What separates a simple car owner from a true car enthusiast is the amount of money, time and energy that they spend on their vehicle post purchase. To the true enthusiast, having a car that just moves does not meet their core requirements, the car must be customized. And body modifications can range from adding extra mufflers to even equipping High Definition TVs in their vehicles.

One major part of the United States that is known for its auto body modifications is Southern California. Car modifications are not limited to lower class and middle class vehicles only. In fact, most car owners who are having their cars ‘upgraded’ in So Cal own luxury cars.

Pimp my Ride, Mercedes SL with supercharged powerplant

Owners of cars like Aston Martins, Audis and Mercedes-Benz are finding more ways to embody their vehicle in its own style. Readers have mentioned that some of the custom body work that people in So Cal perform include upgrading their mufflers for that bigger ‘oomph’ as when the accelerator is floored, while others commit to making their cars look better with custom body paint.

The most common body work to be done on a car, is a simple repaint job. Depending on the tastes of its individual owner, a custom paint job can easily represent the personal image a driver is looking to portray, and if it only looks complete with fire breathing dragons as decals on the body, then so be it. Luxury car owners in So Cal are definitely investing the time and resources into making their vehicles stand out. Many owners start with putting on custom made rims just so their car can look different on a whole new level. Ever seen a Mercedes-Benz with dual rotating rims? Well you will definitely remember one when you see it. Catch my drift?

Custom Exhaust in a Mercedes Benz

A true car enthusiast in So Cal does not only focus on the outside, but also on the inside. So Cal car owners are known to perform their own tweaking to the car’s engine. One common customization performed to the engine is a complete overhaul with new air pipes that promote better fuel burn efficiency when the vehicle is being driven. So Cal car enthusiasts strive to get that extra mile out of their vehicles by tweaking for maximum fuel efficiency.

From completely remodelling a Mini Cooper to look like a sedan instead of a mini car to overhauling a Jaguar’s engine for maximum output, there is nothing that So Cal car enthusiasts wouldn’t do.

Car stereo manufacturers in So Cal have seen a rise in business as owners upgrade their vehicle’s sound systems, for booming bass and better quality sound. Music drives an individual, but many car enthusiasts in So Cal only drive in vehicles equipped with nothing but the best grade in sound technology.

If you are a car owner and consider yourself a car enthusiast, then you should definitely consider customizing and moding your car to make it unique to you and your personality.

Clark Motors is an auto repair shop in Southern California. Clark Motors specializes in Mercedes-Benz Auto Repair in Santa Barbara.

****Editors note.  Post is complete and prepared by Robin Canedy.  Images are courtesy of Robin Canedy and used with her permission.  Guests posts are always welcomed at SoCalAutoBlog, just make sure its relevant and about SoCal automobiles when you contact us.

The video gives you all the tech goodies and take on the car from the Marketing folks. Sorry I couldn’t get the information on MyFord mobile for iPhone but YouTube does limit the length of the videos.  Suffice it to say its a pretty nifty app where you can control elements of your car via smart phone.

The Fusion Energi Titanium is really a beautifully screwed together machine.  The driving of this car, even in pure EV mode is pretty amazing.  The mix of EV, EV+ and combination modes is seamless.  The power in EV mode only is enough go get you going and stay with traffic with no effort.  Getting to speeds above 55 mph does take a firm foot on the floor and the pace is leisurely after 35 mph.  Not objectionable, just does take time to get to the faster speeds.  I think the range is underestimated. 

What the hell is MPGe anyway? I get its a measure of efficiency compared to gas, this car did really well, didn’t make its MPGe ratings, but then again the two of us driving this car drove it like a real gasser, not an EV or hybrid so our mileage did suffer some. How much? Our indicated 86 MPGe was lower than the EPA’s 108 city.  Even with our driving it like a real car we managed 16 miles in EV mode with  5 miles to spare when we turned the car in.  The rated range is 21 miles and I suspect if you put your best hybrid hypermiling techniques into play you will exceed that estimate.

Move the car over to combined and there is ample power to keep up with city traffic as the gas/electric motors have a combined power rating of 195, which puts it midway between the 1.6L and 2.L ecoboost engines.  Just enough without a lot to spare.

Handling in this car is not unlike the regular Fusion Hybrid.  The drive is better and more fun than its immediate competition.  The switching between EV and gas is seamless, including the start/stop feature when at a light.  My only niggle with it is that you can tell you have a large battery pack in the rear.  In spirited driving on Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles you do feel that extra weight wanting to rotate in the rear.  Not severe and certainly manageable, its just present.

The interior fit and finish is really nicely done. The choice to put in all leather is needed at this price point and Ford did just that.  (Just under 40K for an SE and 44.6K for a very nicely equipped Titanium such as what I drove).  The tech toys on this car are pretty amazing, blind spot indicators, adaptive cruise control and MyFord Touch are all there, function nicely and are the sorts one expects in a car at this price point.

The badging on this car is pretty simple, tasteful even, and unless you look close you’ll miss that is anything different than any other Fusion out there.  There is a circular charging port on the left front fender.  There are discreet “Fusion Energi” badges on the door and deck lid.  After that its pretty easy to mistake the car for its lesser brethren.

The button to switch from EV to the other modes isn’t incorporated into the steering column nor in MyFord Touch where one logically would expect it.  Rather its a button on the upper right quadrant of the shift console.  Not a logical place to find it but it does work.  It gives you the opportunity to determine when you run in pure EV mode and when you don’t.  I foresee a situation where one has a mix drive of freeway and urban, saving the EV mode for the urban portion of the commute and run in hybrid mode on the freeway to save your EV range.  Nice idea and it works well once you locate the button.

My only niggle with the car is when in EV mode and the battery is low it will prompt you to turn on the engine.  Doing so supplements the battery power so as to not drain it  completely on acceleration, but when you get to a light the engine goes off and stays off unless you press the “OK” button again.  If you are that low shouldn’t the gas engine just stay on until the battery is recharged?

Overall I would give this car a 10/10 rating as it is very nicely equipped, has options on it that its competition don’t even offer and it drives really nice, especially in town in EV mode.

What a great show this one was. Absolutely loved that the  older A’s and T’s had a bigger presence than years past.  Found it interesting that more Pinto/Bobcats showed up than in years past as well.

My personal favorite, “Best of Show” if you will was a 1954 Ford Crestline Sunliner with the full on plexi half roof.  It was beautifully restored to its original condition, very little wear and showed very well.

All the pics and vid here are by me.  More of the show in my flickr set.

Poster for 2013 Fabulous Fords Forever

Its here, the single biggest Ford only auto show is returning to Knott’s Berry Farm on Sunday April 21, 2012.  Fabulous Fords Forever is one of my most favorite shows to attend every year.  For all the details on the show you need to make the jump.  

This years show already has over 2000 entries covering everything from the first Model A’s to some of the hottest Mustangs on the roads around L.A.  The latter is courtesy of the Beach Cities Mustang Club who has many of its members participate. Every year the show is jazzed up with a theme and this year is no different.

This year they are are celebrating 110 years of Ford Motor Company with a truly impressive display of milestone cars. Additional features are 85 years of the Ford Model A, 45 years of the Torino and 20 years of SVT. They have cars registered from 13 states and Canada, covering 55 classes of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars and trucks, plus several displays of the latest from Ford and Ford Racing.

The guest of honor is the celebrated Formula Drift Champion, Vaughn Gittin, Jr., who will have his latest drifting Mustang on display along with his RTR Mustang stable.  Linda Vaughn will be in attendance with a team of legendary 1960’s drag racers of California fame. Meet and greets will be available with them.

Just a little teaser of what to expect…a YouTube vid from last years show:

Deets: Sunday April 21, 2013 from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Knott’s Berry Farm,8039 Beach Boulevard, Buena Park, CA 90620  MAP HERE

My 1972 Centurion paint and chrome by C & L

You meet the most interesting people through your kids day care, some 15 years ago I met Maurice Buonsanti. Turns out Maurice is the production manager at C & L Auto Body in Arcadia.  When I had my old 1972 Buick Centurion and had it mostly ready for paint I turned it over to him for the final prep, paint and re-chrome of the bumpers.  IT turned out to be an award winning restoration that brought great joy and bragging rights to me and my boys.

In the years since that job Maurice and I have crossed paths several times. They are my shop of choice for repairs of fender benders and other automotive calamities as well as restoration help.  The restoration work is something that really interests me.

Turns out that C & L is very well known in the area for turning out quality restorations.  This aspect of their business has won them many awards and accolades from their customers.  For a while they were taking old cars they found or were referred to that they would then restore and sell them at the Pomona Swap Meet.  Imagine their chagrin when they started finding their restoration jobs at the Barrett-Jackson auctions selling for significantly more than they has sold them for initially.

That got them interested in expanding this portion of the business.  They have since sold several of their cars at the Barret Jackson auction and will do so more in the future.

Recently I got to take a tour of the facility.  Maurice showed me several cars they have in various stages of restoration.  One of the cars, a Chevy Tin Woody belonged to the father of one of the teachers at our kids pre-school, Ms Jeanie,  from back in the day.  That car will be restored and brought to show condition.  However, prior to its going off to sale Ms Jeanie and her family will get a ride in the restored car for old times sake.

Should you need repair or restoration on your ride Maurice and his brother Sergio will gladly help you out.  All the info you will need to contact them:
C and L Auto Body
132 Las Tunas Dr.
Arcadia, CA 91007
ph: (626) 445-6630
fax: (626) 447-2961
alt: (626) 445-6631
clautobody@aol.com

Yes, its possible to be carbon neutral in a gasser. How? Simply purchase your new Ford from Simi Valley Ford and they will purchase the carbon offsets to make you carbon neutral for the first 2 years of driving.  The program runs now through April 22, 2013 which happens to be Earth Day.

Simi Valley Ford partnered with Waste Management and the folks at Carbonfund.org to make it happen. What they do is when you purchase your new Ford from them they purchase offsets representing the estimated Carbon emissions of the car for 2 years at an average of 12,000 miles/year.  Nothing is needed on your part to get the deal. It happens automatically with each new purchase starting with the Fiesta working its way all the way up to the huge heavy duty F-250.  After the purchase is complete the buyer receives a tonnage certificate from Carbonfund.org.

According to Mike Shell at Simi Valley Ford, “We have always been concerned for the planet and have been working towards solutions at the dealership.  We were looking for a vehicle to involve the customer sales and relationship on putting the brakes on climate change and came up with this idea”.

Since the program rolled out on February 1 of this year they have offset over 1,000,000 pounds of carbon.  Mike Shell explained that the cost isn’t large for the dealer, about $100 and doesn’t affect the deal the customer makes at the time of purchase. To achieve these numbers one only has to look at the average car that emits 5 tons/year, 1o/tons years, and it adds up fast.

In our conversation Mike said that “If we take the first steps others will follow and leave a legacy for our dealership.  Ford was excited about the program and is looking to sign on another 500 dealers next year. Its the start of something bigger.  It could eventually involve other brands”.

Carbonfund.org does many projects from as simple as planting trees to working on renewable energy sources.  They even have a nifty web page with information about what you as an individual can do to about your contribution to the carbon emissions. They even have a nifty calculator to estimate your carbon footprint each year.  The link for individuals is HERE.

Now if I had known about this offset when I bought my new Focus I would have made the trek from my valley to theirs. Its that great of a program.

You can learn more about Simi Valley Ford at their Web Site,  which also has a nifty inventory search function so you can find the new Ford that matches your needs to take advantage of this program.  They also have a page dedicated to the Drive to Save the Environment campaign.

To read the full press release make the jump!
Simi Valley Ford Offsets More than One Million Pounds of Carbon Emissions
Local Ford dealership launches its first-ever green initiative now through Earth Day

SIMI VALLEY, Calif., March 5, 2013- It’s been a little over a month since Simi Valley Ford kicked off its Drive to Save the Environment Campaign, and the dealership has already sold enough new vehicles to offset more than 1,000,000 pounds of carbon emissions.

This is the dealership’s first-ever green initiative, partnering with the Carbonfund.org Foundation to help offset the carbon footprint for the next 2 years of every new Ford vehicle that is sold during this campaign.
The offsets vary from just 4 tons of carbon offsets for a Ford Fusion hybrid, rated at 47mpg, up to 12 tons for the larger Ford Expedition SUV, which only gets 14mpg. Whether it’s planting trees, pulling plastic out of the ocean, recycling or investing in renewable energies, the dealership has made a commitment to help reduce the carbon footprint in CA for all of the vehicles sold now through Earth Day.

“We at Simi Valley Ford are concerned about the future of our planet, so by partnering with a green organization like Carbonfund.org, we are hoping to help raise awareness to this growing issue. We are also excited to allow our customers the opportunity to drive ‘emissions free,’ simply just by buying a car,” says Mike Shell, Fleet Manager, Simi Valley Ford.

After Hurricane Sandy, a recent survey shows that 70 percent of Americans believe that climate change is caused by our daily carbon footprint emissions. Most people are unsure of how they can do their part to help reduce emissions, so Simi Valley Ford wants to help raise awareness on climate change, while promoting Ford’s green initiatives at the same time. The dealership is working with several green organizations to help promote this campaign and raise awareness in the community.

“Simi Valley Ford is taking a real leadership position by neutralizing the first two years of carbon emissions from every new Ford vehicle sold during their Drive to Save the Environment Campaign. It’s this type of forward thinking and pro-activity in the fight against climate change that we encourage among our business partners and supporters,” explains Eric M. Carlson, President of Carbonfund.org. “We’re very honored to participate as a partner with Simi Valley Ford for this inaugural campaign.”

Simi Valley Ford has set a goal to sell 300 new vehicles between February 1st and April 22nd. They invite any and all local and national companies to join them in helping to reach their goal. This is the first time the dealership has launched this campaign and hopes that it will grow exponentially year to year, not just in CA, but also to Ford dealerships nationwide.

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Fisker Karma left front 3 quarter view, click to embiggen

This I must say is an interesting car and I’m not so sure how I feel about it.  I’m a fan of big cars, but this car is a bit too cozy for its size.  I certainly appreciated all the luxurious touches and the build quality, yet it was some how lacking something for me.

It certainly is an interesting blend of technology.  Its the only EV in its class with extended range capability.  It does it differently than the much cheaper Volt in that the gas engine only runs a generator with no physical connection to the wheels.  Why use a gasser instead of diesel remains a mystery to me given the diesels inherent advantages with fuel consumption.

Let’s dive into the whole efficiency discussion. All the stats you could want can be found on Fisker’s web site.  The car is good for 33 miles an MPGe equivalent of 54. The gas engine extended range portion requires premium fuel and gets 20mpg city, 21 mpg highway according to the EPA.  The EPA says the total range of the car is 230 miles which means you have to stop for gas on a Vegas run from L.A.

This large car is classed as a subcompact by the EPA due to its tightish passenger compartment.  (The trunk is tiny too for a car this large…7 cubic feet).  The cockpit though cozy doesn’t feel cramped.  The rear seats however were not a place I’d want to spend much time.  Even though the rear buckets were nicely contoured they are not very wide more appropriate for small adults and children than this large 6 footer.

Driving the Karma is a pleasant surprise.  The car is heavy feeling yet has a nicely tuned sport suspension that allows the car to handle very well.  The ride isn’t firm, but very compliant without being floaty.  It certainly absorbed the potholes of L.A without thuds and cabin shudder which one expects from a luxury car at this price point.

Of course the instant on of the electric motors means all 950+fl lbs of torque are there to immediately hustle the car along. This is a very easy car to drive in electric mode, no learning curve like some others.  The regenerative braking is nicely programmed so there is a little bit of coast involved, not the abrupt shift to rapid deceleration like you find in a Mini or BMW 3 series electrics.

What I really appreciate about the Karma is the amount of style that the designers put into the car. Whereas its immediate competition the Tesla Model S is very conservative this car adds all sorts of curvaceous lines that add to the impression of speed and luxury.

All pics by me, more of the 2012 L.A. Auto show can be found in my flickr set.

2013 Honda Accord front, click to embiggen

One of the fun parts of the L.A. Auto Show is the Press Days Green Car Ride and Drive.  Having a 2013 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid there was a no brainer given the 115 MPGe rating.  The big surprise there was the inclusion of a 2013 Honda Accord V6 EX-L.  How could a V6 mid-size be a green car was my first thought.

The obvious choice for the greenies among us if you want a nice mid-size car that doesn’t look like your typical hybrid freak mobile is the Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid.  You get all of the traditional look of a nice mid-size sedan and its roominess front and back with the mileage boost of a hybrid, or in this case one you plug-in for  up to 13 miles of all electric driving that makes for an incredible boost in overall MPGs. 

How does Honda achieve the MPGe rating and range on its plug-in hybrid?  Well a lot of reasons, chief of which we expect demand from Honda engineering is in the form of class leading technology.  For their Accord plug-in they installed the latest tech, and largest lithium ion battery they could fit into the Accord while maintain interior space and some of the trunk.  The battery is 6.7 kwh unit that will charge from the low charge indicator on the dash in 3 hours on a 120v line, and less than 1 hour on a 240 volt line.

What I found most interesting is that the gas power-train is not unlike that used in the 2013 Ford Fusion, great minds think alike?  Honda has a 2.ol Atkinson cycle 4 cylinder electrically coupled to a CVT tranny.  This in combination with the electric battery yields 47mpg city, 46 highway for a combined rating of 46mpg.  In driving it it was apparent that this is a very powerful hybrid moving the sedan with no problems at all. Where Honda fell down in my not so humble is the start/stop function of the gasser at stop lights. IT is noticeable where as the Fusion Hybrid I drove recently it was quite seamless.

The Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid is very well equipped with the tech goodies.  Included in the just under 40K sticker (before Fed and State tax incentives) is Lane Departure warning, Collision warning, Blind Spot Warning (with a nifty camera operated system), Bluetooth connectivity/infotainment system, and a rear view back up camera.  The car goes on sale in limited markets, CA and NY only in January 2013.

The real surprise for me as mentioned earlier in this post was the inclusion of a V6 Accord in a green car line up. How can this be?  Chalk it up to Honda engineering to include variable valve timing (VVT) along with variable cylinder management (VCM) to create an “Earth Dreams” relevant V6 that yields nearly 4cylinder fuel economy, with EPA ratings of 21 city, 34 highway for a combined average of 25mpg. All this from a 278 hp V6 coupled to a Honda tried and true bullet proof 6 speed automatic.

At just about 34K this is a very nicely equipped EX-L.  It had the same tech goodies enumerated on the Honda plug-in hybrid and it also included their satellite based navigation.

Where the EX-L V6 shined was in the driving experience.  The car shifted in and out of 3-6 cylinder seamlessly.  It had ample power when you mashed the peddle to the floor though there was some floating as the front end lifted under full throttle. Still not objectionable nor uncontrollable, just not as tamed as what you get from some of the other high horsepower front drivers out there.

Overall I like both cars.  As an owner of an orphaned brand I’m in search of a new home for when it comes time to replace that car. As mentioned in an earlier post, no matter how nicely built and handsome another mid-sizer might be, my wife will not consider ANY of them unless there is a V6 under the hood.  The Accord EX-L V6 is a very nicely equipped, luxurious that has all the sportiness and power one comes to expect at the upper end of the  class.  It certainly is high on my shopping list even it if means moving down from the entry luxury class the current car in our stable sits in.

All pics by me and more can be found in my flickr set of the 2012 L.A. Auto Show

As promised a couple of posts back here is the review of the 2013 Ford Fusion SE Hybrid. It just happened to have won Green Car of the Year this week at the 2012 L.A. Auto Show.

Much has changed with the 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid compared to the last generation.  It benefits from the complete redesign of the car and is just as drop dead gorgeous as the gassers.  It also benefited from the same chassis upgrades so ride and handling is better than the last generation as well.

Mechanically the Hybrid drive is entirely new compared to the outgoing model.  Gone is the 2.5L Atkinson cycle 4 cylinder that is now replaced with an entirely new 2.0L Atkinson for that is part of the new 2.0 family of engines that Ford is producing.  The battery pack is a Lithium Ion that has more power yet is smaller in size than the outgoing battery pack. All the stats you could want can be found on Ford’s Media site.

What does all this mean?  There is more power total than the outgoing model.  It can travel up to 65mph on battery only before the gas engine kicks in.  It also means that the mileage is way up over last year and roundly trounces its immediate competition.  Its EPA estimates are 47 city/47 highway and you got it 47 combined.  Of course your mileage will vary based on driving habits and whether you feather foot it and hyper mile to keep it in battery mode more than gas mode.  Still, those numbers give you an apples to apples comparison of the competition that indicate what you should be able to produce in the real world if you are a hyper-miler.

Driving the new Fusion Hybrid SE and remembering the last generations drive I walked away pretty blown away with the improvements.  The gas engine cycling on and off is now completely seamless.  Even at a dead stop where demand requires the gas engine to be on, like to accelerate from a dead stop onto the freeway the change is seamless.  Its a steady rush of power with no thuds or surges that I noticed in one of its competitors on a drive the other day.  Ride and handling are really good, but that comes standard with the new Fusion’s now.  The only time you are aware of the battery’s extra weight in the rear is on freeway dipsy doodles where the back does bounce a couple of extra times compared to the firmly planted rear of the regular gassers.

Interior fit and finish is really good.  I’m not a fan of the feel of the standard nylon cloth seats but the support and bolstering is fine.  I wonder if it is possible to upgrade to leather if you want that luxury. Interior room is great in the front, due to the swooping sloping rear roof-line head room in the rear was just a bit short for this 6 footer.  Overall choice of materials used it is class competitive, fit and feel it certainly sets the bar pretty high in the hybrid class.

The MyFord Touch system is standard with additional enhancements for the Hybrid, namely the growning vines eco-monitor that I find myself being addicted to keep it growing while driving…see it even encourages hyper-mileing.

Would I put this car as an option for my daily driver?  Probably, the trunk does lose room compared to the gasser and wouldn’t hold golf clubs (for my kid not me) or much in the way of goodies on the bi-monthy Costco supply run.  For the other 95% of my driving it would be more than adequate as my usual driving is local and with passengers.

Could I have mine in white with charcoal leather please?

Probably the most dramatic Press Reveal was by Ford for its new for 2014 Fiesta Titanium and Fiesta ST, the latter being the one I am most excited about.  As a spoiler if you want to skip all the marketing talk in the video Ken Block appears in his gymkhana Fiesta drifting away at about the half way mark in the video.

The Fiesta ST is promised to be as thoroughly reworked as the Focus ST that we at SoCalAutoBlog drove about a month ago and were totally enamored with.  The Focus ST will be the only high performance B class auto here in America (Yes, I know the 500 Abarth exists but it is one class smaller than the Fiesta ST).  It will have a 197hp 1.6L ecoboost engine under the hood. Yet with all that power the Fiesta ST is still expected to wring out 35mpg on the highway… presumably achieved while driving at the legal limits, not insane speeds it is capable of.  The ST is expected to be on sale spring of 2013.

The entire line adopts the current trapezoidal grill and is a much needed improvement over the current Fiesta’s slit grill.

Also introduced was the new Fiesta Titanium, a range topper that will be on sale with the rest of the 2014′s in fall of 2014.  My take…why wait that long when the current Fiesta sales aren’t hopping and make it a summer launch and really move the units as this is a much sharper looking package than the current Fiesta.

Gone from the current line is the redheaded step child version of Sync with its tiny, black and white only screen and replaced in 2013 with a smart 6 1/2 inch full color MyFord Touch system.  This is being done according to Ford at customer request.  Makes sense as its a beautiful system, upgraded again this year to be faster and even easier to use than the original versions.  Sync itself is also easier to use due to simpler and wider range of recognized voice commands.  I haven’t seen the final version, but I hope they have redundant radio volume and heating/air-conditioning buttons to make it easier to adjust that in heavy traffic or in spirited driving.  The introduction of this tech makes Ford a class leader in this segment.

New to the U.S for the 2014 Fiesta is their new 1.o 3cyl ecoboost, yes a 3 as in THREE cylinders that has already won awards in the EU for performance and fuel economy…on the European cycle this engine has reportedly delivered as much as 50MPG, though here it is expected to be 40mpg highway due to testing differences, regardless it is expected it will be the highest mpg auto in the U.S that is not a hybrid.  This engine will crank out 123 horsepower and 148 ft lbs or torque which compares favorably to the current 1.6L normally aspirated engines 120 hp and 112 ft lbs of torque.

All pics by me and get bigger with a click.  More pics from the L.A Auto Show can be found on my flickr set.