Death, taxes and car show excitement at Carlisle...three things that are a given in life.  There’s a fourth, more so for car lovers, and that’s the opportunity to finally shake off the cabin fever from the long (and so far wet) winter and enjoy Spring Carlisle.  With your tax refund in hand, you can spend, spend, spend as part of the massive Spring event running April 22-26 at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds.  Spanning five days, Spring Carlisle welcomes over 100,000 automotive enthusiasts converging on the facility, all looking to buy, sell and trade all things automotive.  Well…maybe not all, because some legitimately come to Carlisle to simply enjoy the camaraderie of Spring, making new friends and connecting with old ones.  In the end though, you never know what you’ll find at Carlisle.  Hidden gems include items for the shop, the man cave or even the she shed. Expect the unexpected in Carlisle as you browse the 82-acre facility enjoying the thrill of the hunt.

As shopping goes there are plenty of options at Spring Carlisle.  The 8,100 vending spaces are filled with millions of automotive pieces and parts with buyers and sellers alike coming from around the world to shop and sell at Carlisle. By visiting the thousands of vendors who set up at Carlisle, attendees find things that they didn’t even know they needed, all at bargain pricing. In addition to the parts, collectibles and memorabilia, there are cars for sale within the car corral, meaning buyer and seller can work face to face, most times consummating the sale very quickly.  The automotive history available to be had spans nearly one century of production and ranges from must-have classics to unique and daily drivers.

The car corral isn’t the only way to pick up a car at Spring Carlisle as Carlisle Auctions offers a two-day classic and collector car auction on Thursday and Friday of event weekend.  The fun starts at 12 p.m. each day some 250 cars will cross the block per day.  Much like the car corral, auction cars and trucks will span automotive history. Consignments that are 25 years and older are taken via the Carlisle Auctions’ FREE UNLESS SOLD guarantee.  By welcoming cars of this era into the auction, the variety of available lots is nearly limitless.  The best thing about the live auction excitement provided by Carlisle Auctions is that not only is it a great spectator opportunity, but cars are priced to move. Select consignments will sell for low four figures with others touching the six-figure price range.  Online bidding is also an option with Carlisle Auctions.

There truly is something for everyone at Carlisle because cars aren’t the only form of entertainment. Cruise to Spring Carlisle and meet Lou Santiago from TV’s Car Fix. Lou and his wealth of automotive knowledge will be at the event throughout the weekend.  While at Carlisle, he’ll be meeting guests, signing autographs and posing for photos, while also walking the swap meet and enjoying the event just like the rest of the international audience.

Complete details about Spring Carlisle, the auction, guest appearance by Lou Santiago and more can be found online at www.CarlisleEvents.com.  Also, while online be sure to pick up advanced spectator tickets for the show at a discounted price.  Call 717-243-7855 for details or visit www.CarlisleEvents.com or www.CarlisleAuctions.com to learn more.

Toyota’s mid-size SUV, Highlander, has been redesigned from the ground up for 2020, as a fourth-generation sports-ute that brings new, bold styling, augmented safety and comfort, and a continued focus on durability and reliability, while adding a hybrid version to its gas-model line-up. 

Highlander debuted in late 2000 as an innovative mid-size crossover that steered away from the prevailing truck-based SUVs of the time, with a more customer-friendly unibody structure and four-wheel independent suspension. Gaining in size over three generations, and adding a third row, Highlander has sold more vehicles than any other mid-size SUV since 2016, and was the second top-seller in the segment last year.

Among the changes for 2020 are a bigger overall structure and larger dimensions, a bold, sculptured new exterior design and a new vehicle platform called Toyota New Global Architecture, that has been created to enhance driving refinement, comfort and safety. Other new innovations include standard Android Auto, Apple CarPlay®, SiriusXM®, Waze and Amazon Alexa Compatibility and Toyota Safety Sense 2.0. The cabin is available with 7- or 8-passenger seating; there is increased cargo room behind the third row, an increased number of optional safety systems, and a choice of a gas-powered V-6 or a new-generation hybrid powertrain.

The 2020 Highlander begins with a powerful stance, chiseled lines and sophisticated detailing with a modern personality. Setting off the new design, the L, LE and XLE grades feature a black front grille with silver trim, while the Limited and Platinum grades are distinguished by a black grille with chrome trim and chrome-plated lower rear fascia, premium projector headlamps and Highlander’s first-ever 20-inch alloy wheels. The new Highlander gains in stature, and now measures 194.9 inches long (a gain of 2.4 inches), 76.0 inches wide (up 0.2 inches) and the same 68.1 inches high on a 2.4-inches longer 112.2-inch wheelbase, to provide 8.0 inches of ground clearance. Highlander weighs as much as 4515 lbs, but my test XLE trim came in at just over 4200 lbs.

The cabin is plush and premium-feeling. Details include softer padded surfaces and a more tailored look with stitching that continues from the door trim to the instrument panel. The 2020 Highlander cabin offers improved functionality throughout, from a center console that offers available Qi wireless charging to plenty of storage spaces and USB charging ports. Sound-damping and soundproofing materials have been optimized throughout the vehicle, for a very quiet ride for the niche. And my test XLE trim added heated front seats, a wireless smartphone-charging pad, and a power sunroof, among other interior amenities.

Somehow, the increased exterior dimensions yielded lost interior space for driver and passengers. The well-crafted and quiet cabin seats seven or eight, depending on configuration and now provides a tight 38.4 inches of front headroom (a loss of 1.1 inches), 39.4 in row two (down 0.2 inches) and 36.1 inches in row three (a gain of 0.2); leg room is 40.4 inches up front (a loss of 3.8 inches), a gain of 2.6 in row two to 41.0 inches, and the same child-worthy 27.7 inches in row three; with shoulder room of 59.0 58.7 and 55.0 (down slightly from last-gen). The lost space seems to translate to increased cargo space behind row three, to 16 cubic-feet, a gain of 2.2 cubic-feet over last year.

Available in 4-cylinder and V-6 powertrain configurations, the 2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine  is coupled with a 6-speed Electronically Controlled automatic transmission with FWD, and with intelligence (ECT-i), sequential shift mode and snow mode. The system is good for 186hp and 175 lbs.-ft. of torque for an EPA estimate of 20mpg/city, 24mpg/highway and 22/combined.

The 3.5-liter V-6 engine that powered my test vehicle, delivers 295hp and 263 lbs.-ft- of torque, mated with a Direct Shift – 8AT, 8-speed Electronically Controlled automatic transmission with intelligence in either FWD or AWD, for an EPA fuel rating of 21mpg/city, 29mpg/highway and 24mpg/combined for AWD. My week of tests yielded an average of 24.7mpg in mixed-use tests. 

Acceleration and performance were sneaky-fast, or faster than expected, with good response from a stop and in passing. Track tests showed a 7.2-second hand-timed zero-to-60mph sprint and a 15.5-second quarter-mile.

Available in LE, XLE, Limited and Platinum trims, as well as Hybrid trims, the gas-version Highlander starts at $34,600 for the base L and tops out with the Limited Platinum starting at $46,850. The Hybrids add about $3000 per trim. My test XLE based at a $39,600 starting price that included the 3.5-liter engine, 8-speed automatic transmission, FWD, Toyota Safety Sense™ 2.0 package, Qi-Compatible Wireless Charging, Moonroof, Heated Front Seats, Seating for eight, LED headlights and Daytime Running Lights, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible. In Blueprint exterior paint matched to a Black Softex interior, we upgraded to AWD for an additional $1600; and we added Premium Audio (six speaker and 8.1-inch touch-screen) with Dynamic Navigation for $1040. All-weather floor liners were $218; Body side moldings were $209; Door edge guards added $125; Chrome high Performance LED Fog Lights added $139; Rear bumper protector added $135; and delivery, processing and handling fees added $1120 for a sticker-as-tested of $44,186.

> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years. </I>

 

Recently Carlisle Events announced its special themes, guests and displays for Winter AutoFest Lakeland.  The three-day event starts at 8 a.m. on February 21 and runs through 3 p.m. on February 23 at the spacious SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus.  One of those displays, a race inspired one, already touts millions of dollars’ worth of classics, but now the showcase has been enhanced even further.

Just two weeks away from the annual Florida offering, Carlisle Events is excited to share that the iconic and much sought after 1970 Richard Petty Plymouth Superbird plus two other amazing pieces of Mopar Muscle will now join the likes of a $4.5 million dollar Ferrari and a handful of million-dollar L88 Corvettes.  The Petty car mixed in with the aforementioned Ferrari and L88s offer well over $12 million in cars on display. 

The three cars are impressive on their own, but together, it’s a showcase unlike anything Winter AutoFest has ever seen.  Confirmed are 1968 Dick Landy Dodge Dart HEMI®, a 1968 Sox & Martin Plymouth Barracuda HEMI® and a 1970 Richard Petty Plymouth Superbird.  The Petty car coming to Lakeland is even more special, as it will have just completed a showcase of sorts at the Motorsports Hall of Fame in Daytona, having been reviewed by tens of thousands of race fans as part of the 2020 Daytona 500.  It also crossed the auction block in July of 2019 and reached a bid as high as $3.5 million, but ultimately was a no sale before running to its home in Florida.

“Three of the biggest names in racing during the ‘60s and ‘70s were Richard Petty, Sox & Martin and Dick Landy, so to have cars from all three at one event is amazing,” noted display coordinator Ed Buczeskie.  “The 1968 Hemi Super Stock cars were one of the wildest factory offerings ever and the pedigree of these two cars makes them insanely desirable. Add in Richard Petty’s actual NASCAR Superbird and you have the trifecta of Mopar race history.” 
Along with these cars and this display, guests can enjoy a spotlight display of 1970 cars, a two-day classic and collector car auction powered by Carlisle Auctions, a FREE cruise-in and showcase displays focused on the Mustang, Corvette and all-new for 2020, Mopar.  The displays, combined with special guests and seminars, make Winter AutoFest Lakeland a must-attend for Sunshine State car lovers!  A complete rundown of this event, the auction and more are available online at www.CarlisleEvents.com or www.CarlisleAuctions.com.  

The legendary Vought F4U Corsair fighter planes flown by the US Navy and US Marines during WWII and the Korean War, were considered by many to be among the most formidable fighter-bombers in the Pacific, and were flown by Major Gregory “Pappy” Boyington’s "Black Sheep" Squadron. With most Corsairs out of service by 1964, Corsairs flew their final combat missions in 1969 during the “Football War” between Honduras and El Salvador, in service for both air forces.

Fast forward 50 years and change the venue from air to land, and in Lincoln’s new naming strategy, the Corsair Premium Compact Crossover joins the Lincoln Nautilus (previously the MKX), Lincoln Aviator and Lincoln Navigator with sea- or air-oriented monikers -- though a Lincoln press release says Corsair’s name was … “inspired by the Latin word ‘cursus’, meaning journey. Lincoln also markets Corsair as … “the most expressive representation of ‘Quiet Flight’, inviting a more youthful clientele to the brand.” Lincoln’s “Quiet Flight” design treatment features the manufacturer’s new signature grille, full-width taillights and an “S-section” side panel contour. The design accentuates the Corsair’s stance as one of the lowest and widest SUVs in the segment.

Sharing its underpinnings with the all-new 2020 Ford Escape, the Lincoln Corsair replaces the Lincoln MKC in the line-up, and it is packed with standard features including active noise control, AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control, Hill Start Assist, Intelligent Access with push-button start, Lincoln Connect with 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot powered by Lincoln Way app, remote start, reverse sensing system and lots more.

Corsair’s exterior embraces Lincoln’s “Sculpture in motion” elements of both the full-size Navigator and three-row Aviator, while building on these cues with even more flair. Painstakingly sculpted in clay, Corsair features sophisticated contouring throughout the body section of the door, offering a deep landscape of curvature and relief with a fast-falling roofline.

Enhancing the architecture are body-color, power, heated sideview mirrors with memory and integrated blind spot mirror; LED headlamps with LED signature lamps and autolamp automatic on/off feature; Lincoln Co-Pilot360; and power liftgate.

Available in 10 exterior colors and five interior schemes, the 2020 Corsair measures 180.6 inches long, 76.2 inches wide and 64.1 inches high, on a 106.7-inch wheelbase. Curbweight for my AWD 2.3-liter Reserve trim was 3848 lbs.

The Corsair cabin is quiet, comfortable and filled with conveniences including 10-way power seats that are heated in the front row, with power lumbar and a driver’s side memory feature.  There’s also power steering, power windows with one-touch up/down and SYNC® 3 with an 8-inch LCD capacitive touch screen.

Quietness is paramount for Corsair. To ensure a hushed ride, a dual-wall dashboard in the engine compartment provides an additional barrier between passengers and the engine, as an air gap acts to keep vibrations out of the cabin. Active Noise Control enhances overall sound quality throughout, and the quiet is only broken by six unique symphonic chimes – replacing standard electronic alerts to inform drivers of everything from an open fuel door to an unbuckled seat belt.

Roomy inside, you get 39.5 inches of front headroom and 38.7 inches in the rear seats, 43.2 inches of front legroom with 38.6 inches in the second seats, and 57.1 inches of row one shoulder room with 50.8 inches in row two.

 

From a safety perspective, Corsair is outfitted with a Personal Safety System for driver and front passenger with dual-stage front airbags; driver’s knee, glove box-door-integrated knee, front-seat side, and Safety Canopy System with side-curtain airbags and rollover sensor.

 

Powerwise, Corsair offers two engine choices … a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four that produces 250hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, or a 2.3-liter turbo I-4 that delivers 295 horses and 310 lb-ft. Both are mated to an 8-speed SelectShift Automatic transmission and while the smaller engine is available in FWD and AWD configurations, the 2.3 is primed for AWD only. The 2.0-liter engine is rated at 21mpg/city, 29mpg/highway and 25mpg/combined, while the 2.3-turbo gets 21/city, 28/highway and 24/combined. My week of testing with the larger engine averaged 24.7mpg.

 

My test Corsair was quicker than expected, steered more carlike than SUV-like, and leveled out road imperfections well enough for the niche. My 2.3-turbo felt faster than the stopwatch indicated, but we still managed a good-for-the-niche 6.2-second hand-timed zero-to-60mph sprint and a 14.8-second hand-timed quarter-mile.

 

The standard 2020 Lincoln Corsair starts at $35,945 for the 2.0-liter engine, and the Corsair Reserve starts at $42,630 for the 2.0 and FWD. My test Corsair Reserve upgraded to the 2.3-liter turbo and base-priced at $51,010 for AWD and a slew of augmentations including the Reserve I equipment package (Ventilated Front Seats, Heated Second Row Outboard Seats, Heated Steering Wheel, Rain Sensing Wipers, Windshield Wiper De-Icer, Adaptive Cruise Control with Traffic Jam Assist – Includes Lane Centering, Speed Sign Recognition, and Stop-and-Go, 360-Degree Camera with Front Camera Washer, Front Sensing System, Evasive Steering Assist, Reverse Brake Assist and Active Park Assist Plus). In Flight Blue for an extra $695, my Corsair played off a Beyond Blue leather interior for an extra $500. With Destination Charges of $995, an Acquisition Fee of $645 and some manufacturer equipment bundle discounts, my test 2020 Lincoln Corsair Reserve stickered at $52,205.

 

> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years. </I>

What’s new this year?  That’s a question frequently asked by guests, vendors and even members of the media.  Carlisle Events is prepared for a south to Florida and its annual Winter AutoFest Lakeland offering, spotlighting a cornucopia of new and fresh things.  This includes displays, themes, guests, seminars and more.

Winter AutoFest Lakeland runs February 21-23 at the aforementioned SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus and the facility’s spacious footprint allows for a lot of variety.  That variety offers the addition of guests like Lou Santiago and Herb McCandless as well as GM Certified Technician, Paul Koerner.  

You’ve seen the names, but who are these guests?  Lou Santiago is the host of Car Fix on the former Velocity Channel (now Motor Trend TV), but he’s more than just a TV car guy, he’s a real-life car guy.  Lou is the kind of guy anyone can talk shop with for hours and the type of guy that anyone would want wrenching right next to them in the shop.  He’s an encyclopedia of knowledge and he, plus his knowledge, will be at the event Friday and Saturday (2/21-22).  

Another great guest is Herb McCandless.  Herb is a racing legend and yet another encyclopedia of car knowledge.  He’ll bring three of his most famous cars with him, too; a ’68 Hemi Dart, a ’70 Hemicuda and a ’72 Pro Stock Demon.  These cars have an amazing pedigree…just like Herb himself.  If cool cars and car stories are your thing, then an interaction with Herb’s a must!  

Paul Koerner has been a GM service technician since 1997 and has been specializing in Corvette care and service since 1999.  He’s obtained the classification of GM World Class Certified Service Technician.  In a nutshell, is fully tested and trained by GM to repair any system in any GM vehicle (sans Saab and medium-duty trucks).  His passion and knowledge run deep, in fact, at the 2019 Winter AutoFest event, Paul was found in the parking lot helping a patron whose car had broken down.  He’s that kind of amazing!

These three guys will do their own thing throughout the event, including seminars and tech talks, but they’ll also converge for a special seminar on Saturday (2/22) called “Ask the Pros.”  This panel will include Lou, Herb and Paul, while welcoming writer and industry expert Randy Bolig.  More names may pop in, but these are the four confirmed at this time.

While Herb and Lou are fresh guests in 2020, Winter AutoFest also offers three all-new displays.  One display honors 50 years of 1970 cars, with a display hosting a dozen or so rides from 1970.  In addition, another new display showcases race-inspired cars.  Within this display will be a $4.5 million dollar 2015 Ferrari FXX-K and a couple of million dollar L88 Corvettes.  The final all-new showcase is focused on the Mopar brand.  By popular demand, the Fun Field options at Winter AutoFest have expanded by one, adding Mopars in with pre-existing displays of the Corvette and Mustang.

Carlisle Events isn’t the only entity offering something fresh during Winter AutoFest.  Carlisle Auctions, a star player during the weekend as well, presents its two-day auction on Friday and Saturday (2/21-22).  During this time, a handful of ultra-low mileage consignments will cross the block.  This includes a 2005 Ford GT with under 1,500 miles and a 1978 Corvette with less than 250 miles.  In addition, as a nod to the Corvettes on display, Carlisle Auctions presents an all-Corvette hour on Saturday (2/22) starting at 1:30 p.m.

A complete rundown of this event, the auction and more are available online at www.CarlisleEvents.com or www.CarlisleAuctions.com.  Further, the auction will offer a free web stream for it’s daily 10:30 a.m. event PLUS online bidding.  In addition, anyone who registered to bid for this auction receives a FREE bidder’s pass for the fall Sunset-Carlisle auction in Sarasota, Florida.  For spectators, single day admission tickets are $10 online or at the gate while a weekend spectator admission for everyday of the event can be purchased for just $15.  Admission also allows for spectator access to the auction.  As always at Winter AutoFest, parking is FREE.