Holiday Greetings! Where’s Toyota’s Baby Crossover? BMW i3 Review? TFL’s Bronco Buster [Ask Nathan]

Nathan and The Fast Lane Car team are here to answer your (reasonable) questions. Interesting and/or entertaining emails will be posted to this column. If it's relevant in the automotive universe, there's a chance we may know something about it. The author's email address and name will be omitted - leaving your initials or nickname, your preference.
Nathan and The Fast Lane Car team are here to answer your (reasonable) questions. Interesting and/or entertaining emails will be posted to this column. If it’s relevant in the automotive universe, there’s a chance we may know something about it. The author’s email address and name will be omitted – leaving your initials or nickname, your preference.

From day one, The Fast Lane Car has made it our policy to answer as many questions and comments as we can. We get thousands of emails and comments and feel that, as part of a tight-knit automotive community, having an open dialogue with you keeps things fresh and exciting.

2015_audi_s3_f1_nathan_adlen_andre_smirnov

In this edition of Ask Nathan:

  • Holiday Greetings to All of You!
  • Where is Toyota’s Baby Crossover?
  • Have you reviewed the BMW i3 Yet?
  • What’s with the Broncho Bustin’ thing you’re doing?

 

Holiday Show: Everything you always wanted to know about Team TFLcar

First, a holiday greeting and a glimpse into our plans for TFLcar, TFLtruck and TFLclassics for 2015.

Q: What does the TFL crew have in store for you (readers and viewers)?

A: Roman, Andre, Emme, Tommy and the rest of the TFL team are very grateful for all of your support. Over the past few years, we have grown into something special, something different, something all of you have had input building. We are an interactive automotive content provider thanks to you. We will continue to read and respond to as many emails, texts, tweets and shout-outs as we can.

Next year, we hope to make all of our channels and websites even better.

Here is some of the highlights coming to our video channels and websites in 2015:

TFLcar:

  • The 2015 NAIAS (North American International Auto Show).
  • 2015 Chicago Auto Show. 2015 Easter Jeep Safari.
  • 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show.
  • New debuts from Audi, FCA, Honda/Acura, Ford, General Motors, MBZ, Toyota/Lexus/Scion, BMW, Nissan/Infiniti and much, much more.

TFLtruck:

  • Several new and/or significantly updated trucks, vans and more.
  • TFLtruck’s New Original Series: “Bronco Bustin’” featuring projects and adventures with our 1968 Ford Bronco!
  • More Mr. Truck, more Ike Gauntlet, more towing tests, more cargo tests – more – more – MORE!

TFLcassics:

  • We’re adding more street-rods, classics, Cars and Coffee, museums, press events, special projects and more!

Everything is going up a notch. Automobiles represent one of largest and most robust industries on the planet – we intend to cover as much as we can.

Season’s greetings from all of us to all of you!

Nathan Adlen

This is the Toyota ME-WE-Concept. They will never build it. Bummer.
This is the Toyota ME-WE-Concept. They will never build it. Bummer.

This next one comes from a viewer I bumped into while holiday shopping (trying to find “Daisy Dukes” that fit Andre). He wanted to know about Toyota’s rumored Nissan Juke-fighter. To be honest, so do we.

Q: Has Toyota given you a clue about a crossover that’s smaller than the Toyota RAV4. I’m curious as you wrote that whole things about baby crossovers – click (here) to check it out – and the only rumor I had was regarding a tiny crossover for Scion.

Is it true?

M.M.

A: There have been a few rumors about something being developed based on the XP150 platform. This would make it a product based on the current Toyota Yaris sold in Thailand (among other places).

Toyota Rush
This is the Toyota Rush. It’s a tiny SUV for the overseas market – not ours.

Another rumor bases the baby crossover on a tiny Kei-car/truck called the Toyota Rush which is based on the Daihatsu Terios. That’s kind of hard to believe as it’s a rear-drive architecture. The final rumor I caught wind of has to do with a shortened XA40 platform which underpins the current Toyota RAV4. This project is said to be based in the United States and will be solely developed for North America.

I have nothing solid and not one of these rumors has a single source from Toyota (or even a Toyota “Fanboy”) to back it up.

Anyone out there know anything about a future Toyota baby crossover for the USA?

Sorry man, I wish I had more for you.

N

BMW-i3-RSF;

This viewer is tired of waiting for our BMW i3 review. To tell you the truth, I drove one (but, not long enough for a review of any kind) and I am looking forward to truly putting one to the test.

Q: Nathan!

What is the holdup? I’ve seen your BMW i8 reviews. I know you’ve reviewed the Nissan Leaf, Teslas and Mitsubishi I-MiEV because I have seen every one of your electric-car videos. Even the ones I don’t agree with, I know you guys are pretty original and you don’t steal from others like some people do.

I want my BMW i3 video!

So what’s the holdup? Do I need to call BMW and tell them to lend you one for a week!? I will if I have too!

B.E.N

A: I am totally bummed that BMW has yet to give us a proper crack at a BMW i3. You’re right, we get to drive their über-expensive cars, but no BMW i3.

Maybe they are holding off because there’s snow on the ground in Colorado.

BMW was part of a local event a few months back where we (journalists) were allowed to drive one for about 10-minutes, which is about enough time to tell you that it’s interesting technology, interesting packaging and it drives nice on city streets.

Hopefully, BMW will give us a crack at one soon.

N

FullSizeRender

The last question comes from our truck website about upcoming project TFLtruck’s Bronco Buster.

Q: What is the deal with your new project truck guys? Is the Raptor project finished? I noticed your tweets about a new toy, the old Bronco.

Why get something so old? Are you tied in to Ford?

Please respond.

L.T.

ROK

A: The vehicle in question, a 1968 Ford Bronco half-cab 4X4, is our 2015 project pickup truck for TFLtrucks. Click (here) for more information.

Yes, TFL did purchase a sweet little ’68 Ford Bronco half-cab 4X4. It has a 289cid engine, a three speed “on-the-tree,” it’s nearly rust free and it runs great! There are only light modifications like a modern 500cfm carburetor with an electric choke, valve covers – things of that nature. For the most part, it’s an unmolested original with gobs of potential.

You will begin to hear a lot about this truck on all of our networks as it has the unusual distinction of being something for everyone.

For example:

  • (TFLcar features SUVs and crossovers) The Ford Bronco is an SUV – right?
  • (TFLtruck features pickup trucks) The ’68 Ford Bronco half-cab is a pickup truck – right?
  • (TFLclassics features old things) Given its vintage, we can all agree that Project Bronco Bustin’ should be featured on TFLclassics as it is a classic – right?

Yep, it’s a unique opportunity to cover all bases while we have some serious fun with our next project.

Regarding our connection to Ford: it’s all good. We had their cooperation when we got the Raptor a while back, but we opted to go for the Bronco based on its potential, vintage (I think Roman graduated high school in ’68), unique pedigree and awesomeness. Plus – in some ways, the amazing Ford F-150 SVT Raptor can trace its lineage back to specialty vehicles like the Bronco.

I forgot to mention – It’s COOL man!

Stay tuned for lots of updates coming in 2015!

N

Got a question for Nathan? Drop him a line at: asknathan@tflcar.com

Nathan Adlen Bio Picture Nathan Adlen reviews vehicles from the cheapest to the most prestigious. His words, good humor and videos are enjoyed worldwide.