Categories: Car News

For over 100 years, Ford's iconic blue oval has adorned many of this country's best-selling cars. From the Ford Model T to the Ford F-150, Henry Ford has left an indelible mark on our transportation history. A legacy that lives on in the wildly popular Ford Focus, Ford Fusion, and the Ford F150. Ford dealers across the country are teeming with business, so let's see how it all began.

The all-electric Tesla Model S has actually made the idea of driving an American car cool again. This long-range luxury touring sedan has revolutionized the way we look at EVs. And now they’re going to change the way we look at performance. Say hello to the crazy-fast Tesla Model S P85D.

Until now, Mitsubishi has managed to avoid the whole mass-recall epidemic that’s been sweeping the auto industry. But that impressive reliability streak has come to an end, as they’ve just recalled 166,000 Lancers and Outlanders. Nobody has died from this defect, but these recalled models can stall unexpectedly, leading to all sorts of potential safety hazards.

Throughout the history of the transportation industry, people have always had futuristic ideas. Some of them seem outdated today, but, at one time, they were innovations. Back before the turn of the twentieth century, bicycle builders envisioned the motorization of the bicycle. Step-by-step, this vision became a reality. Before long, one seat wasn't enough, so coach builders were brought into the fold, and they provided bodies, and some of them took to engine building.

The saying goes that things are bad all over when the economy takes a hit like the one we are still recovering from. Ford seems to be the exception to that rule. The automaker has just added 1,200 jobs and another shift to its Kansas City Assembly Plant in order to keep up with the demand for the new Transit Van which went on sale in June.

The 1980s were a Grade A, pasteurized version of the 1950s. Your TV still sat on the floor, encased in wood. Kids still respected their elders. Our president was still staring down the Russians. Cars were slathered in chrome, and luxury still meant a vinyl roof and wire hubcaps. Not much had really changed since Ike left office; then Buick came along and changed everything.

Say hello to the future. Say hello to the Buick Grand National...

In 1989 the Mazda MX-5 wowed the folks at the Chi-Town Auto Show. A small, light-weight roadster with minimal mechanical complexity, the Miata replaced the Triumph Spitfire as the small roaster to have. Today, there is still a solid following for the Miata which is why it is not shocking that Mazda is rumored to be taking the car to the next level in 2017.

There is a huge push for more environmentally friendly vehicles. As of right now, the Toyota Prius is the lead when folks talk about hybrids, but recently Toyota announced that the 2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is on its way.

It was rumored last year that the new Toyota crossovers would make a huge splash and, now, as we move closer to the availability of the 2015 RAV4, that is exactly what they have done.

Bentley fans have waited patiently to see if the rumors of a new 2015 Bentley are true. Well, it would appear that, not only are they true, the new version of the old standard will be better than ever. The new 2015 Bentley is touted to be the first super-premium crossover and, like other Bentleys, the SUV will offer extensive customization options.

Imagine driving down a five lane—two in either direction with a turn lane in the center—street lined with houses. You're in the nearer-to-center lane—at the 45 mph speed limit, of course—and notice a small pickup back out of a far away driveway into the curb-side lane of your half of the road. You think nothing of it, seeing as how they’re starting to roll forward in a different lane, as expected. But just as the “Why are they going so slow?” question sounds in your brain, the truck's driver decides to make an abrupt left turn directly into your path when you’re two car-lengths away.

Instantly you’re HARD on the brakes and diving for the center turn lane in a vain attempt to miss the collision, knowing that turning any further will only put you in the path of oncoming traffic and make things worse. And that’s the last thought your brain gets out before your beloved 1981 Volvo wagon’s right front corner plows into the offender’s 1990 Toyota pickup at its left front tire.

Welcome to the REAL world of 40+ mph “small overlap” impacts, 1992-style. And, as I’m sure you’ve guessed from all the driving and typing I’ve done in the 22 year interim, I was (relatively) unhurt. The other guy(s), well, not so much…