It used to be a predictable two-way horse race between Ford and General Motors for who made the best, most modern, most capable, most powerful pickup trucks. For decades, the two domestics battled it out alone. Then Dodge, in 1994, fielded a credible contender in the new Ram and has remained competitive in the segment since. But if only GM and Ford were so lucky that they only needed to worry about a third rival. With Nissan’s still powerful Titan and Toyota’s upcoming all-new Tundra, it’s a five-way race for full-size pickup supremacy. Granted, the “Big Two” still dominate the field but it would be naive and false to claim they haven’t been affected by the foreign competition.
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Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) is applying the “Special Edition”; treatment to its critically acclaimed ninth-generation Lancer Evolution.
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I didn’t have friends with minitrucks that have adjustable suspension, smooth body lines, bangin’ sound systems, big stickers, custom paint and custom interiors. Nor did I grow up around those minitrucks that break down and leave their drivers stranded. An acquaintance once asked if I wanted to “hit a switch”: I said no. I was a very precise person, only taking calculated risks while thinking of the consequences. I didn’t like ambiguity or confusion; I liked predictability and stability. This attitude infiltrated all aspects of my life.
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Well, here’s an interesting gimmick. To help all those poor motorists stuck in Friday night traffic and who don’t have a date for the weekend, Motodate has come up with an ingenious solution.
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In the seven or eight years I’ve been an “official” enthusiast (someone that actually works in the automotive industry or gets paid to be an enthusiast), my career has taken a rather circuitous path. I’ve worked on or around cars, trucks, imports, domestics, in marketing, in journalism, and yes, ate Top Ramen for 6 months as a freelancer. All the cars I’ve owned could be broadly classified as “compacts”:
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Which would you prefer? The intoxicating scent of a new car or $1000 in the bank? Ah, I see you hesitate. But no one blames you. We’ve all looked at that Honda coupe or BMW M roadster or wished we could be seen in that Cadillac convertible. Americans, though, seem to be quickly coming out of the “new car look” and turning to certified pre-owned vehicles to the automakers’ chagrin.
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Uniroyal Tire provides some tips not only on getting your car, wagon, or SUV ready to drive your hellions to school, but gives a few ABCs for parents too busy or harried or both on purchasing student equipment, clothes, and shoes.
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A friend of mine recently gave up on building the ultimate Datsun 510. Or, more accurately, just the ultimate part. He decided, instead, to build the Datsun just to enjoy driving it.
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