An Explorer In Business Attire
A rebadged Explorer? Well, yes, but also no. Consider the Mountaineer as an Explorer in business attire. It is worth a good first look, but don’t expect excess attention. We found that few heads turned when our Ceramic White tester came rolling through town. Soccer moms will appreciate the 7 passenger seating and dad will like the ruggedly upscale looks. Read more…
Focus…Focus…Focus
Once again I find myself at the mercy of the small car quota. “Muxlow, call up Ford and get a Focus for the week,” read the note on my desk. Ok, thought I, the primary truck editor here at AT. Half an hour later I had an Infra-Red ZX5 waiting for my impending pick-up. Nothing against the Focus, but when you are moving down from a full-size pick-up one week to a small car the next, the size difference is noticeable to say the least. At first I thought it was a joke when Ford asked whether I wanted it in paper or plastic. Alright, all jokes aside, but it did come in a Hot Wheels package. Ok, that’s not true either. Anyway, for an entry-level car, the Focus can add a flare of fun and style to your everyday commute as we quickly found out. Read more…
Kompress This
Let me start off on a good foot. Mercedes deserves credit for having the initiative to produce a model at a price range that is accessible to a larger crowd. Granted, the C230 Kompressor costs about as much as a mid to full-size domestic product will. However, for $25K, you can have the Mercedes name along with the attention to detail and engineering that goes along with it. Read more…
A Harley For Home Depot
At first sight the Ford Harley-Davidson F-150 demands respect and shows authority. What grabs your attention first is the outstanding two-tone paint job; black over silver metallic clear coat separated by inscribed Harley-Davidson tape. After that, your eyes have a multitude of features for which to fall upon. The massive chromed wheels demand attention, while huge Harley/Ford 100 year insignia plaques surface into sight. The new front fascia/grille/headlamps also require a closer inspection. Not only does the Harley talk the talk, but she walks the walk as well. More on that later. Read more…
Sunny Side Up
“Lets take the Bonneville to Florida,” somebody says. “OK” came the unanimous response. Who wouldn’t take the opportunity to get out of the office for a few days? Of course, the rest of us didn’t know what Executive Editor Dye had up his sleeve. “We’ll make it a working holiday!” he exclaimed. Some low mumbling followed. So we packed up Assistant Editor Vloet, which in itself is no small task, and readied for the journey. Then, at the last moment, there was a problem with availability. The Bonneville had decided it needed to be at the other side of the state. Being the flexible people we are, we readied the next best of our armada of vehicles, a 2003 Ford Expedition XLT. Read more…
You can save yourself a trip to the Motor City and catch up on all the new metal from the 2003 NAIAS by viewing our gallery after the jump.
