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Hot Wheels Knows How to Give the Whole Family a Monster Good Time

by Ishan Wankavala
written by Ishan Wankavala

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks were a classic staple of my childhood. I mean, what five-year-old boy doesn’t have even the smallest desire to throw his meaty little paws around a toy truck of doom named Boneshaker or Gunkster? These toys dominated my early years, and it was absolutely fantastic to still see how profound an impact the same brand had on today’s children. As I walked into Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn for the Hot Wheels: Monster Trucks Live Glow Party event, all I could see were little kids streaming past me with their families, thrilled to see their favorite toys come to life. It was a magical moment.

Taking a seat, I took a minute to marvel at the way the arena had been decorated. I had been at Barclays before for several concerts, but now, it had been completely transformed to include the wide-open space needed to drive several gas-guzzling behemoths. The Hot Wheels iconic branding was draped all around the walls, and there was a massive set of screens hanging from the ceiling that would allow for a closeup on the action no matter what. What was really stealing all attention, however, was the stack of dilapidated vehicles arranged on the ground. This might have perplexed some, but everyone in the audience knew: by the end of the night, these cars would be a remnant of what we were currently seeing. The show was about to begin.

The performances were astounding. Sure, I was a bit old for some of the crowd interactions (like when all the kids were asked to get up and dance like their life depended on it, and every five-year-old around me burst into their favorite Fortnite dance), but seeing the trucks themselves was a joy. They were loud, abrasive, and pure machines of destruction. I was able to see Mega Wrex, a dinosaur-themed truck, Tiger Shark, which looked like a tiger but had a shark fin, Boneshaker, which was made up of old boneyard parts, and others. Each truck had its own story and own quirks, and each took turns competing in a series of challenges that would be scored and ranked. For instance, one of the first was a bid for the best wheelie that could be performed by the trucks, on top of the bed of cars. What followed was a glorious cacophony of crunching steel and deep, screaming engines. I felt giddy.

After several more fun competitions such as best burnout and longest airtime, we were in for a treat for the “halftime show”, which I could never had anticipated. A giant box with wheels slowly rolled into the arena amidst heavy rock music and a huge applause from the audience. I watched as the top opened up like some Transformer, and a metal dinosaur, complete with evil eyes and a razor-sharp grin, unfolded out. The screens everywhere were emblazoned with its name: MEGASAURUS. It picked up an old car, and completely bit it in half. The kids around me were jumping out of their seats maniacally as pieces of old sedan dropped from the mouth of the ferocious beast. Even their parents had giant smiles plastered on their faces as it breathed a burst of fire.

After that show-stopping interjection, I was eager to see whether the next act would top it. When I saw workers rolling out a giant ramp, I knew I was in for a delight. Suddenly, I was witnessing several thrillchasers launching themselves on dirt bikes into the air, and landing on a giant inflatable pad. I was starstruck. As I watched, the motocross team circled back and relaunched, performing flips and aerial stunts that seemed to defy gravity. I was suddenly a kid again again amongst kids, and my attention was glued.

I was left walking out of Barclays Center wondering at what point in my life I had turned into such a boring adult. Reflecting on ancient times when Hot Wheels and Thomas the Tank Engine were the peak concerns I had in life, I came to realize that this night had helped me step back, albeit only for a couple of hours or so, into my older, smaller shoes. The fact that some force managed to achieve that is no small feat, and if one is able to experience this Monster Truck show from Hot Wheels even once and manage to unlock a memory from a small pocket of their childhood, I will consider that a win.

Hot Wheels: Monster Trucks Live Glow Party is currently touring the U.S, and is 100% a can’t-miss event.

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I Spent a Weekend with Ford’s Largest and Most Unruly

by Ishan Wankavala
written by Ishan Wankavala

When you picture a pickup truck, it is typically in its natural habitat: on a road snaking through a cornfield, carrying bales of hay, or hauling metal beams from a construction site, or towing a trailer filled with cows. At least that’s what I imagine it to be doing, anyway, considering how I have never really used such a vehicle before. In any case, it’s definitely not parked in suburban Queens, NYC, with me, a skinny city kid with no use for such a vehicle whatsoever, sitting in the driver seat, staring in awe at the dials and switches on the console like I was being suddenly asked to pilot a WWII aircraft. Yet, here I was, and there it was, and I was absolutely loving it. I would be able to use this Ford F-150 Raptor 4×4 Supercrew for a whole weekend, and take it wherever and use for whatever. The possibilities were endless. So this is not going to be a review of what it’s like to use this truck for work, or how it increases productivity, or what’s under the hood, or horsepower or torque. Oh no. This will be a review of what it’s like for someone who has no knowledge of these things whatsoever, probably won’t care about these things, and who will most likely never live in a place or do anything that would practically require such a truck.

First impressions were impressive. I was just blown away by the sheer size of it, a behemoth of a vehicle. The wheelwell came all the way up to my bellybutton, and even just seeing the whole vehicle required me to step back a couple of feet. Painted in a bright orange paint, it was immediately noticeable, and stole the show from any of my neighbor’s puny Kias and Teslas. Climbing into it required hoisting yourself up using the built-in pull handle just inside the door, and stepping onto the metal stepper. Sitting within, I was immediately struck by how high I actually was. I was looking at the roofs of SUVs as they passed by, peeping at the bald spots of their drivers for the first time. The cabin within was exceptionally comfortable, with ample space for the driver, passenger, and anyone in the rear seats (from overwhelming positive receptions). A spacious interior was to be expected, however; what wasn’t were the myriad of tech features. CarPlay and Android Auto were wireless and seamless, and dash controls, power management, and comfort settings were all extensive and highly customizable, all ready for 2024 and beyond.

Pondering what my first stop would be, I first decided to drive to the houses of a couple of my buddies, and convince them that I had just bought a brand new truck. Driving the truck was a whole challenge in and of itself. I had to retrain my mind to account for the massive size of the body, and readjust my knowledge of where I believed the right side of the vehicle was and how close I would be to parked cars. It was extremely stressful, and very close to what I imagine it would feel like to drive a blimp down a small two-way street. Once I got the hang of it, I arrived at my friends’ houses, and put on the performance of my lifetime (“I had to take out three loans, but it was worth it! Yeah okay, so what if it only gets 12 miles per gallon and I’m not a contractor?”) After their bouts of jealously and of disbelief that I had done something so financially cavalier, I headed to my local gym, where I knew several muscle bros hung out in the parking lot in their slightly smaller trucks, spewing masculinity upon the afraid and undeserving. I pulled into the lot and drove past, specifically setting my exhaust settings to Sport to achieve the most massive rumble, and got a kick out of the look on their faces. There was a new big dog in town (for the next two days).

I decided to plan a miniature road trip with some of my homies to get the full American experience out of the truck, and we couldn’t decide on anything more American than an afternoon at a gun range. We found one in the less-liberal state of Pennsylvania that allowed us to rent a couple firearms without a license, and set on our way. Blasting music for hours, we were astounded by the quality of the truck’s superior surround-sound speaker setup (say that three times fast). We put on Travis Scott’s new Utopia album, and were amazed at the smallest intricacies and details in the tracks that we had completely missed on other listens. It was like we were finally hearing the album the way La Flame had intended, and cuts like Hyaena filled our ears with pure, unadulterated sound. Kanye’s Yeezus was next, and the speaker setup became one of my favorite features from the truck.

A late-night photoshoot

Later at night when we were returning, and driving through lonely and foggy Pennsylvania forests, the truck’s features really began shining, literally and figuratively. One of the best was an adaptive high beam, which only turned on when we needed it around low-visibility turns or steep hills. The multitude of cameras on the vehicle also helped immensely, as we were able to see all around us at all times, including the bed of the pickup. I felt extremely self aware, and finally felt like a pro at parking. The weekend was also filled with several realizations, such as how embedded in car culture trucks really are. We were stopped by several other pickup truck drivers, who gaped at our setup and asked how powerful our rig was and how much we paid for it (which we obviously didn’t know the answer to.) I also connected several dots after I realized the rear flap that opened was called a tailgate (“Like the party? Like when someone gets too close behind you while driving??!”) I of course realized that I had been the ignorant one in terms of the origin of words.

The weekend ended up being an incredible one. Getting the opportunity to use such a hardy vehicle simply for entertainment without having to purchase it is a rare one, and I valued every second with it. Between having the McDonald’s drive thru operator hand us our food by stretching himself up to our extremely high window, and my friend messaging me at 6am in the morning asking if I could please help him transport several huge packages he absolutely needed to drop off at UPS within the hour, every experience was amazing and I truly appreciated how the Ford F-150 got us through it all. An extremely powerful vehicle with off-road capabilities and an incredible road presence, if this Raptor was made with all of the bang but without the pickup aspect and without the $115k price tag, I would love to give it a try again and possibly even purchase one in the future (I’m looking at you, Bronco.)

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Ford Keeps Car Culture Alive By Throwing You in a Manual Mustang

by Ishan Wankavala
written by Ishan Wankavala

Without much preamble, it’s safe to say that this year’s muscle car talk has definitely been centered around Ford. With its show-stopping all new Mustang Dark Horse, and with other manufacturers shifting to EVs, Ford has remained the safe haven for enthusiasts. They have decided to double down on their market share, and have introduced a slew of events and programs to keep fans interested and coming back for more. The latest? A Save the Manual event, in which participants have the opportunity to try the new Dark horse, and learn how to drive stick. This was an opportunity I definitely could not miss.

I arrived at the location, set up in the parking lot of CitiField. I had the opportunity to try my hand at driving manual in the Ford Bronco as well, and since the Mustang was occupied (and definitely more difficult), I decided to try the Bronco first.

The Ford Bronco, courtesy of Ford

I had never driven a manual vehicle before this event, and had only had experience using paddle shifters in my own vehicle. Assuming that this would give me a bit of a head start, I soon realized I was very wrong. With a Ford instructor in the passenger seat, I quickly stalled the vehicle in less than thirty seconds. “You want to slowwwly peel your foot off the clutch, and right in the sweet spot you want to start pressing down on the gas,” the instructor explained to me. I slowly released my left foot off of the clutch, and as I pressed down on the gas pedal, the car lurched forward and came to a grinding halt as the engine stalled out. My instructor laughed as I sheepishly turned the car back on and tried again. After several more tries (and several more failures), I began getting the hang of it.

Pretty soon, it was time to start shifting into gears beyond the first. My instructor explained that it was the same process, except that I had to watch my RPM and ensure that I was in the sweet spot, around 3000 RPMS for the Bronco, before I shifted. This number would vary for each gear however, and since the location for the shifter to go for each gear was different as well, it was starting to become a lot to remember. Pretty soon, I slipped up and let go of the clutch too early, and the vehicle jerked to a stop and stalled once more, right when I thought I was getting the hang of it. Driving stick was a lot harder than I thought it would be! It was definitely more fulfilling , however. I could sense the lurches in the cars engine, and the sound tones that would signal to me when it was time to shift and when I couldn’t. I felt much more closely connected to the car.

After getting the hang of the Bronco, it was time for me to move on to the Dark Horse, which I was extremely excited about. Accompanying me in the vehicle was NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney, who had been driving stick shift his entire life. It truly was a dream come true.

As I started the vehicle, I was prepared for the worse. If the Bronco had been difficult, this awesome V8 would definitely throw me for a loop.

The Ford Mustang Dark Horse, courtesy of Ford

However, I was pleasantly surprised that driving the Mustang came easier than the Bronco. The random stalls and mistakes that came with the Bronco never came with the Mustang, and I grew more and more comfortable driving it as I shifted to higher gears. It was definitely a more forgiving car. Since Ryan did not have to do much instructing, we had much more time to talk, and we conversed about driving, cars, his NASCAR career, and even other topics like movies. It was a wonderful experience.

I truly admire the effort that Ford is putting into keeping the car enthusiast culture alive. Driving manual is definitely not a necessary skill; after all, driving automatic is easier and more applicable to the masses. However, for enthusiasts, it provides a deeper and richer experience with their vehicles, and allows for more refined control of their machine. This is something that is definitely valuable, and with the advent of EVs, it seems like it is a dying skill. With no one left that is interested in the hobby, car manufacturers will neglect to make a manual variant of their cars, and the sense of connection with one’s car will be lost.

The Mustang Dark Horse shifter, courtesy of Ford

This is why it is important to keep passing down our skills, teaching as many as we can, and learn all that we can, so that this wonderful ability can stay alive. I truly thank Ford for their commitment to providing individuals with the outlet to hone this skill, and I am confident that as long as manufacturers keep giving programs and events that allow for knowledge transfer, as Ford has done, and do not simply kill off their manual variants in the name of cutting costs, driving stick will be enjoyed by many for decades to come.

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Ford’s Vegas Bronco Off-Roadeo Experience is a Playground for Car Enthusiasts

by Ishan Wankavala
written by Ishan Wankavala

Raptor Country

It’s almost a foreign concept nowadays: a company offering free bonuses beyond the scope of a purchase. Ford decided to go completely against the grain in a very pro-consumer move: giving every purchaser of a new Ford Bronco SUV the opportunity to take one from their private fleet into the wilderness, and learn the ins, outs, and nitty gritty about their new machine in an adventurous crash-course (with no crashes, hopefully!) before they begin going wild with their own vehicle. This exciting  prospect was already available in three locations: New Hampshire, Utah, and Texas, and the opening of their Las Vegas location would mark the fourth.

The Bronco Off-Roadeo, Raptor Edition

This new ranch is different in one fundamental aspect, however; it is the only one specifically built for the new Ford Bronco Raptor trim level, which is the bigger, badder, and even more Bronco brother. In an incredible fairytale moment, I was given the amazing opportunity to fly out to Vegas and experience the Bronco Raptor first-hand, in its natural habitat.

Pre-Event Dinner

After flying out to Las Vegas, I was given the first opportunity to interact with individuals from Ford. In a dinner arranged within my hotel itself, I got the chance to speak to individuals who were spearheading the program and others who were alongside me, invited to experience the program, over food and drinks. I spoke to Dawn McKenzie,  Ford Truck Communications Manager, as she outlined what was in store for us the next day. “You guys are absolutely going to love it,” she gushed. “I can’t wait until you try out the training course. The jumps and drift areas are absolutely bonkers…”
“Jumps?!” I gasped. The scope of this course had been completely unknown to me, and I, probably the only invitee there that had never driven an off-road vehicle, started making peace with the fact that this would be absolutely beyond anything I had ever done before.

Entering the Park

The morning of the event itself, I woke up at 5:30 AM to make my 6:30 AM hotel checkout on time. The group was already waiting in the lobby, looking red-eyed but talking excitedly. We boarded three shuttles that would transport us to the Mt. Potosi region, where Ford had set up its camp. After a 45 minute scenic drive through deserts and mountains, we arrived at the ranch. A large wooden gate loomed out from over the hill, donning the word “BRONCO”, in a very Jurassic Park-esque moment.

The main lodge of the Off-Roadeo

Our shuttle passed through, and began a steep climb to the top of a hill that had a small modern cabin nestled between two rocky cliffs. An actual Bronco was situated in the front, positioned above several rocks with its suspension stretched to make it seem endlessly frozen in an action shot, and the cabin itself had more Bronco and Raptor logos. It was all very well built, with a modern-rustic style to the cabin that looked like it had all of the modern facilities, but also simultaneously that we were a step further away from the rest of the world (in a desolate theme park for trucks). It was all very invigorating.

The Prep

I entered the cabin, and was treated to the check-in/waiver process, a nice breakfast, and other small gifts and goodies. Before I could tackle breakfast (I was absolutely starving at this point), I received my helmet and got assigned a locker. The helmet would be used for the more intense lap runs, in which head protection would be absolutely vital. After I stuffed all my things into the locker, I picked up my complimentary thermos water bottle and Bronco stickers, and sat down for a nice breakfast burrito and coffee. Meanwhile, we got a quick rundown of the program, the vehicle, and the wonderful employees that made this all possible.

The Bronco

Outside, we received an overview of the Bronco, and how the Raptor variant compares to the base model. Essentially, every aspect of the Bronco was finely tuned to make any off-road terrain seem much more conquerable.

A close-up of the Bronco Raptor’s fenders and excellent suspension system

Ford started with a “go-anywhere” mindset with the vehicle, which meant they specifically developed it to take any obstacle head-on, should the driver desire it so. The suspension, front and rear bumpers, and chassis of the vehicle are all formulated to be extremely forgiving; able to take a hit anywhere while protecting its passengers. Enormous springs ensure a stabilized ride on any type of ground, and the ability to disconnect the front stabilizer bar meant even extremely large obstacles could be driven over. There is also a focus on the ride customization, with two main selectors: first, the G.O.A.T. mode selector, which stands for Goes Over Any Type of Terrain, allows the user to select what kind of terrain they would be driving over, with options including off-road, baja, sport, and rock crawl.

The Ford Bronco Raptor, courtesy of Ford

There are also Hero switches, which allow more minute-by-minute control for specific aspects of the car, such as the ability to lock the front or rear differential when necessary. All of these options, along with the Raptor’s four-seat capacity, means that a family can choose any destination, and head straight there, as the crow flies.

Squad Mode

With precursory talks out of the way, we all headed to the fleet of Broncos. Each person would be driving their own, and I selected a flaming orange one because that’s just the kind of person I am. Each vehicle was equipped with a walkie-talkie, and we split up into groups of four vehicles. One of the vehicles in each group was piloted by an employee from the ranch, and they would be leading the pack and communicating to the others through the walkie. After some further safety checks, we hit the road.

Hitting the Trail

My group of four vehicles entered the trail heading straight into the Nevada wilderness. It was a bit jarring at first, since we were driving over rough terrain that contained all manner of rocks, trenches, and boulders, but the vehicles excellent suspensions took on the brunt of the movement. I knew that if I was driving there in my car, my neck would have already snapped. We slowly followed the Bronco in front of us through the land, over hills and into pits, and got a feel for the Bronco’s handling and the way it could take on virtually any obstacle.

On the trail

There were several times when I thought, “No way I can clear that rock”, but the vehicle took it on like a champ. It truly felt dauntless.

Buddy System

Our leader explained to us the Bronco Buddy system, in which we could keep track of all of the people in our squad and not leave anyone behind. Whenever we reached an intersection, it was our job to wait there until we were sure the vehicle behind us had seen which turn we had made, and in that way, each vehicle would be accounted for. Our lead also had frequent breaks in which he asked for the status of each driver on the walkie, and would only proceed once he got the thumbs up from each driver. It was a very safety-first system, and it really spoke to how well thought-out everything was. We were having fun, but it was not at the expense of our wellbeing.

Quarry Run

We finally reached the site of the ORX Training Courses, and got into position. Ford had enlisted the help of several professional off-roaders, from trainers to actual racers that offloaded for a living, to help us first timers get accommodated and ready to take on the courses. The first was a small rocky run that had twisting turns and rough straights. I sat as a passenger first, while my driver explained to me her thought process for each turn and straight she tackled. She first switched the G.O.A.T. mode dial from off-road to baja, and then stepped on the pedal. It was absolutely exhilarating watching not only take the course with speed, but also anticipate each turn, make minute adjustments to steering, braking, and speed, and be able to explain all of it before it even happened.

The writer of this article, in my Bronco

Seeing her do it with such ease made me more confident in my ability, but it was futile; sitting behind the wheel was absolutely different than watching from the side, and I couldn’t have gone more than a quarter of the speed that she went. My steering slipped several times, and images of my hurtling off the course and over a cliff flashed through my mind, but she helped me keep my composure from the passenger seat, and kept giving clear directions even when I made the wrong turn. It definitely was a great learning experience.

The Man and his Dirt

For the second course, I would be running a course that was wider, more varied in elevation, and had more obstacles. Here I saw the legendary jump that was mentioned earlier, as well as a sand pit and a winding sloped gulch area. Once again, my driver accompaniment drove masterfully, performing the jump with ease, turning the wheel quickly from side to side to prevent the tires from getting stuck in the silt, and drifted the vehicle around the slope, with the back end sliding out, before gaining traction once more and pressing for speed. When it was my turn, I was a little embarrassed with my lack of skill, but my driver laughed it off and said I was doing no worse than any of the other drivers he had witnessed that day.

The Return

After the courses and a quick bathroom break, we headed back on the off-road trail, making our way back to the ranch. Our lead driver communicated less on the walkie this time, as we had already gained enough exposure to the trail the first time, and only spoke to us to excitedly point out some wild burros that he spotted roaming the plains.

A Moment of Reflection

Back at the ranch, we received a lunch, and some final words from the team. As I listened, I couldn’t help but put myself in the shoes of someone who would be sitting in my very seat in the future, when the ranch is finally open to the public. The fact that an individual would be here after having just purchased a new Bronco, and would be about to find out exactly what their new vehicle could do, was enthralling. Ford is one of the best auto manufacturers when it comes to community engagement and programs, and the Off-Roadeo is a testament to that. While not serving any immediate monetary benefit, Ford gains the goodwill from their customers, bolsters their name, and creates life-long partnerships that will only benefit them in the long run. Heck, even I want a Bronco now. Someone who has already purchased one will only further solidify their choice in choosing Ford for anything that will touch both road and dirt.

The Bronco Off-Roadeo will be open to the public very soon, and I encourage any new Bronco owner in the area to book this wonderful opportunity very soon.

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