1930 Ford Model A 2dr on 2040-cars

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2015 Ford Transit Connect Wagon

The last time I tested a Ford Transit Connect, I needed to drive a group of friends to Boyne, MI, for a long weekend of skiing, snowboarding, and shenanigans. At roughly three hours, the trip is just long enough that my friends asked for something comfortable. A Range Rover would've been ideal. Perhaps a Mercedes-Benz GL or Cadillac Escalade. But no, I chose Transit Connect, to put Ford's small van formula to the test. The tiny van was near the end of its lifecycle in 2012, having debuted in Europe in 2003. Its age was reflected in its loud, underpowered, inefficient engine; noisy, harsh ride; and uncomfortable seats. It was so uncomfortable that we had to stop every hour just to stretch our legs. I didn't have such elaborate plans when this 2015 Transit Connect Wagon arrived in my driveway. But after a week behind the wheel, I can tell that road tripping in this van would be a far, far better experience. The most obvious change for the second-generation model is the styling. It's much better looking than the old TC, looking like the high-roofed spawn of a Focus and Escape. There are a few anomalies, though. First, note the word "Wagon" – that implies passenger van, while the cargo/work-minded Transit Connect is called "Van." Next, this Titanium model is only available on the longer-wheelbase, three-row Wagon. With the LWB configuration, the only tailgate option is a single-piece, lift-up hatch. If you want barn-style doors, get cozy with the short-wheelbase, two-row Transit Connect XLT. Regardless of body style, the Transit Connect Wagon's best styling feature is its enormous greenhouse that guarantees excellent visibility from any angle. The interior adopts a dash layout similar to the Focus. The heated leather seats – standard on the Titanium – are nice enough, but better still is that the chairs are actually comfortable now. The plastics on the dash and doors are still hard and scratchy, but fit and finish is solid. And with major contact points and switchgear that have been pilfered from other Ford products, including the steering wheel, the occasional bad bits in the cabin are easy enough to ignore. With room for three folks in the second row and two more in the back, the Transit Connect Wagon fills a role that is more utilitarian and spartan, but not much less versatile than traditional minivans. The middle row seats feature stadium-style raised seating, and both rows can slide forward and back or fold.

2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R vs. 2022 Ram TRX | By the numbers

Ford has responded to the Ram 1500 TRX with its own supercharged supertruck: the brand-new 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R. Ford may be late to the party, but fans can rest assured that its 5.2-liter supercharged V8 is ready to throw down, packing 700 horsepower in a leaner, more-focused package. You can read all about the new Raptor R in our debut write-up, but if you're curious how it stacks up to the TRX by some of its key metrics, you're in the right place. Let's get started.  Performance Let's go ahead and get this one out of the way. Both of these trucks offer blistering performance figures, but a quick glance at the specs suggests a clear winner. Both the Ford and Ram are half-ton crew cab pickups powered by supercharged V8s, but how that package comes together differs pretty significantly between the two.  2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R Engine: 5.2-liter supercharged DOHC V8 Power: 700 horsepower Torque: 640 pound-feet Suspension: Independent double-wishbone (front); five-link coil with Panhard rod (rear); continuously variable active Fox dampers (both) Curb Weight: 5,950 pounds 2022 Ram 1500 TRX Engine: 6.2-liter supercharged OHV V8 Power: 702 horsepower Torque: 650 pound-feet Suspension: Independent double-wishbone (front); five-link coil with track bar (rear); active Bilstein dampers (both) Curb Weight: 6,395 pounds Conclusion It was looking good for the TRX right up until the end there. Ram has the edge in total power and torque — just barely — but that advantage disappears when you consider the TRX's extra heft. 400 pounds may not seem like the end of the world in the context of these trucks, but weight plays a roll in all aspects of performance. This looks like a home run for the Blue Oval.  Off-road Raptor was the default half-ton performance truck for many years, but with OEMs getting ever more serious about building full-size pickups that can take a beating off-pavement, Ford has leaned harder into the Raptor's high-speed performance. Ram's approach was similar, only with more power — until now, that is. But there's more to off-roading than blasting across the desert.

Thanks for keeping us on our toes, Detroit Auto Show [w/poll]

Here at Autoblog, we love unexpected debuts at auto shows – and judging by our Detroit Auto Show comments and traffic, you do, too. Surprise reveals have been fewer and farther between in recent years with so many ways for vehicles to be teased or leak out, but this week's show has been a revelation. More to the point, it's been a series of revelations, with automakers from around the globe successfully delivering a brace of concept and production surprises. It's made our jobs a lot more exciting and challenging this week, and even though it's actually more work to react and run-and-gun when the sheet is pulled on a surprise reveal than it is to publish an already-written embargoed story, we've had more fun covering this show for you than any domestic show in memory. We hope you've enjoyed the surprises along with us. To that end, borrowing the words of an unnamed automaker PR flack, we'd like to thank the following automakers for enduring "mountain of antacids" and that "creeping sense of paranoia" necessary to keeping ones' wares totally under wraps until the sheets are pulled off the sheetmetal: Buick Avenir concept Chevrolet Bolt concept Ford GT concept Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Hyundai HCD-15 Santa Cruz concept And while we're at it, we'd like to throw in an shout-out to Detroit's substantially revised and revitalized Cobo Center, and in particular, the redone Michelin media center, which is arguably the single best accommodations for writing show stories that we've encountered on the entire international circuit. Well done, everyone. Thank you, and keep the surprises coming. Auto News Detroit Auto Show Buick Chevrolet Ford Hyundai Volvo 2015 Detroit Auto Show