2005 Ford Freestyle Review Louisiana

provided by:

(Continue to more photos from MyRide.com)

 

Introduction

Ford Freesytle -- 2005 Review: Elvis Presley died from a lethal mix of prescription drugs on August 16, 1977. When the news broke I was riding in the cargo area of a forest-green 1972 Ford Galaxie 500 station wagon traveling 70 mph on southbound Interstate 75 in Michigan's lower peninsula, making out with the daughter of family friends with whom I had shared a tenth birthday four days earlier. Crackling over the Galaxie's AM band and through tinny speakers, announcers doled out the bits and pieces of information emerging from Graceland throughout our trip home from the family cabin in "da yoo-pee." Our mothers, sock-hop participants and enormous Elvis fans as high-schoolers, sat aghast at the news upon the Galaxie's green vinyl front bench seat, weeping at times as they reminisced about one of rock-and-roll's pioneering icons.

Three decades ago, there was a station wagon parked in just about every suburban American driveway.a. Even my Elvis-loving mom had a burnt-orange 1973 Ford Gran Torino Country Squire named Betsy, complete with fake wood on the sides, a "sport" three-spoke steering wheel, a rear-facing third-row jump seat that folded down into the floor, and something she referred to as a "big whomping 351" every time she floored the accelerator to give her car-addled son a thrill.

But then, in 1983, Chrysler Corporation signed a death warrant for wagons when it introduced the minivan.

Minivan popularity lasted 10 years. Once the Ford Explorer successfully delivered rugged looks combined with four-wheel-drive and space for five, the minivan became forever tainted by a mommy-mobile image. Minivans were not cool, and later, at the end of the 1990s and into the 21st century, they were neither phat nor sick, though people did line up to buy the Honda Odyssey at prices above sticker. This anomaly aside, during the Internet boom and bust years, the sport-utility vehicle, or SUV, became the family conveyance of choice.

Meanwhile, wagons began to stage a comeback, starting with European luxury brands, and SUVs became more like cars and less like trucks thus creating the crossover vehicle. Culminating the crossover trend, Chrysler introduced the 2004 Pacifica as a "sports tourer," a vehicle blending the best attributes of a sedan, an SUV, and a minivan into one do-it-all kind of vehicle.

Ford's new Freestyle is that kind of vehicle, too, but better in most respects. Targeting consumers who want the comfort and ride quality of a sedan, the people- and cargo-carrying capacity of a minivan, the rugged look of an SUV, and all-wheel-drive to get them through difficult driving situations, the Freestyle is a modern take on the Ford station wagons of my youth - the ultimate family car.

Continue to 2005 Ford Freestyle Review Review from MyRide.com

Sävy Strategic Creative

The Finest in European Automotive in Bend.

1.541.359.3068
Service Rd
Bend, OK
http://www.getsavy.com/

The Finest in European Automotive in Bend.
The moment one walks through the doors at German Master Tech in Bend, Oregon, its meticulously kept, white floored shop currently home to an impressive lineup of detail and restoration in progress: the bright silver Porsche spec racer being built in the center of the room, the Porsche 911 S undergoing a full restoration and the variant of others, from BMWs to Ferraris, it is quickly understood why German Master Tech, with some of the finest European auto technicians and restoration specialists in the country, supports some of the finest European cars on the West Coast. This German-apprenticed, master-trained company, that refers to its work as “a craft”, is known to many by the unmatched service and support they provide their racing and restoration clients across the country, to others by the niche expedition preparation service they provide all-terrain vehicles, and still to their most dedicated customer, the fine European car enthusiast, German Master Tech is truly the one to many in this town.
German Master Tech’s President, a BMW Master Technician, Tim Morris, brings with him over 25 years experience in the industry and has been awarded several achievement and master technician status awards though BMW specialized factory schools. Tim has also achieved BMW’s Center of Excellence Award twice and is a seven-time BMW President’s Club Technician. German Master Tech’s co-founder and past partner, Jay Audia, won the 07 SCCA Regional Championships for GT2 in his German Master Tech-prepared Panoz. The company’s third founder is one of Bend’s most passionate Porsche enthusiasts, John Audette.

“Restorations have been a large part of our focus,” said Morris, describing some of his company’s award winning roots. “From our very first restoration, a 58’ BMW Isetta 300, which we took to the Forest Grove Concours d’ Elegance in 05 and won our class, in addition to taking home the President’s Award, which was judged by Pacific College’s President as “the car the college student would most want to drive,” said Morris. “I drew on my past car show and restoration experience to pull off a surprise win. It was a good deal of timing and the right car, with the right colors. We stole the show with a micro car, it was great!” Morris said standing next to his red Porsche hot rod parked inside his shop. “Car shows and racing are my passions,” he said with a smile.
“Our tuning business is the best around,” continued Morris of the company’s capabilities. “The application of our developed performance packages to already great cars really creates a ‘wow’.” German Master Tech provides full warranty BMW performance upgrades as a Dinan-authorized dealer, and Porsche performance programs that take the 911 to the next level. “Our tuning business has led us to organized racing, which has been a life-long dream of mine.” Included in German Master Tech’s list of champion racing cars are a 64’ BMW 1800 TISA owned by Steve Walker of Salem. The 1800 TISA is BMW’s first post-war racer based on a production car in regional vintage racing. A 911 Porsche racer owned by Bend’s Mark Powell will be racing in one of the West Coast’s fastest growing amateur racing classes, Spec 911. “Mark’s car is special as it ties together the whole business: a restoration with an extreme tuning package.”

“German Master Tech has worked on all my cars, including a Range Rover, BMW, three Ferraris and a Porsche,” said Ervin Richards, a long-time German Master Tech customer. “I bring my cars here because they consistently do it better and because they’ve always gone way beyond the call of duty in their service and support of my vehicles.” “If I can bring it to German Master Tech,” said Richards, “I will.”
To learn more about German Master Tech, contact them directly at 541.322.9647.