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Mustang_GT_5.0_More_Than_Just_.zip (712 KB)

It’s just a car. How many times have I heard that response from someone attempting to reduce my enthusiasm when talking about automobiles I am excited about?

My parents constantly repeated those words while I was growing up in an attempt to sway my eyes from that loud hot rod I lusted after to something a bit more “reasonable.”

It’s just a car. I just need something to drive me to school and work. It’s just a car, an inanimate object that doesn’t speak, feel or think. It’s just a car.

Tell that to some of my spirited co-workers when I (finally) pulled into the parking lot at work behind the wheel of the new Mustang GT 5.0. It’s just a … THAT’S THE NEW MUSTANG!

Yeah, it was kinda like that all week, and while I don’t normally get as excited these days as when I was trying to convince mom and dad just why I had to have that car in high school I found myself walking with a bit more “pep in my step” every time I headed out to get behind the wheel of this new Ford pony car.

Ford redesigned the latest Mustang a couple of years ago but included the same powertrain lineup at that time. The new chassis rode and drove much better but it was still the same old enchilada when it came to power and acceleration.

All that has changed.

The new engine and transmission lineup places Mustang right back into the iconic status it has held for decades. In 10 to 20 years I see myself sitting around telling the grandkids about the “good old days” when the legend of the Pony was reborn.

Mustang can once again hold its own in the benchracing banter as horsepower and torque are up to snuff with the competition (that being Camaro and Challenger). And Mustang owners can rightfully boast of a car that is stylish, sporty, comfortable and convenient – they have a car that has no trade-offs, no “if only they had”s, no buyer remorse.

Even as fuel prices creep toward the four-bucks-a-gallon mark they can proudly recite statistics of achieving 26 mpg highway from their 412hp 5.0-liter four-valve V-8 engine. Ford offers a choice of six speed transmissions, one manual and one automatic. Our tester came with the former and we could not have been happier. The clutch was daily-driver liveable and the short throw shifter was sick (that’s slang for something very special for those not familiar with the vernacular).

Ford designers and engineers did a wonderful job melding neo-classic Mustang styling with the latest technology and safety equipment. They gave our tester a 3.73 ratio limited-slip rear differential and Brembo brakes along with rear view camera, navigation and even Sirius Satellite services. Sweet.

Pricing on the V-8 car begins at $32,845 with our tester rolling in to the tune of 38 and change after the addition of a few extra “goodies.”

For me, the most fun behind the wheel came from rolling into the powerband above three grand in second and third gears. WOW! Exhilarating to say the least.

“It’sjustacarit’sjustacarit’sjustacarit’sjustacar” … Breathe. As my state of awareness returns to the world around me I look over at and hear Larry muttering something under his breath – “It’sjustacarit’sjustacarit’sjustacar …”

Yeah, the new Ford Mustang GT 5.0 is just a car … and Gone With The Wind is “just a movie.”

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Hyundai_Genesis_Coupe_3.8_Trac.zip (531 KB)

Rodney Dangerfield based an entire stand-up career on it, singer Aretha Franklin had a big hit with it and the new Hyundai Genesis Coupe demands it: Respect.

Two things might help them out here. First, get your marketing department to begin plastering every new action film with the car and second, spin a performance division off from the main corporate umbrella and give it a brand name consumers can easily pronounce.

Sure, I had read the glossy newsrack reviews pitting the new Korean coupe against the latest Detroit had to offer but did not really take them seriously until I slid behind the wheel of this 2011 Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track edition recently.

This is a Hyundai? No way.

Over the past couple of years I have been including Hyundai (and sister company Kia) in recommendations for vehicles worth looking at when considering a new car purchase. For those of you thinking a sporty little rear wheel drive coupe may be in your future, make sure you stop by your Hyundai dealership.

The Genesis two-door model is derived from the architecture underpinning the automaker’s stylish sedan of the same name but similarities end there. And the coupe is more than just a reengineered Tiburon. Much more.

The Genesis coupe is a rear wheel drive car capable of truly giving Detroit a run for the roses. Our tester came with the spirited all-aluminum 3.8-liter V-6 engine putting 306hp to the rear wheels via a slick sport-shifting six-speed manual gearbox and a Torsen limited-slip rear differential.

This car features a track-tuned suspension underneath an already decidedly rigid body structure. Brembo four-piston brakes and oversized ventilated rotors help bring this rocket back to earth when that need arises and Hyundai rolls out 19-inch alloy wheels with performance rubber at all four corners.

The Track package blacks out the lower front fascia and adds aero wipers and a rear spoiler to the car. Inside we find black leather seating surfaces on supportive but comfortable buckets matched nicely with aluminum pedals.

We enjoyed the latest in infotainment technology during our time in the coupe but despite enjoying cranking up the tunes on the audio system we found listening to the exhaust notes while twisting the tachometer northward just about as rewarding.

I never set “finish line” as a destination in the nav system but I have no doubt the Genesis Coupe Track edition would find it without hesitation.

Fuel economy was a bit of a disappointment as the 17/26 this car is rated for is on par with a 400-plus horsepower Pony car I recently received. Pricing was a bit surprising as well. At first glance I thought the 30 grand base was a bit steep but that covers everything in the Track package – the final sticker is only a tick above this but on par with the competitive segment from Detroit for V-6 models. Many may say that paying nearly as much for a Hyundai as they would for a Mustang is simply out of the question but those are the ones who still have yet to give this car its due respect.

And in the game of “put up or shut up” the new Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track edition is a sports car that announces its presence loud and clear.

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Since_When_is_a_Truck_Not_a_Tr.zip (268 KB)

Wanna know what burns my butt? “A flame about this high,” (said holding my hand next to my waste). Yeah, it’s an old joke, sorry.

There is another issue that sticks in my craw though, one that continues to confuse me as I look through the past few months of auto stories I have read and run.

Since when is a truck not a truck?

How can you name a car-based crossover thing-a-ma-bob as Truck of the Year?

The newest Ford Explorer received this honor at the North American International Auto Show in January this year, an event held in the heart of Big Three territory. And the Big Three each produce trucks that equate to the most sales and, usually, the most profit for each.

So how does this discombobulated categorization occur?

Not to take anything away from the winner but it is based on a platform shared by the automaker’s flagship sedan and is destined to be a lazier employee in the motor pool than ever.

Next year we should just name this category “Mayor of Mamby-Pambyland.”

As trucks, real trucks, account for the majority of North American auto sales, let us get back to awarding trucks, real trucks, the honor of Truck of the Year.

Various regional organizations still hand out accolades in the appropriate divisions so why not the supposed patriarch of all shows?

Besides, dogs – working dogs – want to run side-to-side in the back of an open bed truck with their snouts held high in the air. They want to stand proudly with their front paws atop the wheel wells or demonstrate feats of balance while perched atop a tool box.

Do yourselves a favor, return truck of the year honors to a real truck, one that proudly hauls a load of pungent mulch or cooler filled with fresh-caught fish. Let us once again pay respect to the utility shed on wheels, the weekend furniture fetcher for friends, the local parade float puller.

These babies walk like a duck and quack like a duck so, yes, let’s call THEM ducks.

My pick for Truck of the Year? A few years back I was able to regularly ride the pasture amongst a small herd of mostly shorthorns (some of which were mine). The overall favorite (of the heifers and steers) was the King Ranch Ford F-150 and I still stand by their decision today.

Sure, each truck manufacturer tilts the facts and figures in their own favor in certain specific areas but at the end of the day I will take the Ford, with the new EcoBoost engine, in King Ranch trim.

Next time I will tell you where you got them shoes...

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Mitsubishi_Lancer_Sportback_Ra.zip (649 KB)

Mitsubishi, specifically Mitsubishi Motors in North America, always seems to be a car company struggling for recognition and respect. Over the past few decades they have been quietly supplying OEM engines and automotive components for many domestic vehicles but without much fanfare.

A few years ago, with the help of a popular movie with the 20-something crowd, the automaker began to see brand recognition begin to take off. And thanks to the fast and furious attention they gained through the box office, Mitsubishi began making a new name for themselves.

The brand is still nowhere near the top of the U.S. sales charts each month but they do offer competitive vehicles worth giving some attention to, especially when cross-shopping other import brands.

Ten years ago no one even had the word “Evo” in their vocabulary and nowadays one cannot discuss street and rally racing without it constantly coming up. The Lancer Evolution became an instant hit with the boy racers but for those not wishing to sacrifice comfort at all costs (and to compete head-to-head with Subaru) Mitsubishi offers the Lancer Sportback Ralliart, a model offering spirited driving while still being able to drink your Mocha Latte on the way to work.

The Sportback model is a five-door hatchback style that competes directly with Subie WRX hatch. It is the mid-level model that won’t bore the driver to tears but falls short of taking a trophy in the next autocross event.

Personally I found this latest Lancer Ralliart to be the perfect blend for daily use. My fillings remain intact after driving over streets not yet repaired from the winter abuse yet my endorphins wholeheartedly endorse the vehicle when I find a bend in the road.

At the heart of this bundle of fun is a spirited 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine making 237hp and 253 lb. ft. of torque backed by a cool twin-clutch Sporttronic six-speed automatic gearbox with paddle shifters. This transmission provides quick up- and downshifts and offers normal or sport driving modes.

The all-wheel control system includes an active center differential allowing up to a 50:50 split of power front-to-rear via limited-slip front and rear differentials that bias power side-to-side. Basically the car maintains more grip than slip when showering the throttle.

The Ralliart package adds a sport-tuned suspension, chrome accent front grille and fog lights, aluminum hood with heat extractor venting, unique front and rear bumpers, side sill extensions, rear spoiler, dual exhaust and 18-inch alloy wheels with Yokohama summer tires.

Safety technology abounds in the Lancer Sportback Ralliart thanks to active stability control, traction control logic, dual-stage front air bags, side-impact curtain air bags, front seat side air bags, driver’s knee air bag, ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution, active front seat structure and tire pressure monitoring system.

This car is a blast to drive every day. The seats are supportive and comfortable without being rude. I noticed a bit of understeer every now and then but a set of stickier tires would certainly overcome this at the tradeoff of needing replaced much more often. And when the driving lacked entertaining qualities we simply headed over to the 710-watt RockfordFosgate Punch premium sound system to rock our motoring experience.

Fuel economy comes in at 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. (If mileage is of concern to you quit looking at turbo gas motors.) Pricing begins at $27,895 with our tester rolling in at just under 32 grand.

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Long_Playing_Long_Gone.zip (552 KB)

I read a story the other day about how automakers have finally axed putting cassette players in new vehicles. Lexus was the final brand to do so and that went away with the announcement of the SC430 being discontinued.

As I look around my office area here at home I am reminded of other technology gone the way of the Dodo bird. Nearby sits an old 8-track tape and in the other room is a “stack of wax” as DJs of days gone by described them. LPs. Long-Playing Records.

This past Christmas I bought a USB-powered turntable to turn some of those “golden oldie” recordings into digital music.

And today I was inspired. OK, bored, but eventually inspired.

The new Ford Mustang I am testing this week features the latest SYNC technology so I wonder if this USB turntable would work in the car?

On my first try of connecting the device directly to the SYNC USB port failed. The turntable needs the included software to “translate” whatever is spinning at 45 or 33 1/3 revs per minute into a digital signal. Hmmm. OK, install software on my MacBook, connect turntable, load vinyl album, launch software and – success, so far.

The album I purchased at a church rummage sale a couple of years ago predates WWII and is a promotional piece that introduces consumers to the wonderful world of stereophonic sound – Full Frequency Stereophonic Sound as it was known back then.

So how do I introduce this newfangled type recording into my newfangled Mustang? Simple. I take a small technological step backwards and connect a mini-plug cable from the headphone output on my laptop to the input jack at the SYNC terminal that is next to the USB port.

Voila. Geofrey Sumner’s golden English voice is playing through the Shaker 500 stereo system in the pony car. Watch it, a train is passing by left to right, followed by a symphonic demonstration of Chabrier’s “Espana” in full (albeit neophyte) stereo wonder.

Well, with that accomplishment I wondered how I could push this to the next level. Ah yes, a driving demonstration, and in a 412hp musclecar with a six-speed manual gearbox. Nice.

Sure, the record skipped every time I hit a bump and yes, slap-shifting launches are no friend of this old-fangled technology but hey, on a smooth stretch of asphalt I experienced Stravinsky’s (appropriate) “Rite of Spring” the way it was originally recorded during a performance by the Orchestra of the Suisse Romande conducted by Ernest Ansermet.

And then I flipped back to an HD Radio broadcast of Lady Gaga’s “I Was Born This Way.”

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Ford_F450_Super_Duty_Lets_the_.zip (380 KB)

Every time I write about pickup (trucks) I mention Texas being the No. 1 market in the world. And every time I write about Ford pickups I mention their market domination (Ford has led in pickup sales for 34 years straight now). And every year about this time this top market is inundated with television and print advertising announcing some sort of “truck month” promotional campaign.

And this year is no different.

What is different is that fuel prices are skyrocketing at a record pace and may potentially threaten truck sales even while pickup manufacturers have been working to produce more environmentally-friendly models for the consumers (mostly at Big Brother’s behest).

Despite all of this, I have enjoyed a host trucks from the press fleets over the past few months and I am going to lead off a series of truck reviews with the big daddy of them all, one whose name takes up almost as much space as its wheels do: The Ford F-450 Super Duty Crew Cab 4x4 King Ranch long bed dual rear wheel pickup.

Yes, this thing is a monster on the road and yes, this thing is a beast when put to work. It can tow and haul more than just about anything on the road short of a commercial vehicle yet still turns heads when pulling up to a diamonds and boots charity function.

And despite what brand most of the guys at my local barber shop drive, they all cast their attention to this beauty-and-beast-in-one when I pull in the parking lot.

Ford has announced they are beefing up suspension and frame components right now on F-350 and F-450 duallie models (to keep up with the Jones’ apparently). Under the hood is the same new 6.7-liter turbodiesel PowerStroke V-8 they launched last year that puts 400hp and 800 lb. ft. of torque to the ground while beating the outgoing engine on fuel economy by some 20 percent.

Despite its massive size I discovered this truck is surprisingly agile and has one of the best turning radius’ in the entire truck segment. A watchful eye must be kept on the mirrors though as those rear fenders jut out quite a bit from the cargo box sides and will reach out and touch anything nearby.

This truck is certainly not for everyone, nor for most for that matter.  A ton-and-a-half pickup has little place in the modern world. That said, it is still one of my favorite trucks, or vehicles for that matter, to drive. I absolutely love the King Ranch interior and despite the bulk of this vehicle the powertrain is not lacking when the light turns green. Yes, this thing will spin all four rear tires when put to the task.

Matching its physical size is the pricetag, one that is not for the faint of heart or pocketbook. The truck starts in the low 60s but with all of the bells and whistles our tester came in at $68,675.

This is the Mardi Gras of pickups: Laissez les bons temps rouler!