Road Reality

Video: Belgian PSA Shows How Bad it is to Text While Driving

John Suit — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

We all know that a driver shouldn’t be texting while he or she is driving. Then, some of us do it anyway. While many states are making it illegal to be texting while driving, it’s still commonplace to see drivers tapping away, completely oblivious to their surroundings. This practice is infuriating to those of us who actually place some priority on proper driving, since it leads to accidents and backups. Now, the Responsible Young Drivers (RYD) Belgium has produced the video after the jump, in which it requires teen drivers to pass a “mobile phone test” while driving, in which the instructor dictates a sentence the young driver must text, all while driving on a closed course. Other than the instructor not wearing a seatbelt in all cases, I think it’s a great way to show people just how much their distraction is affecting their driving.

by John Suit

Source: YouTube

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Video: Ford of Europe Plays With Parisian Parkers

John Suit — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:00:13 +0000

Apparently Parisians have a hard time finding a parking spot, kind of like a lot of visitors to the Washington, D.C. area. Unlike our nation’s capital, though, Parisians will find a way to make their car fit any spot they do find. Ford of Europe, in a rather clever ploy to market its Active Park Assist technology, rigged a giant TV screen to react to the bumping caused by errant parkers. The bumpers of the cars which bookend the designated spot were set up to react as pinball bumpers, and hilarity ensued. Click past the jump for the video.

by John Suit

Source: YouTube

New York Times: How Long to Recoup Hybrid/SFE Trim Level Costs?

John Suit — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:00:13 +0000

Many of you are have seen hybrid versions of cars, or even hybrid-specific models like the Toyota Prius, which combine electric motors with gas engines to get huge gains in fuel economy. Now there’s a new player in the fuel economy wars: the SFE, or Super Fuel Economy. It’s a Ford acronym, but I’ll be using it to describe any non-hybrid which uses aerodynamic modifications, special transmission or tires to eke out a few extra MPGs. The New York Times even posted a comparison on their site, so continue reading for that and my thoughts on it.

While hybrid models are seemingly gaining in popularity – I see several dozen Toyota Priuses each day, the cost of the added hybrid drivetrain can keep potential buyers away. On the flip side, using low rolling resistance tires and special transmission gearing, in conjunction with electronically-controlled grille flaps and other aerodynamic modifications can lead to increased fuel economy without the added weight and complexities.

To this end, several manufacturers are coming out with (or have already released) special trim levels of some of their most fuel-efficient models. Ford calls it the SFE package on its Focus and Fiesta, while Chevrolet calls it the “Eco” trim level, not to be confused with Ford’s EcoBoost engine technology.

On average, the SFE/Eco trim packages cost about $750, and net you from .5 to 3 MPGs, depending on the vehicle. Not quite the big savings if you shelled out $1,000 for the trim package and only net 1 MPG. On the hybrid side of things, most hybrids cost several thousand dollars more than their gasoline-only brethren. The Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is the closest, with less than $1,000 difference between the two.

Having tabulated all of the data for each of the most mainstream fuel-efficient vehicles, the New York Times has created a graphic displaying the time it will take, assuming the owner drives 15,000 miles per year. I take exception to them comparing the Toyota Camry to the Toyota Prius, since the two cars are very different in size, even if the Prius’ hatchback leads to a more comparable overall usable space.

Other than that, here it is (click on image to view on NYT’s web site):

Not too shabby results for my own 2011 Ford F-150, but definitely not worth it for the Ford Fiesta and Honda Civic buyers out there. Note that the Chevrolet Cruze appears twice – the first time against its platform-mate Volt, and the second against its non-Eco self. If you’re looking for the best payoff and don’t mind a little extra maintenance, pick up a Volkswagen Jetta TDI. The most interesting vehicles to note here are the Hyundai Sonata and its sister car, the Kia Optima. The aggressive pricing has led to a <6 yr payoff, and the average car buyer is keeping their car 6-8 years, so it’s a win-win for both the buyer and manufacturer.

There’s another entrant, which should show up in a future comparison, is the 2013 RAM 1500 pickup truck. It will be using electronically-controlled grille slats and a few other techno-bits to try and best the Ford F-150, which is the current reigning fuel economy truck champ, at 17/23 for its 2WD base 3.7-liter V6 truck.

Thanks to John O. for the tip!

by John Suit

Image Source: New York Times; Source: New York Times

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Owner’s Log: 2011 Ford F-150 Lariat (1/2012 – 4/2012)

John Suit — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:00:12 +0000

The last three months haven’t seen a ton of miles piled on my 2011 Ford F-150 Lariat, but it’s been a quite enjoyable time with it. For more pictures and my thoughts after initially purchasing the truck, see the review I wrote on it. In the past quarter, I’ve logged almost 2,400 miles, so read on to see what I’ve done with the truck in that time.

Note: Starting with the last Owner’s Log post, updates will be quarterly for the first year, semi-annually after that.

Stats:

Time Period: 1/19/2012 – 4/18/2011
Miles Driven: 2,376 / 5,977 (this update / total) (3,601 in the last update)
Average MPG: 16.6 mpg (reported by on-board computer)

Costs:

Maintenance Costs: $0.00
Total Cost (non-fuel): $0.00

Services Performed:

none

Summary:

Since I acquired another vehicle in February (but still haven’t posted the review), the F-150 hasn’t been driven too much, except for a couple of road trips and hauling stuff around. Still, the gas mileage has kept improving, especially once the 5,000 mark was hit. Even with a half a bed of dry firewood (still 200 to 300 pounds), the gas mileage has been nothing short of exemplary for a vehicle which weighs the better part of three tons. I’ve also tried a tank of premium gas (regular is required, premium is recommended for hot weather or heavy towing), and the F-150′s EcoBoost engine seems to have woken up to that, and gets better fuel economy as well. It’s hard to say if the increase is enough to justify always running premium, but with regular gas over $4.00/gallon in the Washington, D.C. area, the difference in price is minimal.

Of note, the highway comfort is great with this truck. Plenty of room for my wife and I to stretch out, coupled with the smooth ride and great road presence, leads to far less stress on the highway. The cruise control is excellent, as is the power going up hills. The only downside is that (as you’ll see below), 4 hours is about the max I can sit in the driver’s seat before needing a break to stretch my legs.

Dated Notes:

02.05.2012 – 402 miles on a single tank of gas – half highway, half city. Not bad!
02.21.2012 – After 4 hours in the driver’s seat, really needed a break.
02.22.2012 – 452 miles on one tank – mostly highway.

General Observations:

none

by John Suit

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Commercial: 2013 Ford Mustang – Inner Mustang

John Suit — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:00:01 +0000

I’ve already shared the news about the changes going into the 2013 Ford Mustang. Now, a commercial has surfaced, featuring said refreshed Mustang. In it, we see a 2013 Mustang driving down a city street. As it passes several bystanders, their personalities show up on the Mustang, changing paint and bodywork. Watch the video below to see what I’m talking about.

by John Suit

Source: YouTube

Video: Ferrari FF Plays in the Snow

John Suit — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:00:27 +0000

Last week, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, forecasting another 6 weeks of winter for us in the continental US. I don’t normally post about any Ferrari-related, but I’m giving an exception to this video. Click past the jump for a primer on the Ferrari FF and a 2-minute, 46-second video of it being handily driven around a prepared snow track.

The Car:

The Ferrari FF is an interesting mix of sports car, practicality, and of course luxury. A four-wheel drive setup powered by a snarling 12-cylinder engine, with seating for four. Four seats, Four-wheel drive, hence the FF moniker. It’s got a 6-speed transmission, 651 horsepower on tap, and weighs about 4,000 lbs. To say it’s fast is an understatement. An interesting side-note: the FF’s four-wheel drive system is comprised of a 7-speed driver-controlled gearbox to power the rear wheels, and an ingenious 2-speed transmission that gets its power from the front of the engine. This 2-speed setup doesn’t work at insanely fast speeds (since it’s only operable between 1st and 4th gears) but transfers up to 20% of the engine’s torque to the front wheels, to help it grip in the snow, as you’ll see below. Click here for more information on the Ferrari FF.

The Setup:

The driver in the video is Markku Alen, a former World Rally Championship (WRC) driver. The track is the Arjeplog, in northern Sweden. It’s covered in snow, and looks to be like it’s groomed that way for rally car drivers to practice (or even race) on.

The Video:
Note: I recommend you view the following video in 720p quality, in full screen mode.

by John Suit

Source: Ferrari