Galpin Motors' Ultimate Island-Hoppe
Based upon the resurgence of all things Tiki in pop culture, Galpin Motors has created the ultimate island-lover's delight with its Ford F-250 Tiki Truck. Company Vice President and Chief Designer Beau Boeckmann has transformeda traditional pickup into an exotic Polynesian retreat on wheels complete with a giant working Tiki waterfall flowing into a Jacuzzi in the rear cargo bed. This one-of-a-kind mobile luau required six months and hundreds of man hours to create. Its most distinguishing feature is a custom-crafted hot tub, large enough to accommodate four people, surrounded by a teakwood deck. But, this is no ordinary spa. The deck is equipped with a remarkable cover that lifts to a height of 10 feet to reveal a distinctively carved Tiki face, which remains upright and transforms into a picturesque waterfall. "We wanted to create something completely out of the ordinary," says Boeckmann. "Something so outrageous and so extreme that it would stop traffic, even in L.A. Looking at this island-themed hideaway on wheels, I think we achieved the goal." The truck sports other unique elements that keep in line with the Tiki theme and its $90,000 price tag. The only thing missing is an island breeze
Hybrid Sales Will Soar 268 Percent,Says J.D. PowerJ.D. Power and Associates believes hybrid vehicle sales will go through the roof in the coming years. Hybrid vehicle sales are expected to grow from approximately 212,000 vehicles in 2005 to 780,000 by 2012. In spite of that bright forecast, hybrids will still make up only a small portion (4.2%) of total U.S. light-vehicle sales. "Future growth will be the result of more vehicle manufacturers entering the hybrid-electric market and a greater number of hybrid models," said Anthony Pratt, senior manager of global powertrain forecasting at J.D. Power and Associates. "There are currently only 11 hybrid models available in the U.S. market, and by 2012 that number could increase to 52 models.
Maritz Research surveyed 1,009 adult owners and drivers of vehicles in August of 2005 and found that those strongly considering a hybrid for their next vehicle jumped from 17 percent in August 2004 to 29 percent within one year. This figure obviously keeps pace with the dramatic increase in the price of gasoline we saw during that same time period.
Source: "J.D. Power and Associates Reports:Sales of Hybrid-Electric Vehicles Expected to Grow 268 Percent by 2012," J.D. Power and Associates/PR Newswire; "Rising Consumer Interest in Hybrid Technology Confirmed by Maritz Research," Maritz Research/PR Newswire.
Ethanol: It's Not JustFor The Street AnymoreWe knew we were onto something when we blew the lid off California's lack of support for alternative fuel solutions back in the April '06 issue of Sport Truck. Since then, we've witnessed a wave of change in the autoand racing industry as entities embraced ethanol fuel as a viable alternative to regular gasoline. Not only did we see the first commercial for an auto designed to run on ethanol during the Super Bowl, but now the ethanol industry is beginning to sponsor teams that race using the high octane fuel.
Wyoming Ethanol Racing announced today that Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) will be its title sponsor for the 2006 racing season. The ethanol industry service providers will fund the sponsorship and have EPIC oversee the team's promotions and public relations on its behalf for the season. The five-car drag team races with a high-performance fuel known as E-85, which is 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline and commercially available at the pump.
"We're excited about the partnership. EPIC is a natural fit as our title team sponsor since we use E-85 to give us a performance advantage," says Dan Schwartzkopf, a 17-year race veteran, and founder of Wyoming Ethanol Racing.
Dyno tests have shown performance gains over high-quality racing gasoline, in some cases more than 100 horsepower, without the downside of fuel system maintenance that one would have with a methanolfuel engine.
"The sponsorship of Wyoming Ethanol Racing is important to the industry because it demonstrates to both race fans and everyday heroes that ethanol is a performance fuel at every level," says Tom Slunecka, the executive director of EPIC. "Not only can dragsters use it to increase performance, but a mother can stop at her local gas station, fill up her minivan with ethanol, and then safely drive her kids to soccer practice.
Ethanol, which is becoming a more common fuel in racing, is a high-octane, high-performance, clean-burning fuel. The IndyCar Series is using a 10 percent ethanol/90 percent methanol fuel blend beginning in 2006, and 100 percent ethanol fuel in 2007.
Schwartzkopf and his team are well-known for having the best-engineered cars and for their use and promotion of ethanol as a high-performance fuel that reduces harmful tailpipe emissions.
"We've been using ethanol in our dragsters for the past 10 years and winning races. I hope that in the next few years all dragsters in all the series, as well as other racing series, are using ethanol in their race cars," says Schwartzkopf. "It's not only a performance-boosting fuel, but it's the right thing to do for the environment, and it's a renewable fuel made right here in America, reducing our dependence on foreign oil."