90 years ago, Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler founded the brand “Mercedes-Benz” in Stuttgart, Germany. After the First World War, the economy was so affected that the idea of ​​merging and building a society was seen as something that overcomes climatic obstacles. DMG and Benz & Cie., The two largest automobile manufacturers in the world, merged successfully in May 1924 and, in 1926, “Mercedes-Benz” was born.

The Mercedes three-star logo represents the company’s dominance over land, sea and air. According to the company, it represents the automaker’s push toward universal motorsports with its engines dominating land, sea and air. The emblem is a symbol of world domination.

Cars that made history

The engines in Mercedes cars are of the highest quality. These high-quality engines evolved with the evolution of different cars in each era from their first production. The Model K was the first automobile produced after the merger of the two companies.

It was incredibly successful and the production of Mercedes-Benz cars increased to 7,000 in 1927. Then came the S series with a variety of cars until 1929. In the 1930s, the largest and most prestigious car ‘Mercedes-Benz W15 made its debut. ‘. which helped them to become one of the leading brands in the automotive industry.

The 260 D was the world’s first diesel-powered passenger car. In the 1940s, the company halted vehicle production due to World War II and then resumed operations in 1946 with the 170 V. During the 1950s, they topped the sales charts in Germany by introducing some of their most attractive cars. , like the 190 and 300 SL.

The 1960s was the decade of muscle cars. In 1967, they introduced the Mercedes AMG as a separate high-performance division of the Mercedes-Benz. The first car introduced by the division was the famous 300SEL 6.3 V8 Saloon, which was given the name “Red Sow”.

During the 70s, they produced some successful cars like the SL and SLC 107 series of cars, the G-Class and S-Class series, which are still in production. In the 1980s, it became the first car manufacturing brand to worry about environmental pollution. They introduced the three-way closed-loop catalytic converter to reduce the overall pollution of the car.

In 1987, Mercedes-Benz introduced the 100 D 631 series and a year later the W201 Series 2 made its debut, which was a compact executive car with a sports sedan body style. In the 1990s, the company introduced the G-Class Wagons and SUVs and numerous new models such as the E-Class, C-Class and S-Class series.

The 2000s ushered in a new era in mechanical top loading technology. The many innovative designs and engineering concepts, such as the BlueTec system, were launched in 2005 and had the ability to reduce CO2 emissions.

Today, Mercedes-Benz, together with its high-performance division AMG, is one of the best and most popular automakers that make luxury cars, trucks, coaches and buses. In addition, the company offers financial services and auto repair.

Quality and Innovation

Since their first production, they have been successful in building quality cars and discovering innovative ways to implement technology that turned out to be the way forward for future-generation cars. Some notable works introduced by them are as follows:

• Developed the first road car with four-wheel brakes.
• In 1936, the Mercedes-Benz 260D was the first diesel-operated passenger car.
• They were the first to offer direct fuel injection in the Mercedes-Benz 300SL.
• In 1951 they were the first to develop the “safety cage”.
• Airbags were first introduced to the European market by them in 1981 with the S-Class model.
• Mercedes-Benz was the first to introduce seat belt claims in the 1981 S-Class.
• In September 2003, they introduced the world’s first seven-speed automatic transmission.
• They are the first to develop, test and implement ESP, brake assist and other types of safety equipment in passenger cars.
• In the 1980s, they developed the world’s first robot car together with Professor Dickmanns’ team.

Mercedes-Benz Arena in sports

Mercedes-Benz is a sports enthusiast brand. In football, Mercedes-Benz sponsors the German national football team. Mercedes-Benz sponsors the Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart and provides the naming rights to its stadium, the Mercedes-Benz Arena. They’ve been racing for a long time. In the 1930s they participated in Grand Prix Motor races. For the past few years, they have dominated the F1 field with drivers like Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Identity and cooperation

The Mercedes-Benz logo speaks volumes about the brand, even if the name is not there. Now they are moving forward with the invention and implementation of new technologies that we do not yet know about. They have been a great companion for years. Such success and fame did not make them irresponsible. They haven’t made a big fuss about safety innovations and have even licensed them for use by competitors, in the name of improving car and passenger safety. As a result, crumple zones and antilock brakes are now standard on all modern vehicles.

How a woman sees the Rain-X Repel versus the Rain-X Latitude

As a woman, it is often difficult to determine which wiper blades and size are best for my vehicle. I was attracted to the two popular Rain-X brands that fit my car and were available online. Determining the best alternative required a bit of research. Most manufacturers recommend that the wiper blades be replaced every year. It’s understandable if you live in a dry climate that the blades will certainly need to be replaced as they wear out and become brittle and inefficient. It would also be important that the installation of the wiper blades is simple and easy for a woman. Most importantly, I wanted something that would provide clear visibility during frequent rain and snow storms.

When comparing Rain-X Repel and Rain-X Latitude wipers, there appeared to be little difference in availability for most car makes and models. There was a price difference and a different technology that was used in the construction or operation of the windshield wiper blades. Below is a comparison of the characteristics of the two windscreen wiper blades:

Features of the Rain-X Repel wiper blade

Rain-X Repel windshield wipers use a new technology that provides clearer visibility when driving by using a proprietary coating that helps raindrops, snow and ice particles, as well as insects and mud to remove transferred from the sheet to the glass windshield.

Time Release Coating Technology is fast, typically a few minutes before droplets are produced, providing continuous visibility over many cleaning cycles. The special coating and curved blade design reduce wiper noise and provide clearer window visibility without scratches.

Rain-X Repel wiper blades are available for an extensive list of popular car models and a variety of makes from 1970 to the current year.

Rain-X Repel requires that you follow activation procedures by thoroughly cleaning windows prior to installation. At double the price, Rain-X Repel offers the same anti-scratch advantage as Rain-X Latitude. These blades don’t always rest on the windshield as they often lift off the surface in 60-70 mph winds, resulting in uneven wipes. With adjustment, the pressure on the windshield can be increased, resulting in wipes that constantly come into contact with the entire surface of the windshield.

Rain-X Latitude windshield wiper

Rain-X Latitude wipers are best known for their contoured design that glides evenly over the windshield and their graphite-coated rubber blades that provide noise-free cleaning action. They also replace standard style wiper blades and can be fitted with special adapters to accommodate use on eight different styles of wiper blade arms or 98% of vehicle wiper blade arms.

These blades offer easy installation modes, including small J-hook adapters or bayonet manifold adapter, larger J-hook, or side pin arm wiper arms. The blades are made with durable rubber-coated frames that withstand harsh weather conditions such as ice, snow, or wind.

The Rain-X Latitude wiper is also offered for the same year range (1970-2011) for many vehicle makes and models.

It seems that when making a decision, you may need to consider cost as an important factor, as well as ease of installation and emphasis on the quality of the wiper pressure to maintain consistent visibility. I’m guessing I’d select the Rain-X Latitude wiper blades which, based on most reviews online, seem to be more consistent and at half the price.

Ford, which catered to the SUV boom in the 1990s, has revealed its plans to invest more in small and midsize SUVs, which are set to launch numerous models around the world. The small SUV segment, which has seen a massive increase than any other Ford vehicle segment, is wanted to be larger and with newer and much more advanced vehicles.

Ford has affirmed its plans to launch its Ecosport subcompact SUV in more than 60 countries around the world from just 10 in the current picture. The Escape, rebranded Kuga outside of North America, will launch in Chinese markets this year. The huge investment was said to be a major gamble to incorporate Ford’s plan to spread multiple small SUVs by Jim Farley, Executive Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing, and is expected to pay off. Small SUVs have helped Ford multiply its market share; especially traditionally tougher coastal markets like California and catalyzed expansion in developing markets. CEO Alan Murray has pushed beasts like the Explorer SUV on a diet to invite more customers looking for rough-terrain performance, cargo space and fuel economy. With increasing wealth in the Indian and Chinese markets, One Ford Plan has thrived very well and is expected to continue for years to come.

People all over the world have fallen in love with these small utility vehicles. The body style looks intriguing, while the fact that people can sit above traffic and pack luggage, as well as people comfortably, is attractive; while the main factor is the fuel economy of the vehicles. SUV deliveries worldwide have peaked at 35 percent since 2005, representing 13 million units sold per year, and will continue to outperform other supply segments for 2017, increasing their share of vehicles sold to 20 percent. hundred. The growth is largely driven by the rise of paperbacks in India and China and the rise in gas prices in North America.

To capture a large chunk of market share, Ford must make efforts to drive growth outside of North America. Ford units in North America and Europe have made huge gains in the SUV and small utility markets despite huge losses in the sedan and hatchback segments. The orders go way beyond small utility company production, says Farley and that nothing has been more. prolific than the boom in small SUVs. Western trends have now apparently carried over to developing countries as customers are fascinated with the concept of sedan-like drivability and fuel efficiency. China proves to be the biggest opportunity as it is home to demands for small, medium and large SUVs, and market demand is expected to double in the next five years.

The global need is believed to be rapidly converging towards the segment of the most attractive vehicles with enormous power and good fuel economy in the wake of rising global gas prices. As the consumer progresses in income and stature, they are moving toward small utilities rather than small cars in favor of large space along with generous features, great gas mileage, and safety for the whole family.

Strong marks elicit strong brain reactions. Radiologists are demonstrating what marketers have been preaching for decades.

Dr Christine Born, a radiologist at the Ludwig-Maximillians University in Munich, performed a series of MRI scans exposing 20 adults (high-income and educational) to strong and weak German brand logos. The results, published in the Wall Street Journal, were that bigger brands produce bigger brain waves. This is in addition to previous data indicating that shopping can alter blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate.

Apparently, well-known brands fire synapses associated with positive emotions, self-identification, and rewards. Weak marks do not register or cause activity in parts of the brain associated with negative emotion.

The surprising conclusion was that interest in big brands exists regardless of category. Dr. Born found that the reaction to an automotive brand like Volkswagen, which has significantly higher media weight and probably stronger creative executions, was as strong as the reaction to Allianz, an insurance brand. Both of these leading brands elicited much larger reactions than the logos of smaller, lesser-known competitors.

The implication is that investing in building a strong and memorable brand pays off. What is not clear is how to do it and which components of the brand give you the best investment.

The other evidence, not so surprising, was that strong brand recognition did not stimulate the decision-making centers in the brain. So now we have scientific evidence that purchase awareness and motivation are two separate things and that purchasing is a hybrid of rational and emotional processing.

And although the sample is small and biased, it is comforting to have data that validates our experiences. Now the debate on how to move customers from awareness to desire to purchase and loyalty can continue with new ammunition.

Danny Flamberg is a veteran marketing consultant and

author of the blog http://www.manhattanmarketingmaven.com.

T680

The T680 is a model that is best known for its fuel efficiency. For a gallon of fuel, this truck can get the most mileage. The vehicle is designed to improve the overall driving performance of drivers. The T680’s engine is the PACCAR powertrain. It uses the advanced manufacturing process that makes the truck fuel efficient. It is also lightweight, making it easy to repair the engine and other components when necessary. It comes with variations like 12-speed automatic transmission, patented 40K tandem axle, and medium-duty engines. All of these are designed to work efficiently with a low operating cost. They are also reliable and durable.

Icon 900

This is a line of limited edition trucks that are built to show owner pride. This does not mean that efficiency and performance are compromised. All accessory packages are installed at the manufacturer’s site. The truck is adorned with Silver Kenworth Bug badges on the hood, dash, door panels and in the glove compartment.

T660

The new Kenworth trucks are known for their versatility, and the T660 proves it once again. It can be used as a line transport, van, regional transport and also as a delivery truck. This is one of the most efficient conventional trucks built to ensure high quality fuel efficiency. For those looking for freedom of driving, a feeling of clarity and comfort, the T660 is the best option.

C500

The Kenworth C500 is designed for off-road applications that must be the most robust. This rugged, high-performance, and rugged truck is known for its functionality among the manufacturer’s other trucks. The cab options on this truck are increased and the vehicle has 2 new hoods. The truck also has a more important refrigeration module from the manufacturer. It is the wagon that suits users looking for a maneuverable forklift suitable for a wide range of operations. With appreciable headroom options, this is more versatile than any other day cab on the market.

W900

Traditional packages never lose their appeal even with the new range of trucks launched. The standard package incorporating most of the new technologies needed is the best. Endurance, performance and driver satisfaction are never compromised in the W900, which comes with the traditional package. Regardless of the work that needs to be done, the truck will do it successfully. For drivers, this model offers all the necessary comfort, and for all applications where payload is important, the W900 represents the solution.

With the new Kenworth trucks, you can enjoy high performance at low operating costs. This is valid for all models.

This guide is written to hopefully explain the BSR Run Flat system installed on the Toyota Rav4 T180 and SR180.

Many owners have bought their cars without knowledge of this BSR system so here I will try to explain what it is and the options to replace it.

What is the BSR system?

It is a Run Flat system that is different from other types in which the sidewall of the tires used is heavily reinforced, so if a puncture or deflation occurs, the car effectively rides on the sidewall

BSR (Bridgestone Safety Ring) is a system that uses a ring that is placed inside the tire around the rim. This is what the car drives in the event of deflation. The tires are effectively a normal tire. This is a development of a WWII military vehicle.

There is also a lubricant inside the tire that lubricates the tire and the BSR ring in the event of a flat tire. Without this, the friction generated would destroy both elements.

The system is backed by a TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) that illuminates a warning light on the dash if a deflation occurs …

The advantages of this system …

It means no need to carry a spare tire … And … Well, that’s it really …

The least …

The tires have to be removed by a special and very expensive machine that only Toyota dealers and some independent tire dealers have.

Only one type of Bridgestone tire can be used with the BSR system. No other make or model of tire can be used.

This makes expensive replacements become time for new tires and can be very inconvenient in the event of a puncture.

Homeowners report very high replacement or repair costs!

The options …

Well, homeowners can just live with what they have and bear what is considered huge replacement or repair costs.

Gold

Remove the existing tires and the BSR system completely. You can have an equipped dealer remove your tires as described above. It costs around £ 45 per wheel OR just cut the tires and remove the inner circlips with the help of an angle grinder.

The TPMS system can be retained or removed and changed to prevent the light from flashing on the dash.

Once the tires and rings have been removed, any tire dealer can install regular tires on a regular tire machine and any brand can be used.

Insurance implications …

You should notify your insurance company if you remove the BSR system and fit normal tires.

No additional premium is likely to exist as the car will be like the latest SR Rav4 spec. That is, no BSR system and a tire repair kit in the trunk.

It is possible to remove the tires and the BSR ring and then put them back on, but this will invalidate your insurance because the tires have a symbol on the tire wall designating them as Run flats. Which of course, without the BSR rings inside, they are not! This could mean that a Driver who does not realize this could be in trouble if deflation occurs and continues to drive …

Driving quality

Wheels with the extra weight of the BSR system and lubricating gel are huge compared to a wheel fitted with a normal tire.

The suspension has two elements to deal with:

The suspended weight. This is the weight of the vehicle, its occupants, cargo, etc.

The unsprung weight. This is the weight of the wheels, tires, brakes, etc.

Relieving suspension from unsprung weight allows you to get on with the task of controlling suspended weight. This adds up to a much smoother ride without the bumps and bumps that the increased weight of BSR-equipped wheels produces. Remember that the walls of the tires are not reinforced.

Ride quality is MASSIVELY IMPROVED when the BSR is removed!

To consider …

If a BSR-equipped RAV is traded in to a Toyota dealer, one of the first questions that will be asked will be: do you still have the floors up and running? Because if not, the car has been radically modified and cannot be sold under the Toyota approved car scheme.

Other dealers may or may not ask depending on whether they know about the system in the first place …

I hope this helps

The Aston Martin DB2 / 4 Mark 1 and 2 – A close look at this sports car including used performance, technical data, features, rivals comparison, history and prices.

From classic to modern

The Aston Martin DB2 / 4 Mark 1

CAR

In 1953, the DB2 sports car, the best-selling Aston Martin to date, was replaced by the Aston Martin DB2 / 4 Mark 1, priced at £ 2,621, which was offered as a Drophead Coupé, a 2 + 2 Hatchback Saloon. and a small number of Bertone-designed Spider convertibles.

It had an aluminum body with a curb weight of 1,195 kg, and the first cars were prepared by the legendary bodybuilder Mulliner, although in 1954 it was changed to the Tickford Company.

By modifying the area around the rear axle, it was possible to introduce two rear seats along with an increase in the rear roof line and turn the rear section into a hatchback.

Additions included the use of a wraparound windshield, separate bumpers, and elevation of the headlight position.

When production of the Mark 1 ended in 1955, a total of 565 Mark 1s had been built, of which 102 were Drophead Coupes, 458 Saloons, and the remaining 5 were Spiders.

THE MOTOR

The Mark 1 sports car was powered by the same engine used in the DB2 Vantage, and consisted of a 2.6-liter, DOHC, in-line six-cylinder Lagonda unit developing 125 bhp at 5,000 rpm and 144 ft / lbs of torque at 2400 rpm.

Equipped with a four-speed manual gearbox, it produced a top speed of 111 mph, with a 0-60 mph time of 11.5 seconds.

However, in early 1954, both the Sedan and Drophead Coupe were equipped with the larger 2.9-liter DOHC Lagonda inline six-cylinder engine developing 140 bhp at 5000 rpm and 178 ft / lbs of torque at 3000 rpm.

Maintaining the same gearbox and equipped with two SU HV6 carburettors, it produced a top speed of 190 km / h, with a 0-60 km / h time of 9.7 seconds.

It used hydraulic drum brakes throughout, and now there was a marginal weight increase to 1210 kg.

The Aston Martin DB2 / 4 Mark 2

CAR

Also in 1955, Aston Martin released the Mark 2 version.

External styling changes included the addition of small fins at the rear, different taillights as used on the Morris Minor, and an increase in the use of chrome.

A new two-seater Fixed Head Coupe variant was introduced, retaining the Drophead Coupé, although only 34 units were produced with handcrafted bodies by the Tickford Company, which had been acquired by David Brown in 1954.

As part of a special order, three of these chassis were sent to the Italian Carrozzeria Touring bodybuilders to create the Spider variant.

By the time production of the Mark 2 ended in 1957, a total of 199 units had been built, of which 146 were saloons, 34 fixed-head coupes, 16 flip-head coupes, and 3 spiders.

THE MOTOR

As an optional extra, the Mark 2 sports car was equipped with the more powerful version of the 2.9-liter Lagonda engine that featured larger valves, and the compression was increased to 8.6: 1.

This allowed the output to increase to 165 bhp and produced a top speed of 120 mph, with a 0-60 mph time of 9.3 seconds.

COMPETENCE

The following sports cars were typical of the competition for the DB2 / 4: Jaguar XK140, Maserati 3500GT, Maserati A6HG, and BMW 507.

SPORTS CARS FOR SALE

An Aston Martin DB2 / 4 in good condition would cost around $ 120,000 / £ 75,000 to $ 250,000 / £ 150,000, while a really excellent example would cost around $ 500,000 / £ 300,000.

This concludes my Aston Martin DB2 sports car review

Launched two years ago at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show, the 2009 VW Passat is believed to undergo a facelift.

According to German magazine Autozeitung, VW will undergo a facelift in 2009. And it will likely be seen at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, with cosmetic changes including a redesigned front end inspired by the upcoming Tiguan. The German magazine reports that VW will also replace the current 1.6FSI and 2.0FSI engines with the Group’s new 160Hp 1.4TSI 122Hp and 1.8TFSI engines, which will also include 1.6, 2.0 and 3.2 V6 engines.

Some analysts say that this speculation by the German magazine arises because Volkswagens aims to continually increase the company’s sales and also attract the US market. However, the engine replacement is expected to happen well earlier, perhaps even at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Volkswagen will add a low-roof wagon model in 2009 to accompany the sleek four-door “coupe” based on next year’s Passat. The truck has the packaging and design theme of the Dodge Magnum, which is said to be a reflection of former VW product expert Wolfgang Bernhard’s time at the Chrysler Group.

Compared to the standard Passat truck, the premium model has a lower roof line, a wider stance, and a less upright tailgate. In addition to this, the seat height is lowered and the cubes will provide heating, ventilation and massage functions. Along with this, there are inflatable cushions that compensate for the g-force. Extending the length of the cabin is the center console. Yet despite a low roof line, the truck’s cargo bay holds 21 cubic feet of stuff.

A 200-hp 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine and a high-performance version of the 3.6-liter VR6, which will develop nearly 300 hp, are included in the engine options. These are paired with a six-speed manual or an upgraded seven-speed dual-clutch DSG.

Analysts say pricing has yet to be determined, but one insider claims the Magnum-style VW will cost only about $ 2,000. That’s more than a comparable Passat wagon.

As for the previous version of the Passat, the 2007 Volkswagen Passat sedan is offered as a four-door sedan or a five-door wagon. It’s available with a 200-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder or a 280-hp 3.6-liter V6. Four-cylinder sedans can be ordered with a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic. Wagons and V6s, however, come only with the automatic.

With innovative VW Passat parts, all Passat models are expected to increase VW sales during their respective market lunch season.

It was way back in 1769 that a steam car was created for transportation purposes. The next important year was 1806, when automobiles ran on fuel gas and ran on internal combustion engines. Later, electric cars entered the industry during the 20th century; however, it became popular only in the 21st century when consumers and the government were most concerned about low-emission vehicles.

Phases in the automotive industry:

• Steam cars (Cugnot Steam Trolley)

• Electric cars (the Henney kilowatt)

• Internal combustion engines (Benz Patent Motorwagen)

• Era of the veterans (Renault Voiturette)

• Brass / Edwardian era (Ford Model T, Mercer Raceabout, Bugatti Type 13)

• It was vintage (Austin 7, Bugatti Type 35, Lancia Lambda, Cadillac V-16)

• Pre-World War era (Alvis Speed ​​20, Ford V-8, Bugatti Type 57, Volkswagen Beetle)

• Postwar era (Morris Minor, Jaguar E-type, Ford Mustang, Datsun 240Z)

• Modern era (Toyota Corolla, Range Rover, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 3 Series, Ford Taurus)

The largest automakers in the US are General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., and Chrysler. The United States ranks third after Japan and China in the list of the top 20 motor vehicle producing countries in the world.

The future of automobiles is overloaded with high-end technologies that are environmentally friendly and profitable for customers. Car manufacturers are spending a lot of money on R&D (Research and Development) to create a safer, more sustainable, energy efficient and less polluting product. Alternatives to fuels like hydrogen cars, electric cars, compressed air cars, etc. They are entering the market to provide high mileage at low cost, which is also beneficial to the car owner and the environment.

The latest technologies are used such as the BMW Turbosteamer, regenerative braking, the Vortex installation, which helps to save energy and therefore costs. To improve the quality and strength of automobiles, automakers are replacing steel with materials such as fiberglass, carbon nanotubes, duralumin, and carbon fiber. Few other technologies like platoons, automated road systems, and vehicle infrastructure integration improve road safety and traffic flow.

The automotive industry was deeply affected by the recent recession. However, it is reviving and will soon return to normal in the near future.

In 1967 the first big-block Mustang was introduced, the code S 390 which had an output of 320 hp. This Mustang couldn’t compete with the new Camaro SS 396, so the 428 Cobra Jet engine was introduced in 1968, giving the Mustang true muscle car status, but then why stop there? In February 1968, when Bunkie Knudsen arrived in Dearborn, he brought with him some solid ideas about the Mustang. He believed that the popular pony car was an attractive car, but there were a lot of people who wanted an attractive car that could work. He also knew that the Camaro Z / 28, built with SCCA Trans-Am road racing in mind, could handle and stop as well as accelerate. The big-block pony cars were faster, but left something to be desired going through the curves with all that weight in front.

Bunkie was able to attract a number of GM design engineers to Ford in 1968. One of them was designer Larry Shinoda, the man who had crafted the sporty look of the Z / 28 in 1967. Shinoda was tasked with outdoing a performance legend the one he had helped. to create. Shinoda contributed the stripes, spoilers, and window slats for the new cars, as well as his name. Two Boss Mustangs were born in 1969, both originally developed competitively by Ford’s performance contractor, Kar Kraft Engineering, in Brighton, Michigan.

The Boss 429 was also built in response to Chrysler’s 426 Hemi and its success at Nascar. Ford first built a 427 Hemi overhead camshaft engine, but it was not considered sufficient for the series, so the 429 “semi-Hemi” overhead appeared. Kar Kraft was tasked with fitting a 429 into the Mustang. Quarter mile times were reported to be in the lowest 14 seconds. Although another one of the hot rod magazines, Car Craft, slightly modified the stock 429 and got a 1/4 mile in the mid-12s. The trams came from the factory with a conservative cam and a somewhat small carburetor.

Starting in model year 1969, Ford incorporated the Mustang road racing program by creating the Boss 302 in the style of Larry Shinoda, the suspension was designed by Kar Kraft. Engineer Matt Donner was responsible for the excellent Boss 302 chassis, which quickly impressed critics with the way it hugged the road. The engine was a 5.0L Ford block with the new 351 Cleveland headers. The car would originally be called the Trans Am, until Ford discovered that GM had already licensed the name from the SCCA.

The Boss 302 was rated at 290 HP because insurance companies were beginning to penalize muscle cars by applying higher charges to any car with more than 300 HP. Actual horsepower was closer to 350. (These are gross HP figures, not net, as used today). The racing versions produced 450 HP at over 8,000 RPM.

The Boss 302s were also featured on Nascar’s Grand American (GA) series. The car came with either a wide or narrow ratio 4-speed top loader. A 3.50: 1 rear gear was standard with 3.91 and 4.30 optional. The front discs are rear drum brakes and the 15-inch wheels were standard. Road tests at that time put the 1/4 mile performance in the upper 14-second range. However, Super Stock magazine modified a Boss 302 ’70 and put on slicks to get a mid-13 time.

How does the Boss 302 compare to the Chevy Z28? Well, it seems that it was very close indeed. Chevrolet’s Trans-Am Camaro took home the SCCA racing championship in 1969, while the Ford Boss 302 put the Mustang back on top in 1970. In terms of street performance, both machines were engine-based. Specially built 290 horsepower 302 cubic inch small-block V8. The performance was so close that it was a pitch in most matches on the street or track.

In the late 1970s, Ford stopped all factory-sponsored racing. So sadly, the fun had to end … for now.