Automotive

2018 Toyota Prius Prime Advanced Review

2018 Toyota Prius Prime Advanced Review The Toyota Prius Prime Plug-in Hybrid-Electric (PHEV) was new last year, and is already outselling the Tesla Model S, Model X, Chevy Volt, and Bolt. The car is catching on with consumers because Toyota is a leader in hybrid technology and a trusted brand.
We have seen those advantages first-hand this week, as we are driving the top-of-the-line, 2018 Toyota Prius Prime Advanced.
What’s New For 2018
The Prius Prime is unchanged for the 2018 model year.
Features & Options
The range-topping 2018 Toyota Prius Prime Advanced ($33,100) is packed with a long list of tech features. It comes with a power driver’s seat, an 11.6-inch central touchscreen, upgraded multimedia system, premium synthetic leather (SofTex) seats, automatic headlights, keyless entry, satellite radio, and wireless smartphone charging.
The Advanced trim also comes with extra technology features like premium audio, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, heated steering wheel, auto-dimming mirror, heads-up display, a smartphone app with a charge management system, remote climate control, rain-sensing wipers, and a semi-automated parking function.
Total MSRP including destination: $33,995.

Interior Highlights
The Prius Prime feels modern inside, and the first thing we noticed was the giant 11.6-inch touch-tablet that controls just about everything. It’s fairly intuitive and you get used to it pretty quickly by simply playing with its many features. The new Prius Prime offers seating for four and comes standard with bucket-style seats in the rear. The front seats are heated and trimmed in a SofTex synthetic leather that’s close to leather upholstery.
Passenger space is typical to what you’ll find in most compact cars, with overall volume being a tad less here than its other Prius stablemates. The raked roofline does cut into head space for taller passengers, but it doesn’t impact visibility from the driver’s seat much.
Prius Prime offers up 19.8 cubic feet of cargo space, which is above average for a compact car but less than the standard Prius hatchback’s 27.4 cubic feet. The cargo hold is less due to the Prime’s rechargeable battery, which is mounted in the rear of the car. The 60/40 split-folding back seat adds extra cargo-carrying ability, however.

Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs
The Toyota Prius Prime is powered by a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine and a hybrid synergy drive system featuring a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery. The hybrid system’s net power is 121 horsepower (90 kW). It comes mated to an electronically-controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (ECVT). The combination drives the front wheels.
The Prius Prime gets an EPA-estimated 54 combined mpg on gas only, and 133 MPGe electricity plus gasoline, making it one of the most fuel-efficient plug-in hybrids available. It has an all-electric driving range of 25 miles and when fully fueled and charged, the Prius Prime has a range of 640 miles.
Unlike battery-electric vehicles, the Prius Prime does not need a special home charger which will save owners thousands. On a 120 volt circuit, the Prime can charge to 100 percent in about five and a half hours. Homeowners that use a dedicated 240 volt circuit will be able to recharge in about two hours.

Driving Dynamics
Aside from the annoying drone of the continuously variable transmission winding up under power, the Prius Prime can be fun-to-drive with its surge of electric acceleration. It was especially enjoyable as we zipped around Denver with ease because of its compact size.
The Prius Prime doesn’t offer the greatest acceleration when getting up to highway speeds, but it shines in the fuel mileage department. We noticed more cabin noise than the traditional Prius, likely because of its harder tires designed for maximum mileage. But the engine noise from the 1.8-liter plant is well suppressed.
We took the compact hybrid up in the high country as we headed up I-70 into the mountains west of Denver, and found it to have ample power. In the tight mountain corners, the Prius Prime didn’t lean over too much; the city-hauler hugged the curves fairly well.
Conclusion
The Prius Prime more than doubles the range of the past Prius Plug-in Hybrid, while offering more standard equipment and technology. Those looking for a fuel-efficient commuter should consider the 2018 Toyota Prius Prime. It offers consumers one of the best overall values of any vehicle on the market.
Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. Follow his work on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy
2018 Toyota Prius Prime Gallery

2018 Toyota Prius Official Site.
Photos: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

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2019 Ram 1500 “Classic” To Sell Alongside All-New Model

2019 Ram 1500 “Classic” To Sell Alongside All-New Model A new addition – or perhaps existing family member – is coming to the Ram truck lineup. A “Classic Badge” is planned and will be sold alongside the all-new 2019 Ram 1500. The truck maker will offer both the 2019 Ram 1500 Classic (known internally as the “DS” model) and the all-new Ram 1500 (internally as “DT”) at its North American dealers through 2018.
“As we launch the all-new 2019 Ram 1500, we didn’t want to walk away from a key part of the light-duty truck market,” explained Mike Manley, Head of Ram Brand – FCA. “Ram will continue to produce the 1500 Classic targeted at entry and commercial buyers.”
Ram says the 1500 Classic carries a number of segment-exclusive features in areas “most important to truck buyers.” The truck maker points to their link-coil rear suspension and RamBox bedside storage system that allows for easier cargo hauling. The all-new 2019 Ram 1500 was subjected to an extensive redesign before hitting the market, something we learned about in-depth earlier this year.
The 2019 Ram 1500 endures quality and durability testing on the company’s Road Test Simulator in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Photo: FCA US LLC.
Packages & Trim Levels
The Classic will be available as a Regular Cab with an 8 or 6 foot, 4 inch-bed; Quad Cab with a 6 foot, 4 inch-bed; Crew Cab short bed (5 feet, 7 inches), or a Crew Cab with an optional 6 foot, 4 inch-bed. The Classic comes with three powertrian choices (4×2 or 4×4): the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, 5.7-liter Hemi, and the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel, although Ram says the diesel will not be available until later on.
The Classic has three new packages: Chrome Plus, offered for the Tradesman, which includes chrome bumpers, 17-inch wheels, and keyless entry; the Tradesman SXT, which also includes chrome bumpers, plus a five-inch radio display, fog lamps, dual exhaust for the Hemi models, and 20-inch wheels; finally, the “Express Black Accent Package” for the Express trim adds a number of blacked-out elements, including the wheels, headlight bezels, and badging.
Tradesman, Express, Big Horn/Lone Star, and SSV (Special Services Vehicle) make up the available trim levels.
Manufacturing & Availability
The 2019 Ram 1500 Classic is built at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant in Warren, Michigan. Since opening in 1938, the facility has produced more than 12.5 million trucks. Regular Cab and some Crew Cab Classic models will be built at the Saltillo Truck Assembly Plant in Saltillo, Mexico.
Expect the Ram 1500 Classic at Ram dealerships in the fourth quarter of this year.
The Automoblog Staff contributed to this report and can be reached anytime.
Photos & Source: FCA US LLC.

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Iconic Lamborghini Miura SVR Restored By Automaker’s New, Special Division

Iconic Lamborghini Miura SVR Restored By Automaker’s New, Special Division Like seemingly every other high end car maker in the known universe, Lamborghini has gotten into the factory restoration business. They call it Lamborghini Polo Storico, and no, I have no idea what the Polo is about (I checked and it has nothing to do with Ralph Lauren). And I’ve got to say, good choice of cars to start with Lamborghini: A Miura SVR.
Family Tree
Lambo’s Miura needs no introduction for you cognoscenti out there. The Miura, named after a famous breeder of Spanish fighting bulls (indeed, it was a Miura, Isolero, that gored and killed the great Manolete in 1947); the “normal” ones are interesting enough: transverse mid-engine V12, glorious styling courtesy of Gandini, all that kind of stuff. Then Ferruccio tweaked it a little, and made the Miura P400, then the P400 S, then the P400 SV, the SV Jota (which should have been the final version) and at the top of the hill, performance and rarity-wise, the P400 SVR.
This particular Miura, chassis number 3781, engine number 2511, and body number 383, started out as an S version and was originally painted in Verde Miura with black interior, or green over black. It was originally delivered to the Lamborauto dealership in Turin, on November 30th 1968, after being displayed at the 50th Turin Motor Show. After changing hands a staggering eight times by 1974, it was bought by a German guy, Heinz Straber. Straber took it back to Sant’Agata to have it converted into an SVR race car.
This job was turned around after a rocket-fast 18 months of work (18!!).
Lamborghini Miura SVR as restored by Lamborghini Polo Storico. Photo: Automobili Lamborghini.
Traveling Abroad
Then the ownership trail got seriously odd. In 1976, the car was sold to a Japanese fella by the name of Hiromitsu Ito, who took it home to Japan. Lambo says that, once there, it caused “quite a sensation,” which is an understatement of the first order. The Miura SVR was the inspiration for the Circuit Wolf manga comic book series. The fabled Miura SVR, a race car evolution of the Jota, was developed by Lamborghini test driver Bob Wallace and, after Wallace totaled his Jota in an accident, ceaseless customer demand led Automobili Lamborghini to build a few Miura SVJ models and a single Miura SVR, which turned out to be chassis 3781.
Then 3781, which served as the “model” for the vehicle used in the Circuit Wolf comic book, was used as the reference model for the Kyosho toy version.
Which brings us up to more or less the present day, when Lambo got the thing back, returned to its former splendor by the Polo Storico specialists. Fittingly, it was then exhibited during an event organized in its honor at Nakayama Circuit in Japan.
“The full restoration took 19 months and required a different approach to the way we normally work,” explained Paolo Gabrielli, Director of the Polo Storico and Lamborghini Head of After Sales. “The original production sheet wasn’t of much help, as we relied mostly on the specifications from the 1974 modifications. The challenge for the Polo Storico team was even more daunting as the car arrived in Sant’Agata in pieces, although the parts were all there, and with considerable modifications.”

Handle With Care
Lamborghini Polo Storico, based at the company’s HQ in Sant’Agata Bolognese, is the specialized unit dedicated to the restoration and certification of Lamborghini models that have been out of production for at least 10 years. So it functions as Lambo’s version of Ferrari’s Classiche or Lancia/Abarth’s White Book programs.
Polo Storico is also in charge of preserving archives and records, and with managing the supply of original spare parts for classic cars, which will come with a sigh of relief for Diablo owners looking for fuel injection control computers (seriously, go look it up if you want a good laugh). Lamborghini says they are committed to producing enough original spare parts to cover over 65 percent of their models.
Expect to see more spectacularly-restored Lamborghinis emerging from the Polo Storico shops, but I have to say, it will be very hard to top this one.
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
Lamborghini Miura SVR Gallery

Photos & Source: Automobili Lamborghini.

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2018 Hyundai Santa Fe: The Value Bullseye

2018 Hyundai Santa Fe: The Value Bullseye

Hyundai is, as ever, onto something here. Hyundai’s purpose in this world is to make dependable, efficient cars, with a passing amount of style you can happily dispose of in a few years without any emotional qualms. While other automakers strive for lasting permanence and iconic status, Hyundai seems to be just fine with you disposing of their cars, just as long as you keep buying their cars.
This is especially evident in the cutthroat world of SUV sales.
Americana 101
Look, if you’re a young up-and-coming family in the U. S. of A. you’re going to get an SUV of some stripe or another. What are your other options? A minivan? Please. That’s some form of automotive death. Every time you start it, a little piece of your soul dies. A station wagon? What is this? 1967? Wagons (although very cool in my opinion, especially the ones that Mercedes-AMG makes with enough power to tear your house from its foundation) were killed by minivans. Wagons were seen as old and stodgy and, indeed, their own form of vehicular death. And so, they were more or less neutered in the market by the minivan (thank you Lee Iacocca). And then the minivan received the same fate at the hands of the SUV.
So, there you are: The prototype American family, 2017. You’ve got your couple of, well 2.3 kids, at least one dog and you want, no need an SUV. What do you do? Especially if you’re just starting out, that’s when your SUV need comes into a direct meeting with your “just starting out” income. What to do?
Photo: Hyundai Motor America.
Problem Solvers
Enter Hyundai. When it comes to “hey, I’m just getting started at this,” Hyundai has you covered. You are, for good or ill, directly in the crosshairs of their marketing department. “Hey kiddo! Want a car? An SUV you say? Well step right over here and let me show you the new for 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe! It’s a great value!”
The entire Santa Fe lineup runs from $24,950 for the entry level FWD Santa Fe Sport, all the way up to $37,200 for the Santa Fe Sport 2.0T Ultimate. Yes, that is a pretty broad range of possible prices, but overall it does skew toward the entry-level end of the buying spectrum. Right in the center of this range sits the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Value Package. For starters, the Value Package will run you between $26,850 and $28,400, depending on whether you want front or all-wheel drive. Since that’s only about $2,500 above the base model, that’s not asking for much more (Hyundai figures).
What to you get for that paltry sum?
Photo: Hyundai Motor America.

Feature Overload
For starters, the Value Package gets you heated dual power side mirrors with turn signal indicators, power windows with front auto-up/down, a proximity key with push-button start, remote start via the Blue Link app, and a seven-inch display audio center with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and SiriusXM. There is also dual automatic temperature control (which is very nice when your better half likes it hotter or colder than you), a power driver’s seat with lumbar support, and heated front seats.
Of course, if you’d like, you could always move further up the content food chain and get more stuff. Hyundai benevolently refers to this “generous feature content.” For example, standard features for the Santa Fe include a rearview camera, automatic on/off headlights, remote keyless entry with alarm, and body color power side mirrors with driver’s blind spot mirror. Also standard are LED headlight accents, daytime running lights, steering wheel mounted audio, cruise control, and Bluetooth capability.
The premium feature upgrades will get you such goodies as HID Xenon headlights, panoramic sunroof, navigation, and an updated 12-speaker Infinity Logic7 audio system – which features QuantumLogic Surround and ClariFi Music Restoration Technology, which is kind of beside the point because of 1: You’re in a bad acoustical environment to begin with, and 2: You’re a parent with 2.3 kids and probably a dog making an unbelievable racket at all times. The goodies list continues with the power HandsFree Smart Liftgate with Auto Open. This is one of those trick/lazy/really-nice-to-have features that will open the rear hatch if your hands are full.
Photo: Hyundai Motor America.
Power & Performance
What’s under the hood, you ask? The Santa Fe Sport is motivated down the highway by a 2.4 liter four-cylinder direct injected engine, putting out 185 horsepower. Further up the option list comes the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder plant cranking out a healthy 240 horsepower. If you opt for the 2018 Santa Fe with three-row seating, you get the 3.3-liter Lambda II V6 engine, putting out 290 horsepower. All of Hyundai’s Santa Fe engines are running a high pressure direct injection fueling system (which is quite the engineering fashion these days) along with a Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing system (D-CVVT). There’s a six-speed automatic transmission standard on all models.
We have included a pricing chart for the entire 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe lineup.
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.
MODEL
FWD/AWD
MSRP
SANTA FE SPORT 2.4
FWD
$24,950
SANTA FE SPORT 2.4
AWD
$26,500
SANTA FE SPORT 2.4 VALUE
FWD
$26,850
SANTA FE SPORT 2.4 VALUE
AWD
$28,400
SANTA FE SPORT 2.0T
FWD
$31,350
SANTA FE SPORT 2.0T
AWD
$32,900
SANTA FE SPORT 2.0T ULTIMATE
FWD
$35,650
SANTA FE SPORT 2.0T ULTIMATE
AWD
$37,200
*Destination charges $895
2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Gallery

Photos & Source: Hyundai Motor America.

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Extreme Terrain Hosting Ultimate Jeep Giveaway

Extreme Terrain Hosting Ultimate Jeep Giveaway We have all passed that car at the local shopping mall, sporting event, or fairgrounds before: the one on display to eventually be given away. Usually, you fill out a little yellow slip of paper and carry on with your day. You figure, if they call, you will be the proud owner of an economical hatchback. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s not exactly the type of vehicle you hit the trails with to discover far-off places.
How about winning a 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon? How about two of them?
Special Sweepstakes
ExtremeTerrain is known for massive giveaways like this – it’s just how they do it. Their upcoming Rubicon sweepstakes will have you seeing double. Literally. The off-road outfitter company is giving away two customized “His and Hers” 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicons.
“We don’t just sell Jeep parts; we really are Jeep people to the core,” said Ryan Huck, Video Content Specialist and ExtremeTerrain Host. “When we come up with these giveaways, we want to make it really special and give fans something amazing.”
Indeed, even stock Jeeps would be amazing enough, but ExtremeTerrain has cranked things up a notch by customizing each Rubicon. Both will be fitted with a slew of gear from Mickey Thompson, Deegan 38, Raxiom, Barricade, and Mammoth. Each accessory adds the personal flare and off-road persona Jeep enthusiasts crave.
“I’ve always loved how unique a Jeep is right out of the factory and how easy the aftermarket makes it to customize it further,” Huck said. “When a Jeep is driving toward you on the road, you know it’s a Jeep from a mile away, and you can’t say the same about your average sedan.”
(Deegan) 38 Special
The first is a Deegan 38, 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited, painted in Granite Crystal Metallic. It features a 2.5-inch lift, 35-inch tires, 17-inch wheels, rock sliders, rear bumper with tire carrier, flat fenders, and Custom Matte Black Deegan 38 Decals.
“The Deegan 38 parts that will be installed are exclusive to ExtremeTerrain and all brand new,” Huck explained. “We are very excited to be partnering with Deegan 38 on this build because they make parts that not only look great, but are super functional off-road and very high quality.”
Deegan 38, 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited from ExtremeTerrain. Photo: ExtremeTerrain.
Barricade Performance
The second is a Barricade 2018 Jeep Rubicon 2-door in a custom orange, powered by the 3.0 EcoDiesel. It features a 2.5-inch lift, 35-inch tires, 17-inch Mammoth wheels, Barricade rock sliders, stubby front bumper, 9,500 lbs. winch, rear bumper with tire carrier, and flat fenders.
“Barricade has been our partner on builds in the past,” Huck said. “They make some very high quality parts that can take a beating on the trails.”
Both Wranglers will be equipped with lighting from Raxiom to illuminate the darkest and dustiest trails. Furthermore, 4.56 gears (front and rear) were added to increase overall performance.
“We’re leaving no part of these Jeeps untouched and both will be very capable both on and off-road,” Huck said.
Barricade 2018 Jeep Rubicon 2-door in a custom orange from ExtremeTerrain. Photo: ExtremeTerrain.
True Enthusiasts
ExtremeTerrain was founded by Andrew and Steve Voudouris, with a mission to provide dependable performance parts and accessories for Jeeps. Their technical support staff consists of knowledgeable Jeep and off-roading enthusiasts that can point customers in the right direction. They handle inquiries from a multitude of Jeep owners, from hardcore off-roaders to casual daily drivers. Those interested can enter the ExtremeTerrain “His and Hers” 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon giveaway here.
“Even giving away one brand new modded Jeep would be worth winning, but two brand new modded Jeeps is unheard of,” Huck said. “To be given a pair of fully modded, brand new Jeeps is any Jeep fans’ dream.”

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2017 Toyota Prius Prime Advanced Review

2017 Toyota Prius Prime Advanced Review

The Toyota Prius Prime Plug-in Hybrid-Electric (PHEV) is new to the market and already outselling the Tesla Model S, Model X, Chevy Volt, and Bolt. The car is catching on with consumers becasue Toyota is already a leader in hybrid technology and a trusted brand.
It has a number of advantages that consumers seem to like. We saw those advantages firsthand when we drove the top-of-the-line, 2017 Toyota Prius Prime Advanced.
What’s New For 2017
The Prius Prime is the new plug-in version which replaces the prior Prius Plug-in Hybrid. A larger battery gives more electric-only range than the outgoing model, while its fuel efficiency in hybrid mode edges higher than that of the base Prius.
Features & Options
The range-topping 2017 Toyota Prius Prime Advanced ($33,100) is packed with a long list of tech features. It comes with a power driver’s seat, an 11.6-inch central touchscreen, upgraded multimedia system, premium synthetic leather (SofTex) seats, automatic headlights, keyless entry, satellite radio, and wireless smartphone charging.
The Advanced trim also comes with extra technology features like premium audio, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, heated steering wheel, auto-dimming mirror, heads-up display, a smartphone app with a charge management system, remote climate control, rain-sensing wipers, and a semi-automated parking function. Our tester came with the optional 15-inch alloy wheels ($899) and illuminated door sills ($299). Total MSRP including destination: $36,305.

Interior Highlights
The Prius Prime feels modern inside, and the first thing we noticed was the giant 11.6-inch touch-tablet that controls just about everything. It’s fairly intuitive and you get used to it pretty quickly by simply playing with its many features. The new Prius Prime offers seating for four and comes standard with bucket-style seats in the rear. The front seats are heated and trimmed in a SofTex synthetic leather that’s close to leather upholstery.
Passenger space is typical to what you’ll find in most compact cars, with overall volume being a tad less here than its other Prius stablemates. The raked roofline does cut into head space for taller passengers, but it doesn’t impact visibility from the driver’s seat much.
The 2017 Prius Prime offers up 19.8 cubic feet of cargo space, which is above average for a compact car but less than the standard Prius hatchback’s 27.4 cubic feet. The cargo hold is less due to the Prime’s rechargeable battery, which is mounted in the rear of the car. The 60/40 split-folding back seat adds extra cargo-carrying ability, however.

Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs
The Toyota Prius Prime is powered by a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine and a hybrid synergy drive system featuring a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery. The hybrid system’s net power is 121 horsepower (90 kW). It comes mated to an electronically controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (ECVT). The combination drives the front wheels.
The new Prius Prime gets an EPA-estimated 54 combined mpg on gas only, and 133 MPGe electricity plus gasoline, making it the most fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid available. It has an all-electric driving range of 25 miles and when fully fueled and charged, the Prius Prime has a range of 640 miles. Using regular unleaded fuel, the Prius Prime offers one of the best costs per mile of energy of any vehicle in America.
Unlike battery-electric vehicles, the Prius Prime does not need a special home charger which will save owners thousands. On a 120 volt circuit, the Prime can charge to 100 percent in about five and a half hours. Homeowners that use a dedicated 240 volt circuit will be able to recharge in about two hours.

Driving Dynamics
The Prius Prime has driving dynamics very similar to the standard Prius. Aside from the annoying drone of the continuously variable transmission winding up under power, the Prius Prime can be fun-to-drive with its surge of electric acceleration. It was especially enjoyable as we zipped around the city streets of Denver easily because of its compact size.
The 2017 Toyota Prius Prime doesn’t offer the greatest acceleration when getting up to highway speeds, but it shines in getting excellent fuel mileage. We noticed more cabin noise than the traditional Prius, likely because of its harder tires designed for maximum mileage. But the engine noise from the 1.8-liter plant is well suppressed.
We took the compact hybrid up in the high country as we headed up I-70 into the mountains west of Denver, and found it to have ample power. In the tight mountain corners, the Prius Prime didn’t lean over too much and the city-hauler hugged the curves fairly well.
Conclusion
The Prius Prime has a new engine, more than double the EV range of the past Prius Plug-in Hybrid, offers more standard equipment and technology, and more driving flexibility than its peers. For those looking for a very fuel-efficient commuter, the Prius Prime offers consumers one of the best overall values of any vehicle in America.
Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. Follow his work on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy
2017 Toyota Prius Prime Gallery

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2017 Toyota Prius Official Site.
Photos: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

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Bricks And Bones: Chapter 12: A Slight Return: An Epilogue

Bricks And Bones: Chapter 12: A Slight Return: An Epilogue Tony Borroz attended the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 28th, 2017. This series, Bricks And Bones, explores the cultural significance, endearing legacy, and the nitty-gritty phenomenon of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
The prologue of this series here.
Chapter 1: Real Wrong here.
Chapter 2: St. Elmo’s Fire here.
Chapter 3: The Quiet Racer here.
Chapter 4: Hang Ten here.
Chapter 5: Female Perspective here.
Chapter 6: The Fearless Spaniard here.
Chapter 7: Speedway Legends here.
Chapter 8: Barrel Roll here.
Chapter 9: A Wide Face here.
Chapter 10: Among The Fans here.
Chapter 11: After The Storm here.

It is Tuesday and the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 is now two days gone. Healey and I return to our car after taking in The Speedway’s museum and a quick, impromptu chat with Donald Davidson, the “professor emeritus” of Speedway history. We get in and amble slowly through the infield roads. The vast track complex is largely empty. All cars gone. All huge shiny team transporters long on the road to Detroit for the next race. Track vehicles neatly parked. Motorhomes, the private sanctuaries of drivers, mostly gone except for a half dozen or so.
Chance Encounter
We wander back toward Gasoline Alley, Bill’s car idling along at a slightly-better-than-walking pace. A weary, strung out security guard half-heartedly waves us through a check point. The complex of garages are all shuttered behind steel roll-up doors . . . except for one. By who knows what reasoning, the remnants of Dale Coyne’s team are still there, doing a final load-out and catching up with spares for the race. We park and get out to say hello, and there, to my absolute and honest wonder is Sebastien Bourdais. He’s sitting/leaning on the back of a golf cart, talking with various team members as they walk by carrying the bits and pieces that make up a modern day racing team.
Sebastien seems none the worse for wear, despite sitting at an odd angle and orientation – no doubt due to the fact that ten days ago, he slammed into a wall in excess of 225 mph at an impact of 100 Gs, breaking his hip and fracturing his pelvis in seven places.
He’s actually rather chatty, although he seems slightly restless and agitated. When asked how he’s feeling he answers in a bit of a world-weary way, partially due to this being the 2,459th time he’s answered these same questions, but such questions are reminders he will not be racing for quite some time; weeks, months, who knows. Although talkative as is his usual self, he’s also a bit slow to answer. He is no doubt on enough painkillers to knock even Keith Richards on his ass.
Sebastien Bourdais looks on during qualifying at the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500. Photo: Joe Skibinski.
Quiet Reflection
We chat a bit more then take off, winding our way out through the track. We leave via the north entrance, slowly tooling by the lined up jet-driers and safety cars, and the garages and storage sheds necessary for putting on The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
We return home, to the leafy, tree-lined street of suburban middle America and I pause and look down the street as Bill goes inside. I think of Sebastien Bourdais, a man who shouldn’t even be here. A man of uncommon talent and bravery and skill. I think of concepts like “luck” and “risk” and “mortality.” But mainly I think of the racers. I think of Sebastien Bourdais.
I think of Sebastien Bourdais. I think of Sebastien Bourdais. I think of my friend/acquaintance/guy I met. I think of a man who should be dead. I think of a man who, but for the grace of God or Fate or Luck is still alive. I think of Sebastien Bourdais.
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.
This series, Bricks And Bones, in its entirety can be found here.
Cover Photo: David Yowe.

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Bricks And Bones: Chapter 11: After The Storm

Bricks And Bones: Chapter 11: After The Storm Tony Borroz attended the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 28th, 2017. This series, Bricks And Bones, explores the cultural significance, endearing legacy, and the nitty-gritty phenomenon of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
The prologue of this series here.
Chapter 1: Real Wrong here.
Chapter 2: St. Elmo’s Fire here.
Chapter 3: The Quiet Racer here.
Chapter 4: Hang Ten here.
Chapter 5: Female Perspective here.
Chapter 6: The Fearless Spaniard here.
Chapter 7: Speedway Legends here.
Chapter 8: Barrel Roll here.
Chapter 9: A Wide Face here.
Chapter 10: Among The Fans here.

It’s mid-morning in Speedway, Indiana and I walk outside into the bright Memorial Day sunshine. It is as perfect and sunny as a small town Midwest spring day can get. Leafy green trees line the block. White clapboard houses. White picket fences. Carefully maintained yards and house-proud dwellings line the block, stretching out as far as one can see. Birds tweeting and chirping. All that’s missing is a toe-headed paperboy with a crewcut.
This would be postcard middle America to a tee. Pleasantville in 3D Technicolor.
Nothing that would make it remarkable in the least, but if I were to walk ten yards to my left, there it would be. A half-mile to the east is Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A low, glowering eminence grise whose presence can be felt, night and day. It glows through your consciousness, like a power source just into the infrared. But here, right now, there is nothing but a quiet holiday morning. Yesterday, and I mean less than 24 hours ago, the scene was utterly different.
Cordiality & Chow
The streets, even these residential streets nominally on the periphery of The Scene, were swarmed with people. Walking ten yards to my left, which is north, would have given a better picture. A mass of humanity all moving in one direction: towards the Speedway. And 98 percent of them are dragging coolers, hauling backpacks, carrying this and that, and all of them, all 100 percent, are jabbering and jibbering and talking and screaming and chatting and debating and conferring. And the closer you got to the track, the more intense it was. The place was awash in soda and beer and hotdogs and corndogs and deep fried turkey legs the size of a Cro-Magnon’s club.
Burgers, fries, nachos, greasy pizza slices the size of a snow shovel blade, chow-mien(?!), more burgers, more corndogs; food enough to feed an army. And everywhere you looked, the mass of humanity was dressed in shorts and t-shirts and tank tops, blaring nationalist slogans or team allegiances or declarations of wanton consumption of drink and substances. And all of them talking and burping and babbling and farting and guffawing and snorting and prattling and sweet Buddha there’s a lot of them.
Normally the attendance of the Indy 500 is around three to five hundred thousand. That is roughly the number of kids that showed up at friggin’ Woodstock and this happens every year, year in, year out. And these people, these bright, perennially cheerful, down home Midwest salt of the Earth folk welcome them in. It is a stunning display of hospitality right out of some old testament parable. “Need to park your car? Why, here’s a spot on our lawn. That’ll be $20.00.” The streets are lined with cars, the yards are packed with them too. The front yards and delightful screened in porches are full of people talking and eating and drinking. And the roads, always the roads are packed with a moving mass of humanity, going onward, ever onward toward The Track.
Fans gather in droves inside Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Photo: Walter Kuhn.
Picturesque Arrays
But that was yesterday. Short hours ago. Not even a full day. And now, not a speck of lawn is taken up by a vehicle. There is no trash to be seen anywhere, and I mean that: no trash. Later Healey and I do a bit of a driving tour, and the scene can only be described as stunning, and only in the context of what it was like the day before.
There was a huge parking lot the size of a shopping mall. Now it is a green, grassy field. Scores of port-a-potties are now neatly stacked on trailers, all patiently idling in line, waiting to merge with traffic. All souvenir booths are shuttered. Food stands of the most common and mass-produced eats imaginable are locked down and boarded up. The garbage cans, packed to overflowing yesterday are gone, completely gone. All refuse vanished as if on the whim of an invisible wind-god.
And the track, good Lord the track itself: a scattering of people here and there on the outside, but no signs of the throng of humanity that once was. The inside is eerie in its striking lack of people and its neatness. Here and there, maybe a total of 150 people where there were once hundreds of thousands. They walk and sweep and pick up the bits of leftover trash that has so far gone unaccounted for.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway the morning of the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500. Photo: Chris Owens.

Tranquil Territory
And the trash! It has all been collected up, piece by piece, and stuffed into rust-colored garbage bags, and the bags, tens of thousands of them, all neatly lined up at the end of each row of seats. The aluminum white horizontal stands against the strong rust of the vertically arranged garbage bags is like a Christo installation piece.
The contrast between what The Speedway brings, invites; desires even, with what the town is now shocks in the extreme.
Yes, this is Speedway, both in name and deed, but the vast majority of the year it is just a simple, small Midwestern town almost drowning in its own unpretentious charm. And now, not even a day after such noise and speed and riotous behavior, Speedway, Indiana is nothing but silence and slowness and subdued conduct. It is back to as it was. Again it is Pleasantville. It is deepest, whitest American. The heart of paleness close by the banks of the Wabash.
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.
*To be continued. Bricks And Bones is an Automoblog original series with forthcoming installments during the days leading up to, and following the Indianapolis 500.
Cover Photo: Shawn Gritzmacher.

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Bricks And Bones: Chapter 10: Among The Fans

Bricks And Bones: Chapter 10: Among The Fans Tony Borroz attended the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 28th, 2017. This series, Bricks And Bones, explores the cultural significance, endearing legacy, and the nitty-gritty phenomenon of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
The prologue of this series here.
Chapter 1: Real Wrong here.
Chapter 2: St. Elmo’s Fire here.
Chapter 3: The Quiet Racer here.
Chapter 4: Hang Ten here.
Chapter 5: Female Perspective here.
Chapter 6: The Fearless Spaniard here.
Chapter 7: Speedway Legends here.
Chapter 8: Barrel Roll here.
Chapter 9: A Wide Face here.

Journalists are, as a group, pretty jaded and jaundiced about the world around them. Whatever their specialty, whatever little slice of the world they cover, it’s usually done so with barely concealed condescension and detachment. This is actually something you are more or less taught in college newswriting classes. Maintaining a sense of detachment is how a journalist stays objective.
American journalists have this fetish about being objective. But this fetishized objectiveness is the beginning of being jaded in progressively darker shades of green; jaundiced in ever-yellowing hues.
By The Book
Sportswriters, although they can and are encouraged to be fans of the sports they cover, are particularly focused on being objective. Just the facts ma’am. Hits. Runs. Strikes. Passes. Touchdowns. Scores. Statistics. Always tons and tons and tons of statistics. Especially for American sportswriters.
So there we all were, some 150 or so journalists in various shades of jaded experience about two-thirds of the way through the 2017 Indy 500. Assiduously watching, taking notes, scribbling passages, hammering on keys. We were covering the event. Get it all down, stitch it together, write a lead-in graph or two, a nice summation and, bada-boom, bada-bing, you’ve met your deadline, kept your Managing Editor happy, and lived to write another day.
Sixpence Suspense
A few times during the race this professional detachment fell away. Most notably during Dixon’s colossal accident, but most of the time the press area was quiet mumbles and typing, with the occasional four sentence conversations. It was in this setting, on a late race restart, all professionalism fell away from every one of us in that room in an instant. A pack of cars, indeed the second pack of cars behind the lead group, were all blasting down the back straight on the first green flag lap after a protracted caution period. All of a sudden, for reasons that were never clear, this pack of cars, the entire pack, all saw a passing opportunity. Someone checked up, or slowed or something, then the pack, and I mean the entire pack fanned out two – no three – no four – no SIX-wide.
Everyone, and I mean literally every one of us in the top level of the pressroom switched in that instant from being jaded, jaundiced reporters, and reverted back to what got us into this business in the first place: Race fans. Collectively we had been around racing long enough to know what was up, what was down, and what happens when things go sideways. And what we were now looking at was directly on the edge of going very, very sideways.
From the outside wall to the infield grass, six cars were now running side by side at 230 miles an hour. The biggest gap between any two cars was maybe the width of your palm. The slightest was the thickness of your hand. As the cars fanned out, we, the assembled press, all started screaming, and I mean screaming the exact same thing: “NO! No, no, NO, no, no, no, nononoNONONOOOOO!!!!”
Race fans watch the action at the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500. Photo: Chris Owens.

Instant Fans
We knew what we were going to see next. This was bad. This was toddler wandering into a running machine shop bad. This was bad to the point of taking us out of journalism entirely. There were too many cars, too much speed, and a quickly diminishing amount of space . . . and then, cooler heads prevailed. It was as if all six drivers realized what they were doing and, in a snap, sorted it out.
Marco backed out of the throttle. Another car dropped left and back. Alonso (you knew Alonso was going to be in the middle of this) somehow found more speed, gained a car length, and moved right. It was over in a second, maybe a second and a half, maybe two. But in that brief span of time, we journalists were reduced to being just fans at the track, watching the race, having a blast.
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.
*To be continued. Bricks And Bones is an Automoblog original series with forthcoming installments during the days leading up to, and following the Indianapolis 500.
Cover Photo: Chris Owens.

Check out these Automotive tips

http://carsecret.atspace.eu/blog/bricks-and-bones-chapter-10-among-the-fans/