2021 Ford Broncos Are FINALLY Shipping to Dealers

by Gabrielle DeSantis

In the words of Sam Cooke, “It’s been a long, a long time coming….” Although racial justice and the 2021 Ford Bronco aren’t even close to being on the same playing field of importance, it is a relief to finally report that the 2021 Ford Bronco is shipping to dealers. Like, Broncos are going to be in the actual real world. Hallelujah! 

2021 Ford Bronco | Ford

The time of the 2021 Ford Bronco has finally come

According to CarScoops, the 2021 Ford Bronco two-door and four-door models are built in Ford’s Michigan mega plant that just got a $750 million renovation. To help tackle the extra labor needed to get the Bronco on track, the Michigan Ford plant hired an additional 2,700 new employees. 

The Bronco is set to dominate the new 4×4 SUV game. As the Bronco has gotten continually delayed, Ford has used that time to address customer complaints, design flaws and added hundreds of add ons and accessories to the Bronco line. 

The Ford Bronco is gunning hard for the Jeep Wrangler’s throne

A yellow 2021 Ford Bronco compact SUV traveling on trail near a wooded area
2021 Ford Bronco | Ford Motor Company

For a long, long time now, the Jeep Wrangler has been the go-to off-road adventure mobile. These sturdy little 4x4s are synonymous with outdoorsy folks. If you picture a Wrangler, you will likely see some national parks stickers, a Thule rack of some sort, and mud-splattered down the side of it. This is what the Wrangler is all about. 

Part of its success has been how easy they are to modify and personalize whatever activity an owner wants to do. Now the Bronco is aiming to take that mantle. 

The 2021 Ford Bronco is going hard at the Wrangler. Think about it, it has a removable roof and doors, comes in two- and four-door has hundreds of bolt-on accessories, and is also a rectangle on wheels. 

Hopefully, it’s as good as we think

The two-door Ford Bronco, four-door Ford Bronco, and Ford Bronco Sport
2021 Ford Bronco Models | Ford

There are currently over 125,000 orders for the new Bronco. This is pretty great considering the tumultuous economic times we have seen over the past 18 months. Weirdly, the delays have probably helped the Bronco in certain ways. Over the past year, all the hype and hubbub has never really turned into frustration but more excitement and anticipation. 

The risky part of that is now that the Bronco is shipping, people are going to be very disappointed if it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. We have no reason to think it won’t be great, but too much build-up can make for unrealistic expectations.

The World is rightfully excited about the new Bronco 

“We know the fans have been waiting for the Bronco – and we’re so excited to bring it back,” said Suzy Deering, Ford’s chief marketing officer. “And this Bronco is better than ever. We’re staying authentic to Bronco’s goes-over-any-terrain heritage. We have leveraged the brand’s Built Wild innovative design, durability, and advanced off-road capability to get the most out of every adventure in the wild.”

RELATED: Here Are the 5 Coolest New 2021 Ford Bronco Accessories

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Now Is the Time to Get Into a Volkswagen GTI Lease

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Volkswagen’s GTI is an automotive icon. What’s more, it’s also the founding father of the hot hatch scene that started more than 25 years ago. The GTI is still around for a reason. It’s comfortable, practical, and fast to boot. Not only that, but the GTI’s reletively low pricing point makes it a great fun alternative to many larger and more expensive family SUVs. Now, Volkswagen is offering an amazing lease deal, just in time to get out and enjoy the summer weather.

The Volkswagen GTI is for everyone

Volkswagen’s EA888 motor | Hauke-Christian Dittrich via Getty Images

The GTI truly is the everyman’s car. The four-cylinder motor makes good power (225 hp) and is still good on gas. It’s also one of the few vehicles left with a standard manual transmission, just as the automotive gods intended. Generally speaking, reliability is nothing to shake a stick at either. There are plenty of GTI’s on the road will well over 200,000 miles on the odometer.

All this to say nothing of the practicality of the little hot hatch. They feel anything but little on the inside. I’ve fit four new wheels and tires, a mountain bike, and a 55-inch flat-screen in mine. That was in a two-door version. Sadly, those aren’t made anymore, but the 2021 GTI is more practical for it. There’s truly no need for a big SUV if you’re living the GTI life.

Leasing now nets a killer deal

The spacious interior of the new GTI
2021 GTI | Volkswagen

So, the 2021 Golf GTI is a hell of a hatch. But is it a hell of a deal? In a word: yes. No, leasing isn’t for everyone, but it is a great way around a lot of car ownership headaches and costs. New GTI’s have a fantastic warranty for both the body and powertrain and most leases will let you cover a vast 15,000 miles a year. The down payment is a little high; attribute that to the Golf’s sporty nature. It’ll run you around $3,000 up front, according to CarsDirect.

Now for the payment. It’s not terrible as lease payments go, and properly qualified buyers can expect to pay around $329 a month for a brand new GTI. Should leasing not be your thing, well-qualified buyers can expect 0% APR for 60 months from Volkswagen, though your local dealer’s specific option may vary.

Always get the last model year of a car

The rear hatch of the Volkswagen GTI
2021 GTI | Volkswagen

But why lease now with the new MK8 Volkswagen GTI on the horizon? First and foremost, the last model year of any car is going to be the pinnacle of what the manufacturer was able to achieve with that platform. All of the kinks have been worked out, and deals are plentiful because everyone is holding out for the new one. Frankly, I think the older MK7 and 7.5 models are more handsome, too. So there you have it. A killer lease deal, and if that isn’t your thing, a great way to finance, though the term is a little long in the teeth. What more do you need?

RELATED: Can a Tall Person Drive a Volkswagen Golf GTI?

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Lincoln Joins the List of Car Brands Pledging to Go All-Electric

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Recent months have seen more and more car brands announce a shift towards electric-vehicle-only lineups. The EV upsell now includes companies like Caterham and Ferrari amongst its ranks. Now, those ranks have another member: Lincoln. And based on the brand’s recent announcement, a Lincoln EV won’t be long in coming.

Lincoln wants to only offer EVs by 2030

2021 Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring plug-in hybrid | Lincoln

So far, Lincoln’s attempts at electrification have been limited to plug-in hybrid versions of the Aviator and Corsair. However, a Lincoln EV has been in the works for some time, based on its past partnership with Rivian. And while that partnership ultimately dissolved, Lincoln reiterated at the time that it wasn’t abandoning EVs.

Those past statements have held up. In a recent press release, Lincoln announced that it plans to have a fully electric lineup by 2030. And in between then and now, the brand expects half of its global sales to come from zero-emission vehicles. This is all part of the Ford Motor Company’s $30 billion investment towards electrification.

That electrification might soon bear purchasable fruit. Although it’s not using Rivian’s skateboard platform, Lincoln already has four battery-electric vehicles in development. And one of them could be just around the corner.

The first Lincoln EV could go on sale as early as 2022

The silver 2021 Lincoln Zephyr Reflection Concept parked on top of a flight of black stone steps
2021 Lincoln Zephyr Reflection Concept | Lincoln

2022 marks the Lincoln brand’s 100th anniversary. And unless plans change drastically, that’s also when the first Lincoln EV will make its public debut.

As of this writing, we don’t have any confirmed details about what kind of vehicle this EV will be. However, we do know it will be built on Ford’s new modular rear-wheel-drive/all-wheel-drive EV platform. Note, this isn’t the same platform the Mustang Mach-E rides on, MotorTrend clarifies. Indeed, the Lincoln EVs won’t share platforms with any Ford-branded product.

A concept sketch of the Lincoln EV's interior with a panoramic glass roof
Lincoln EV interior sketch with panoramic glass roof | Lincoln

But while the specific nature of the upcoming Lincoln EV isn’t known, we may already know what it could look like. First shown at the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show, the Zephyr Reflection Concept was meant to preview Lincoln’s future design language. And Roadshow confirmed with Lincoln representatives that the concept gives “the clearest hints of what the new BEV will look like, both inside and out.” That likely includes the concept’s panoramic glass roof.

However, while the Zephyr Reflection Concept is a sedan, Roadshow and MT both expect the upcoming electric Lincoln to be an SUV or crossover. Though based on the teaser video Lincoln released, the 2022 EV will indeed have some visual similarities to the concept car. Most notably, the light bar up front.

An electric push isn’t the only thing the brand is introducing

The Lincoln EV announcement isn’t limited to vehicles, though. One of the biggest hurdles to EV ownership is reliable charging station access. And to help with that, Lincoln is partnering with multiple charging companies, including Electrify America, to build its charging network. Once it’s up and running, Lincoln owners will be able to browse locations via the Lincoln Way mobile app.

Ford’s $30 billion investment is also helping transform Lincoln dealerships and technology, The Drive reports. The brand will be investing more heavily into online sales and re-focusing its existing retail stores. Plus, Lincoln’s cars are also getting a version of Ford’s BlueCruise driver-assistance suite, dubbed ‘ActiveGlide.’

Lincoln’s EV plan, then, is fairly comprehensive. Now all that remains is to see how well it sticks to that plan.

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RELATED: When Does the 2021 Rivian R1T Go on Sale?

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How Much Does It Cost to Weigh an RV?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

For many American families, this is going to be the summer of RV and camper traveling. First-time road warriors are making their family RV purchases and learning the ins and outs of camper life. And there is certainly a lot to learn when you’re first getting started. For example, how do you go about managing the weight of your RV? 

Do you know how to weigh your recreational vehicle? Before you hit the road, you should know the importance of calculating your RV’s weight. It’s equally helpful to know what requirements dictate laws for hauling and how much it costs to weigh your sweet ride. 

You’d be surprised how heavy RVs really are

Weighing an RV | Swen Pförtner/picture alliance via Getty Images

Campers and RVs vary in size, of course. But you’d be surprised just how heavy these vacation mobiles really are. The average RV weighs roughly 10,000 pounds. And that might make sense, considering the equipment, living amenities, and mechanics involved. 

RV Blogger goes on to remind travelers that adding gear, people, and supplies adds up quickly, tacking on another 1,500 pounds in no time. And don’t forget the added weight of a full tank of gas too. These additions will need to be considered when it comes time to weigh your RV. 

Weighing costs for RV travelers

If RV’ing is new to you, weighing might seem like an intimidating task, but it doesn’t have to be. The process will differ, depending on the style and size of your camper. M

otorhomes can usually be weighed in one measurement, while travel trailers and fifth-wheel variations might need two to three weigh-ins for the most accurate calculations. And using the Weigh My Truck app is a great tool to help you get started. Don’t forget to fill your RV up with gas before you weigh, too.

When it comes down to it, weighing your RV isn’t expensive. Usually, you can expect to pay between $11 and $13 for your first weigh-in attempt at a CAT scale. Each additional weigh-in attempt will only cost about $2 to $5. LearntoRV.com goes on to recommend doing each weigh at the same time not to thwart your results. 

Why knowing the weight of your RV matters

If your RV’s Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) is ultimately less than 10,000, you won’t likely have to worry about required stops at any weigh stations, according to Camper Report. But knowing your RVs weight is still critical for a number of reasons.

Some bridges and roadways are only designed to sustain certain weights, for example. Chances are, you’ll come across an unfamiliar path with a weight limit during your road trip adventures. Not knowing how much your RV weighs could pose serious travel risks. 

And hitting the road with more weight than your RV can handle could cause serious accidents on the highway. Overloading your rig might cause problems during braking situations and when navigating hills. Some states have weight limits and weigh station stop mandates, as well, including Colorado and Oregon. And in other states, like New York, Kansas, and Wyoming, police officers can stop you along the way for random weight checks.

Whether your plans for hitting the open road include a class A, class B, class C, or a super C rig this summer, check your weight. You’ll want to ensure you travel safely within your intended weight ranges. And having your information on hand can help you save a little money when passing through states that require weigh-in pit stops. Check out the app and do your homework before you go. You’ll likely find weighing is an easy task that offers a little extra peace of mind while you travel with your RV.

RELATED: RV Triple Towing: Which States Allow It?

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