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We compare 2021 Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport specifications to their ritzy Land Rover competiton

The 2021 Bronco and Bronco Sport are the spearheads for Ford's new 4x4 sub-brand, with the former taking the fight directly to the Jeep Wrangler and the latter providing Ford with a more rugged alternative to the Escape. We've already looked at how the new Bronco and Bronco Sport compare to their mainstream competition, but we'd like to see how the Bronco stacks up to another hotly anticipated returning nameplate: the Land Rover Defender.  Not to leave its little sibling in the cold, I decided to browse Land Rover's lineup and see what might be a suitable counterpoint to the Bronco Sport. For better or worse, I found an almost-perfect fit in the Range Rover Evoque. So, how do these new American 4x4s compare to the Old Country's more-expensive alternatives? Let's dig in, starting with the big boys.  As you might expect from the Bronco's robust credentials, it holds its own here against the more-expensive Brit. The Defender's higher price point brings along a good bit of power advantage with both engines, but that's to be expected. The Defender also has that trick adjustable-height suspension that the Bronco lacks, giving it an edge in practicality, and it can also tow quite a bit more.  On the flip side, there are quite a few advantages to going with the Ford, including a greater number of choices in terms of powertrain. The available manual transmission on four-cylinder Broncos is a nice bonus, for instance, as is the option of getting either the base 2.3-liter or the optional 2.7-liter engine with either wheelbase. The Defender is a bit more restrictive in this regard offering only the inline-six on the short-wheelbase model. As an added bonus, the Bronco is a convertible. That may not necessarily be a "plus" for all shoppers, but it's certainly an added bit of versatility (and potential appeal) the Defender lacks. And of course, the Bronco can be had for as little as $30,000, whereas the Land Rover starts at $50,000. Now, on to the less-rugged siblings. The specs here are actually a little tighter in most respects, but the powertrain story is almost identical. The Evoque checks in where the Bronco Sport tops out, and the Range Rover gets an optional high-output variant of the 2.0-liter turbocharged four.

New York Mets outfielder turns spring training into his personal car show

New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is known for his wide range of talents. He can hit for power, average, has good speed, and is solid in the field. His car collection is equally versatile and diverse, and it's been on display this week at spring training. Every day has brought a different car, and it has his teammates and the media atwitter. Cespedes rolled up Wednesday to the Mets facility in Port St. Lucie in a Lamborghini Aventador. It's black with blue trim. Anthony DiComo with MLB.com tweeted this: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. ESPN's Darren Rovell tweeted the Lambo has a custom exhaust that cost $80,000 and shoots out flames. Of course, that's already old news. His Alfa Romeo showed up today, too. Apparently Mets infielder Wilmer Flores has been driving it. That's an ultra-rare 8C Competizione, brought to you by Robert Brender of SNY.TV. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The Italian delights are stunning, but his Tuesday arrival was arguably the craziest: a Polaris Slingshot. DiComo captured this. It's customized with gaudy wire wheels, red accents, and Cespedes' No. 52 on the hood. Subtle. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Only in this fleet would Monday's ride appear pedestrian. It was 'only' an F-250. It was raised on huge wheels, had a custom grille, and towered over that Maserati behind it. Jon Santucci of Scripps newspapers observed it. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. At this rate, we should probably skip Geneva and get credentialed for Mets spring training. Cespedes signed a three-year $75-million contract with the Mets in the off-season. He's also played for the Oakland Athletics, Boston Red Sox, and Detroit Tigers. Related Video: Image Credit: Getty Images Celebrities Design/Style Ford Lamborghini Performance baseball

Ford cleans up painting process with cameras

Knowing how the bacon gets made rarely entices us and, in the same vein, the same usually goes for knowing about how new cars get painted. But in both instances, however, quality - or a lack thereof - is instantly obvious. In terms of the latter, Ford is showing off its new paint quality process with 3D Dirt Detection Technology to find imperfections in vehicle paint more easily and more quickly.
This process - being performed on the F-150 SVT Raptor above - uses 16 computer-controlled cameras to create a three-dimensional model (inset) of the vehicle to detect flaws in the paint including dirt particles, which can then be buffed out manually. Ford says this new technology cuts down on time spent looking for paint flaws and gives workers more time to correct those that are discovered.
Currently, Ford only uses its 3D Dirt Detection Technology system at three factories (the Dearborn, MI facility, along with those in Louisville, Kentucky and Valencia, Spain), but it will soon spread to five more plants in North America. Ford has released a video and press release for this innovative and unexpectedly interesting process, both of which are posted below.