Accelerate Mpls

Last week I was out in Elkhart Lake, WI visiting the beautiful Road America track with the Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA). As always, it was a great time. Though it definitely was memorable.

First, let me say there’s a reason for the lack of pictures, and by that I mean pretty much no pictures. It was pouring rain all day Wednesday while we were at the track. So I didn’t even bother taking my camera out. It wasn’t worth risking it. Thursday during the autocross and off-roading I was so busy driving I didn’t even remember to take my camera out. Read More…

Has it really already been a year? Since it is the week before the Memorial Day holiday weekend, that must mean it is time for the spring Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA) rally.

Two days of driving the new cars in various conditions. Wednesday we have the opportunity to drive the latest metal around the track at  Road America in Elkhart, WI, and surrounding public roads.

On Thursday we switch modes and spend some time off-roading. After getting the off-road capable vehicles muddy we’ll put some of the cars through their paces on an autocross course.

For those who have forgotten, last year included a quick storm that brought hail and downed some trees. Unfortunately one of those trees landed on a brand new Aston Martin Rapide. Moving quickly a few of us removed the tree but the damage was done. The Aston Martin’s time at the rally was over and it was quickly trucked back to HQ. Hopefully this year will be just as eventful but with less damage, and no storms.

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At the MAMA spring rally I had the opportunity to take the new Ford F150 Raptor with the new 6.2 liter V8 off roading.  This was not the ridiculously awesome off roading this beast was made for.  We were not flying over sand dunes or even flying through the mud.  We were going slowly over muddy trails, up and down steep grades, and through the woods to grandmothers house we pretended.  Needless to say other then scraping a running board on a rock (sorry Ford) the new Raptor 6.2 handled everything as if it was child’s play.

Notes about the video – This was my first time through the course so I was unfamiliar with it.  I let the guides tell me when and where to throw it into first gear and also when to lock the rear differential.  The guides in the green shirts on the trail were representatives from Land Rover.  They set up the course at Road America Raceway.  Last but not least, the man to my right taking the video was Thomas Bey.  The man in the back of the truck you sometimes hear talking was a Ford Raptor representative.

Episode 28 starts with introducing this weeks guest William Maley also known as realmudmonster on Twitter.  Moving into the garage we talk about the Buick LaCrosse I was in for the past week along  We then discuss the MAMA spring rally that I attended this past week.  We then move along to the major news of the week segment.  This week included-

• Mulally Mum on Mercury’s Future
• GM still has plans for a Lambda-based Cadillac crossover
• Tesla’s Elon Musk: ‘I Ran Out of Cash’, Tesla: Model S ‘May Experience Unexpected Delays’

This week we bring back the clip of the week segment.  This week we featured Mercedes-Benz: Sorry. (Link)

Next came our main topics which we have a discussion about the going to go over some government boondoggles we’ve been seeing cropping up in the news. We actually got the idea from jalopnik which did a recent post about the world’s safest cars that were built here in America

Last we plug our respective blogs,  AutoBird Blog and Accelerate Mpls.

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As many of you know I am at the MAMA spring rally today and tomorrow.  Tonight right before dinner a storm rolled through and hard rain followed by hail and large gusts of wind huffed and puffed and blew this tree down.  Sadly the Aston Martin Rapide that is here at the event happened to be under where the tree landed.  Sitting next to it?  A Bentley Continental Supersports.  Luckily the Bentley was unharmed.  The Aston?  Not so much.  Smashed windshield, the passenger side mirror is a goner and the hood has an nice dent. That is all we could tell immediately.  The transporter is already en route and this fair lady will be out of here tomorrow.  Sad day indeed.

The Windshield