Soarer Source - The Home of the Toyota Soarer and Lexus SC300, SC400

TOOELE - Clyde Madsen of Laguna Nigel, Calif., was a 14-year-old boy in 1965 when his father, Milo, invited him to the old Bennett Ford dealership in downtown Salt Lake City to take a ride in a Shelby GT 350 Mustang.
Milo Madsen worked in sales at the dealership for more than 26 years, and Bennett Ford - which later became Rick Warner Ford - was the only authorized Shelby American dealer in the Intermountain West. What’s more, Ford had made only 562 GT 350s in 1965, and Bennett was only allocated four cars.
“My dad took me for a ride, and I said right then and there, ‘Someday I have got to get one of these,’ ” Clyde Madsen said.
Later, the teenager who worked part time as a detailer at the dealership, would sneak into the back lot where the cars were kept and dream of one day owning one of the rare Mustangs.
He’s no longer dreaming, having bought one of the rare cars in 1997. The cars that sold for $5,500 to $6,000 in 1965 are now being sold at auctions for more than $300,000.
But this weekend represents a dream come true for the Highland High graduate (1969) because he has been reunited with three of the four Bennett Ford cars at Miller Motorsports Park as part of the 32nd Shelby American Automobile Club (SAAC) National Convention.

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Cars.com, in conjunction with DriversEd.com, America’s leading drivers education resource and solution, have identified the 10 most common mistakes teen drivers make, and identified their choices for the best new cars for teenage drivers.

“There are a number of factors that lead to an increase in accidents for teen drivers, including inexperience, dealing with emergency situations, distracted driving and the inclination to show off for friends,” said DriversEd.com founder Gary Tsifrin. “By recognizing these common mistakes, we hope that teenagers will be able to avoid the risks associated with being a teenager behind the wheel.”

The most common mistakes are:
Being distracted behind the wheel: Cell phones, CDs, food and even text messages can pose serious distractions to drivers. In some cases, drivers will even text message their backseat passengers. Distracted driving contributes to 80 percent of collisions.

Taking too many risks: Actions like ignoring traffic signals or school zone signs and changing lanes without checking blind spots are all considered “risky behavior.” The difference between risky behavior and distracted driving is that risky behavior is deliberate, while distracted driving is often the result of ignorance.

Speeding: Most drivers occasionally speed, but teens do so because they don’t have a good sense of how a car’s speed can affect their response time. On average, teens drive faster than all other drivers as a whole. They will exceed speeds on residential roads that they interpret as empty because they haven’t had any close calls there. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported that speeding factored into roughly one-third of all fatal crashes in 2005 when teenagers were behind the wheel — some 50 percent more than it did in fatal crashes for 20- to 49-year-olds.

Overcrowding the car: Teens frequently overcrowd their cars, cramming five or six into a cabin meant to seat four or five. Worse yet, the extra passengers often result in teens driving more aggressively. The distractions of carrying too many passengers can have serious consequences as well.

Driving under the influence: When teens drink and drive, they’re even less likely to practice safe habits like seat belt usage: Of the 15- to 20-year- olds killed after drinking and driving in 2003, 74 percent were unrestrained, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Because teenagers are too young to drink legally, they’re also less likely to call their parents to come get them when they shouldn’t drive.

Following too closely: Maintaining a proper following distance is a critical step in preventing accidents. At 60 mph, a typical car needs between 120 and 140 feet to reach a full stop. Most SUVs require an extra 5 to 10 feet on top of that. Consider that 60 mph translates to 88 feet per second and it’s easy to see why maintaining a proper following distance is a critical step in preventing accidents.

Driving unbuckled: A 2003 survey by NHTSA reported that 79 percent of drivers ages 16 to 24 said they wore their seat belts regularly, while 84 percent of the overall population did so. Approximately 21 percent of young drivers do not wear their seat belts regularly. Many young drivers have a sense of invincibility that also factors into teen speeding. Fortunately, many cars today have seat belt reminders that flash warning lights or chime until belts are secured. Call them annoying, but they help keep occupants buckled.

Not being able to handle emergencies: Knowing how to avoid an accident comes with driving experience. Young drivers can only learn so much in the classroom, which leaves learning maneuvers like straightening out a skid or how to apply the brakes correctly to real-world experience. Speeding and distracted driving only make things worse, as they compound the lack of experience by putting drivers at higher risk of encountering an emergency situation in the first place.

Driving drowsy: Drowsy driving affects an unlikely group: the so-called “good kids.” That means straight-A students or those with a full plate of extracurricular activities. Overachievers have a lot of pressure. If they’re playing varsity sports and are also preparing for an AP English exam, and if they’ve been going since 7 a.m. and now it’s midnight and they have to get home, they don’t think, “I’m too tired to drive.”

Choosing the wrong car and not maintaining it: Too often, a combination of tight budgets and high style leads teens to pass up important safety features for larger engines and flashy accessories. A teen or novice driver will opt for a cool-looking sports car rather than a car that’s really a safer choice. Then, if they sink all their money into it, they might be remiss in maintaining it.

Cars.com has several new-car recommendations for teen drivers based on a variety of criteria, including safety, price and size. “We kept in mind that many parents are more concerned about safety, while their child is looking for style,” said Cars.com managing editor Patrick Olsen. “This list offers new-car choices in various body styles and a wide range of prices likely to meet the needs of parents and teens.”

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/06/18/052314.html

IRVINE, Calif., June 21 — Kelley Blue Book (http://www.kbb.com/) and Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research today announce the results of the ‘Driving Performance’ portion of its consumer automotive perceptions research study, Brand Watch. According to the latest results, Toyota and BMW each claimed two number-one spots for best driving performance: Toyota takes the top spot in both the Minivan and Non-Luxury SUV segments, while BMW was singled out for top honors among Luxury SUVs and Luxury Sedans.

Domestic brands sweep the Truck segment when it comes to driving performance in Brand Watch, with Chevrolet, GMC and Dodge placing first, second and third, respectively. Domestic brands previously had been singled out as consumers’ top picks for Interior and Exterior Styling in the Truck segment. Import brands dominate across most segments when it comes to driving performance, claiming the top three spots in every vehicle segment except trucks and also with the exception of Ford placing third among Non-Luxury SUVs. Porsche claimed the top spot in the Convertible/Sports Car segment, a category in which performance is the most desired characteristic.

Toyota, Honda, BMW and Mercedes-Benz each garnered three top-three finishes in various categories, displaying consumers’ overall perception of those brands having the best driving performance. Nissan and Lexus garnered two top-three finishes each.

“BMW’s top rankings in the Luxury Sedan and Luxury SUV segments demonstrate that it has a lock on performance characteristics in the luxury category according to new-car buyers, an instance where brand image and the consumer brand perception are in perfect alignment,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst of Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com. “Meanwhile, pickups are the last bastion of domestic dominance and that dominance is strong with Chevrolet, GMC and Dodge sweeping the top three spots for performance with not an import in sight.”

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/06/21/052629.html

DETROIT · Ford supplanted Toyota as the leader of the pack in initial quality rankings, taking the top spot in five of 19 segments in the 2007 survey by J.D. Power and Associates, released Wednesday.

Porsche again dominated the overall ranking of brands, averaging 91 problems per 100 vehicles as it had last year. That compared with a 2007 industry average of 125 problems per 100 vehicles. Last year it was 124.

Ford Motor Co. earned segment awards for the Ford Mustang, Lincoln Mark LT, Lincoln MKZ, Mercury Milan and Mazda MX-5 Miata. Mazda is 33.4 percent owned by Ford.

Toyota Motor Corp., which grabbed the top spot in 11 segments last year, captured only four this year — the 4Runner, Sequoia, Tacoma and Lexus RX350/RX400h.

Ford’s Lincoln brand took third in overall nameplate rankings, averaging 100 problems per 100 vehicles. It was behind Porsche and Toyota’s Lexus luxury brand, which averaged 94 problems per vehicles.

Lincoln jumped from 12th in 2006.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local/sfl-zcars07jun07,0,2952757.story