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2018 Woodward Dream Cruise: What to know and where to go

If there's anything that proves Detroit's motor-oil-in-the-veins, gearhead bonafides, it's the annual Woodward Dream Cruise, which will bring an anticipated 1.5 million or so people from near and far, plus tens of thousands of classic and custom and just plain weird cars, to a 16-mile portion of Woodward Avenue on Saturday for the 24th year. Loved by gearheads, collectors and the merely curious, who see it as the Motor City's version of Mardi Gras, and loathed by others, who deride it as the world's largest traffic jam, the Dream Cruise is nothing if not an explosion for the senses. What will you see there? Well, as Autoblog Managing Editor Greg Rasa put it last year, "There are historic cars. And works of art. Some are worth vast sums of money, and some are rat rods and rust buckets. And some are bizarre creations that make you ask, 'What were they thinking?'" A few things are certain: You will see many incredible automobiles. There will be plenty of T-shirts and other merch, official and not-so-much. It will be crowded, and probably hot. The Cruise will officially go from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., though of course cruisers have been out already for weeks. And there are plenty of attractions, both on and off the pavement of Woodward. Tony Michaels, the Dream Cruise's executive director, said the event is special for the Detroit region. "Together we celebrate the automobile and what it has meant to us," he told Autoblog. "To see the these fantastic vehicles and the proud owners says so much about who we are and our pride. "People should take it in to see history running 16 miles down Woodward Avenue and to be a part of the greatest automobile event in America." Ford is once again serving as the Dream Cruise presenting sponsor and will hold the 20th anniversary of the Mustang Alley at the corner of Nine Mile and Woodward in Ferndale, where it expects as many as 1,000 Mustangs to line up. It will also show off its lineage of trucks at 13 Mile, along with several performance vehicles at Duggan's Irish Pub at 31501 Woodward in Royal Oak. The company on Thursday unveiled the 2018 Mustang Cobra Jet drag car to celebrate the nameplate's 50th anniversary. Just 68 examples are planned of the $130,000 limited-edition model Other Ford activities include: Sales of tickets for a raffle of a one-off Kona Blue Mustang Bullitt, starting at the media clubhouse at 2 p.m. Friday. The raffle itself takes place in November and will support juvenile diabetes research.

Chevy Tahoe-to-K5 Blazer conversion shop renders Jimmy option

Back in 2019 we told you about a truck that looked like a K5 Chevy Blazer, but was actually a modern late-model Tahoe underneath. It was the product of Arkansas shop Flat Out Autos, which reskinned modern GM full-size SUVs to look like their predecessors. Now, the same shop is planning to release a GMC version, converting Yukons to Jimmys. We were impressed by Flat Out's workmanship, beautifully blending the lines of the Blazer into those of the Tahoe. The result was a cohesive design, not just a panel swap. It clearly required a lot of work, which helped justify the $69,000 price tag, not including the cost of the donor Tahoe. FlatOut Autos GMC Blazer Tahoe reskin 01 View 11 Photos At least one new owner was so impressed that they recently purchased four identical Blazer conversions at once. The quadruplets were all finished in blue with a white roof and all based on brand-new 2020 Tahoes. Obviously, with such demand it was only natural for Flat Out to explore other options. On Facebook the company said it was working on a 1972 version with an eggcrate grille. Now, they've also released a rendering paying homage to the K5 GMC Jimmy. The Jimmy conversion uses the original's quad-headlight face, crosshair grille and GMC badging. Like the Blazer conversion, it adds chrome bumpers and milled door handles while adapting the original's 2-door design to the new truck's 4-door body. The rendering only shows the front three-quarter view, but presumably a new carbon fiber rear door would have to be created as the Blazer's says "Chevrolet" across the back. Flat Out says that all the modern conveniences found on the donor Tahoe will work on the conversion, including parking, blind spot and lane keeping sensors. If you have the coin, it's a great way to have retro style without giving up modern safety and performance. The new Blazer has been disappointing to many fans that had hoped for a Bronco-like SUV. Instead, GM gave us a crossover. The Flat Out conversions might be a good compromise, and expanding it to the GMC brand only makes sense. Obviously there's no requirement to use a GMC Yukon as the donor vehicle for the Jimmy, as it's functionally identical to a Tahoe, but wouldn't you want to keep it in the family? Related Video:

Best pickup trucks for 2023

In 2023, it seems like there’s a pickup truck for everyone. This wasnÂ’t always the case, as it wasnÂ’t until fairly recently that the midsize truck segment started becoming competitive again, and even more recently that weÂ’ve got choices for economical compact trucks or cleaner electric pickups. As the diversity of choices continues to grow, so does the potential customer base for vehicles with an open bed. Whether youÂ’re looking for something luxurious to drive in style, an absolute workhorse to tow the heaviest of loads, something small and practical, or a dune-blasting monster, youÂ’ve got options. Whatever it is you need it to do, here are what we think are the best pickup trucks for 2023. Before we start really categorizing these trucks, let's go over the scores our editors have given the best-selling pickup trucks in America. Best Full-Size Pickup Trucks for 2023: 2023 Ram 1500: 9.0 2023 Ford F-150: 8.5 2023 GMC Sierra: 8.0 2023 Chevrolet Silverado: 7.5 2023 Toyota Tundra: 7.0 2023 Nissan Titan: 5.5 Best Midsize Pickup Trucks for 2023: 2023 Ford Ranger: 8.0 2023 Honda Ridgeline: 8.0 2023 Jeep Gladiator: 8.0 2023 Nissan Frontier: 7.5 2023 Toyota Tacoma: 7.0 It's worth noting that the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon were redesigned for 2023, and we like them quite a bit. We haven't yet been able to pass them around to all of our editors in order to give them official rankings, but we're certain they'll come out at or near the top. Now, remember what we said at the outset about there being a pickup truck for every buyer? Let's break it down.   Best luxury truck: Ram 1500 Limited With an exceptionally comfortable interior with high-quality materials, excellent fit and finish, plenty of space, useful technology and a wealth of convenience features, this is the cabin in which weÂ’d want to spend the most time. We especially like touches like the ventilated reclining back seat, clever storage and 12-inch vertically oriented touchscreen. All the American trucks can be ultra-luxurious, though. What really seals the deal for Ram is its choice of either coil spring or air spring rear suspension that provide unmatched ride quality, no matter which you choose. The 1500 Limited will truly keep you feeling kingly on those long hauls. Read our review of the Ram 1500.   Best truck for cowboys: Ford F-150 King Ranch (Honorable mention: Ram 1500 Limited Longhorn) Need a truck to match those new cowboy boots and shiny belt buckle?