The M Files

Thanks to the folks at LB Smith Ford Lincoln Mercury, tomorrow I’ll take temporary possession of a Fusion hybrid. I?ó?é¼?äóm told the vehicle is Motor Trend?ó?é¼?äós 2010 Car of the Year. I haven’t validated that and, truthfully, it doesn’t matter.

Ford's sponsorship helps make Ironman triathlon what it is: the best race series on the planet.

I asked for a test drive several months ago after McClure Company purchased a standard engine Fusion as a company car. There are many reasons why I?ó?é¼?äóm a fan of Ford Motor Company:

• We’ve used Fords as our family vehicles for 18 years. They’ve been good cars and our dealers have been easy to work with. Our Explorer has been to every family sports event (we might be talking thousands!) since we’ve owned it. It’s become part of our family DNA.
• Ford resurrected itself without taking a single government bailout penny. Enough said.
• Ford is the primary sponsor of Ironman triathlon. Ironman is by far the best-run triathlon series on the planet. Ford’s sponsorship helps make those races what they are. Thank you, Ford!
• I had the opportunity to meet Ford’s CEO, Alan Mulally, at a charity dinner this past winter. He’s a very thoughtful and engaging man. A one-of-a-kind engineer with an incredible ability to communicate. Here’s a great summary of Alan Mulally by one of the attendees.
  

  Me with Ford CEO Alan Mulally, moments after thanking him for Ford's sponsorship of Ironman triathlon.

The Fusion hybrid will be my second big weekend adventure in a Ford. My first was as a college student in the British Islands in the late 80s. I and three other American chaps drove a Ford Festiva from Leeds, England to John O’Groats, Scotland and back over the course of three days, a distance of about 1,000 miles. In a few words:

• Sleep deprived.
• Cramped.
• Pints with locals.
• Belly laughs.
• Unforgettable stench.

Go ahead and laugh at my hair. It was the 80s and you know yours was just as bad.

Here we are taking a break somewhere in Scotland.

This is a Loch Lomond version of a youth hostel. Nice stopping point, although we were certain the place was haunted.

Feeling the effects of our Festiva. We had to use it as sleeping quarters on night #2. Do not attempt this at home.