444 Reasons to get a new BOSS

I'm talking about the Mustang, not the guy who decides if you get a raise or not!







New for 2012 is the BOSS 302 Mustang, which has been purpose built as a true performance machine. The standard 5.0 liter V8 (that 302 cubic inches for old school motor enthusiasts) gets quite a work over to add an additional 32 horsepower.  New camshafts and stronger bottom end are just a few modifications that allow this baby to rev up to 7500 RPM and love every minute of it. Producing 444 horsepower and 380 lb feet of torque, this car was built to road race and have the motor constantly singing in the upper RPM range.  The BOSS 302 is capable of running 0-60 in 4.2 seconds, while handling the 1/4 mile somewhere in the mid 12 second range.

Ford Motor Company started with scratch to develop the BOSS, making it the best handling production Mustang produced to date. Speaking of handling...did I mention that the BOSS beat an Audi R8 around the Laguna Seca track? Considering the BOSS whipped a $120,000 dollar super car around the famed road course, it is obvious that Ford did something more than just resurrect the iconic BOSS 302 name badge.

The BOSS Mustang starts for around $41,000 with an option for the "Laguna Seca" package running for around $48,000. Although production numbers haven't been revealed, a possible leak revealed that Ford will likely produce somewhere around 4,000 a year for 2012 and 2013.  Reviews for the BOSS 302 have been extremely positive with many industry professionals proclaiming it as the best Mustang Ford has ever manufactured. Given the passion Mustang enthusiasts have for their favorite pony, chances are it will be difficult to get your hands on one.

Overseas Aid

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past four days, you are well aware of the tragedy taking hold in Japan. Not only in the form of a natural disaster, but also the issues they have been having with their nuclear power plants.  They need all the help the world can provide to get them back on their feet once more.

With all the domestic auto manufacturers having good months as of recently, this is an excellent opportunity for them to aid a country that is integral in the manufacturing of their products.  I imagine a fleet of F-150's, Silverado's and Ram's off loading in Japan with the bed's stuffed with emergency supplies and tools to help Japan get rolling once more. I can only imagine the positive impact these vehicles could have on the Red Cross and other teams on the ground helping the Japanese during this difficult time.  The goodwill generated from the simple donation of materials would not be forgotten anytime soon.

Thoughts and Prayers for Japan

While viewing the extensive news coverage on the disaster taking hold in Japan right now, I think it is only necessary to place the inflicted people in our prayers. Things can happen in a moments notice that drastically change our live forever, and I believe thousands of Japanese (and a few American's on the west coast) need our support and prayers to get them through this trying time.

From an automotive stand point (since this is an Auto Blog) this will have a serious impact on Japan's manufacturing capabilities for a time. I can only imagine that dealerships in this country will be faced with a shortage of new vehicle stock, as well as components to repair vehicles currently on the road. Considering many manufacturers use Japanese components in their products, we will see problems arise for many companies in keeping up with consumer demand. Be patient and remember the rough time that the Japanese people are going through right now.

Don't Give Up the Car (or Truck)

It breaks my heart to see automotive scrapping rates climbing.  This topic is of particular interest to me, as I develop a kind of emotional attachment to my vehicles. Maybe this is why I still own two pickup trucks from the 1980's, one of which before it came to me had definitely been put through the war.  This will be the truck I focus on, and I think you might get my point after reading it's story.

I purchased my 1988 Dodge Dakota over five years ago for $300.00, put a set of tires on it and have been driving it without issue ever since. Now as time and mileage has passed, the clutch is getting weak and I have quite a project ahead of me to replace it.  Taking into account that it has 190,000 miles on it and has spent every one of those miles in Michigan chances are the bolts, wiring, etc is going to give me a heck of a time.  After five years most of you would be thinking "300 bucks for a truck that lasted five years? He got his money out of it and will make most of it back when he takes it to the scrap yard." However, I am pulling the engine out of the truck to replace the clutch and will "freshen it up" while I have it out, making the truck as reliable a daily driver as most modern vehicles on the road. As a matter of fact the truck gets 23 MPG on the highway, so it's going to save me money...eventually.

My point is that these older vehicles are easier to maintain and when taken care of just as reliable as newer vehicles.  It was painful during the "Cash For Clunkers" campaign to watch good running vehicles that a person of lesser means could have benefited from, destroyed. I understand that only the engines were disabled leading to many valuable parts being spared to keep other peoples older vehicles on the road, but the good running vehicles could have made all the difference to a person getting back on their feet and needing reliable transportation.

Down south, where snow and salt do not have the opportunity to wreak havoc on automobiles, the life expectancy of a vehicle is significantly longer than in northern states. There are a great number of classic cars sitting in salvage yards, ripe for picking and restoration. However, according to my sources that live in the south (my Uncle) these vehicles are being crushed for their scrap metal.  I understand that we can't save them all, but next time your thinking of trading that "clunker" into the local scrap yard, think about how someone might love that vehicle just as you had when you first got it.  You could also hand it down the generations, or just hang onto it, it's always great to have a spare car around. You'll never know when you may need it. Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry was a naval hero in the Battle of Lake Erie during the U.S. war with England in 1812. The flag he flew from his flagship said "Don't Give Up the Ship" maybe we could put that to use on our older vehicles...just a thought.

I'm all for new cars and trucks, they are bristling with amazing technology, but lets protect our automotive history as well. Save our relics!

Ford hits Jackpot at Vegas

I apologize for the hiatus over the past few days and a lack of posts, but hopefully we'll get right back on track!

Carl Edwards (seen doing his signature backflip) won a big victory for Ford Motorsports and Roush-Fenway Racing after taking home the checkered flag from Sunday's Kobalt Tools 400. Reports throughout the week had spoken on the strong performances the Fords were having at Las Vegas and those reports did not lie! Even with issues concerning the new fuel cell technology and a few less than impressive pit stop times Edward's Ford Fusion crossed the line well before his closest competition.

Out of three previous races, Ford has won two and had the potential to win the third (had Kyle Busch not accidentally knocked a very strong running Carl Edwards out of the race for a few laps). You would be hard pressed to turn on any television network and not see an interview with Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne who won the race in the Wood Brothers Motorcraft sponsored Fusion, bringing that team much needed recognition and funding.

Although the season takes a break this week, if Ford continues to run with the momentum they have been it is going to be tough for the competition to keep up.

GM's Ecotec Continues Success

The Ecotec engine has been a staple of General Motors for many years, finding life in a variety of small to midsize vehicles. The raging success of the Ecotec has led GM to invest over 160 million dollars in manufacturing technology for the Ecotec engine line. With the recent success of the Chevy Cruze and impressive fuel economy numbers from its 1.4 liter turbocharged engine (57.9 MPG from one test driver), current production numbers of 400 engines per day will be bumped to over 800 units by the end of 2011.

While the reliability and durability of the newest series of Ecotec engines has yet to be proved, the older line has proven to be quite the economical workhorse over the past ten years.  Having spent six years in GM dealerships I can vouch for the quality and low cost of ownership consumers enjoy from this engine platform. Let's just say that vehicles equipped with Ecotec engines suffering from leaks and internal failures are few and far between.  Several people I know on a personal level own vehicles equipped with a particular Ecotec motor, and most rave about the great fuel economy and lack of issues. While these newest motors have only been around for a brief amount of time, with the latest technological breakthroughs incorporated in their design I believe they will be as good or better than previous Ecotec products.

Eminem's New Ride Getting "Amped Up"

There is a large group of people who watch the Super Bowl for the competition between the NFL's top two teams, and then there are the rest of us who enjoy the commercials just as much as the action on the field.  The Cheeto's commercials were interesting to say the least, and I did enjoy Bridgestone's "Carma" involving a concerned woodland creature (search YouTube for "Carma" and it will come right up). But the commercial I was surprised with was Chrysler LLC's use of Eminem in pitching the new Chrysler 200.  Judging by the reaction the advertisement received I wasn't the only person surprised...but it was in a good way.

During a time when so many have forgotten that Detroit was the motor city capitol of the world not too long ago, three words struck a chord with me IMPORTED FROM DETROIT.  It was a bold statement in a commercial containing a bold figure who made his life in Detroit, and I still remember it which is the most important thing in advertising...to stick in a persons mind.  Although sales for the new Chrysler 200 have been lackluster in the past month, the gas crunch is only beginning so I believe we will see the numbers slowly start to climb.