Ford makes a TONKA Truck for Big Kids
Mar 6th
At 10 feet tall, bright yellow and a gross weight of 33,000 lbs you will need a big sandbox to play with this TONKA truck that Ford recently made. They wanted to show off their new F-750 “medium duty” truck by igniting the imagination of every person who played with TONKA trucks growing up. Of course there are a lot of new features of the truck itself like the 6.7 liter Powerstroke diesel engine and runs and drives much quieter than previous generations. The dump bed on this behemoth TONKA truck is large enough to be the ultimate sandbox in which to play with the toys that inspired the truck itself.
It seems fitting in multiple ways that they chose TONKA for this special truck, as the origin comes from the Dakota Sioux word for “Big” or “Great” which is very fitting besides the obvious unbeatable toughness of TONKA trucks themselves. TONKA toys have a long standing history in Minnesota, the company was started in 1946 in Mound as Mound Metalcraft. The original plan was to make garden implements but their buildings former occupants had several toy patents and didn’t want to produce them and approached Mound Metalcraft about producing the toys.It wasn’t before long until Mound Metalcraft changed their name to TONKA Toys Inc. Choosing the name TONKA presumably due to the proximity to Lake Minnetonka. They are the go to toys for all kids for the last 60+ years.
While we wish Ford had plans to make this behemoth available to the child in all of us, we’ll have to satisfy ourselves with staring at pictures and the knowing that we can still have the scaled-down version that inspired hours of enjoyment.
Mazda Starts Production of 2016 MX-5 Miata in Japan
Mar 6th
It’s official! Production of the much-anticipated 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata has begun! The first few examples of the all-new roadster rolled off the assembly line this week in Japan and we couldn’t be more excited here at Morrie’s. Sadly, the initial batch will remain in Japan, however, subsequent units will begin to proliferate to markets around the world, including the US, and eventually Minneapolis. We’ll be sure to keep you up to date on the latest arrival estimates in the near future.
If you’ve already decided you just have to have this little beauty, we’re currently taking deposits. If you’d like to secure one of your own simply contact any one of our 3 Mazda locations for details. For a list of our locations click here.
For full details check out Mazda official press release below.
Photos courtesy of AutoBlog.com
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE:
Mazda Starts Production of All-new Mazda MX-5
HIROSHIMA, Japan-Mazda Motor Corporation today began production of the all-new Mazda MX-5 two-seater lightweight sports car (known as Mazda Roadster in Japan) at Ujina Plant No.1 in Hiroshima. The first models produced are destined for the Japanese market. Sales of the all-new MX-5 will begin in Japan around June this year and interested buyers can make an appointment for pre-sale discussions through a dedicated website from noon on Friday, March 20. Following sales start in Japan, the MX-5 will be progressively rolled out to overseas markets.
The MX-5 is an iconic model representing Mazda’s vehicle engineering philosophy: the pursuit of driving pleasure. With production exceeding 950,000 units as of the end of January 2015, the MX-5 continues to hold the Guinness World Record for the world’s best-selling two-seater sports car.
In order to respond to ever increasing demands for safety features and environmental performance while maintaining the element of fun that has always defined the model, development of the fourth generation MX-5 was carried out under the motto “innovate in order to preserve”. In addition to incorporating SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY and KODO-Soul of Motion design, development focused on enhancing the senses and sensations through which people enjoy cars.
Moving forward, Mazda will continue to enrich the lives of its customers through a variety of touch points including the production of high-quality vehicles, and become a brand that maintains a special bond with its customers.
Minnesota Zoo uses Mazda CX-5 to track wolves
Mar 5th
The Mazda CX-5 field vehicle that Morrie’s Minnetonka Mazda donated to the Minnesota Zoo for moose and butterfly conservation projects has come in handy this winter! Dr. Brian Kot, a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the Minnesota Zoo, has used it to check up on the wolves he is tracking using GPS collars, for a study of wolf-moose interactions in northeastern Minnesota. Brian is comparing how wolves and moose use their habitat, to understand where moose are at high and low risk of predation. Minnesota has lost more than half of its moose population in the past ten years. Wolves have also recently been returned to the US Endangered Species list with a “threatened” listing in Minnesota.
Check out Brian’s photos from recent excursions using the field vehicle!
Brian gathers equipment from the field research vehicle
Brian uses telemetry equipment to listen for radio tracking collars worn by wolves in the study area
A busy wildlife travel route along a frozen creek showing fox tracks (left), wolf tracks (middle) and, possibly, coyote tracks (right).
Morrie’s Teen Driving School Featured on Kare11
Mar 3rd
This morning Kare 11 news ran a feature story on Morrie’s Teen Driving School providing viewers a glimpse at what the school has to offer. For the story reporter Alicia Lewis got behind the wheel to experience four of the exercises taught in the full day school.
Founded last spring, the school goes beyond traditional driver’s ed program by teaching young drivers life saving skills that they simply don’t learn through conventional programs. A series of exercises are taught throughout the day on a closed course that enables young drivers to experience situations they’d otherwise experience in the real world. In doing so the course teach attendees new skills, increases driver confidence and ultimately creates muscle memory that will improve their safety in real world driving conditions.
Thus far five teen driving schools have been scheduled for the 2015 season with the first kicking off on April 25th.
For more information and to register visit www.morries.com/teenschool.
KBB’s 2015 Best Buy Award Goes To The 2015 Ford F-150
Feb 25th
Ford’s new aluminum bodied Ford F-150 takes another award on the podium as Kelly Blue Book gave it the 2015 Best Buy Award. I’ve had the pleasure of driving the new F-150 on and off the track at several for Ride and Drive Events and I have to say that it is truly an icon of innovation, technology, safety, handling, utility, and just all-around fun. In summary if you haven’t driven a 2015 F-150 you are missing out. And apparently Kelly Blue Book agrees.
KBB’s full article can be found on their website but to summarize their brilliant article and award, they simply stated the F-150 is “Innovation with Real-World Benefits” and they couldn’t be more right. Everything about this truck down to the gauge cluster menus is ingenious and user-friendly. And the best part? The F-150 is the most customizable truck on the market. From 5 trim levels, three Cab styles, Bed-Liners, interior options, Tonneau Covers, running boards, and the whole gamut of options offered, there is a truck for everyone and a tool for every job.
The interior is by far where the F-150 wins over the driver if the exterior styling didn’t already. Inside the F-150 everything just works. Pure and simple. From the climate controls to the steering wheel’s hands-free bluetooth controls, the truck is more ergonomic than most recent sedan models. Roomy, comfortable, and open are the three things that enter my mind when describing it. The gauge cluster even looks cool.
My favorite part about the F-150 is just driving it. The ride and drive of this truck feels more like a well grounded SUV than a Pickup. Most of that is in part to the 700 pound-weight savings that Ford intuitively took straight off the top of the truck. Aluminum has never felt so good behind the wheel and the new light weight body is more resilient than regular steel meaning more rigidity and better handling.
That lift gate in the picture above? It’s powered. With the click of the key FOB you can literally drop the tailgate. It’s small things like this that make the new F-150 so usable. Clunky NAV systems, Infotainment Centers, and cheap interior materials litter so many competitor’s trucks and yet Ford has pulled out all the stops when it comes to making your life easier when your in utility-mode with the F-150. There’s even a camera view to help you align your trailer hitch and trailer connector. I’m not kidding. You can literally back up your hitch with pin point accuracy by yourself now.
To wrap it up, the new 2015 Ford F-150 is continuing to grow into itself and show the world what it’s capable of. If you are in the market for a new truck there’s no better option according to… well, just about everyone. Even if you weren’t planning on a new truck for a while, maybe it’s time for an upgrade! Don’t just take my word for it. Take the most reputable and trusted vehicle resource in America at its word.
Mazda Tops 26 Leading Car Makers in Consumer Reports Brand Ranking
Feb 25th
For those that have experienced the Mazda Brand in the last 5 years, this comes as no surprise, but for those who haven’t, it’s time to get behind the wheel. Mazda has been consistently topping lists like this for the last few years and that may not seem like a huge accomplishment until you consider this: more than half of their current models have been introduced or redesigned within the past 3 years. They seem to be immune to the typical “growing pains” that almost every other auto maker experiences when they introduce a new model or redesign an existing one. What does that mean to the everyday consumer? It means Mazda is doing their homework. They know their customers are looking for lots of style at an attainable price point. And it’s arguable that no other automaker has achieved this better than Mazda.
ConsumerReports ranks vehicles in many different categories based on varying criteria but its “Annual Brand Report Cards” are the most comprehensive scoring system, compiling many different tests into one, overarching ranking system. The magazine calculates each brand’s overall score with a composite of its vehicles’ road-test scores and reliability scores for each model in its annual survey of subscribers. Take a look at the full list of rankings, you’ll notice Mazda took second place, topped only by Lexus:
In addition to this latest accolade, Mazda has a laundry list of other notable achievements:
• Named “2014 Lowest 5-year Cost to Own Brand” for the second year in a row by Kelley Blue Book
• 2014 Mazda6 and Mazda3 both named one of KBB’s “10 Best Sedans under $25,000”
• 2014 Mazda CX-5 named one of KBB’s “10 Best SUVs Under $25,000”
• Mazda6 named “Highest Ranked Vehicle Appeal Among Midsize Cars” by J.D. Power.
Cadillac’s ‘Dare Greatly’ Campaign: What it means for the brand.
Feb 20th
“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better – the credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood … who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
So proclaims Cadillac in their new ‘Dare Greatly’ spot, a significant departure from the narcissistic bravado displayed in the ‘Poolside’ ELR commercial they released just a short year ago. This understated, almost ethereal visual accompaniment to a portion of Theodore Roosevelt’s 1910 “Citizenship in a Republic” speech seems to indicate a complete shift in mindset. Gone are the claims of superiority, the displays of arrogance, and the assertions of self-importance. Instead, Cadillac seems to be acknowledging past failures indicating a change in core values.
Rather than portraying themselves as a purveyor of goods for the exorbitantly wealthy, Cadillac are seeking to forge a strong emotional connection with viewers (all viewers) - à la Chrysler’s Eminem-powered ‘Imported From Detroit’ campaign. Whether or not ‘Dare Greatly’ resonates with viewers on that level remains to be seen, but the raw emotion and authenticity of this spot is undeniable.
In any case, we’re excited to see the rest of the campaign roll out this weekend at the Oscars – check out the 90-second spot that has already been released below.
Staying cool at the 2015 Wayzata Chilly Open
Feb 9th
Morrie’s Auto Group had a great time out on the frozen Lake Minnetonka this past Saturday for the 31st annual Wayzata Chilly Open! Holding down Hole #4 with our Banana Bronco, we had a great time meeting everyone that stopped by for our lasso contest! The chili samples were pretty great too!
2016 Ford Focus RS
Feb 3rd
Ford has finally taken the wraps off the 2016 Focus RS and we are in for a treat! As we hoped and was rumored the RS will be hitting American shores for the first time to coincide with the worldwide release.
Ford will be packing a lot of performance into this Focus including a 4-cylinder 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine derived from the Mustang making 320 or so horsepower which will rev to 6800rpm. The engine will be mated to a six speed manual transmission true to the RS history. This is also the first time Ford will be using a torque vectoring all-wheel drive system which will be able to shift up to 70% of the torque to the rear axle and in turn can transfer up to 100% of that torque to the right or left side to improving traction while cornering.
The RS exterior will have an more aggressive aero package that will not only look great will add to the car performance on and off the track. Adding to the looks of the car, its suspension has been overhauled with stiffer springs and sway bars. Slowing down will be an important part of this car and they haven’t forgot about them and it will have 4-piston caliper brakes under the larger wheels and tires.
The interior will also be performance-oriented with comfort in mind. The Recaro seats will be embroidered with RS logos and feature large bolsters to keep the driver planted and in control. Ford will also include a race inspired flat bottom steering wheel attached to the electric powered steering rack which will be sharper than the similarly impressive one in the Focus ST. Technology in the RS will include multiple screens with Ford’s own SYNC connectivity and 10 speaker stereo.
The car will go in the production later this year and will most likely priced similar to its main competition the Subaru WRX STi.
They decided to live stream the announcement worldwide. They spent time covering the heritage of Ford performance by showing some of the most iconic cars to ever hit the roads in Europe with the RS moniker. Be sure to watch the video of the announcement below to see all the excitement including a special appearance from Ken Block who is involved in the project as a consultant.
Electric Cars are only as Green as their Power Supply.
Jan 22nd
Being environmentally conscious is not as easy as we all think. We have been told for years that relying on oil to power our cars is bad for the environment, but that is not necessarily true. A recent study by University of Minnesota professors shows that the environmental impact of all electric cars is not what it we think it is. Sure, electric cars have no emissions from their non existent tail pipes, but the power plants that supply that electricity to energize them sure do and it is far more harmful than you might think. A recent Minneapolis Star Tribune article talks about how coal power is still a common source of electricity that supplies the chargers used by electric cars in the United States and many countries worldwide. An electric car that is charged from coal power plants will cause four times more deaths from soot and smog than a gasoline powered vehicle. Although when you find a cleaner power grid such as natural gas, water, wind or solar to charge an electric car, the environmental impact does skew in the electric car’s favor. The key here is to find out where your electricity comes from. In Minnesota and the surrounding states, coal is the primary source used to generate power.
Some of the alternatives to gas or electric vehicles might not be friendly either. People often think ethanol is friendly for the environment since it is made of corn. It can actually be worse than gas or electric generated from coal when you take to account that is has to be farmed, refined and the tail pipe emissions are also not as good as gas or diesel. When shopping for a vehicle that is environmentally friendly find the most fuel efficient vehicle that is powered by gasoline or diesel. If you really want that electric car do some research on how your power is produced.
Watch this video for some more info on the subject.