Jay Leno Green Race track

[siry]

This thing would actually be cool if it were a Tesla at a proper track but I have to believe it is "pay for play" and Ford is paying the Jay Leno Show nicely for the privilege.

Seriously - a fake track out back the studio in a car that is front wheel drive is not going to make for any exciting driving, although it may indeed be funny.

[doug]

Here's the Drew Barrymore clip on hulu:
Hulu - The Jay Leno Show: Drew Races

[efusco]

Any press is good press. The track is a bit of a joke, yes. But the car is cool and the emphesis that EVs exist and work is what people will, one way or another, take away.

[vfx]

This helps reinforce the EV message like the new strings of indoor EV Gokart tracks. Anything to further EV=Fast.

Note the immediately following the segment they went to a Ford Electric Hybrid commercial. It might even have been a :60.

[doug]

"Asbo Orange" has entered the national vocabulary for that shade now, thanks to that [Clarkson] review.

For the non Brits, ASBO = Anti-Social Behaviour Order - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[doug]

Jay Leno Brings EVs Into America’s Living Room | Autopia | Wired.com

“We wanted to show that electric cars can be fun and something you can race,” Leno said. “In America, electric cars have the same cachet as golf carts. To see an electric car skidding around a track, I think it has the scope to change people’s perceptions of eco cars.”
...
... Leno was adamant that the feature, slated to run an average of twice weekly, support and promote American automotive engineering and ingenuity.

“I wanted an American manufacturer, and the only one with anything ready-to-go and viable was Ford,” Leno said. “GM is like a government company now. It’s a little tricky to get anything done.” ...

[doug]

The car blogs are generally negative:

VIDEO: Drew Barrymore In Jay Leno's Reasonably-Priced Electric Ford Focus "Race Car" - Jay Leno - Jalopnik



VIDEO: Drew Barrymore hits the Leno track in the Focus BEV — Autoblog Green

VIDEO: Drew Barrymore takes Jay Leno's Green Car Challenge — Autoblog

[vfx]

I liked "Lad's" ABG comment:

The difference is like comparing a major golf tournament to miniature golf.

[doug]

I caught part of tonight's show and Jay said they'd be adding 3 seconds to Drew's time since she didn't actually follow the course.

[vfx]

Interesting.

Coupla Sports announcers tonight (tomorrow Thur is Rush). One was 3 seconds slower than her and the other 6 seconds.

And why do I care?