tell you how rewarding it is to win here because it is so difficult to get it right.” Power continued, “I agree, it’s a great oval for us. Obviously it’s an unfortunate accident that, like Scott said, could happen anywhere, they kind of got a bad rap for that. But the crowd’s up 15% every year we come back so it’s getting better… It’s a good race track, man, it’s a good track for racing and I really hope we come back, I do… it’s hard to find good ovals these days that suit our cars.” Pagenaud added, “…it is a fun track to drive on, and really unfortunate because we’re close to New York, it’s a great market for IndyCar… And personally I love superspeedways, I think it’s been a bad – exactly what they said, a bad set of circumstances – and obviously when you’re travelling at such high speed a crash is a big crash. Hopefully we can come back and keep working with the people at Pocono, as a driver I really enjoy coming here.” INDYCAR at this time has not announced whether or not they will renew at Pocono for 2020.

ABB Formula E Championship Double Header in NYC

July 18, 2019 by ponycargirl 1 Comment

For the third year in a row, the ABB FIA Formula-E Championship took over the cruise terminal in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York for the final two rounds of the 2018-2109 season. The open-wheeled electric racing series started out with a large dose of skepticism from the motorsports world and beyond with the mid-race car switch to accommodate battery depletion. However, this is the first season racing in the Gen2 cars that have enough battery charge to last to the end of the race, thus allowing a shift towards a more traditional pit lane and track layout. Gen2 cars have a top speed of 280km/h (~173 mph), with 0-60 acceleration at about 2.5 seconds. Remaining battery power is tracked on the driver standings during the race, showing most of the competitors with between 1-3% juice remaining at the checkered flag.

The series continues to advance their unique brand melding green power, Silicon Valley tech, and going fast with the new ATTACK MODE feature for the Gen-2 cars. ATTACK MODE is in the same spirit of, for example, IndyCar’s push-to-pass, in that it gives the driver an extra 25 kW of power to drive faster and harder for several laps. In order to get that extra bit of power, the driver has to pilot through the Activation Zone while racing – and teams only get the details an hour before the race start. The caveat is that they have to drive off the racing line in order to activate so it does cost the driver seconds, and if the zone is missed – as happened earlier in the season – those seconds are hard to make up without the extra power. Making everything feel a bit more like TRON, the protective Halo lights up with blue when the car is in ATTACK MODE, and magenta when they are using the FANBOOST.

The addition of the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY Championship as a support series has fleshed out race days, giving spectators more sportscar racing and less lukewarm filler of previous years. The Formula-E paddocks are still not accessible for most – with limited viewing even to those with VIP tickets, but the I-PACE paddocks were connected to the E-Village and accessible to all with a ticket regardless of price point. I-PACE paddocks also aren’t like those of other series – missing are the revving engines, exhaust fumes, and clinking of metal as team engineers deftly adjust combustion engines. The quiet, air-conditioned paddocks host dormant sports cars with blinking headlights – more like charging Cybermen than sleeping beasts. Drivers for the first season came from various global series including former Formula E drivers, NASCAR Toyota, LMP2, and perhaps most famously Katherine Legge from IndyCar and the now-defunct Nissan Delta Wing program. The electric race-spec I-PACE shares the 90kWh lithium-ion battery with the production model and can reach a top speed of 121 mph. Up to 20 drivers race for 25 minutes plus one lap.

Formula-E is not without growing pains, though. Following the FIA’s decision in June to ban Nissan’s twin motor powertrains for the 2019-2020 season, NISSAN E.DAMS driver and NYC Race 1 winner Sébastien Buemi said in the post-race press conference, “It’s been a tough season, lots of discussion about our power train… it’s been really political in a bad way from my point of view…. Clearly, you know to finish second in the championship is a good reward for the team, but on the other hand I’m sad that what we used this year will be banned next year. It just disappoints me massively because Formula E is about innovation in power trains and electric mobility.” He explained further, “I just hope in the future, you know, we keep the strengths of Formula E which is to, first of all, look for the sport, you know, and not for your own interests… I’m disappointed in the calling because it’s working very well now and we will not be able to use it. Again, you know, I have to accept it, it’s a decision taken by the FIA… we’ll live with it, it’s motorsport, sometimes it happens, but yeah, it’s a bit disappointing.”

That said, the rules and regulations are otherwise working well, keeping the series competitive (sending some side-eye to you, Formula 1). While Jean-Éric Vergne (DS Techeetah) was ahead in points going into the first race, three other drivers still had the chance to take the championship – Luca di Grassi (Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler), Panasonic Jaguar Racing’s Mitch Evans, and Buemi. Unlike last year in NYC when Vergne clinched the championship on day one, Buemi won the Saturday race leaving the championship to be decided by the final race. Panasonic Jaguar Racing’s Mitch Evans was second on podium, and António Félix da Costa/ BMW i Andretti Motorsport was third.

Ultimately, Vergne did win the championship on Sunday for the second year in a row after an exciting race that ended with Envision Virgin Racing’s Robin Frijns taking the checkered flag. Alexander Sims – BMW i Andretti Motorsport in second, and Sébastien Buemi rounding out the podium in third.

ABB FIA Formula-E Championship will return to New York City for the 2019-2020 season, but only for one day – the season-ending double header will now go to London. Why, Formula E? New Yorkers finally “got” racing and showed up in droves, and now you leave us? Is it our accents? IS THE RENT JUST TOO DAMN HIGH? London doesn’t have air condition in the subway like we do, I’ve been there, I know this! Well, I’ll still be here in New York next year, taking photos as the series continues to carve out its own niche in the world of Formula racing.

Review: 2019 Ram 1500 Rebel

May 12, 2019 by Tom Williams 1 Comment

For someone who loves reading and writing about cars, it should come as no surprise that I have my favorite automotive journalists. One of them is Ezra Dyer. In his early days at Automobile Magazine, he would rhapsodize about his father’s extraordinarily basic Dodge Ram pickup truck. Like e, Ezra is a New Englander. As a young kid, my grandfather, a retired forest ranger, would put me in his giant Dodge pickup he used for runs to his charcoal kiln. It had no carpet, not even a radio; that truck served one purpose-to work. Fast forward to early adulthood and my cousin would let me use his truck to drive from his cottage to beautiful Moonstone Beach in Rhode Island, nicely broken in like your favorite jeans, and I certainly didn’t worry about tracking in any sand. Call it a Yankee sense of practicality, the common thread with these trucks lay in their simplicity.

In 2019, pickup trucks are much different. Years ago, if your owned a truck you had a legitimate reason to. And that truck wasn’t usually needed to take the family to church or your date on a weekend getaway. Trucks of today are asked to be able to function like a working truck while delivering all of the amenities of a passenger car. Dodge started using Ram for its pickups from 1932 to 1954. In 1981, Dodge resurrected the Ram name. In 2011, Ram became its own brand. For 2019, the Ram entered its fifth generation. The Rebel joined the Ram pickup family in 2016 as the Ram built for off-roading.

For a truck built to go off-rad, it certainly looks the part. The Rebel gets its own unique styling. Knobby all terrain tires, tow hooks and an overall serious demeanor suggest this Ram wasn’t built to just haul mulch from the local garden center. As a result, during my time with the Rebel it got a LOT of attention. I get to drive plenty of new cars for The Garage, and most of the time no one pays any attention. That all changes when I get a truck. One guy pulled over to the side of the road while I was walking up to it just to ask me questions about it. I was asked if this was Ram’s answer to the Ford Raptor-a good question. While it is down on power, from its looks to off-road ability, yes, this is the closest truck Ram builds to the Raptor. With its striking red and black exterior, the Rebel attracts plenty of attention. Much like how men gather around whenever you’re grilling something, men, complete strangers, will want to gather around to look at, and talk about this truck. And anyone who came up to check it out was mightily impressed.

And that’s before anyone stepped up to examine the Rebel’s cabin. While Ram offers trims that are even more opulent, our Rebel had nearly every conceivable amenity many luxury car buyers would want. Solidly constructed, the materials gave an impression of durability. The general impression being the Ram is ready to take a bit of a beating inside and put up with it. Ram engineers are aware that many of their customers use their trucks as a mobile office. There is storage galore, and an impressive number of power and USB outlets. Our Ram truck had Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, making this truck an instant extension of your smart phone. The Ram’s UConnect infotainment continues to be intuitive and easy to use. It is worth mentioning the Ram’s back up camera is without question, the clearest I have ever seen on any car or truck, and if you are towing anything, you will seriously appreciate that. For all its toughness, the Rebel is very comfortable up front. Our Rebel was a quad cab. I’m 6’1″, and while I fit in the backseat, my knees were up against the front seatback, That, and its upright seatback, the rear is acceptable for a quick trip but that’s about it. Buyers needing more rear seat room would do well to get a Ram with a crew cab. If I am reviewing a car equipped with SiriusXM satellite radio, I will typically tune in to the stations that play the alternative rock of my college days. But none of it ‘felt’ right while driving he Rebel. So strong is this truck’s personality that Tom Petty Radio was the only music I would listen to for my week with the Rebel. For any modern vehicle brimming with all the latest technology to have that much character really says something about this truck.

While other Ram trucks offer a V-6 under the hood, that engine is not going to do you any good if you intend to actually take the Rebel to do what it was built for, and that was to leave the paved road behind you. With that purpose in mind, all Rebel’s have a 5.7L Hemi V-8 with 395hp, paired to an 8-speed automatic. The Rebel always in 4×2 mode until you select 4×4. Puttering around town or humming down the highway, the engine is quiet, but once you stomp on the throttle the Hemi comes to life with a glorious roar, and it feels like you’re driving a muscle car that can haul things. Speaking of hauling, Ram 1500’s with a V-8 can tow up to 12,750 lbs, and can handle up to 2,300 lbs. payload on the bed. All of that power is handy for when you need it, but for a truck with this level of capability, it’s absurd to expect much in the way of fuel economy. At least the Ram has a 28 gallon fuel tank so you are not constantly at the pump. In addition to the all-terrain tires and tow hooks, the Rebel differs from other 1500’s with an upgraded suspension, a locking differential, skid plates and hill descent control.

It would be safe to assume that a truck built with the capability of tacking difficult off-road situations would have to give up a lot in terms of day to day driving comfort, but with the Rebel you would be dead wrong. Ram 1500’s use a coil spring rear suspension, while other trucks use a less sophisticated leaf setup. The result is a truck that doesn’t ride like a truck. I took the Rebel for a leisurely weekend trip to the Berkshire Mountains, and I was simply amazed. Even over rough pavement, the Rebel is remarkably composed. If not for the fact I could see the truck’s bed behind me, it feels like you are driving a large crossover. It is simply a remarkable feat that Ram engineers could build such a capable truck that offers unparalleled levels of refinement.

In addition to all the equipment unique to the Rebel that we already mentioned, other standard equipment includes a power drivers seat power rear sliding window and SiriusXM radio. Options on our Rebel included an 8.4″ color touchscreen display, dual zone auto climate control, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, heated front seats, heated steering wheel. front and rear parking assist, remote start, premium audio and blind spot detection. sticker price came to $54,250USD, including destination.

I often thought of my grandfather and his brute, no frills Dodge pickup while I was driving the Ram. I usually got stuck on how I would tell him that it is possible to have a truck that can do everything and more that his truck could but ride the way he would expect a luxury car would. Because if he wanted something nice than his single purpose truck, well, there was always my grandmother’s Chrysler LeBaron. The pickup truck as we know has evolved a long way from what I remember from my childhood, but with the new Ram, I feel like the goalposts just got moved forward. When it comes to trucks, most buyers are unwaveringly loyal to their brand of choice. Anyone shopping for a full size pickup truck, regardless of where their loyalties lie,, owe it to themselves to take a serious look at the Ram 1500. It is really that good.

Review: 2019 Toyota Avalon Hybrid

March 30, 2019 by Tom Williams 2 Comments

We seldom stop to consider what a dizzying variety of options one has when it comes to picking out a new car today, especially when you consider how mind bogglingly simple it was once only a few decades ago. If you had a family and you needed to carry them and their belongings around, you would choose either a small, medium, or large sedan or station wagon. That was it. There were no minivans, there were no crossovers, and it was out of the ordinary for a family to buy an SUV for an everyday family car. Ford stunned the industry when it announced it was essentially going to let all of its sedans die off in North America. GM is killing off their large front wheel drive sedans. People are still buying large sedans, and as key players fall by the wayside, the companies still in the market will gladly take up the demand. But for what is such an old concept-the large sedan-how does it remain relevant in 2019?

The Avalon has been Toyota’s flagship sedan since 1994. For 2019, the Avalon is all-new, and now entering its fifth generation. While many consider the Avalon simply a larger Camry-which was once the case-the Avalon rides on its own platform that is shared with the Lexus ES. The Avalon is a large sedan, but its proportions are just right. Early Avalons were dismissed as Toyota’s idea of a Buick. A study also revealed that in North America, Toyota attracted the oldest buyers. A middle age or younger car buyer hears that Toyota’s are favored by old people can be enough to be a deal breaker. So in response to that, I do not find it surprising that contemporary Toyota’s are now looking edgier. Looking at the Avalon from the front or front 3/4 view, there is just no getting around that front fascia. To say it is overwrought is an understatement. Enormous front ‘grills’ seem to be a thing these days, and I predict this look is destined to not age well. Look at the rear of the car, its pleasant enough but entirely forgettable. There is just nothing to suggest this is Toyota’s premium sedan. Which is shocking, because when you take the Avalon in from its side profile, there is no question this is the most expensive four door Toyota offers. As a whole, the Avalon’s appearance is alright, but incoherent. You feel differently about this car depending on what angle you are viewing it from.

Inside, the Avalon is a grand slam homerun. There is simply no mistaking you’re sitting in the most luxurious car that wears a Toyota badge. Quality of materials and fit and finish are exemplary. The quilted leather and real wood accents confirm this is not a car that aspires to be luxurious, it simply is a luxury car, without question. Controls are intuitive and easy to use. The seats offer exceptional comfort, and as expected, the Avalon provides a very roomy and airy cabin. With all the quiet and comfort you could want, the Avalon is a perfect setting for long, relaxing drives. The Avalon is Toyota’s first car to come with Apple’s CarPlay (sorry Android users, your phone cannot connect). It is worth mentioning that in cars that were sold in regular and hybrid versions, hybrid owners had to be wiling to make a considerable sacrifice-trunk space. I have seen full size hybrid sedans have a trunk that might hold enough luggage for a weekend getaway but little else. Not so with the Avalon. With the batteries underneath the rear seat, you are able to enjoy the large amount of trunk space buyers expect in a car of this size.

The Avalon Hybrid is powered by a 2.5L four cylinder along with two electric motors to make a combined 215hp with a CVT transmission. While the numbers suggest that is not much horsepower to move a car of this size, in reality the Avalon keeps up with highway traffic with no problem at all, and never seems strained. Yes, there are buyers who will only accept the sound of a silky V-6 under the hood, and the regular Avalon delivers just that experience. But consider this-the Avalon Hybrid costs about $1,000 more, but delivers 70% better fuel economy. In the long run, the Hybrid makes more sense. Our perception of the luxury car experience is also evolving; exceptional fuel economy is also an accepted qualifier for luxury today. The typical Avalon buyer isn’t going to be doing any stoplight drag racing to begin with, and with such an unobtrusive drivetrain, you don’t feel like you’ve given up anything in the name of saving gas, The EPA gives the Avalon Hybrid 43 MPG, but my test car was telling me I was getting 37 MPG in mixed driving. That is a remarkable number for a full size luxury car.

The Avalon Hybrid is available in three trim levels; our test car was the luxury oriented Limited. Standard equipment included 18″ alloy wheels, LED headlights, moonroof, premium JBL audio, navigation, head up display, power heated steering wheel, leather power heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seat, Qi wireless phone charging, pre-collision system, lane departure alert with assist, automatic high beams and dynamic radar cruise control. Our test car had the optional Advanced Safety Package, which added intelligent clearance sonar, bird’s eye view camera with perimeter scan and rear cross traffic alert with braking. Including destination, our Avalon Hybrid had a window sticker of $45,118USD. Remember when I mentioned the Avalon shares the same platform and drivetrain as the Lexus ES? A Lexus ES Hybrid equipped similar to our Avalon would set you back an extra $9,000. With that in mind, the Avalon represents a solid value for a luxury hybrid sedan.

While the notion of a full size sedan is a decades old proposition, the Avalon Hybrid points to the future of the genre. It is tough to argue the pros of a luxury car boasting the latest in technology and luxury features that boasts fuel economy figures you’d be happy to be getting in a basic, no frills Corolla. This combination is the new definition of luxury. While I question that front-end styling, the Avalon Hybrid is a full size sedan that is completely relevant in today’s automotive marketplace. Ford and GM may have thrown up their hands and walked away, but Toyota has proven this is a breed of car worth building.

Review: 2019 Toyota Highlander

March 10, 2019 by Tom Williams 2 Comments

In the summer of 1989, my friend’s mom had driven a group of us to Riverside Amusement Park in Massachusetts. After the end of a fun day, I was asked if I, who had a newly minted driver’s license, would like to drive home. Would I?!? I gladly got behind the wheel of the Funaro family hauler-a Buick Electra Estate Wagon-and floated on down the highway. As I drove us all back to Connecticut, what was not going through my 16 year old mind was “What kind of car would we all be driving when we’re all grown up and have kids?” Fast forward thirty years to the present. I post a pic of this Toyota Highlander on social media, and my old friend Nancee proudly proclaims “That’s my car!” And here we are. My generation has largely ignored the station wagon, and there are those of us who wouldn’t be caught dead in a minivan. If Generation X wasn’t rushing to buy a Camry wagon, and a true SUV was too harsh, what does Toyota do? Take that Camry platform, and build us a crossover.

The first Highlander arrived in 2001, making it one of the earlier crossovers. Now in its third generation, today’s Highlander has been around now since 2014, so it’s hardly new. In 2017, Toyota gave the Highlander a facelift, but apart from some other minor tweaking, Toyota has pretty much left it alone. Buyers are certainly not complaining-in fact, 2018 was the Highlander’s best sales year ever, with over 244,000 Americans taking home a Highlander.

Buyers like crossovers for their practicality-they need to comfortably hold passengers, and their belongings, so stylists have to work around those parameters. The Highlander is certainly contemporary, but what I found interesting was just how aggressive the front-end styling was. Parked near my neighbor’s older 4Runner, a very capable off-roader, I was taken aback at just how angry the family friendly Highlander looked in comparison. Out in the wild though, the popular Highlander tends to get lost in the crowd. I’d see another Highlander, or at least I thought I did, so I found myself always making a double take to be sure. On its own merit, the Highlander is a handsome car, it’s just a little forgettable from any angle except the nose and is easily lost in a crowd.

Of course, what matters most in any crossover is its cabin. The Highlander is a pretty substantial vehicle, so it should come as no surprise there is plenty of room inside. Back to my friend Nancee, who, when asked why she picked a Highlander, explained her teenage son is already over 6′ tall, so a roomy rear seat was a must, and in this regard, the Highlander delivers. The three-row Highlander can seat up to eight, but it’s worth noting the third row will not hold an adult. Seating falls to seven if you choose second row captains chairs. The interior of the Highlander is a very pleasant place to spend time. I appreciated the soft touch materials. There is storage space galore and multiple USB ports. Gauges and controls are easy to understand. While I appreciate having knobs for various adjustments, the buttons flanking Toyota’s aging but still excellent infotainment system lacked tactile feel. Our top of the line Highlander had nearly every feature most buyers could want-nearly-the absence of Apple CarPlay was a little disappointing. Overall, the Highlander was very comfortable, and with industry leading build quality and high grade materials, the impression I get is this is a car that is intended to hold up for a very long time.

Under the hood, the Highlander gives buyers two choices. Base cars receive a 2.7L four cylinder paired to a six-speed automatic. You can only have front wheel drive, and with only 185hp pushing a car this large, this sounds like a tall order. Our Highlander had the 3.5L V-6 paired to an 8-speed automatic. With 295hp and available all-wheel drive, this is far more suitable to the Highlander’s character. The EPA gives fuel economy ratings 20/26 MPG city/highway, but the trip computer in my car never budged its average above 18 MPG. It’s worth mentioning here that if fuel economy is that important to you, there is a Highlander Hybrid available. Power is perfectly adequate around town and for highway cruising. At highway speeds the Highlander is extremely quiet and composed. I appreciated the weight that gradually builds up in the steering as your speed increases. For a car designed to haul your family around in comfort, the Highlander more than meets expectations.

The Highlander is available in six different trims, with the base Highlander starting in the low $30’s. Our test car was the top of the line Limited Platinum. Standard equipment was leather seats, front heated and ventilated seats, power seats, second row sunshades, premium JBL audio, an 8″ touchscreen with navigation and SiriusXM radio, 19″ wheels, panoramic moonroof, second row heated seats, heated steering wheel, rear power ligtgate, rain sensing wipers, front parking sonar, Lane Departure Alert, Pre-Collision System, automatic high beams and dynamic radar cruise control. Out the door, our Highlander had a window sticker of $48,319USD. That is not inexpensive, but you are getting a high level of equipment, and a Highlander outfitted such as this one is essentially a luxury car. With so many trim options available, I suspect most buyers will gravitate to the mid-level XLE, as my friend did.

So yes, thirty years after the question I didn’t ask myself, the crossover is the choice my generation has made to haul themselves and their families. Over the years, the Highlander has evolved from a sort of tall station wagon to something that looks how you might expect an SUV to appear. And although the Highlander is no longer a new design, buyers continue to open their wallets. The true luxury of the Highlander goes far beyond any of its available features. For buyers, the true luxury of the Highlander is how seamlessly it fits in to their busy lives, and knowing they can ask nearly anything the car was meant to do, and the Toyota will happily go about its work without the slightest protest, Trips to amusement parks included.

A Few Words With Reigning Indy 500 Champion Takuma Sato

May 25, 2018 by ponycargirl Leave a Comment

On Sunday May 27, 2018, the Indy 500 will be raced for the 102^ndtime. When the dust settled on Bump Day, the 33 drivers that qualified wasn’t a surprise but the two that didn’t make it was definitely a disappointing shock. Pippa Mann in the #63 Dayle Coyne Racing kept losing speed, and James Hinchcliffe had issues as well and neither made the cut. Ultimately Hinchcliffe announced Thursday that all options were exhausted, ending all chances to race on Sunday – and will no doubt affect his current #5 position in championship points. Danica Patrick, in her final race before retirement, rounded out the top nine at 9^thon the starting grid.

In the week leading up to the 2018 Indy 500, drivers traveled to different cities to publicize the race. Reigning champion Takuma Sato visited New York City where he was toasted by the Japanese Ambassador and talked with the media. I was able to chat with Sato, an all-around nice guy and consummate sportsman, for a couple minutes and ask him about the exciting last five laps of his win, what winning the race means to him, and what the competition in this year’s race looks like.

PCG: In last year’s Indy 500, I couldn’t breathe in those last five laps before you took the checkered flag. Can you speak to how important it was to you to win and take the [Borg-Warner] trophy to Japan?

Sato: Well, as I said on the stage here it was just an unbelievable experience and was really the significant moment in my life and it just feels amazing really and every single aspect was a huge experience for me. And like you said, yes, bringing the trophy to Japan is one of amazing story because not only my ambition but also for the entire Indycar and all winners in 83 years of history they’ve never done it in our strategy. So I think a lot of people’s commitment showing a lot of people’s appreciation is really truly showing that it is happening and I don’t know how to say, but it is just a dream come true.

So the last five laps was very touch-go move because for me… So 10 laps to go and Max Chilton, another driver leading the race and he by himself is really fast, so… I mean could overtake him but it was really risky because he was so fast. And I was just trying to figure out how I can overtake him as well as how I could protect him as well. So I was learning on quite a few laps. And Helio Castroneves charging me and he overtook me, impressive move in turn 3 on outside. When I saw it I knew that Helio is doing the same thing to Max. So instead of chasing Helio I basically let him do it. And in fact, he overtook him two laps later and then he lost momentum – so Max lost momentum – that’s the time I could overtake him. Now it’s between Helio and I, right. So I could wait until last lap to overtake Helio, however if I do so, what if there is a yellow comes in, right? And that means I will be finishing in second before I challenge, and I didn’t want to make that happen. However, if I overtook with three laps to go he will re-overtake me and that would be the end of the story. So I was thinking, how do we do it? And five laps to me is the magic number. Because I overtake him, see how many laps he can take to come back and attempt, whether it was first lap or second lap, or third lap. And the only thing I didn’t know was whether he couldn’t or didn’t. If he didn’t that would be a problem because that means he could be out of sequence. However when I saw him make an attempt three laps later I overtook him which is two laps to and by that time I realized if I could hold the pace I could win because by the time I pull away he takes another two laps to come back which is checkered flag. So to me either way the five laps to go when I lead I can do very… how to you say in English?

PCG: Strategic?

Sato: Noooo… Flexible! Can be very flexible in any circumstance. So that’s the way I saw it. And it became as I saw it. And obviously this is a rare case because usually the reality doesn’t go to the way you planned it. But – that was the day I got so much luck, so much environment, physically I have a very fast car, and mentally I was so relaxed and strong and I was able to compete on the highest level with the guy I could trust one hundred percent because Helio Castroneves is the guy to beat for Indy 500 so I was very happy in that moment.

PCG: In this Indy 500, you will be racing with five previous winners. Are you looking forward to a really competitive race?

Sato: Yes! I’m really looking forward to it, in fact it’s going to be a really tough challenge, honestly speaking, of course, nothing is impossible so I will try my best but looking at the circumstances it will be extremely tough to do the race but I think it will be great. Obviously, Alexander Rossi, and Helio Castroneves, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Scott Dixon and myself… who else, I don’t know, but it can be anybody else. So I think it’s going to be a great show for sure and any of the result I think I will accept, however, hopefully I wish we can have a big smile after the race, yes.

PCG: After some of the issues in practice, are you feeling more confident going into Friday’s practice?

Sato: I think the honest answer is yes and no. Physically and mentally myself I am ready to take action, of course. The car, unfortunately we had some issues, we have some struggles, but I think the engineers work so hard and squeeze out the last one percent of speed for Qualifying 1 and Qualifying 2 showing a huge step forward so I believe we can build a car as competitive as possible to check the things on the fly on Carb Day and if that’s the case, I think a 16 spread has no meaning. I can move up and I can compete for the win and that’s what I want to do.

PCG: Thank you for your time and good luck!

: Sato being interviews

: Sato with the Japanese Ambassador

: Champagne toast

Two Days with Monster Jam in New Jersey

May 18, 2018 by ponycargirl Leave a Comment

Monster trucks have come a long way since the days of smashing cars between tractor pull events. Over the years, Monster Jam as evolved into multiple divisions staging events at stadium and arenas in North America as well as international venues in Australia, Europe, and South America. Winning drivers from all series compete in the Monster Jam World Finals traditionally in Las Vegas.

If you’ve never actually been to Monster Jam, it’s a cacophonous cross between Mad Max and professional wrestling. Each truck has its own personality with bold graphics more like a Misfits album cover (early Misfits. You know, when they were good) and truck names like Gravedigger, Zombie (with actual bouncing zombie arms), Max-D with metal spikes, Great Clips Mohawk Warrior (it has a mohawk), and Rage with a huge anarchy sign emblazoned on the side. Punk rock sensibilities aside, there is something for everyone with other trucks such as Scooby Doo, Lucas Oil Crusader, or team Team Hot Wheels Firestorm.

Zombie

Underneath all of the eye-popping graphics, though, is some serious gear. I had the opportunity to spend the morning talking with some drivers and climbing around their trucks the day before Monster Jam at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands, New Jersey last week. Essentially spec trucks, most of the Monster Jam trucks are fabricated by Feld for the series. Chatting with Tom Meents, a driver in the series since 1993, I found out that the engines are ,500 horsepower. Going full throttle, a truck can burn 5 gallons of methanol– around a quarter of a tank – in 17 to 22 seconds. Any repairs, refueling, or tire changes are generally done off course within the stadium, not in a traditional motor sports pit set-up. The tires are almost 700 pounds, so it’s not a precisely orchestrated change done in seconds.

Monster Truck tire change

Potential drivers audition and are trained at Monster Jam U. Kayla Blood and Brianna Mahon, both with several years of Monster Jam experience, started at Monster U after previously competing in motocross and other sports. They say it is helpful to have a motorsports background, but not necessary. Looking at the driver roster, it’s obvious that there are a lot more women racing Monster Trucks than there are in most other motorsports. In fact, it was only in 2005 when the first woman – the legendary Madusa – won the Monster Jam World Finals racing championship. Blood is on the El Toro Team and has been competing since 2016, and Mahon since 2015. This is Mahon’s first year in her own truck Whiplash, with black and teal graphics and a more “country girl” personality. Both drivers say that it’s a really great atmosphere in Monster Jam, and it’s one big family. Mahon is especially conscientious of how much representation matters, and likes inspiring the little girls that love the series.

Whiplash

Installing the actual track is fairly intensive. MetLife Stadium is where the New York Giants and New York Jets play – it’s a football field with turf. For obvious reasons, the trucks don’t race on the football field itself, rather, planks of plywood are put down over the grass. Approximately 7,500 tons of dirt is spread on top, creating the dirt floor, ramps, and mounds for the trucks to race and perform stunts. Tear down happens fairly immediately after the end of the show, as the grass will start to die after more than a couple of days stuck under the track (in arenas with grass). The dirt is then stored locally to be reused in the following year’s Monster Jam.

The afternoon of the race, the trucks are brought out for the fan-friendly Pit Party. Fans can meet the drivers and get autographs, and sponsors have special booths out as well. It’s like Halloween party in May, really – cotton candy comes with masks for trucks such as El Toro Loco or Grave Digger. I took one of the Monster Jam truck rides – two trucks especially equipped with seats in the back – whipping around the parking lot at top speed. There’s a lot of fun things for kids like learning how to drive an ATV and BMX bike shows.

Monster Jam Pit Party

Unfortunately, because of this never-ending rain we are having, both the practice I was going to watch the day before and the private track walk before the Main Event were cancelled due to the extremely muddy track, as well as the Two-Wheel event during the show. As the trucks made their entrance for the Main Event, the rain started to pour again. However, Monster Jam happens rain or shine, and the mud ensured an interesting evening. The first half is the race – growling trucks line either side of the arena, matched according to a bracket. In New Jersey, the trucks circle the course opposite and navigate over jumps opposite of each other. The first truck to cross the finish line wins the heat. After the second round, from the starting field of fourteen, Grave Digger faced Brutus and Team Hot Wheels Firestorm raced against Whiplash in the Semi-Finals. Ultimately Grave Digger took the win over Team Hot Wheels Firestorm in the Final.

Grave Digger

After an intermission, they all come back for the Freestyle and undoubtedly most fun part of the evening. In the freestyle competition, each truck has two minutes on the course to performs stunts and wow the crowd. The fans are involved in the scoring and have twenty seconds after each competitor to score via smartphone at JudgesZone.com, where the scores are then averaged. At this point, the trucks resembled angry mechanical mud bugs writhing around the course. The conditions weren’t right for the spectacular, crowd-pleasing backflips, but there was a lot of big air, sky wheelies and mud-spewing donuts. There were also a couple of tire blow-outs, roll overs, and Mad Scientist quite literally blew up on the track. Halfway through, the edges of the track were littered with the carcasses of the trucks that didn’t make it. Muddy, muddy carnage. Still, VP Racing Fuels’ Mad Scientist won the Freestyle vent with a high score of 9.109. Great, great fun.

: Monster Jam behind the scenes

: Monster Jam behind the scenes

: Monster Jam behind the scenes

: Monster Jam behind the scenes

: Monster Jam behind the scenes

: Monster Jam behind the scenes

: MoMonster Jam behind the scenes

: MMonster Jam behind the scenes

: Monster Jam behind the scenes

: Monster Jam behind the scenes

: Monster Jam behind the scenes

: Monster Jam behind the scenes

: Monster Jam tire change

: Monster Jam tire change

: Monster Jam behind the scenes

: Monster Jam Whiplash

: Monster Jam behind the scenes

: Monster Jam behind the scenes

: Monster Jam behind the scenes

: Monster Jam behind the scenes

: Monster Jam behind the scenes

: Monster Jam behind the scenes

: Monster Jam Tom Meents

: Monster Jam behind the scenes – MetLife Stadium

: Monster Jam behind the scenes – MetLife Stadium

: Monster Jam behind the scenes – MetLife Stadium

: Monster Jam behind the scenes – MetLife Stadium

: Monster Jam behind the scenes – MetLife Stadium

: Monster Jam Pit Party

: Monster Jam Pit Party

: Monster Jam Pit Party

: Monster Jam Pit Party

: Monster Jam Pit Party

: Monster Jam Pit Party

: Monster Jam Pit Party

: Monster Jam Pit Party

: Monster Jam Pit Party

: Monster Jam Pit Party

: Monster Jam Pit Party

: Monster Jam Pit Party

: Monster Jam Pit Party

: Monster Jam Pit Party

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

: Monster Jam

Mazda is Ready to Sell the 2018 Mazda6

March 16, 2018 by Tom Williams Leave a Comment

Ok, so we are well into 2018 now, but Mazda is now prepared to sell you the 2018 Mazda6 (on the lot now is the 2017.5). In a segment where the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry grab all the headlines, the Mazda6 goes about its business with little fanfare or recognition. Which is a shame, as the 6 is one of the best looking and performing midsize sedans available at a reasonable price. Just ask me-I own a Mazda6s V-6 with a 5-speed, so I may be biased.

The 2018 Mazda6 will be available in April. Mazda promises a quieter, smoother, and more comfortable car while maintaining its fun to drive nature. Mazda also states there will be more standard equipment, a new range topping Signature model, and most importantly, a new 2.5L turbocharged four cylinder engine rated at 250hp. Sadly for enthusiasts, this new engine is only available with a six-speed automatic. A six speed manual can only be had in the base model Sport. Non-turbo 6’s have a 2.5L four rated at 187hp.

Below is pricing and standard equipment for the 2018 Mazda6 line. Pricing is USD.

Sport: $21,950 Includes cloth interior, 17″ alloys, LED headlights, dual zone auto climate control, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic assist, and low speed automatic braking. Adding an automatic raises the price to $23,000. Of note, this gives the 6 cylinder deactivation. Mazda is quick to point out this is only four cylinder engine sold in North America with this feature.

Touring: $25,700 Adds 19″ alloys, leatherette interior, power driver’s seat, heated front seats, sunroof, and rear air vents.

Grand Touring: $29,200 The base model for the new turbocharged engine. Additional standard features include an 11 speaker Bose audio system, navigation, heated mirrors, and auto dimming driver’s mirror.

Grand Touring Reserve: $31,700 Adds a head up display, rear spoiler, windshield wiper de-icer, heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, and power, ventilated front seats.

Signature: $34,750 Mazda is hoping to lure premium car shoppers with features like Nappa leather, Japanese Sen wood inserts, 360 degree View Monitor, front and rear parking sensors and a 7″ reconfigurable gauge display.

VW Beetle Not Long for This World

March 15, 2018 by Tom Williams Leave a Comment

After teasing the car buying public with concept cars of the iconic Beetle for the better part of the 1990’s, North American car buyers made it clear to Volkswagen they wanted their beloved Beetle back. And in 1997, VW gave us the New Beetle. While it certainly evoked the look of the original, this time around the Beetle was front engined, water cooled, and front wheel drive to suit its Golf underpinnings.

The New Beetle was a runaway success. The Baby Boomers who drove them in the 1960’s and ’70’s and feeling nostalgic flocked to the showroom. Young buyers were instantly drawn to the unique styling the New Beetle’s vanilla competition lacked. Such was the success of the New Beetle other automakers jumped on the retro bandwagon. Anyone remember the Plymouth PT Cruiser, Chevy HHR and the reborn Ford Thunderbird?

Predictably, the excitement eventually wore off. Everyone who was clamoring for a New Beetle had already run out and bought one. The addition of a convertible provided a much needed shot in the arm, but that too soon faded. The occasional special edition here and there was just not enough to keep buyers coming back and getting the car much media attention. After a long fifteen year run-unheard of these days, with practically no development, the New Beetle was replaced.

In 2012, now just called the Beetle, assured the faithful that VW had not abandoned the car, as many had speculated. A redesign also gave VW an opportunity to address a polarizing feature of the New Beetle. With its super cute, super curvy lines, many dismissed the New Beetle as a chick car, which is enough for some male buyers to not even consider it. A car with a flower vase did not help either. While still maintaining the Beetle look, this new car was lower, wider, and more serious. Being less cartoonish and the flower vase long gone, this Beetle certainly Yet, it seems the new look did little to attract new buyers. And six years later, the car has seen little change.

So, in a recent article from Autoblog, it was revealed from a VW exec at the Geneva auto show that there will not be a third generation Beetle. VW is shifting focus to crossovers and EV’s. Apparently, the idea was floated for an EV Beetle, which could have allowed designers to get even closer to the original Beetle’s appearance, but that notion was scrapped. For their ‘nostalgia’ car, Vee-Dub fans will eventually see an EV production version of the Microbus inspired concepts we’ve been seeing.

So, if everyone loved the Beetle so much, what happened here? Well, the Baby Boomers got their nostalgia fix, and soon moved on. The young buyers it attracted got married, started families and needed something more practical. In 1997, the New Beetle was in a league of its own. Eventually, the MINI Cooper came along, and then the Fiat 500. While Fiat and MINI were able to expand their line to encompass different body styles for different buyers, doing the same with the Beetle just didn’t seem possible. Also, VW seemed extremely limited in regards to what they could do to evolve the Beetle, so they just didn’t bother. VW had painted themselves into a corner, and with no evolution of the car, it simply faded from memory. VW knows we are looking forward to the Bus, but this time around, let’s all hope that constant development and improvement will be needed, otherwise it will suffer the same fate as the reincarnated Beetle.

2018 Chevrolet Cruze revolutionizes the home office

March 10, 2018 by Gary Grant 1 Comment

This will not be your usual new car review. It has been said in recent years that there are no bad cars any more. It is more about individual taste. Like just about every car built these days, the Chevrolet Cruze is a good car. The good car, a close cousin of the nice car, can be very difficult to write about, as there is nothing much that sets it apart from the rest of the good cars. The addition of a diesel engine gives the Cruze an economically geeky edge over some of the other small sedans on the market. So what I am writing about?

Well, perhaps the answer is not so much what, but where.

As I write this, I am sitting in a random parking lot in south Oshawa, with my tablet wedged between the steering wheel and my ample belly. Writing an automotive story.

I just took a little break from working to watch an episode of Colony on Netflix on my tablet. Great show.

I’m going to go way out on a limb here and suggest that where modern vehicles from The General, including the Cruze, shine more than the competition is in their ability to improve one’s productivity. You see, part of the modern OnStar functionality is the ability to offer 4G WIFI access in the car. This isn’t any spotty, unreliable public space type WIFI either, OnStar offers super strong, consistent signal. Strong enough that watching shows on your tablet is a very happy experience.

GM products are not the only cars on the market which offer WIFI, as several others are beginning to jump on the bandwagon, but GM was the first and has perfected the technology. While the functionality is beginning to appear on other product lines, it does tend to be on more expensive brands and models, whereas GM has stuffed it into just about everything. That is good news for buyers of entry and mid-level cars.

For comparison sake, I recently tested the WIFI offerings of a 2018 Lincoln MKZ (starting MSRP $42,300 versus $16,395 for Cruze) and couldn’t even check email without the signal stuttering. Netflix was a no-go. The router signal was strong, but the data supply was poor. Your experience may vary.

Some number of years ago now, I visited Sweden to learn more about autonomous vehicles. While I had previously thought that the whole self-driving car thing was all about safety, I quickly learned that automakers believed that modern consumers care more about multi-tasking than they do about safety. Autonomy is about allowing drivers to remain productive and for that to work, the WIFI has to be consistent and strong! We are a long way from seeing fully autonomous vehicles on our roads, but that doesn’t mean that the car can’t improve our ability to be productive.

Chevrolet uses a stronger antenna than cell phones carry to receive signal that powers a 4G LTE wireless hotspot whenever the ignition is turned on. Another cool aspect is that the service works across North America, which means that cell phone data charges don’t need to be an issue on long road trips.

Data can be purchased monthly or in one time blocks as needed:

Monthly plans:

1 GB – $15

4 GB – $35

10 GB – $70

One-time Data packages:

250 MB/day – $5.00

20 GB/year – $200

The Chevrolet Cruze proves that, one doesn’t need to drive an expensive car to make use of the most important innovation in working from home since the invention of the internet!

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