The Ford RS200 and the Audi Sport Quattro are two of the most recognizable rally cars ever produced. They were built in a time when automotive technology was flourishing, but by today’s standards they are crude and archaic. They were built in limited numbers to satisfy the homologation rules for the Group B rally cars that ran between 1984-1986, and because of this they are now some of the most desirable cars in the world. Chris Harris of Youtube’s new DRIVE network recently got behind the wheel of both the RS200 and Audi Sport Quattro for an experience that few other drivers have ever had. Click through for the video and make sure to subscribe at Youtube.com/DRIVE.

Source: Youtube.com

Remember yesterday when I was talking about old vs. new? Well, Jalopnik recently posted this video comparing an old 1980 Ford Escort Mk. II rally car against a new, and thoroughly modern Ford Fiesta rally car. The results themselves are not surprising as the old Escort is no match for the Fiesta. What is interesting though are the impressions from the father and son driving team of Gwyndaf and Elfyn Evans. So, if you could choose, which one would you rather have in your garage?

Source: Jalopnik.com

It’s good to see that gymkhana guru Ken Block understands that he still needs improvement when it comes to open road and WRC style rallying. I mean there is no question that the guys got some serious skills, but I think he may have bitten off a little more than he could chew when he first entered WRC. This is why I’m finding it pretty cool that he went to Snoqualmie Falls, WA and the Dirt Fish Rally School to get in a little practice in his HVHF Ford Fiesta. Now, for those that don’t know, Snoqualmie Falls, Washington is the same place that the TV series Twin Peaks was filmed back in the early 90′s. Even though it was a good show, it unfortunately didn’t make it past 2 seasons. Regardless though, watching Block slide his Fiesta around a dirt course in the same place the TV series was filmed is just as entertaining as it’s always been.

Source: Autoholics.com

Thumbs Up: Goes like a V8, drinks gas like a V6.

Thumbs Down: Interior not up to Ford’s usual standards.

Buy This Car If: You want a sporty but (relatively) frugal AWD American sedan.

The American motoring public had never seen anything like the original Ford Taurus SHO, launched in 1989. It was a genuine sport sedan, in family sedan disguise, built and sold by a major U.S. automaker for thousands less than the competition from Germany. It featured a Yamaha-designed, 24-valve, 3.0-liter V-6 good for 220 horsepower and mated only to a five speed manual transmission. Quick for a sedan of its size (by 1989 standards, at least) the SHO could dash from 0 to 60 in just over 6.5 seconds and topped out at 143 miles per hour. The original SHO was a huge hit, and Ford had no trouble selling through its build quantity of 15,519 units.

No other Taurus SHO really managed to capture the magic of the first car, and by 1999 the public had lost interest in Ford’s family sport sedan. Although the engine had grown from six cylinders to eight (and still used heads designed by Yamaha) the only transmission offering was the four-speed automatic used in the Taurus LX, which was hardly a good choice for a sport sedan. Worse, the exterior styling was hardly distinguishable from the rest of the egg-shaped Taurus family, so only the brand faithful could tell you weren’t driving an ordinary grocery-getter. When the fourth generation Taurus sedan was launched in 2000, the SHO was dropped from the lineup.

Fast forward to 2010, and the launch of an all-new Ford Taurus. The SHO was back, this time as the showcase for Ford’s EcoBoost V-6 engine, whose twin-turbo enhanced power promised V-8 performance with V-6 fuel economy. Instead of sending power to the front wheels, the new SHO offers the superior traction of all-wheel-drive, making the car a reasonable choice for drivers in snowbelt states who still want a sedan with entertainment value. While a manual transmission is still off the table, the six-speed SelectShift transmission offers drivers the ability to row their own gears via the console shifter or via steering wheel mounted paddle shifters.

Like the rest of the new Taurus family, the SHO is far better looking that the car it replaces. While still tasteful enough to appeal to the buying public, the new Taurus’ front end has an aggressive look not typically associated with a family sedan, and a deep character line runs from the front fender across the doors. In profile, the rear window (and hence, the C-pillar) is more steeply raked than the windshield, and blends into a short rear decklid which belies the fact that the SHO has a cavernous trunk. From the back, the rear of the Taurus is best described as “clean,” with a tasteful lower fascia and taillights that tie up the car’s angular-but-rounded styling.

Like the previous generation Taurus SHO, the car doesn’t offer much to distinguish itself from other members of the Taurus family. Sure, the 20-inch wheels from the SHO Performance Package are a dead giveaway, but aside from the subtle rear spoiler, SHO trunk and C-pillar logos and slightly different grille, there’s not a lot of bling to tell other drivers you’re packing 365 horsepower under the hood. If you want flash in a performance sedan, the new SHO may not do it for you; on the other hand, if you understand the benefits of flying under the radar, this may be the car you’re looking for.

If you’ve driven the new Ford Explorer or the new Ford Focus, you probably have certain expectations for interior materials and interior quality. If there’s bad news to report on the new Taurus SHO, it’s this: on the inside, the car simply doesn’t live up to the standards set by its newer stablemates. That’s not to say that the interior is bad, it’s just not as good as other contemporary models from Ford. Door panels, for example, are slathered in shiny vinyl that has no place in a car with the SHO’s price tag, and the instruments almost seem to be an afterthought.

We like the textured aluminum housing, but is there a reason the gauges are so small? Worse, the black chrome trim surrounding the dials reflects the gauges odd lighting, making them even harder to read at a glance. We know there’s a new SHO coming for 2013, and we certainly hope the car comes with all-new instrumentation.

As for the rest of the dash, we have few complaints. We’d like to see a little less hard plastic at the bottom of the dash, and could do without the shiny plastic console trim, While we’re at it, a more sporting steering wheel would help, too, since the one in the SHO is oddly thin between 10:00 and 2:00. If you need an example of what a proper sport steering wheel should look (and feel) like, see the ones used in the Mark VI Volkswagen GTI and in the new Buick Regal GS.

We’ll admit that we weren’t fans of the black-and-umber seating in the SHO. That’s easily corrected by opting for the black seating, which would also help to hide the vinyl door trim. The front seats are comfortable enough for daily commutes and long road trips, but they don’t offer anywhere near enough lateral support for even moderately spirited driving. The soft-touch, sueded panels are a nice touch and help keep the driver in place during normal cornering, but more bolstering (at both hip and back) is needed to give the SHO genuine sport sedan credentials.

The same applies to the rear seats, which also lack any kind of lateral support. We suspect they’re as comfortable as the front (and they’re heated as part of the Rapid Spec 402A package), so car-pooling colleagues won’t object when you pick them up in your new SHO (unless, of course, your commute involves a lot of high-speed sweepers with the occasional switchback corner thrown in).

Unlike previous Taurus SHO models, the engine used in the new SHO doesn’t come from a motorcycle or motorsport supplier and is probably the most ordinary ever used in a Taurus SHO. That’s not a bad thing, since the best word to sum up Ford’s 3.5-liter V-6 EcoBoost engine is “superb.” It really does pull like a V-8, but delivers significantly better fuel economy under normal driving conditions. In SHO tune, the engine makes 365 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, which will get the new SHO from 0 to 60 in less than 5.5 seconds. Despite this, the car still returns a respectable 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. Those aren’t hybrid numbers, but they aren’t bad for a big all-wheel-drive sedan with this much power on tap.

Ford’s done a good job in balancing handling with ride comfort on the SHO. To be clear, it isn’t going to run with the big dog sport sedans on a racetrack, but it’s capable of providing significant entertainment value on your favorite twisty road. Even the occasional track day isn’t a problem for the SHO, but if you need a commuter sedan that will also fill your office with autocross trophies, the SHO probably isn’t your ride. One area where Ford could do better is steering feel, since the SHO has a hard time telling the driver what’s going on with the front wheels. We suspect some of that has to do with the car’s mass, since it’s tough to make 4,400 pounds of sedan nimble yet communicative. That said, the new Taurus SHO is still reasonably entertaining, especially if your needs dictate an AWD family sedan but your wants say muscle car.

Ford supplied the 2011 Taurus SHO for my evaluation. Base price on my press fleet tester was $38,595, including a deliver charge of $825, and options included the $2,800 Rapid Spec 402A package (heated & cooled front seats, power moonroof, 12-speaker Sony audio system, heated rear seats, power rear window sunshade, blind spot monitoring system, rain sensing wipers with automatic high beams, power adjustable pedal assembly), the $995 SHO Performance Package (3.16 final drive, performance tires, 20-inch wheels) and the $1,850 Voice-Activated Navigation System, for a total sticker price of $44,240.

2011 Ford Taurus SHO

For comparison, a similarly equipped Dodge Charger R/T AWD would sticker at $40,145, while a comparable Acura TL SH-AWD with the Advance Package would list for $45,970.

It would’ve been so much easier if I was just into video games or something because there are times when being a car guy totally sucks. You see I don’t just like cars, I love them. In fact every aspect of my life revolves around them. I write about them, build them, race them, film them… hell, they encompass everything I do. Who knew that back in the day when I was playing with Matchbox and remote control cars that it would turn into an obsession that has taken over my life. The problem is this; I want everything, but the fatal combination of a writers salary and lack of space prevent this from happening. Sure being in the industry helps, as we get to drive press cars and go to different automotive related events, but still, that doesn’t change the fact that I jones for something different in the garage on a daily basis. Take this near perfect 1972 Ford Galaxie 500 that I spied recently on eBay. Folks, if I had the money this sucker would be in my garage tomorrow. Sure it’s big and cumbersome, but it’s a classic piece of American iron that I would love to use as a daily driver. Maybe it’s because it’s different, or maybe its because cars like this remind me of my childhood growing up in the 1970′s. Whatever the reason though, road yachts like this always get my blood pumping.

Understand that it’s not just vintage American stuff that excites me either. Take this old 1973 Mercedes-Benz 200-Series 280 SEL for example. It was build in a time when a Mercedes-Benz was still built like a tank. Cars of this vintage not only drove great, but they have a timeless style that even now, 38 years later, still looks great. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll hit lotto, or perhaps be in a position to get that 40 car garage I’ve always dreamed about. Either way though, there are times when being a car guy is a drag, as there are just so many wonderful rides out there and so little time to experience them.

Well it’s official, the Ford Raptor is now the baddest dude on the block. Not only is he big, standing a few feet over his competitors, but he’s as graceful as a ballerina and as capable as a billy goat. Seriously folks, if you are looking for a jack-of-all-trades pickup truck, then this is your boy. Senior Editor of Jalopnik, Mike Spinelli, recently took to the rock lands of MOAB, Utah to test out just how capable the Raptor truly was. He spoke of its new torsen limited-slip front differential, its new grille-mounted camera with a wide-angle lens, and the fact that these two things together helped them get “straight up Oprah’s Butt”, a feet that is, without a doubt, an accomplishment for any man or machine. But hell, don’t take my word on how good this truck is, or Spinelli’s for that matter, just click through for the video and watch for yourselves.

Source: Jalopnik.com

http://jalopnik.com/5870354/2012-ford-f+150-svt-raptor-first-crawl

Say what you will, but from 1975-1985 just about every car built by an American auto manufacturer was a major pile-O-crap. They were underpowered thanks to smog regulations, employed awful materials and at days end, simply didn’t have the quality of our overseas competitors. That didn’t stop the big-3 from trying to sell them to us though. Take this ad for the 1978 Ford Granada ESS for example, a car that back then, was one of the worst offenders. Manufacturers knew that their products were substandard compared to the rest of the world and in an effort to get us interested they tried to take the easy way out by copying the big boys. The Granada for example came with a slick-as-snot vinyl interior, cheap plastic knobs and an engine that was as far from reliable as you could get. I suppose in reality trying to get the public to view them as something that they weren’t was their only hope. Unfortunately though, it didn’t work out to well for them. Click through to see what I’m talking about.

Source: Hemmings.com

OK, here’s the deal. I’ve been researching and driving just about everything I can get my hands on in the hopes of finding a new daily driver/track car. It’s a tough thing I know, but as it’s really my only hobby, it’s a decision that is not to be taken lightly. The car will probably see anywhere from 10-12 track days per year with a nice 7-day stint running in the 2012 One Lap of America. What that means is that the car in question needs to be comfortable enough for my 6’4″ frame, large enough to carry a weeks worth of luggage and fast enough so that I can potentially keep up with majority of the people that run in the advanced group. Thus far I’ve narrowed it down to two cars; a 2008 or better Chevrolet Corvette or a slightly used BOSS 302 Mustang.

*Photo Credit: InsideLine

Both cars have their pro’s and con’s, however for whatever reason, I’m having a bitch of a time making a decision. On the one hand a base model Corvette equipped with an LS3 produces 436 hp and 428 lb.-ft of torque when equipped with the sport exhaust. It also gets 26 mph hwy, weighs in at 3,217 lbs., will sprint to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and top out at 190 mph.

*Photo Credit: AutoWeek

In comparison the 2012 Boss 302 Mustang puts out 440 hp and 380 lb.-ft, will hit 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and will hit maximum velocity at (electronically limited) 155 mph, plus it has usable back seats. It does however weight in a 3,621 lbs. and has a much higher price tag then a used Vette’. So, presented with the following facts, which car would you choose and why?

Honestly, I would love to say that I’m getting sick and tired of watching Ken Block’s videos, but the truth is they’re all really great fun. Whether he’s hooning around playing gymkhana on a closed course, rallying in WRC or simply doing some testing, Block has a way of creating the type of automotive fun that we all wish we were a part of. I’m sure the following video is nothing extraordinary to Block and his team as for them it’s just part of their daily duties. For those of us though who are stuck behind a computer all day, well… let’s just say that Block has a better job then most people.

Source: Youtube.com

A few years ago American auto manufacturers were all gung-ho on producing crazy muscle-trucks for the performance truck enthusiast. There was the Dodge Ram SRT-10 with a 510 hp V10 mill, the Chevrolet Silverado SS with a 345 hp V8, and finally the Ford SVT Lightning with it’s wicked cool side-exit exhaust and supercharged 340 hp V8. These were not work trucks mind you, however if you wanted to haul some serious ass, then either one of them would’ve fit the bill just fine. As good as they all were on the road though, these titans of high-speed hauling were just plain awful when the tarmac ended. They were all two-wheel drive, had performance based suspension systems and, at days end, came shod with low-profile tires on larger wheels. My following question then is simple; why the hell did this bonehead enter his Ford SVT Lightning in a full-on truck pull? Hell, even the event announcer seems to be confused. I mean I understand that you want to have fun, but Jesus, at least bring the right tool for the job…

Source: Youtube.com