Apr
15

Women have been challenging men on the race track for 100 years

By | Industry

LEadWomen RacingThe internet erupted in outrage over comments made by Stirling Moss on women and their ability to compete with men in auto racing.

I decided to see what history had to say on the subject. Looking back 100 years, it seems women were very active in auto racing. Even more so than they are now.

It appears it wasn’t uncommon for them to openly challenge men in races. They competed with one another globally for a racing title, Queen of Racing World.

While this isn’t by any means a full historical account of women in racing, these few newspaper stories (1914-1918) provide [Read more...]

Apr
12

2014 Jeep Cherokee: An explosion of off-road colors

By | Advermarketing, Industry

ColorJeepLeadAfter writing about the Jeep Cherokee earlier today I started to wonder  how it might look like in a few other colors.

Using what little knowledge I have of Photoshop, I made the following colorized versions of Jeep’s new CUV in Trailhawk trim. (CLICK READ MORE  FOR AN EXPLOSION OF COLORFUL JEEPS) [Read more...]

Apr
12

2014 Jeep Cherokee: A modern day bob; short, butch and still kind of girlish.

By | Industry, LOL

Jeep LeadThe 2014 Jeep Cherokee is the modern day bob of automotive design. Short, with an attention-grabbing mix of butch and girlish.

While I do find the Cherokee attractive, I can’t help but think the large blank space in the rear was designed to accommodate some type of Jeep-specific aftermarket module system. If it wasn’t maybe it should.

I was cutting a friend’s hair once and [Read more...]

Apr
11

The automotive media 100 years ago: How (very) old newspapers told their automotive stories

By | Industry

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Lead ImageWe live in an era of always on, always connected; an age of instantaneous information. Today the life of a story is measured in minutes and the coarse feel of printed news is foreign to most.

And while technology and the need to be first are to blame for the relentless churn of news media, technology also allows us to preserve and recall our historical narrative.

The Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities partnered on a project called [Read more...]

Apr
08

STUDY: SUV and van owners value a child’s life more than truck and car owners

By | Industry

ChildrenThe National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) is a study administered by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) that looks at motorcycle helmet use, child restraint use and driver electronic device use. The data for the study is gathered in two (self-explanatory) ways: the Moving Traffic (MT) Survey and the Controlled Intersection (CI) Survey.

While the most recent report is filled with interesting (and alarming) bits of data, the graph below stuck out to me. [Read more...]

Mar
28

How an EPA report helped me to see just how damn awesome automotive engineers are

By | Industry

THANKENGINEERLEAD

Last night I finished reading EPA’s report titled Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 Through 2012. The 120-page report is filled with historical data on cars and trucks.

While the purpose of the report is to summarize key trends in fuel economy and carbon dioxide-reducing technology, it also tells a fascinating story; how engineering makes heavier cars, faster and more fuel efficient than ever.

Step back for a minute

Because vehicles are often compared to either their previous generation or to their [Read more...]

Mar
25

Cadillac design will woo buyers into brand infidelity

By | Industry

CaddyLeadCTSOver the weekend photos showed up on the internet of the new Cadillac CTS. Where  and how they got there and to what extent they were teasers or not is of no interest to me. What I see I like. I really like. Who am I kidding – I love it.

Seldom do I write about actual vehicles on this blog (I’m working on changing that). The CTS is a special case. It has earned a soft spot in my heart after [Read more...]

Mar
19

Auto Show: Pull for unforgettable experience

By | Industry

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photo3

This weekend I attended an event at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. that paid homage to the Nordic culture.

The event, Nordic Cool, was a collection of art, food and products from the Nordic region. We played with Legos, ate some Cod and laughed at a rocking chair that had a bear’s head nestled right where one’s crotch would go. Weird.

One display did catch my attention and shockingly it had nothing to do with cars (but it will). [Read more...]

Mar
07

Plum Crazy Jeep SRT is plum crazy (VIDEO)

By | Industry

Purple Jeep LEadFor 2014 the Jeep Grand Cherokee received a host of upgrades, mechanically and visually. Fresh headlamps, an 8-speed transmission and even a diesel engine are now available on the trail-rated family hauler.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, the track-pedigree option, also benefited from the refresh and maintains the same 6.4 V8 HEMI engine, yet now includes cylinder deactivation.

If you are interested in learning more about the 2014 Jeep SRT check out the press release from Chrysler here: LINK

The odd kid in the bunch

The Jeep SRT has always intrigued me. He’s the odd kid out. An on-road athlete born [Read more...]

Feb
14

The First Vroom-Vroom

By | Industry

During our son’s first bath a camera hovered above catching every second of what was likely a horrifying experience for him. When he took his first steps, my wife frantically rushed for the camera not wanting to miss a second of it.

This weekend I had my quick-get-me-a-camera moment. This weekend my son said his first vroom-vroom and did it while pushing a toy car across the floor. Daddy filled with joy. Like any respectable modern-day parent, I captured the entire event on camera.

Vroom-vroom may be a typical toddler expression, but for a father as foolishly in love [Read more...]

Feb
07

The NEW Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel: More money. More torque. Same fuel economy?!

By | Industry

Today details were released on a long-awaited diesel-powered American car; the Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel.

According to GreenCarReports the Cruze diesel will achieve an estimated 42 MPG on the highway. Yes, forty two miles per gallon.

Are you not impressed? Well, you shouldn’t be. Here’s why. [Read more...]

Feb
06

I cheated: A story of hometown auto show infidelity

By | Industry

Three years. That’s how long I and the Washington Auto Show have been seeing one another. It was an on and off relationship. We rarely saw one another and when we did, it was only for a very short time.

I had needs. So, I wandered.

First, it was LA. Then, Detroit. I couldn’t stop. I felt awful, but I didn’t care. I was seeing and doing things I’d never done before. I missed out on so much by being in this one-show relationship. Auto show monogamy was dead to me.

Now that I have forever burned a suggestively metaphorical image of me dating an auto show into your brain, you’ll hopefully have a better appreciation for my frame of mind and a better understanding of what follows.

Welcome Home

Having left the sanctuary and obliviousness of my backyard auto show, I came to a [Read more...]

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