Automotive

Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion Showcases Decades of Racing History

Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion Showcases Decades of Racing History

Like I should have to tell any real gearhead this, but it’s almost time for the Monterey Historics, also known as the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. For those that don’t know (and I pity their barren and bereft life), every year around mid-August there is easily the best gathering of old cool rides, sports cars, and vintage racers on the planet. It takes place at Laguna Seca, Pebble Beach, The Quail Lodge, and as a rolling display on the costal and inland roads of the Monterey Peninsula.
Sea of Iron
The Monterey Historics make every other similar event look like a Saturday night cruise-in at the Malt Shack in size, scope, breadth, and depth. Besides Monterey, The Goodwood Festival of Speed is just a run up a rich guy’s driveway with some cos-play thrown in. The Amelia Island Concours is just a bunch of swells standing around talking about the new colors in Ralph Lauren polo shirts. The parking lot at Laguna Seca is better than 75% of the car shows I’ve been to. My first time to the vintage races, I was waiting in line when I glanced in my rearview mirror and saw an alloy-bodied Ferrari short-wheelbase Berlinetta. “How many of those did they make,” I wondered, “14, 16, something like that.” 20 yards later, I drove by two more of them parked in the infield.
The entire locale is saturated in vintage and exotic iron to the point of metallosis. There are Ferraris and Bugattis and Alfas and Lambos and Jags and Astons and Delahayes and Stutz Bearcats and Packards and Duesenbergs all over the place; literally around every corner. I saw a Bugatti Type 35 parked at a frickin’ 7-Eleven while the owner was inside buying smokes. It is that level of saturation, and this year’s event doesn’t show any signs of letting up. For example, just at Laguna Seca alone, there will be some of the most prominent racing history on display yet.
Regal Racers
There will be a special infield exhibit showing racers with historical significance to the track, with the first and most recent winners across from one another. The 1956 Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa Pete Lovely drove to victory at the inaugural Laguna Seca event and the Pebble Beach Road Races in 1957 will be among the first. Those Pebble Beach Road Races were the good, old style races on closed public roads, in and out of the fog shrouded trees, with scant attention paid to “safety.”
Lovely’s ’56 Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa is a car I’m actually quite familiar with. Lovely was a local racer when I was growing up; he kept the car throughout his life and I saw it many times at other vintage races. Next to Lovely’s iconic machine will be the 2016 K-PAX Racing McLaren 650S GT3 that Alvaro Parente won the Pirelli World Challenge with last October.
Photo: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Heritage Racers
Also on exhibition, the 1956 Porsche 356A Carrera that competed in the last race on the old Pebble Beach course. There will be a 1963 Shelby King Cobra, an odd choice since the King Cobras never lived up to their promise, nor did they match the exploits of the original Cobras. A 1971 Ford Mustang Boss 302 will also be shown, representative of the Trans Am battles that took place there and at other tracks across North America. A monstrous 1973 Porsche 917/30, the car Roger Penske and Mark Donohue refined to such a degree that it destroyed the competition and then the entire series will be on display. Also on exhibit, a 1983 March Indy Car, the first to win at Laguna Seca.
There will be a 1985 Porsche 962, the IMSA variant of the 956, alongside the frighteningly effective 1993 AAR Toyota Eagle that Dan Gurney used in annihilating the competition. There will also be the 1999 BMW V12 LMR that won the Le Mans 24 Hours after extensive input from Williams Grand Prix Engineering. The Le Mans 24 Hours gets further representation with a 2005 Audi R8 that has unique ties to the 2.238-mile circuit. As a final cherry on top, you can get up close and personal with the 1989 Yamaha YZR500 Wayne Rainey rode to a win at the 1989 U.S. Grand Prix. That was Rainey’s first of three consecutive victories in Monterey. Little guy was so good with a bike they named one of the corners after him (it’s the left-hander directly after the 80-foot elevator drop of the Corkscrew).
Memorable Moments
If you can make it, go. If you can’t make it this year, go as soon as you can. On the track there will be 550 race cars of historic provenance doing what they were designed to do: race. Don’t care about race cars? Then consider the Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach; there’s The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering or the Concorso Italiano as well. Either way, get out and enjoy a world-class car show when you can. The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is held August 17th through the 20th.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.
Photos & Source: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

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2018 Jaguar F-TYPE: Anything But Dull And Boring (Video)

2018 Jaguar F-TYPE: Anything But Dull And Boring (Video)

The 2018 Jaguar F-TYPE is anything but dull and boring, and earlier this week, that’s exactly what Jaguar was going for. The automaker launched a new campaign for the F-TYPE in the towns of Dull, Perthshire in Scotland and Boring, Oregon. Jaguar provided a new F-TYPE for two residents of Dull and two from Boring so they could zip through their respective communities in not so dull and boring ways.
Community Bond
Dull, with 200 residents, sits about 75 miles north of Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow. Boring, here in the United States, is about 21 miles east of Portland, Oregon. Although a bit larger than Dull at 8,000 residents, Boring’s citizens share the same passion for their home as those in Dull. They readily embrace the names, joining forces in 2012 to form a new public holiday – Dull and Boring Day – now held annually on August 9th. To mark the occasion this year, Jaguar showcased the new F-TYPE and demonstrated how each community is anything but what their name reflects.
“Bringing the F-TYPE to the cities of Dull and Boring allowed us to have a bit of fun with the brand in a way that was relatable for Jaguar consumers in the United Kingdom and the United States,” said Joe Torpey, Communications Manager, Jaguar Land Rover North America.
2018 Jaguar F-TYPE. Photo: Jaguar Land Rover.
Performance & Technology
The 2018 Jaguar F-TYPE is powered a diverse range of engines, including a turbocharged 296 horsepower Ingenium four-cylinder, a supercharged V6, and an all-wheel drive V8. The latter is found in the F-TYPE SVR Coupe with a top speed of 200 mph. If you don’t want to go that fast, opt for the F-TYPE SVR Convertible which only hits 195 mph.
Those with an appetite for technology will appreciate the new F-TYPE. The standard Jaguar InControl Touch Pro system features faster processors and automotive Ethernet connections. The system supports a number of additional apps and driver assistance technologies. GoPro connectivity enables a new app called ReRun that sources telemetry data from the car like speed, lateral acceleration, gear selection, and throttle and brake position. Said data can be transferred to a smartphone so drivers always have a record of their track performance.
The 2018 Jaguar F-TYPE starts at $59,900 and will be available later this year. In the meantime, see how the citizens of Dull and Boring made the most of their holiday with the new F-TYPE in the video below.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.

Photo, Video & Source: Jaguar Land Rover.

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Letter From The UK: An Unavoidable Future

Letter From The UK: An Unavoidable Future

It isn’t just the British who are at odds with the pan-European ideal; both Poland and Hungary now have serious disagreements with the rest of the Euro-zone. The European Union overall is lurching from crisis to crisis and this is having a knock-on effect economically. One such set-back is how the UK new car market has declined by almost ten percent last month. This is the fourth consecutive monthly fall. Although in line with forecasts, it remains a barometer of falling economic consumer confidence.
Demand was down across business, fleet, and private buyers, although oddly in July, more buyers opted for dual purpose and specialist sports cars, the only two vehicle segments to enjoy growth. That may just mean some are more financially resilient than others of course.
Greener Pastures
The demand for alternatively fueled vehicles has soared, we learn. As registrations for new gas and diesel cars have declined, interest in electric vehicles and hybrids is rising. This doesn’t mean necessarily your friends and neighbors are suddenly mad for electric cars, as there is a sense we are being railroaded into it.
The repercussions of the “Dieselgate” scandal are rippling out wider and wider, like the aftermath of a rock being thrown into a still pond. The vilification of diesel fuel, whether deserved or not, has led to a softening of demand for the oil-burners. After a very slow start, motorists are now keen to learn more about electric cars. Certainly this might be because car buyers are more conscious of a cleaner, greener future, but it is more likely related to the Government’s plans to ensure no new diesel or gas-powered cars are sold after 2040.
If you want a brand new car after that date, it will have to be of the alternative fuel variety.

Electrified Kingdom
Consumers are thus becoming more aware of the new technology, especially after the announcement that all new cars launched, for example, by Swedish manufacturer Volvo from 2019 onward, will be partially or completely battery-powered. Between 2019 and 2021, Volvo will introduce five dedicated EVs and ensure the rest of their conventional petrol and diesel range has a hybrid variant of some form. Add to this the vast majority of motorists now saying they would feel safe while driving an electric vehicle. Over two-thirds say they would be happy to buy an used EV, and thus it is clear: the times, they are a-changing.
Are we in danger though of running before we can walk, as it were? Great Britain has a very poor public charging infrastructure and this needs to be addressed well before 2040, especially as sales of electric cars and plug-in hybrids continue to rise. Fuel giant Shell announced a pilot project for the installation and operation of the first fast-chargers for electric vehicles at selected service stations. They are expected to be on stream by the end of this year. It’s a start, but there’s a long road ahead.
Despite all the big talk, the Futurama reality of electric-charging highways remains a distant aim, so charging outlets are the key to the ultimate rise of EVs. Consumers are now well aware of the range issue that dogs electric-powered cars. These cars are fine for local motoring in Britain because most journeys are short, unlike the USA where much greater distances have to be covered. However, most of us need to make longer trips too, and hanging around for two hours topping up the power just won’t wash with the public. Ample, readily available, super-fast charging is vital.

Rest In Pieces
The other problem is power generation. Wind and wave power is not going to do the job, and this country needs to go nuclear in a much bigger way if we are to generate enough juice. Yet there is a determined anti-nuclear lobby who don’t want that. In short, there’s a long way to go before our future is truly electric.
Still, unquestionably, the demise of ICE cars is written in stone by those that govern. Take a photograph of your V8 ride because it won’t be long before we see those fossil fuel dinosaurs taking that last ride to their automotive funeral. We will watch them from our clean, green electric future as they swing into the crusher to be turned into fans and cans and pans and cheap jewelry made from redundant piston rings. There are still many ways the plans could go awry – maybe our beloved V8s will live to fight another day? We are human after all. Even politicians.
Geoff Maxted is a motoring writer, photographer, and author of our Letter From The UK series. Follow his work on Twitter: @DriveWrite

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2019 Nissan Armada & Frontier Arrive With New Features

2019 Nissan Armada & Frontier Arrive With New Features The 2019 Nissan Armada and Frontier are arriving at local dealerships.
Both see a few changes for 2019, with the Armada adding new safety features.
2019 Nissan Armada
The Armada arrives with new safety features including Intelligent Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Forward Collision Warning. Also standard is Rear Door Alert, which reminds drivers of items unintentionally left in the back seat. Further, the Armada’s Intelligent Rear View Mirror uses a high-resolution rear camera to project an image onto an LCD monitor in the rearview mirror.
The system allows for better visibility by being able to switch to the rear camera to see behind the vehicle when needed.
Under the hood, the 2019 Nissan Armada sports a 5.6-liter Endurance V8 with 390 horsepower and a tow capacity of 8,500 lbs. when properly equipped. The engine is paired with a seven-speed automatic. Expect the new Armada in four trim levels: SV, SL, Platinum, and Platinum Reserve, each with the 5.6-liter V8.
2019 Nissan Armada. Photo: Nissan North America.
2019 Nissan Frontier
Although the truck could use an extensive redesign, Nissan is quick to mention the Frontier’s high marks from J.D. Power. S and SV Frontier trucks receive a standard seven-inch color touchscreen, while the availability of Cayenne Red Metallic expands across the range. The Midnight Edition package is optional for Crew Cab SV 4×2 and 4×4 trucks with an automatic.
The 2019 Nissan Frontier comes in either a King or Crew Cab, in 4×2 or 4×4, with two different engines. The 261 horsepower 4.0-liter DOHC V6 is our choice, but King Cab models do offer the optional, 152 horsepower 2.5-liter inline four.
2019 Nissan Frontier. Photo: Nissan North America.
Pricing Charts
Below are detailed pricing charts for both the 2019 Nissan Armada and Frontier. Add on another $1,395 for the Armada, and another $995 for the Frontier for destination charges.
The Automoblog Staff contributed to this report and can be reached anytime.
2019 Nissan Armada MSRP
Armada SV 4×2
$46,790 USD
Armada SL 4×2
$51,590 USD
Armada Platinum 4×2
$59,690 USD
Armada Platinum Reserve 4×2
$62,690 USD
Armada SV 4×4
$49,790 USD
Armada SL 4×4
$54,590 USD
Armada Platinum 4×4
$62,690 USD
Armada Platinum Reserve 4×4
$65,690 USD
2019 Nissan Frontier King Cab MSRP

Model/Drive/Engine/Transmission

Frontier S King Cab 4×2 I4 5MT
$18,990 USD
Frontier S King Cab 4×2 I4 5AT
$23,060 USD
Frontier SV King Cab 4×2 I4 5MT
$23,860 USD
Frontier SV King Cab 4×2 I4 5AT
$24,910 USD
Frontier SV King Cab 4×2 V6 5AT
$25,620 USD
Frontier Desert Runner King Cab 4×2 V6 5AT
$26,300 USD
Frontier SV King Cab 4×4 V6 5AT
$28,510 USD
Frontier PRO-4X King Cab 4×4 V6 5AT
$33,430 USD
2019 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab MSRP

Model/Drive/Wheelbase/Engine/Transmission

Frontier S Crew Cab 4×2 SWB V6 6MT
$24,950 USD
Frontier S Crew Cab 4×2 SWB V6 5AT
$26,000 USD
Frontier SV Crew Cab 4×2 SWB V6 5AT
$26,750 USD
Frontier Desert Runner Crew Cab 4×2 SWB V6 5AT
$27,730 USD
Frontier SV Crew Cab 4×2 LWB V6 5AT
$29,360 USD
Frontier SL Crew Cab 4×2 SWB V6 5AT
$34,010 USD
Frontier S Crew Cab 4×4 SWB V6 5AT
$29,390 USD
Frontier SV Crew Cab 4×4 SWB V6 6MT
$32,780 USD
Frontier SV Crew Cab 4×4 SWB V6 5AT
$29,940 USD
Frontier SV Crew Cab 4×4 LWB V6 5AT
$30,360 USD
Frontier PRO-4X Crew Cab 4×4 SWB V6 6MT
$33,140 USD
Frontier PRO-4X Crew Cab 4×4 SWB V6 5AT
$34,190 USD
Frontier SL Crew Cab 4×4 SWB V6 5AT
$36,850 USD
Photos & Source: Nissan North America.

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Small Drones Keep Large Auto Manufacturing Plant Safe

Small Drones Keep Large Auto Manufacturing Plant Safe Automotive manufacturing facilities must uphold rigorous safety standards.
Inspecting a plant’s pipework, machinery, and roof areas require massive amounts of time and energy.
Ford of Europe is employing camera drones to more efficiently and safely inspect one facility in the UK.
Little Wonders
Innovations are common in the automotive industry. I am continually learning this as I widen my own scope of the business. Naturally, my favorite innovations deal with performance: this suspension makes that car handle better, such and such materials make it lighter, these engine features makes it faster, more efficient.
And on and on it goes.
Transitional Benefits
Those are the tangible innovations, meaning if you buy a new car, you will benefit in some way from said innovations. Then there are the not so tangible ones, unless you work in the business. Or in this case, a manufacturing facility. At least for now.
Little things, like what Ford is doing here, could have immense benefits for the rest of society in time. For now anyway, enter Ford’s Dagenham Engine Plant in the United Kingdom.
Safety Dance
Picture any chore or task with an inherent safety risk becasue of the height involved. This is a common occurrence for Dagenham Engine Plant employees while inspecting the facility’s vast roof areas. Previously, the team used automated and extendable platforms and scaffolding to check the gantries that support the plant’s heavy machinery.
With the average gantry spanning over 130 feet, each inspection would take a laborious 12 hours to complete. The Dagenham Engine Plant is almost two million square feet. Thus, covering the entire facility is as daunting as it is time consuming.
“We joked about having a robot do the work when there was a light bulb moment – use drones instead,” explained Pat Manning, Machining Manager, Ford Dagenham Engine Plant. “We used to have to scale heights of up to 50 metres to do the necessary checks on the roof and machining areas.”
Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Working Smarter
Now the crew uses camera drones to inspect the gantries, a process that takes just 12 minutes. The drones also inspect pipework, machinery, and will sniff out any air leaks. The drones ultimately help the plant comply with safety regulations. Manning and his crew can carry out more frequent inspections without having to interrupt production, and without the risks normally involved.
“Now we can cover the entire plant in one day and without the risk of team members having to work at dangerous heights,” he said.
Hence why Ford is evaluating how drones can be incorporated elsewhere in the company. Further, it’s interesting to think how things like this could be applied to life outside a manufacturing facility.
In the meantime, the video below explains more.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan. He studies mechanical engineering at Wayne State University, serves on the Board of Directors for the Ally Jolie Baldwin Foundation, and is a loyal Detroit Lions fan.

Photos, Video & Source: Ford Motor Company, Ford of Europe.

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2019 Hyundai Elantra: All About Dat Safety Package

2019 Hyundai Elantra: All About Dat Safety Package 2019 Hyundai Elantra enters its sixth generation with a handful of new features.
The SmartSense features might, for some, ease the anxiety associated with driving in a busy city.
Hyundai has just rolled out the redesigned 2019 Elantra sedan, and to say they are focused on safety would be a huge understatement. The last time I saw a car company trumpeting their safety features this much was Volvo in the late 70s.
And, you know, this is a good thing. Safety is good, and if Hyundai can give us more of it, then so much the better.
New Stuff
The Hyundai Elantra is now in its sixth generation. They’ve sold more than three million of these things since its launch in 1991, so this focus on safety strikes me as a good thing. For 2019, the exterior changes include a new hood, front fenders, front fascia, grille, and headlights. There is also a new trunk, taillights, and rear fascia.
New 16- and 17-inch wheel designs are there, along with new 15-inch alloy wheels on Eco trims while Limited and Sport get LED headlights. The interior gets a new AVN/Audio/Temperature control, center cluster, air vents, and storage tray.
2019 Hyundai Elantra. Photo: Hyundai Motor America.
Safe & Secure
But really, Hyundai wants us to talk about the safety features. You’ve got Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist that is designed to help detect and monitor ahead of the vehicle, warning you if a collision is imminent. This system also initiates automatic braking. Lane Keep Assist can apply steering wheel input if the Elantra leaves your lane. Driver Attention Alert warns you of tired driving patterns with audible alerts and visual warnings displayed on the dash.
The SmartSense features on the Elantra Limited with Ultimate Package include Safe Exit Assist. The system sounds an alert letting passengers know it may not be safe to open the door to exit the vehicle. Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection utilizes the front radar and camera to help detect a vehicle or pedestrian. If you stupidly do not react to avoid them, the system can apply emergency braking.
Other SmartSense features include Blind-Spot Collision Warning with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Lane Change Assist.
Photo: Hyundai Motor America.
Tech Treatments
It’s not all safety at the exclusion of everything else with the 2019 Hyundai Elantra, oh no. There’s tons of audio, video, and navigation stuff around to entertain and help you. The new Elantra comes with Hyundai’s next generation AVN 5.0 infotainment system with an upgraded processor and an eight-inch screen. By comparison, the last generation had a seven-inch screen.
Presets within AVN 5.0 are easy to use because AM, FM, and SiriusXM channels are now on one screen with the HERE HD Traffic feature. A bird’s eye view has been added to the navigation maps, and you can now get traffic flow and incident data. The Elantra also has available goodies like Infinity Premium Audio with Clari-Fi, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and wireless smartphone charging.
2019 Hyundai Elantra interior layout. Photo: Hyundai Motor America.
Performance & Pricing
The 2019 Hyundai Elantra has two engine options on top aimed at fuel efficiency and a third engine option in the Elantra Sport that is more, well, sporty. The SE, SEL, and Limited offer the Nu 2.0L MPI Atkinson Cycle plant putting out 147 horsepower. The Eco offers the Kappa 1.4L Turbo-GDI mill putting out 128 horsepower. It gets an EPA-estimated 35 mpg thanks in no small part to the seven-speed dual clutch transmission.
No word on pricing or availability just yet, but, c’mon, this is a Hyundai. It’s gonna come at a Hyundai price, not a Bentley-sized bill.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. His forthcoming new book The Future In Front of Me, The Past Behind Me will be available soon. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz
2019 Hyundai Elantra Gallery

Photos & Source: Hyundai Motor America.

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Here Kitty Kitty! Ford Design Inspired by Cats

Here Kitty Kitty! Ford Design Inspired by Cats

Today (August 8th) is International Cat Day in the United Kingdom and to mark the occasion, Ford Motor Company is reflecting on how felines have inspired their products over the years. From the Cougar, Kuga, and Puma to the Panther platform used for a range of Ford’s American sedans, it appears the blue oval has an affinity for kittys.
I wonder if they are watching cat videos on YouTube over in Dearborn today? We do over here in nearby Detroit. Great way to waste an hour (or several) of your day, in case you need to be less productive.
Feline Fury
Ford’s feline design is inspired by the inherent athleticism and agility found in cats, particularly terrifying ones like a mountain lion or Bengal tiger. Truthfully, if you’re a big cat in the jungle, you can pretty much stroll around and do whatever you want. I once saw a video of a lion backing down a crocodile. A crocodile. The lion gives one roar and the croc is like “I’m outta here” and sinks into the water like a brick. The point is, Ford believes a feline-inspired design gives drivers, much like the lion, a sense of confidence.
In the front, Ford’s kitty cues are intended to make a face; to stare back at oncoming traffic and other drivers. The headlights play an important role in making this happen, mimicking the eyes of a big cat. Moving around a given Ford vehicle, drivers often find strong, powerful haunches over the rear wheels. This is to make it appear like the vehicle will leap and pounce, much like a cat would after a ball of yarn or defenseless rodent.
A 2017 Ford Escape claims its territory in the wild. Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Cat Calls
Cats are proportioned very well, especially wild ones, between their legs, body, teeth, and tails. Even housecats (well, maybe not Garfield) very much show the genes of their counterparts higher up the food chain. Ford designers have emulated these characteristics over the years.
“A car’s athletic yet stable exterior is largely due to the proportion of the wheels to the body, the body to the ground, and the body to the glass,” explained Jordan Demkiw, Exterior Design Manager, Ford of Europe. “This all needs to be perfectly balanced to create that look.”
And it’s not just cats that inspire Ford’s designers and engineers. The aerodynamics of sharks have proven effective for certain Ford vehicles, while the posture of thoroughbred horses have influenced others. Essentially, the more ferocious or majestic the animal, the more likely it is to make it into Ford’s product line. In the words of Herb Powell, Homer Simpson’s half-brother, “people don’t want cars named after hungry old Greek broads! They want names like ‘Mustang’ and ‘Cheetah’-vicious animal names.”
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
Source: Ford Motor Company.

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Memory Lane: A Car Show Trophy 20 Years In The Making

Memory Lane: A Car Show Trophy 20 Years In The Making

In order to celebrate my Lincoln Mark VIII LSC being born in 1997, I thought I would enter it in a car show and hopefully win a trophy. So, the previous day was spent cleaning, waxing, and polishing – and that was just the wife. Badda bing! It’s the kind of joke Rodney Dangerfield would have said in one of his routines. The clouds wanted to break open while I was busy tending to the car. Years ago, I found out there was such a thing as chrome polish. I would like to know how it is different from other types of products.
And do I want to take a small brush or Q-Tip and clean the lip around the rim before show time? I think not.
After laboring for a few hours, including touch-up paint here and there, I was somewhat satisfied with the results. We are never fully happy with how our car looks, are we? As I was admiring my handy work, the clouds burst open and soaked everything around for miles. At least the rain drops beaded on the fresh coat of wax and slid off the car.
No point in fighting the weather.
Rainy Day Dreamers
Despite a less than stellar spring and beginning of summer, organizers and participants alike were hoping for clement weather. Over 300 cars were on display at last year’s event in Lachute, Quebec and organizers were expecting a repeat performance and record attendance. Lachute is a charming town and gateway to the Laurentians; cottage country and year-round fun. The car show takes place on main street. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Mother Nature had other plans. The wife was smart and stayed home.
No matter, a few of us hardcore enthusiasts showed up despite the pouring rain. I was given a ballot to vote for a favorite car and a signup sheet to display on my dash. I should have brought a black felt pen instead of an ultra fine blue ball point. You could hardly read the info about my car through the windshield with the rain and all. It was wet and it got wetter, coming down so hard rain was falling from inside my umbrella.
One guy walked around my car looking at it from all angles, his neck stretched. He even took notes. I went over to him offering to answer any questions. He said he didn’t know Lincoln made two-door cars. He probably thought my car was recent. That’s how good it looks. “Well,” I said, stretching the well. “Lincoln used to make them. The last year was 1998.” Cadillac kept manufacturing them. The ETC, Eldorado Touring Coupe, for example, and now you can purchase a 2017 ATS Coupe off the dealer floor. But Lincoln has moved away from Coupes. Regardless, I’m still hoping they will come out with a Mark IX. One can dream, right?
A lone family showed up. The kids were eating ice cream, which was getting diluted by the minute. The boy leaned over trying to see inside the car. My mind says “don’t put your strawberry-flavored sticky fingers on my car.” Instead, I turn to the mother and congratulate her on her great kids. I had to keep in mind they were car fans and the rain would wash off the paw prints. It’s all part of the fun and besides, my hours of polishing were all in the past.
1997 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC. Photo: Michael Bellamy for Automoblog.net.
Memorable Models
In my estimation, there were fewer visitors than show participants. Final tally was about 20 cars and trucks, but I was eager and happy to talk about my car and inquire about other rides. I walked around and talked to the other guys who were mostly mechanics by profession. Few can afford to pay someone to maintain their cars. A few couples were in attendance. Parked behind me was a mint 1980 Ford F100. In front of me, the elderly gentleman brought his Cadillac Seville with plush velour seats. Even with the air ride lifting it at maximum height, the tail drooped according to the design.
Since it had front-wheel drive, my thoughts drifted to the 1972 Olds Toronado I used to own. In the mid-sixties, the Buick Riviera was the first big GM car to offer front-wheel drive. Those three models were ahead of the curve in many ways.
In front of the Seville was a 1964 Pontiac Tempest convertible. The man had driven 6 hours to attend the show. Earlier in the year, he had driven it to West Palm Beach and spent a couple of days at the Barrett-Jackson shindig. He had attended the Thursday auction where a Duster sold for quite a few coins. He told me he attends about a dozen car shows a year and puts quite a bit of mileage on his Tempest.
And on I went to look at all the cars. There were a few surprises. Ford Racing showed up with a superb white and blue Mustang. Before I reached the car to ask questions, the guys who trailered it to the site had sought shelter from the rain and were nowhere to be found. The last two participants to arrive were a father and son team. The father drove a bright orange 1972 Road Runner and the son brought a 1964 Chevrolet Bel-Air, I think. I was too soaked to go look at the badge.
The hoods on every car were closed. Good thing because I hadn’t had time to clean my own engine compartment.
1972 Road Runner. Photo: Michael Bellamy for Automoblog.net.

The Man With The Kaiser
Because of the poor attendance, organizers decided to cut the event short. No one complained. It was time for the trophies and prizes. The mayor was in attendance. His Honor’s pick was a Polaris. Was it a car? Was it a motorcycle? No, it was a Slingshot, and highly modified, it seemed. It looked like a Transformer. A trophy was given to the car voted favorite by the participants. That trophy went to the owner of a 1947 Kaiser. I actually voted for that car.
Funny enough, I told the guy I would vote for him. I asked him to fill out my ballot since I was out in the rain and he was sitting nice and dry in his Kaiser.
Back in the heyday of automobile manufacturing, the Big Three had some competition. One such manufacturer was Kaiser-Fraser, a team effort by Henry Kaiser and Joseph Fraser. They produced both Kaiser and Fraser automobiles which were available to the public right after World War II. They also made Allstate cars for Sears Roebuck & Company, sold through Sears Auto Centers. In the late 1940s through the first part of the 1950s, they joined with car designer Howard Darrin. In 1954, they offered a sports car with a fiberglass body and a six-cylinder engine. And I believe it was featured in the Sears “Wish Book.” Mr. Fraser was bought out, and eventually, Kaiser purchased Willys-Overland, famed maker of Jeeps. However, in the long run, they could not compete with the Big Three. Despite tentative agreements in place with GM to supply parts like transmissions and detuned Rocket 88 engines from Oldsmobile, it didn’t work out and Kaiser had to close shop.
1947 Kaiser. Photo: Michael Bellamy for Automoblog.net.
Prizes & Polish
The organizers ended up giving trophies to everyone since there were more trophies than participants. So, I received one just for showing up. After the trophies were awarded, it was time for gifts from local merchants to be handed out. I ended up winning two gift certificates and a shoulder bag containing a hat, a thermos, and a deck of playing cards with old photos of the town on them. There was a 50/50 draw, which I didn’t win, but half the proceeds went to a charitable cause.
Despite the miserable weather, a good time was had by all. It may not appear to be so, but a lot of work and time goes into organizing a car show, the next one being in Hawkesbury, Ontario, Canada over Labor Day weekend. That’s not too far from the New York State border and a stone’s throw from the province of Quebec. Participants and visitors come from all over; last year, they had upwards of 500 cars and trucks register for the event. Fingers crossed for Mother Nature to be kind.
There are thousands of such events taking place all across this great continent of ours, much to the delight of car and truck aficionados. If you own a car that is show worthy, polish that baby and enter it. If you are a car enthusiast, make sure to attend at least one event. It will be well worth your time, plus the guys and gals who spend countless hours on their vehicles will be grateful you visited them.
Michael Bellamy is the author of our Memory Lane series. He enjoys driving his 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC and until an untimely collision claimed it, his 2001 Ford F-150 7700.
Lachute, Quebec Car Show Gallery

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Ford Introduces “Quiet Start” So You Don’t Annoy Your Neighbors

Ford Introduces “Quiet Start” So You Don’t Annoy Your Neighbors

You know that guy that always comes bellowing by your house at 5:30 in the morning on his Harley? He’s on his way to work and has to let everyone know that he is the baaaadest guy in the accounts pending department. Yeah, him. Don’t be that guy. As it turns out, Ford has come up with a way to help you not be that guy, and they can do it on a schedule of your choosing.
Ford calls it Quiet Start – although Mustang engineers refer to it as “Good Neighbor Mode” – and it’s an industry-first being available on the Mustang GT.
Essentially, what Quiet Start allows you to do is schedule the time when the Mustang GT’s V8 engine can make lots of noise, and when has to shut up. You know, to show courtesy to your neighbors.
Disturbing The Peace
It seems this all started early one morning with a suburban neighborhood, a Shelby GT350 Mustang, and a rather uncouth neighbor. I don’t mean Steve von Foerster, former head of vehicle engineering for Ford Motor Company and owner of said Shelby GT350 Mustang. No, I’m talking about von Forester’s neighbor who, upon hearing the Shelby GT350 Mustang backing out of von Forester’s driveway, became annoyed at all the racket. The neighbor decided the proper course of action was to pick up the phone and call the cops. (Let me just say, as an aside, this is a totally lame move on the neighbor’s part. Walk over and talk with him, ya dork. Call the police? Sheesh!)
The cops actually showed up, but Von Foerster had already left so he skipped the whole ticketing process.
The whole deal caused von Foerster and fellow Mustang program members to develop a Quiet Exhaust mode, along with the industry-first Quiet Start. Both new features come on “properly equipped” 2018 Mustang GT vehicles (i.e. the ones with a honking V8 and a bunch of dash gizmos) and allow drivers to keep engine notes at a pianissimo if they wish.
2018 Ford Mustang GT. Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Slight Overkill?
The Mustang’s Quiet Start is not a simple on/off switch that some sports cars already offer, oh no. Quiet Start is the first to allow scheduling of the times your car will be allowed to make more noise or not. This is all done by steering wheel-mounted thumb controls. The driver toggles through a menu on the instrument cluster to select times their neighbors may consider “quiet hours,” say between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. – the Mustang will then keep things at a more mellow tone if it is fired up between those times. Personally, I think this is overkill, rather stupid, and makes a driver seed more control to the car rather than taking control and responsibility for themselves. A simple switch would have done Ford, but oh no.
The new Quiet Exhaust and Quiet Start features are part of the available active valve performance exhaust system on the new Mustang GT. The active valve performance exhaust system allows three different exhaust volumes: Normal, Sport, and Track modes. That’s all very handy, and I know lots of people who like to constantly fiddle with these available options, but me, I’m more of a set it and forget it sort of gearhead, or in the case of that “Track mode” option, a fire and forget it sort of gearhead.
2018 Ford Mustang GT. Photo: Ford Motor Company.

Annoying Noises
FoMoCo points out that according to a recent poll by Ranker.com, loud engine revving is among the most annoying noises neighbors make alongside power tools, barking dogs, and band practice. I point out this is why I hate most people. Ford further points out that “only early-morning lawn mowing is more robustly despised.” Robustly despised? Sounds like Ford has a recent “creative” writing grad in their press department.
In addition to its active valve performance exhaust, other changes to the Mustang will include a restyled exterior, a redone interior, an all-digital 12-inch instrument cluster, a 10-speed automatic transmission, MagneRide damping, and SYNC Connect with FordPass. With its new Drag Strip mode, the Mustang GT hits 60 mph faster than a Porsche 911 Carrera. The refreshed and enhanced Mustang will reach showrooms later this year.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.
Photos & Source: Ford Motor Company.

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