2014 Ford F-150 Lariat

With the Ford F-150 holding the ranking as the best selling truck in America for three consecutive decades, it seemed fitting to test the 2014 F-150. With a quick stop to Tallahassee Ford Lincoln dealership, I was placed in a new F-150 Lariat Crew Cab with all the amenities you could want or need in a truck.

Don't let the size fool you - with a wheel base of 145", the F-150 is not small. However, you wouldn't believe how small the truck felt when driving. The F-150 hugged the lane as I drove and handled every narrow road I could find without an issue. The ride quality of this truck was good and the look of the truck was even better. The Ruby Red Metallic two-tone paint made this truck truly stand out in traffic in a good way.

Acceleration was not an issue with the 5.0-Liter 360-horsepower V8 backed by a 6-Speed automatic and 3.55 rear gear. This mix moved the truck effortlessly through town with the intoxicating sound of the V8. With trailer sway control and tow package included, this truck was ready to tow your everyday needs and then some. An EPA estimated 14-city and 19-highway, the truck is not what you would call fuel efficient, which one would expect from a full-sized pick-up.

The interior was nicely designed and featured a 4.2" LCD screen with Microsoft SYNC, adjustable pedals, memory seat, heated and cooled front seats, and a nicely illuminated instrument panel. After talking to an employee about SYNC, I was notified that customers reported having issues using the interface. However, after spending 15-minutes playing with SYNC, I found it to be fairly easy to use. While I still prefer to use the old fashion way of changing the radio station, the voice command was a nice feature. I really enjoyed the sunroof and the rear sliding window - mainly to hear the sound of the motor, but the feel of the plastic dash, glove box, and the faux wood radio bezel left something to be desired.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed driving the 2014 F-150 and hope to be able to test Ford's all new 2015 F-150 lineup due to release later this year.

For a detailed list of this trucks features and pricing- Click Here

Local Motors to Deliver the First 3-D Printed Electric Car

Local Motors Rally Fighter that took 5 days to build from the ground up

With the popularity and affordability of 3-D printing, it was a matter of time before someone took to the plate to print a car. Local Motors is doing just that, but taking it a step further by printing a hybrid.

Local Motors announced they will be building and delivering the first direct digital manufactured vehicle at this years International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago. Using the material science and advanced manufacturing techniques available through the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility in Oak Ridge Nation Laboratory (ORNL) and the Local Motors global community, Local Motors will produce the first 3-D printed car for urban transportation.

"Local Motors is undeniably the first disruptive entrant into the U.S. automotive industry in decades," said Bonnie Gurney, Director - Communications for AMT. "The innovations they are driving in the design, manufacture and sale of vehicles has been empowering individual innovators since 2007. Partnering with them to deliver safer, more functional, lightweight and efficient vehicles via new, innovative manufacturing technologies is core to our commitment to bring global technology advancements to the local level."

The possibilities with 3-D printing are endless and Local Motors will be showing the world a way to utilize advanced manufacturing that can deliver stronger, safer, faster, and more efficient vehicle. Local Motors will be a brand to keep an eye on later this year. The IMTS will take place September 8, 2014.

Source: Local Motors

Jacksonville's Hidden Gem Project

As a collaborative assignment for my Emerging Media, we were required to create a Wiki map locating a few places that only local people would know. Seeing as this blog is based around cars, I thought it would be suitable to pin Golden Era Motors. Please take some time to check out Golden Era Motors and other places that have been pinned with the help of my class.
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View Jacksonville Hidden Locales in a larger map
Stay tuned for a future post regarding my experience with Golden Era Motors and a review of the car I will be test driving.

2015 Jeep Renegade

While having a slight baby Wrangler feel with its My Sky removable roof, the all-new Jeep Renegade brings a best in-class trail rated 4x4 (Trailhawk) while offering over 70 security and safety features. With safety and security at the forefront of the development of the Renegade, Jeep enters the global market with its first small SUV.

The Renegade will be the brands first small SUV and will offer a class first nine-speed automatic transmission- paired with the 2.0-liter diesel or 2.4-liter gas engine- that is said to offer aggressive launches, improved fuel economy, and smoother power delivery than a six-speed automatic. The Renegade will stay true to its nature by offering a trail rated version, the Trailhawk, for customers who want off-road capabilities.

The interior will have a mix of rugged and functional features that will be suitable for storage, sports gear, and the adventurous lifestyle. Award-winning hands-free is standard. Lets not forget the My Sky roof, said to date back to its Willys MB Jeep days, with its open-air feel.

While not as rugged looking as a Wrangler, the Renegade could fit the lifestyle of someone in the city who enjoys a weekend escape into nature. Keep an eye out for the Renegade later this year.

"Jeep Logo" © by inajeep, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

Souce: Ford

Pictures: Ford, unless otherwise specified.

Warmer Weather Is Here

Jeep Wrangler by Daniel Patty is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

With warmer weather comes the time to remove your soft-top, T-top, roll your windows down, or turn the A/C up. Most importantly, it's time to inspect your vehicle to make sure it can meet the demands of higher temperatures. Here are some hot tips to help keep your car going, even during those miserable, hot, humid, Florida days:
1: Check your brakes and brake fluid. Warning signs include grinding, squealing, screeching, chatter, or a softer than usual brake pedal.
2: Change your oil. Stick to an oil that meets the requirements of the temperatures you'll be dealing with. The owners manual will be able to tell you the correct weight to use.
3: Check your fluids. Make sure to check, top off, or replace all fluids. This includes brake, transmission, coolant, power steering, and windshield washer fluid.
4: Examine belts for any cracking or fraying.
5:  Check your tires. Make sure they are properly inflated and do not have excessive wear.

If you're not sure you know what you're doing when it comes to inspecting your car, don't worry. Most shops will inspect your car for you free of charge and give you an estimate for any repairs that you may need. Stay cool!

News: 2015 Ford Mustang Convertible

What could be more exciting than the all-new, global, 2015 Mustang? How about the release of the uniquely designed convertible.

"Convertible tops and iconic sports cars like Mustang have always been a great pairing," said Dave Pericak, Mustang chief engineer. "This is the best convertible we've ever built with a one-of-a-kind design that is instantly recognizable as Mustang and an outstanding all-around driving experience."

Being designed from the wheels up, along side of the fastback model, the new convertible embraces an array of visual changes along with meeting increased standards of refinement, quality, and performance. The all new convertible top is now said to be as quiet on the road as the fastback, thanks to its all new full fabric outer layer and a full insulated inner headliner.

Not only has the top been beefed up, the time it takes for the top to come down is rumored to be half the time as before - an estimated 8-second. This is due to the new single center latch and its new drive system. The top sits 6.7 inches lower than previous models when folded, which helps keep a sleek profile while offering better rear visibility.

"When you're sitting in the driveway or at a traffic light and you decide you want to enjoy some sunshine, you shouldn't have to wait around for the top to lower," said Pericak. "Our team worked to engineer a retractable roof that gets out of the way or closes up quickly and quietly."

The convertible chassis stiffness has been increased 13 percent to provide a more stable platform and to help take advantage of the all-new independent rear suspension. The new rear-end has allowed for a class leading 11.4 cubic feet of trunk space. So all you golfers can put your golf bag, along with your friends bag, in the trunk.




Keep your eye out for the release of the all-new 2015 Mustang fastback and convertible later this year.

News source: Ford
Picture source: Ford