Happy Father’s Day, and Happy Pride! Writer Cameron Aubernon, INEOs CEO Lynn Calder and Lots of Off-Roading
Plus, which is the best off-roader? And which car colors make you queasy? All in the weekly rewind.
I first met Cameron Aubernon a few years ago at a test drive event. She spoke softly and carried a big camera. So big, in fact, I mistook her for one of the event’s photographers. But nope, she was there to capture every pixel possible and tell a deep, rich story about the Dodge Challenger.
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Her quiet demeanor struck me; reserved, thoughtful, introspective. A race fan who loves following every turn and hanging out with other fans, if she isn’t traveling to test drives she’s driving to races.
Life can be a challenge, throwing us curveballs and obstacles, and getting past those is where we find success and satisfaction. Cameron knows something about that, facing challenges at many of life’s turns, but she knows where her drive line is and sticks to it.
These days, society has us putting people in buckets that may or may not fit. I don’t want to put Cameron in any category other than smart, hardworking, curious and tenacious; it’s not fair to her, or to any of us, to identify people by narrow definitions. And it’s not necessary; Cameron’s work speaks for itself. Though, I’ll pipe up to say we’re glad to have her on our team, lucky to have her in our orbit.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
Color Matters (Don’t Let Anyone Tell You Otherwise)
I remember time when boys would tease girls about picking a car for it’s color, trying to make us feel like our choices were not important. But they were wrong. Color matters. It impacts you mood, shapes your day and can influence your choices. Color is a personal preference but as women there are some colors that are universally loved or hated.
This week, I shared my favorites and my least favorites, and also, alternatives that can really improve your time in the car. I’d love to know if you agree, and if you feel as strongly about color as *some* of us do.
20 Cars, 19 Journalists, Lots of Mud And One Clear Winner
Not long ago Kristen Brown set out with a group of journalists from the Northwest Automotive Press Association to test out a group of SUVs and trucks to evaluate them on the muddy spring terrain in the PNW. And then, they had to pick the best of the bunch.
It was a tough competition, and shockingly, Jeep didn’t win this contest. But there were some good contenders and the winner? A surprise and then again, not a surprise.
Meet Lynn Calder, CEO of Off-Road Luxury Brand Ineos
If you think off-roading is for the adventurous, running a start-up off-road brand is for those who also have confidence and clarity. It certainly takes a lot of brains, as well as brawn, so it’s really quite surprising to meet the elegant, understated Lynn Calder, president and ceo of Ineos and then understand, she does THAT???
Probably even more impressive is that she does it so well. In the few short years that Ineos has been building it’s luxe, rugged, heritage-inspired SUVs and pickups, the brand has become a must-have run-away hit for people who want to feel the experience as well as live it. She joined our podcast to talk about how she came to this job, what it means to her and how she views the world. I came away inspired; you will too.
You can subscribe to our podcast, What Drives Her, here!
Go Off-Roading With Us in the Ford Expedition!
Not long ago we had the chance to take the newly redesigned Ford Expedition out for a test drive, use hands-free Blue Cruise and take it off road. We also climbed through, sat in all the seats, played with the sliding center console and figured out where kids car seats fit best.
Catch our entire video here, or, you can read whole story here.
Happy Father’s Day! And, Happy Pride Month!
When my kids were toddlers we spent a lot of time in Los Angeles. One year, we made plans to go to the beach for Father’s Day only to find we were boxed in by the Pride parade on Santa Monica Boulevard. We chuckled at our mis-aligned schedule and then pivoted, having brunch at a hotel and toddler-dancing to the disco music that wafted through the neighborhood (we’d have gone to the parade but our kids were too little for parading without tailgate seating). That these two holidays coincide is actually quite cool, though. Any chance to celebrate those we love is a special day.
We asked the moms on our team what they celebrate about the fathers of their kids as teachers of cars; their answers are both touching and funny. And we also continue to celebrate our LGBTQ friends and colleagues this month, including our friend Alex, who just became a dad and now, both holidays are even more meaningful to him.
If you know someone, love someone, respect someone or parent someone who celebrates Pride, or who celebrates Father’s Day, you understand; the opportunity to honor those who mean so much to us is precious.
Enjoy the weekend, and enjoy the ride!
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